sachmo71's Face The Board Answers

[Antmeister]

How's did your life change with fatherhood?

Pretty much everything changed. I quit smoking, and started needing sleep more. Actually, becoming a father was extra special for me, because I feel that my purpose in life is to be the best father I can be and raise semi-happy children. EVerything else is secondary.


Best part about living in the DFW area? Worst? Where would you live if you couldn't live in the metroplex?

I like DFW because of the weather and most of my family lives here. I used to think I would rather settle in Austin eventually, but I've become quite the big-city boy. So unless I move states, Dallas is where I will stay.

If I had to live somewhere else, it would be London. My wife surprised me and told me that if we got the chance to go live there, we should take it.


Favorite place to eat lunch?

Snuffers on fridays with my work gang. Great food and wonderful cheese fries.


Do you still play Heroclix? If not, has any game replaced it? And what did you do with all the old figurines?

I had not played in a very long time until a few weeks ago. Apparently they've changed the rules quite a bit, and mostly for the better. Now most heroes have a special power that is unique to their figure, which allows them to go outside of the cookie cutter rules and give each character a unique feel. Now I just need to go buy some new figures...

I gave my son some of my old figures. He loved them, but proved that they aren't quite up to the physical challenge of a 4 year old boy. So now they sit in my closet, but I bring them out sometimes so my kids can play with them.


Oh, and in honor of RendeR... can I sleep with your wife?

Yes, but only if money exchanges hands. And I mean you have to pay my wife.


What's your connection to New Orleans?

I was born in New Orleans at Turo Hospital in 1971. I lived there for most of my early childhood, and moved to Dallas in 1981. It was quite an adjustment going from private schools to public schools in Texas, and it was a bit rough on me.

But eventually I got into the swing of things, but I still think of New Orleans as one of the most unique places in the country. It's like another world.


Favorite solitaire wargame (board)?

B-17 Queen of the Skies by Avalon Hill. I loved that game. If I ever have free time again I might play it...make a dynasty
out of it


Favorite 2-person wargame (board)?

Third World War: Central Front by GDW. A friend of mine and I tried to play the entire series, but ran out of time setting it up. It has such promise. I remember playing Central Front against my friend and he was the Warsaw Pact. He was steamrolling me and I was playing for time. Finally on the sixth turn, when US reinforcements begin to arrive en mass, I counterattacked with the remains of my reserve, most of the French army and the new US divisions. I took out a huge stack after carpet bombing it with B-52s, pretty much guarenteeing a stalemate. He decided to offer a white peace!


Favorite MP wargame (board)?

Axis and Allies. I'm very excited to see how WOTC does with it.


Favorite computer game?

Hmmm...I keep going back to Hearts of IRon 2. I love strategic level games. The one I've played most might be the original Pacific War by Gary Grigsby. I loved that game. I still occationally consider buying the $70 version. Fritz made it sound so fun.


An alien challenges you to the wargame of your choice, with the survival of humanity at stake. You get one shot at saving us all in a marathon, all-nighter gaming session. Choice of sides is determined by a coin flip. No pressure. Good luck, we're all counting on you.
What game do you pick?

Naval Battles by Avalon Hill. I always seem to have good luck playing that game, and I doubt the alien will understand
gun sizes.
Thanks for the fun questions, Coug.


Best/worst multiplayer experience with FOF?

Best: Making it to the championship game three times. Haven't won yet.

Worst: It has to be the cheating of the Packers in the HFL. Such a kick to the nuts. I don't think I'll ever understand why someone would cheat like that.


Best/worst experience with FM/CM?

Worst: I suck at FM. I get my team where I'm doing ok, and then things just collapse. I think I should read a strategy guide or something.

Best: Going back and grabbing guys for FC Dallas that I went to highschool with! Now EHM...there's a game I've had some fun with!


Since you like(d) HeroClix, do you read comics at all? If so, what are some of your favourite comics, characters, and movies?

I read trades as often as i can now. No time or wife patience for collecting individual books these days. I'm a huge X-Men geek, but I also enjoy Justice League and the Watchmen. A friend at work loaned me some Garth Ennis books, like The Pro and The Boys, which were fun. I'm looking forward to starting The Sandman soon.


What are your favourite sports and teams?

Football is king in my sports world, followed by hockey. I'm a fan of the Saints and Cowboys, not necessarily in that order. Hockey is Stars all the way.


What's a sachmo?

At one point, a small-monkeylike forest creature. I can't seem to find that definition anymore, though.


What is your career and how did you get there?

Ugh...it's been a long and painful road. I'll try to condence it. I graduated from highschool in 1989, with absolutely nothing on my mind. I did some tours of duty at different colleges, but never was serious about it. For most of my early twentys, I drank beer and waited tables, or did nothing. Other than playing games and being drunk, I was worthless.

Finally, a buddy of mine told me that I should get a job at his wife's company in tech support since I "stayed up late and played with computers". He had me send in my resume, and six months later I was tech support guy. Well, the basic knowledge of computers and my own problem solving abilities helped me get a decent reputation, and I moved up to QA after a couple of years.

