The Official DIY-Street Who is Who Thread.

[Kawasaki 1]

Whats up everyone! My name is Shaun, I'm 25 and living in TN at the moment. I was born and raised in Memphis, growing fond of Mary Jane from 8th grade til, um, now (taking a long break soon). At 16 I dropped out of high school and got my GED and started working ASAP. I've worked all kinds of jobs, from being a welder to tearing down racing engines to working for financial institutions and my current position Help Desk/Computer Operator.

 

When I turned 18 I moved out to Denver CO (my favorite place) for which I lived for 3 years. I love snowboarding! I transfered with my company out to San Diego and lived out in Pacific Beach for about 2 1/2 years and loved it. Chicks galore, I mean what is better than going to the grocery store and seeing nothing but hot butt girls in bikinis or hardly any clothing . This is where I also began my dirt bike experience at. I bought a KX125 and loved to ride track or trail. My parents are divorced, eached married again.

 

I like football, hockey, riding dirt bikes and girls! I moved back here to TN as it was the best financially for me as my bro bought a house and that is whom I live with. I'm not into politics or relegion as my grandmother pretty much has me covered for both. I have had 3 of my best friends die, 1 when I was 16, 1 when I was 20 and then the other when I was 23. Two died in car accidents and the 3rd was a street bike accident.

 

I really got into building computers about a year ago, which my first build was an ASUS A8V-E Deluxe mb, 2GB of Corsair RAM, a gigabyte 6600gt. Once I started OCing with the ASUS and found that I could not do much, I reviewed other mb's and found DFI and DFI-Street. I have since not been able to function properly because I'm always tweaking, reading and playing games. The current games I'm into now are CoV, CoH, BF2 and CoD2. I'm a really easy going guy that likes to try and get all I can out of life, hence moving around a lot.

 

Well, that's about it. Peace!!

[TheWizzard]

Great for all the posts in this thread. Sometimes it's not so cool to read what other people went through but what's really good the read is how they managed to get their lives on the road again. That's really something.

 

But overall it's great to read the lifestories of people and even greater, in my opinion, that everyone is ready to share this often very personal information with us.

 

Keep on going, two thumbs up!!

[Guderian]

Well Hello my name is Patrick Havens, I'm 32 live in Napa, California and am addict... of many things (Computers, Reading, Gaming of all sorts and sports, oh yeah and MAME cabinets and movies, and music and and and...)

 

My first computer I owned was a Colecovision Adam followed soon after by a ti 99/4a that my parents bought me second hand because it was cheap at the time (way late) and was a great deal as the previous owner had fully loaded it (Expanded memory to 48 K, Dual 5.25 Floppy, 10 meg hard drive, dual Tape drive, and sound module and tons of cartidges) as time I've collected a couple more and now they sit...

 

I've worked many jobs, 12 years as a Pipe Organ Tuner, rebuilder, installer; 6 Years as a Printing Press Operator, Security, Janitor, and later when I was going to the local communioty college I started working in a lab for this new thing called the world wide web... helping people and later instructing people about it. I ended up getting my current job about 8 years ago as a Graphic Artist for a local Print Shop.

 

I been building PCs for many years as it was the cheapest way to go. My first being a AMD K7 500 on a PC Chips board... I still shake my head about that one. It wasn't until BF42 and joining a DesertCombat clan call =Legends of the Restful Dead= (=LORD=) that I started worrying about keeping up. And it was a friend in the clan (Cobia69) that got me pointed to DFI. After dealing with ASUS and their problems with AMD 3200+ 400 mhz CPUs... I never turned back. I turned to the side, with my latest PC because of $$$ and the fact I didn't want to OC it. But I will definatly be building a major OCer later and it will be DFI.

 

I mainly haunt around here... but a lot of good people in here... and some decent info.

[Fletcherea]

Hey, I'm a newbie to the forums. Was born in St. Stephen, NB, Canada, I'm 27 years old, been living with my girlfriend for about two years now(My mom wants me to marry so bad she offered to buy a ring... I asked her to marry her then rofl) I got a ferret, two budgies, and a cockatiel. I work on an aquaculture site, raising salmon, halibut, and cod fish, the pay is crap, but get plenty of hours to pay the bills. Spent 4 years in the active US Army(parents born in the states, so I have dual citizenship), and 2 years Nasty Girl. Live on a small island, Campobello, population of around 2000. Not very many "tech savvy" folks around here, I'm far from it but the closest thing to it lol, so I fix peoples "broken" computers, and build budget rigs etc. for a hobby/ lil extra cash. I'm the middle child, younger sister, older brother, raised by our cheesy/goofy parents. Its sad my life story was just spilt in under a paragrah rofl.

