Where ya from & what ya do, Exposing the diversity of Dumpshock Options

[Tyro]

I was reading the recent thread on medically skilled shadowrunners and got to thinking about something I noticed a long time ago: Dumpshock is incredibly diverse, with a very high incidence of various industry professionals and other brainy types. It got me wondering about the actual ratios involved: gross income, location, profession, etc. Obviously this has the potential to be invasive; let me state right now that I'm merely curious and have no interest in the information other than satisfying my curiosity. I can't guarantee the motives of others who might read this.

I'll start. I'm medically disabled (chronic pain due to joint problems and scoliosis, Asperger's Syndrome, severe anxiety and depression). I live in Auburn, Washington State, USA off of government disability support (GAX & working on SSI if that means anything to you). By Dumpshock standards I'm pretty boring; I only speak 1 language fluently, I don't have a very high degree of education (high school diploma & some college), and I don't have a great deal of travel experience. I'm part of the Seattle area sex-positive community, and am involved in the BDSM lifestyle as well. I'm polyamorous, with a wife and 2 girlfriends (one of whom also dates my wife) as of this posting. Anyone else?

[Edit:] Changed a few things.

[DarkKindness]

Sure thing. I'm new to Dumpshock, but I've been following SR since the first printing of second edition.

I live in Fridley, MN, USA with my wife and our cats. I'm currently a behavioral therapist working with autistic children, but am in the market for a career shift. I'm fluent in English and speak a smattering of both Latin and Italian (though they're pretty close, linguistically), along with a few phrases in French and Chinese. I have a MA degree in Counseling Psychology, and am currently working on my Marriage and Family Therapy certificate and the subsequent licensure process.

Other demographic information that may be pertinent: I'm caucasian, of middle European ancestry, am not an active participant in any religions (though I have historically identified most strongly with Asatru and Wicca), and my parents are divorced (and have been since I was 12).

[Tyro]

Thanks very much, Kindness. Your quick and detailed reply was a much-needed pleasant surprise. Anyone else?

[bmcoomes]

Sure way not,

I'm a Correctional Officer for Grant County Sheriff's Office (thats in Ephrata, WA US). I know parts of a few languages mostly dealing with Martial arts, or commanding somebody. I've been in the US Navy too, I only have a diploma and some college I'm just not a collage type. there we go who's next.

Brent

[X-Kalibur]

I'm a soon to be nurse, never even got my AA, just dicked around taking various classes for fun. I work in healthcare doing claims and authorizations, as well as some back end coding. I know a little bit about everything and have been playing games (mostly PC and console, TT didn't enter until middle school) for 20 years. I'm also a gun enthusiast and a bit of a technophile.

[HappyDaze]

I currently work for the US Army as a RN on a med/surg unit. I was working at a civilian hospital on a cardio-pulmonary surgical stepdown/progressive care unit, but my new job is both easier work and much more lucrative. I was previously a correctional officer (in FL and TN) and later a probation officer (in TN) before I went to work in the 'softer' field of mental health which then led me into nursing.

[Medicineman]

I'm from Düsseldorf,Germany.
I'm in the Marketing Business,Do a lot of Computerwork and thats why I'm a little Overweight.
I Used to do some Martial Arts (Tae-Kwon-Do,Aikido,Wing Chun) but recently I've had some trouble with my Knees so I had to stop.
I Play RPGs for more than 25 Years ,Shadowrun for about 15 Years (starting with SR2)
English is not my native Language,but I hope I can make myself clear

with a german Dance
Medicineman

[CodeBreaker]

Sounds good.

I am from Scotland, near Dundee if anyone knows the terrain. Small town that's only claim to fame is that the writer of Peter Pan was born here (I live a stones throw away from his old home). At the moment I am doing the University thing (Physics and Computer Game Development), last year I did straight Computing. Hobbies include Gaming of all sorts, table and computer, some Astronomy and sleeping. On the side I do some creative writing, currently doing some freelancer stuff for an old friends custom setting (which should hopefully be published, which would be nice). A few years ago I was diagnosed with Grave's Disease (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graves%27_disease) and Gilbert's Syndrome (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbert%27s_syndrome), so I am a walking talking icon of poor health. I am also Dyspraxic so I have difficulty with motor control and putting my thoughts into written word.