I worked as a QA engineer at a Point of Sale company for 5 years and finally discovered that I was interested in database work. I then left my old company and came to Match.com where I did another year of QA. I finally decided to get serious about database work, so I took some SQL classes, did some work on my own for the department, and told a VP that I wanted to eventually become a database engineer. Six months later, I got my shot. I moved into release management and am now an administrator\engineer for our QA enviornment and a liasion between production database teams and development. Eventually, I would like to become a fulltime programmer.


Any schooling (college, etc)?

Lots of school, but not a lot of results. However, I can say the SQL classes probably made the most difference in my career. Not sure I would have my job without them.


How did you discover FOFC?

Don't really remember, but I found it back in the old days, before the move.


Favorite RPG?

Got to be Dungeons and Dragons, with Champions a close second.


Do you still play any role playing games, if so, which ones?

Yes! I get together with a group to play D&D once every six months or so. We completed one campaign over four years, if that gives you any indication of our progress. But getting together is the best part. I tried playing the new Shadowrun with another group, but it didn't really work out.


Favorite Dallas Star?

Craig Ludwig or Brett Hull.


Favorite Detroit Red Wing?

Stevie Y. One of the best players ever and a class act. Would have loved to see him here.


Who's your favorite character in "A Song of Ice and Fire" and why? Least favorite?

Tyrion Lannister, I think, because he's such an underdog. He's universally hated, but refuses to change.

My least favorite character would probably be the Brianne, only because things are so black and white for her. I wish she would just go home.


Top five books? (A series can be counted as one book)

To Kill a Mockingbird
Song of Ice and Fire series
Red Storm Rising
Ancient Shores by Jack Mcdevitt
Wheel of Time up to book 9


Why the bitter hatred for the Sabres and their fans? THE GOAL COUNTED and YOU WON THE GAME!!!

It's reversing the whip. Preemptive hatred. Seriously, I can see how Buffalo fans must LOATHE Dallas sports team, but the no goal thing is so...silly. Really I don't hate Buffalo fans, though. I just feel bad for them.


What better Zendejas Luis or Max?

Max, but Luis has better stats, AND he won the Detriot game for us.
Can I say Rafael Septien here?


What three books have most influenced your life? In what way did they do this? This is not necessarily equivalent to "What are the three best books you've read?" but more along the lines of the three books that have most dramatically influenced your beliefs, actions, outlook on life, or perhaps even the course of your life.

I like the easy questions. Thanks, GB!

1. The Bible - it influences my life in more ways than I can tell you. Once upon a time it was a positive force in my life, and now it is a big mystery to me.
2. To Tempt the Gods - Masters of the Universe issue 1 of 3 series by DC comics, 1982 - Thus began my comic book collecting
3. The Hobbit - first book I read without putting down and also birthed my fantasy addiction.

If you had to marry a celebrity, who would it have been?

It would have been and will still be Jessica Alba.


What's a typical Monday in your life like?

Get up a little late (around 6:15) and feed the dog and cat. Get breakfast ready while the wife showers. Get the kids up, which is always rewarding after a long weekend. Feed kids. Take daughter to school, which is one of teh best parts of the day. I get to walk her into the building, and it's three minutes of pure fun. Gridlock my way to work. Put out fires. Surf the internet. Play grabass with the rest of my team. Eat lunch with my team. Play more grab as and put out fires. Try to remember that I don't give a shit what stupid people do at work. Gridlock home. Play with kids while the
wife makes dinner. Do homework with kids. Watch some tv with kids after their bath. Read to kids before bed. Put kids to sleep. Watch TV with wife, and then work out on the treadmill. Shower, read in bed for about half and hour, and start it all over again.


How have your political/religious/ideological views changed since you were 18?

Yes, about as far as they possibly could. I started my adult life listening to Rush and laughing at the left. At that time I didn't have any bills and was living at home. Then, I became poor. So I moved toward the left. Bit by bit I've learned to think for myself, so I'm a nice, cozy independant, although I lean more toward the right then I did.

As far as ideals, I've always been family first, so at the core i've stayed the same. However, other things have changed as I've grown older. Life is confusing that way, or maybe I'm just easily influenced. Who knows? And religion and I aren't really speaking anymore, so that's changed as well.

Thanks for your questions everyone! I wasn't sure I wanted to do this, but it was more fun than I thought it would be.
And thanks Ant for setting it up! Keep up the good work!

[3ric]

Good answers, and fun to read... thanks for doing these!

[flere-imsaho]

Great read! I didn't submit any questions, but I definitely enjoyed the answers. Thanks!

[CamEdwards]

Thanks! If I ever get back down to Dallas I want to see another Rangers game.

[wade moore]

One of the better reads because I learned so much I didn't know!

[Yellow5]

Great read, thanks for contributing.

[Godzilla Blitz]

Nice job, Sachmo! Very well done, and fun to read.

These sure help put a person behind the posts.

[Logan]

Good stuff...thanks for posting.

[JAG]

"Actually, becoming a father was extra special for me, because I feel that my purpose in life is to be the best father I can be and raise semi-happy children. EVerything else is secondary."

Word.

To your ASoIaF comments as well.