[dr_bowtie]

Hi My name is Terry....I am 34

 

I am a pc junky of one sort or another...I love to read in these forums....I mostly lurk...

 

To start off, I was born here in Indiana, moved to upper Michigan for 11 years then back here. My parents divorced early on so I have been totally on my own since about 14.... I didn't want to side with either parent so I didn't live with either....I am 1 of very few in my entire family to graduate school.

 

I am the oldest of three children (all boys) and only 2 of us boys in the whole string of family to actually do anything with our lives....Me and My next brother... we also believe to just work enough to be comfortable...not rich...

 

I have pretty much been self made since I graduated....I have worked very hard (still do) for everything I have and do....I don't play as much as I should but I do a little. I am re-married (divorced once) and I have 6 biological children and 1 adopted child (together we have 8 kids YES 8)

I am a very generous person...to the point sometimes it causes me financial strain...but I don't cars... I love to help people who are in need...but on the other hand I dis-like people who expect the help or take it for granted and/or don't help themselves also....

 

I went to school to be an auto mechanic and went to high performance engine school but....I have been in the construction business since graduation... I love them both and just cant decide what I like more....I really like a good challenge... so i don't mind the struggle

 

I love to build hot rods...I have built quite a few over the years...there is nothing that scares me... not even speed. I love to drive anything thats fast....Hell i tried to sign up to test drive that viper powered proto-type motorcycle....The fastest I have been to date is 185mph and that was on a yamaha 600 motor cycle dowm I-80 from Cheyenne wyoming to Nebraska the day after christmas in 2002

 

I also love the construction trade... I am very good at what I do... I have done interior finishing for years as well as build quite a few houses on my own.... I have been called all over for my skills... There is not many people who can do what I do and do it as well as I do. I specialize is round walls and weird shapes decorators come up with....barrel ceiling and different angles... I do this myself without a crew... and have made very good money at it....It supports 8 kids...so it must...

 

For hobbying I do alot of stuff...but computers is one of them...I got tired of spending big money for something I could do for so much less myself...so I did....I did all the learning online and got alot of info and training from microsoft online too...Why pay for IT training when you can do it free from Microsoft...?I have learned alot from pcmech a few years back during my first build (Before nf2( 2000)). I am still there and do what I can to help.... I came here when the NF2's came out and lurked forever, but it wasn't till the 6/19 bios came out did I but the board and I finally changed over and registered here....These are the only 2 sites mostly I go to...

 

I stated a very small pc business on the side re-furbing pc's. I do this mostly in winter when I am to lazy to leave the house...I get alot of factory take outs and I refurb a majority of those and give them to kids...freinds of my kids who don't have them...plus they make good loaner units...

 

My wife says I spend too much time at this....but heck she's a nagger anyhow....I enjoy fixing computers and it's pretty much a full time fun job doing so... I really love my DFI products andhaven't had any real problems with them except for a board that had to be RMA'd twice... but that was very painless thanks to AG and Donna.....

 

I can also relate to AG in many ways in the fact that I am angry person, more so on the inside than out....pretty easy on the out... main differences between me and him is I have never been to a hockey game....but boy if i could get suited up...I bet there would be alot of people who would get "checked" so hard they'd for sure have a little poop in there pants...

 

I also am one of many who got my life turned around...when I was 16 I got caught up in "recreational devices" and it almost cost me eveything.... but i got ahold on things and have benn do pretty good every since.... I did have a spat in my 20's where i was drinking way to much...but that also came to pass... As I am a diabetic now...so drinking is a thing of the past...It's to bad to...i really love those smirnoff ice....

 

I have to be busy all the time. I cannot stand to sit still for to long...which is weird... I am not energetic, but I just go at a mild pace...

 

I currently suffer from "family dis-association disease".... that where my family drives me nuts so i stay clear of them....

 

well thats enough for now....thinking is giving me a headache...

[StephenC]

Name: Stephen

DOB November 21st 1956 4:03AM CST

Born and raised in a small town in Southern Illinois.

I graduated from high school in 1974.

Attended SIU-C from 1974 through 1978.

Managed a restaurant from 1978 to 1982

Joined the Army in 1982 - ETS 1985 Rank E4(P) MOS 41C

I started work for Texas Instruments Defense Systems (Lewisville, TX) in 1985. TI sold the business to Raytheon in 1997. In 1999 Raytheon decided to move Lewisville plant to Tucson Az. I opted for the volentary RIF, with 6 months full pay and benefits and ran. Got my MCSE in those 6 months.