Other stuff: I am a nineteen year old white male. I am a strong atheist with a general belief that structured religion tends to lead to Bad Things but am fine with people believing whatever they want too. I have an older half-brother, and a younger sister. Parents are technically divorced, waiting for my sister to turn 18 to avoid the stupidly high costs. I only speak English, but can generally read French and some German. I am a fervent technophile, and I am constantly irritated by the people who hold back certain areas of research because of their own moral code (ala Stem Cell research).

[TheOOB]

I live in Washington State, USA, in the Sea-Tac area (thats the area between Seattle and Tacoma...yes that Seattle). I'm a car wash attendant by trade, and currently working on my Associate of the Sciences in Computer Science. I harbor aspirations of one day working for the gaming industry, though my own goals are kinda vague at the moment.

I'm afraid I'm not terribly interesting otherwise, I know a tad of Japanese, enough to let someone know who little I know and apologize when I make an ass of myself, but mostly it's just good only west coast style English. I've been playing RPGs for about 14 years, and Shadowrun for about 4.

[Phelan Patrick]

I'm from the Philippines.

In between jobs right now. Used to work in a call center as tech support for a US based broadband provider. Will be starting with another job in another call center as tech support for another BB provider but this time based out of australia.

Though I graduated with a degree in business administration, what I learned was totally useless. So here I am, a call center agent for the past 7 years and for the foreseeable future.

Been playing RPGs way back since elementary, about 20 years ago. Did mostly GURPS and Battletech, though I have also tried some ADnD, Space Frontiers, Top Secret, and several Palladium games (TMNT, Robotech). SR2 was the last RPG I was into before I stopped and got into college. Just started back into SR4 while on my in-between-jobs vacation. Don't have a group yet but spent some of my savings buying the books online. Even if I cant find a group locally I plan to continue collecting books again.


As a side note, I have a wife and a 2 yr old daughter.

[Cadmus]

Living GA corrently, North of Atlanta, I'm a lowgrade tech type at my job which is in the service ind. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[GreyBrother]

Austria, Northeastern part (the flat one). A small village near Melk (pay a visit, i've heard it's worldfamous). Right now i work as a wholesaler for computer games which i'll probably do for a time, but i try to hit some higher education someday just for the sake of the knowledge. My hobbies include gaming on the PC and Wii, sleeping, meditating. My roleplaying habits started 2003 with my first corebooks being Werewolf the Apocalypse and Call of Cthulhu but i was hooked up to Shadowrun at that moment. After trying to set up some chronicles with friends we fired up a Shadowrun team and had our first runs. Then fourth edition came up, i sucked the book into me and my GM too and that's when i said "you know guys, those rules are kinky. Should we change?" And so we did and since now every Thursday (with some break ups) we play Shadowrun. One team is a group of shadowrunners in Seattle (our Classic), then we made some civilians who just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and now i guide my players with some rookie runners through Viennas Shadows.

I'm 23, overweight and speak English and German fluently. I can read Dutch with troubles and try to get a grasp of Finnish and Russian. On the paper i am Roman-Catholic, but i prefer to call myself an Agnostic with a preferance for an animistic worldview. Atheism doesn't give me anything and i can't understand why people always misinterpret basic rules every faith offer.
Languages are something fluid for me, a notion a friend from Swiss dislikes with a passion when i "bastardize" Latin or try to go Italian on him (he's half-Italian).
Morally i am quite open-minded, a talent i attribute to my habit of making pet-peeves of certain things (don't ask me ever about my opinion on the nWoD or certain Retcons Blizzard did to the Warcraft universe). But i set up borders on some topics, but even then i at least try to come to an understanding with the subject in question. There could always be i point i miss. ("There's always a bigger Fish.")

Anything amiss?