Hired on to XO Communications (then Nextlink) in 2000 at the Plano TX site. Started on the internal IT helpdesk. I am currently a LAN Admin doing mainly Desktop Support.

I have married/divorced twice. Have two boy's 16 and 18.

[MoJo Risin&#39]

I was vacillating over posting to this thread, because I get rather verbal or hung up on details and don’t know when to stop. Couple that with my sometimes offbeat humor or lack thereof, and some members might vote me out of this forum. However, after reading all of your posts, I decided to take my chances and jump on in. Wow, you guys are amazing. To pull yourself through the adversity some of you have faced is simply remarkable. I have no idea how I would have fared through those ordeals. Regardless of where life takes you from here, you all should be extremely proud of what you have already accomplished. I’m proud of you and honored to be able to read each of your stories. I wish all of you the best and Ace, I truly hope the state does the right thing by you. Btw, a snap salute to those members who served honorably in the military. You have my thanks for a job well done. You are the protectors of your country’s and the world’s freedom. Your sacrifices ensured that our children would grow up in liberty. Not bad Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines, not bad at all.

 

That said, my name’s Al. I live on the shores of Lake Erie. (Hard to find a nicer place in the summer. Not so nice in the winter unless you’re into outdoor winter sports.) I’m a boomer in my mid fifties. (If I knew I was going to live this long, I wouldn’t have abused myself so much when I was younger. It’s really an awkward age because whether you feel it or not you’re too old to be young, and too young to be old.) I’m married. (27 yrs. of wedded bliss---ters. She’s kind of like the Marines: No truer friend, no worse enemy. But then again, I’m not the easiest guy to live with, so I give her credit for putting up with me for all these years and I love her dearly.) We have 2 girls and a granddaughter. (Seems like I’m always outgunned 4 to 1.)

 

I have a college background, but the only degree I have is from the “School of Hard Knocks”. The place where if you don’t learn the lesson the first time, you are forced to repeat it.

 

As far as work, my professional career is 30 plus years mainly in manufacturing (development, production and logistics). The bulk of it was with a large corp. that dealt in Anti Submarine Warfare for the Navy. Every day, I pray the technology we delivered never gets used because it would probably mean “Armageddon”. But I know that when someone’s son or daughter on board that vessel is ordered to hit that button, the S.O.B. will work and save their lives, as well as ruin the enemy’s day.

 

I also taught computers for 3 years at a business school. (Primarily, Windows and MS Office Pro.) I really liked teaching. You felt that you’re helping people and it didn’t seem at all like work. My last 6 years were with engineering houses providing engineering support for NASA. I dealt with health and science based tasks mostly pertaining to fluid and combustion physics in a microgravity environment aboard the Shuttle and Int’l. Space Station. However, due to a change in direction (returning to manned space flight), NASA put my last project on the back burner and cut funding. So I’m now between jobs, perfecting my nothingness, and trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up.

 

I warned you that I tend to get verbose. So I better call this a wrap before I end up writing a book. I’ll post more at a later time to tell you about my beliefs, likes, dislikes and hobbies. Time for lunch.

 

Regards,

MoJo

[radodrill]

Just stumbled across this thread; so here goes with my story.

 

My name is Raphael and I've been messing with computers most of my life; starting with 486s running windows 3.11, but at that time it was mostly playing FS5

 

I have my bachelors degrees in Mechanical Engineering and in Aerospace Engineering and am currently working on a Masters in Mechanical Engineering; and just last April I passed the FE exam.

 

I registered here early 2005 shortly after getting a DFI LanParty 925X-T2, but my activity was mostly limited to the occasional visit when I ran into a slight snag here or there; Around 2 years ago I started getting into overclocking and have since been spending a lot more time here on the forums. I first started watercooling around 1.25 years ago and have been hooked ever since. Around a year ago (after upgrading my video card) I came to the realization that the case I had was too small for my needs and was pondering ideas on what I really wanted and designing a new case in my head. After taking a class in modeling with Pro/E at the beginning of this past summer I started modeling my ideas and finalizing the design for the beasty system that is RAD-GT, for which I was very fortunate to receive support from DangerDen, Petra's Tech Shop, and A.C.Ryan. Of course I've always enjoyed building things so constructing an acrylic case came quite naturally to me; even so I hadn't had any prior experience with acrylic.

[wevsspot]

Rado,

 

I'm gonna give this thread a kick start with you In all of my hours trolling DFI and now DIY-Street I never came across this thread (at least not that I can remember).

 

My real name is Jerry. I live in Northwest Arkansas. I was born in Oregon in 1963 - you'll have to do the math because in my mind I still can't grasp that I'm supposed to be an adult. Married, with three kids, two grandkids and one on the way.

 

Grew up on the west coast in a city just south of Oakland, CA. The streets were mean, school was even meaner.

 

Attended the University of CA at Hayward for one year and then transferred to the University of Arkansas. Industrial Engineer by education, but somehow got snookered into the Quality field at one of the worlds largest suppliers of OEM aluminum wheels at the gentle age of 26. Did that for way too many years and suffered the inevitable "downsizing".

 

Went to work for Daisy BB Guns a few months later as the Quality Manager and made BB and pellet guns for about three years. Decided I wanted to start my own company and succeed or fail all on my own with no one else pulling my strings.

 

At this point I'm wondering if I made the right decision.

 

I joined the forums right after purchasing my first DFI Board (Lanparty NF4 Ultra-D) that board is still in service to this day.

 

AG hated me when I first joined the Street (feeling was mutual) but I deserved it. Since then we have mended our fences and I was recently honored when he asked me to help moderate around here - one of the nicest things that has happened in a long time.

 

Through my life my hobbies have changed, one replaced by another. In high school and college I enjoyed fast cars and an even faster lifestyle. I've had some cool cars in my life; in order - '65 Mustang (first car), '67 Barracuda, '69 Charger, '70 Cuda, '69 Dart GT, '86 Mustang GT, '92 Mustang GT Convertible and '02 Subaru WRX (please don't ask how many of these were wrecked beyond recognition). Tickets and a suspended driver's license got me looking at other hobbies.

 

Fast boats and bass fishing kind of helped fill the void. I've always enjoyed hunting, fishing and playing baseball or softball.

 

My first computer build was a MSI K7T266 Pro with an old Athlon 1.33ghz processor and 256mb of ram (seems like that was about six years ago or so). And ever since then I've just kept right on building.

 

There are three things I want to do before I die . . .

 

Have a successful family owned business, buy a Big Dog Chopper and snag me up the first new Dodge Challenger that rolls off the production line. Pretty modest aspirations (at least in my mind) but hell, I feel like I'm running out of time

[sparkyftw]

I will kick start this up again too with you.

 

My real name is Dan. I am a highschool senior. Turning 18 in a couple months. I joined the site way back whenever I did. I did this after I bought my first motherboard ever, a Lanparty 250gb, which I still use today, and its my main and only working rig.

 

Hobbies include computers (duh), case modding, golf, getting into cars a lot.

 

As for plans for next year, really I don't know. Looked at Air Force, looked at some colleges, but I don't really think its my thing. I will probably end up in a tech school while I work full time where I currently am employeed. Right now doing the "classy lady" work but they are starting to teach me the chemistry of what we sell (literally) so I will be working in a chem lab, which is something I kinda want to do. I will probably go to a community college for a couple years till I can afford to transfer. Plus my GPA is horrible because I am a slacker and well no matter how good my test scores, its still important.

 

First computer built would have to be the one in my sig, with a few older parts (started with a 6600, a gig of cheap ram, stock cooling, and a bad PSU... learned quick and replaced it)

[Guest SuppA-SnipA]

im Arman, 19, live in Toronto, born in the former Yugoslavia, speak Hungarian as well, i like to classy lady about store bought pc's i snowboard and ski, swim in the summer. listen to trance and house music. my first custom, very own personal pc, (the kind that no one else touches with being asked first) is in my sig, loving it day by day. oh and i run a small efnet channel. people say i tinker too much, lol guess its true

-SuppA-SnipA

[s1ick]

Hi Im Edd, living ledgend. Nuff said.

 

seriously tho Im a student studying electronic and software engineering at Loughborough University. Im currently doing a placement with a well known company where Im gaining a wealth of experience pretty damn fast.

I like a few things, going down the gym and outside to run off stress.

Sitting down on my butt and/or playing PC games to relax.

Playing with computers for general fun and for work as well!

 

I have owned 3/4 home built PC's since starting this habit one based around an abit board, AMD 3500+ winchester. another with a 144 opty and DFI expert and my rig at the moment which used to have a E6600 in it (hence 3/4).

 

Forgot to add I own an MX5/miata that i crashed yesterday so i now have no money for a planned w/c project.