[Machiavelli]

Aaaaah....i love stuff like that. Gives a little bit of a personal touch to our beloved dumpshockers. So, if everybody else joins, i can´t refuse to make my move, too.^^

I´m from the south of germany (like you may see on my profile infos - near Stuttgart or "Benztown" if you like that more) and currently 31-years old white male. Because i don´t think i will manage to become younger, this could change quite soon to a 32.^^ (in october if somebody wants to send me a present *koff*)

After my higher-school certificate, i tried to study law for a couple of years, but switched quickly to economics which i finished. Simultaniously i finished an apprenticeship as an management assisstant and an education as an foreign language correspondent. So my english should be quite good (at least one language if not german) and i like money.^^

I´m also educated in french (low school-niveau) and because i basically "grew up" in an italian family, i was capable of speaking italian until my teenager-times. Now i lost most of it but i still have a very italian temper (my second-familiy is from sicily, so you shouldn´t be my sister or be interested in my sister...you understand?^^) and a foible for edged weapons.^^

Up to now play i SR since 2nd edition and alltoghether for over 15 years i think. I also tried some other RPG´s (Vampire, Werewolve, Earthdaws, Das Schwarze Auge) but i didn´t manage to save one princess per day so i sticked with SR. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

I am not married, but i have a 19-year old girlfriend (no comments please, NO i don´t have a preference for young beautiful woman...right? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) ) and a 6 year old son from an older relationship.

[Chrysalis]

I am from Finland. My father is Canadian and my mother is American, they met in Finland and had two kids (despite what rumors say, I believe I was born - not made).

Lived in Russia, Ireland, and Canada. I used to live in Glasgow, Scotland from 2004-2006. Started out part-time in a video rental (Moviebank) and got to run the place in a year. I also was in the TA, and was in the RE.

Went back to university and finalised my MA in English philology. Until a few months ago, I was working part-time at the Language Centre of the University of Oulu, Finland. The jobs that I did there habve by now completely dried up. I am now working in Libya as an English instructor for Berlitz Libya.

I still do proofreading work for the Language Services in Oulu and would like to set up a clearing house company so I can continue working on proofreading and translation work with colleagues.

I speak Finnish, English, some Russian, a little German, read Latin and Greek, and I am currently learning Dutch. I am also learning Libyan Arabic.

Worked as a freelance prostitute for a while, bar girl for a club, and a stripper in another club. Ended up getting to be AM in one.

I have been playing RPGs since I was 12, and have been continuing on and off for some time. I started playing Cyberpunk since I was 16 and started up the Edgerunner fanzine back in 1998 (I think). We ran for about 8 issues (I think). When Cyberpunk v3 came out, I really lost interest in Cyberpunk and moved on slowly to the Shadowrun forums. Here I am now. I think the future of gaming is in small FORGE pamphlet games and not large behemoths, like Shadowrun.

I have been LARPing since I was 16.

I am 29.

Last year I was the LCP of AIESEC Oulu and I found it highly challenging.

Nowadays my only RPGing, besides random forum posting, is freelance proofreading for Catalyst. It's work I like to do for free and joins my professional side with my gaming side.

[DagdaMor]

27 Years Old from the UK. Originally from Manchester now living in Oxford. I am a Computer Programmer/Sys Admin. I am married. I have been playing Shadowrun since 1st edition and have been a member of dumpshock for a loooong time (although only just started posting again after a long break) and the ShadowRN and ShadowTK mailing lists before that.

I speak English and German fluently. I speak passable Welsh, and can just about get by in French, Italian, Spanish and Chinese Mandarin. I also have A-Levels in Latin and Ancient Greek (I kind of collect languages as a hobby)

[ravensmuse]

Okay, why not?

I'm just recently 27 (Gencon was my surprise birthday gift from my girl) white male in a committed, live-in relationship in a tiny town north of Boston, MA, USA. Have you read Lovecraft? My town's the one that the protagonist of Shadow Over Innsmouth runs to after he escapes from Innsmouth. However, we're so tiny that we don't even show up on the radar when the local news does weather. Oh well.

Despite my charming and witty online persona, I'm just a quiet recovering geek working a cubicle job for a major insurance company, providing medical credentialing. Hey doctors: I'm that jerk you have to deal with when you try to join an insurance plan! Hate me! I say recovering geek in that I used to be your typical hardcore geek but after having met a wonderful girl who convinced me that there's more to life than downloading subtitled anime and slavering for the newest rpg books, I pretty much gave up the life (though I'm posting to DS and a few other places). I've only got a high school diploma and a smattering of college coursework done (Protip: never go to a college "because my friends are going there") and can only speak English and one or two phrases of French. I have thought about going back to school, probably for writing.

I've been playing rpgs since I was 12, which is the mid-90s / late half of 2e DnD. I have a gigantic and growing collection currently, though its very eclectic (the result of flea markets and various finds); the focus is on Planescape, Spelljammer, the rest of the 2e DnD campaign settings and classic DnD material, Werewolf:tA, Changeling:tD, and Shadowrun. My Planescape collection is getting closer and closer to being complete, and my current prize is a near complete collection of Iron Kingdoms material. I've also recently run into someone dumping their collection of Vampire:tM 2e material in a local bookstore, and I've become charmed by the stupid fun that the game really was back then.

My hobbies besides collecting rpg material include writing fiction (I'm trying to get published, but chronic laziness doesn't help), collecting and playing video games (just started trying to get a decent NES collection going), and flea marketing / antiquing with the girlfriend. My job's had me so busy lately that I just haven't had the time to play as many video games as I'd like...

That's about it.

[BobRoberts]

Sounds amusing!

I'm 32, from the UK, living in Surrey just South of London.

I dropped out of my university degree in Chemistry due to boredom, booze and laziness. Got my act together and ended up wandering into a job in the Market Research business, retraining as a programmer as I went on. Now a manager and dipping my toe into sales.

Have been roleplaying for years (started DnD when I was 11 or 12). Have played a bunch of systems over the years - Deadlands, DnD/D20, Star Wars, Ars Magica, Feng Shui and Shadowrun were topping my list... Been jonesing for the shadowrunning lately, but my group is a bit big to do it properly and we're all meshed into 4e DnD. So I'm poking around dumpshock to get my fix and have some giggles. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Chrome Tiger]

I am currently in Grand Rapids, MI. I am from a military family and am ex-military myself, so I have spent my days on the move. This is where I ended up, ironically where I began as my folks were living in Hawaii and visiting relatives when I was born at the local hospital. I am 6'4", decent shape, and am typically walking around with the military haircut I can never seem to get rid of no matter how hard I try.

I tend to get involved in a lot of things, as evident by my laundry list of interests. During high school, I was sort of a hacker geek. After high school I became a Navy spook. After that, I tried a change of venue and became an ER phlebotomist and lab tech. During the lab's computerization I was asked why I did not work with computers, upon seeing bigger dollar signs involved I agreed. I then got some certifications and worked at an ISP for nearly a decade. After that, as a network admin at a local manufacturer. Nowadays, I am an AV system automation programmer and absolutely dig it.

My hobbies include role-playing, auto mechanics and modification (heavy duty engine/trans replacement/alteration stuff, not ricer aluminum siding wing-type stuff), sketching, firearms (father is a licensed FFL dealer, how can I not be?), SCUBA diving, photography, programming, web design, console gaming, cooking (lots of cooking), and miscellaneous electronics/computer hacking (as in tinkering, not cracking).

I hold a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, a brown in Hapkido (though I have not practiced either in about 19 years), and have now gone down a less aggressive path with Aikido. I speak English natively, speak German and Japanese near-fluent, a little Russian and Hindi, and am learning Arabic.

I have been gaming since 1982 with the old school D&D. Since then, I have dabbled in pretty much everything with my favorites being Shadowrun and Traveller. I have been playing Shadowrun since day one and will continue to do so as long as I continue breathing. It is my ideal gaming world. I have run a couple tournaments at Gencon, done some playtesting, even run a big fansite for a while before the server's drive tanked. Hell, my first tattoo is likely to be the Shadowrun 'S' serpent logo. Stylized of course. Fanatic? Perhaps at times, but it is one of the hobbies that I can always turn to even if it is just sitting down to sketch out a troll or build a vehicle. I am also fortunate to have a wife that supports all of my habits, which helps. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

I have been rolling with the Dumpshock crew on and off for a while. Not even sure how long. At least as far back as when everyone was pretty active on the IRC channel. Late 90s, 2000 maybe? I know I was in the old house when a couple Dumpshockers came to visit for a week for gaming craziness. Though on the forums I am more of a lurker.

There, I think that about covers it.

[The Canterbury T...]

Why not.

Born and bred in Northern Ireland where I spend the first nearly 19 years of my life (bar a few days.)

Moved to England (guess which city from my name) to attend university where I got a degree in Physics with Space Science and Systems (yes I'm a qualified rocket scientist.) Then spend 14 years living there mainly working as a programmer/Business Analyst.

Two years ago I finally got my paperwork through and moved to Canada, Toronto specifically, where I now work as an IT Business Analyst for a subscription radio company (you know, the one with the satellites and the King of All Media.)

Played Shadowrun since 1st edition, not been gaming much of late. Not really met up with any groups in Toronto but I need to get playing again (or GMing.)

Other interests include Japanese language, travel, reading extensively, science fiction in general, movies, computer games (probably far too many) and occasional writing with currently only one RPG supplement to my name.

[otakusensei]

I'm a 28 year old married white male, born in the state of Michigan and likely to die here eventually. I work as the entire IT department for a church based 501©3 non profit. I don't consider myself "religious" in the modern interpretation and the negative connotations there in, but I do belong to a openly evangelical church at the moment. While I don't agree with some of the tactics taken by the church, I'm heartened by some of the young people there who seem to "get it". That forcing a mindless obedience to a specific and often narrow interpretation of the bible will make nothing but enemies of the very people you are trying to help. The organization I work for split off from the Salvation Army over 111 years ago, partially based on the belief that if you want to help the needy you should meet their needs first and preach later.
I have a high school diploma, no college but nearly ten years of computer experience, no martial arts or survival training, speak only American English and possess a technofetish that extends to nearly all aspects of my life.
Shadowrun second edition was the first roleplaying game I ever played. My friends and I taught ourselves when we were 6th or 7th grade and I've been spreading the word ever since. It's always been my favorite setting and game, though I've spread out to play just about everything under the sun. Big focus currently on playing table top games over Skype, even adapting the Prime Time Adventures rules to the Shadowrun setting to speed up play and promote roleplaying over Skype.

That about sums me up

[Angelone]

I'm 28 years old and am currently in the U.S. Army stationed in Kaiserslautern Germany. Where I was born. I was a military brat and have been all over. I was working on an electrical engineering degree but have recently switched to physical therapy.
Shadowrun was the first rpg I remember playing. The genesis game got me into it. I haven't played a wide varity of pnp games. Just the big ones I guess dnd, wod, rifts, and Shadowrun.
I used to be an avid videogamer but have kinda burned out recently.

[BookWyrm]

I'm from Long Island. I'm between jobs right now.

[McCummhail]

It seems there are a number of well-rounded characters out there!

I am a 28 year-old Caucasian male of Scott-Irish descent.
I am a native English speaker, am fluent in Japanese, and can process smatterings of French, Spanish and Korean.
I studied Theater with a focus towards writing and management at a Large University. The University is also where I learned enough Japanese to be useful.
I am currently living and working in the Charlotte, NC area. I am an interpreter / translator / project coordinator for a Japanese manufacturing company.
I am about as lean as our manufacturing (meaning we both have some fat to trim).

I have experience with various martial arts. Primarily Karate, Capoeira, and now Sil Lum Guoshu.
I also proficient in net-fu (with a specialization in search-fu).

SR has been a significant part of my PnP experience for over 15 years now.
I finally made the leap from lurker to Dumpshocker this year.

[nezumi]

DeeCee, work on computers. Spent some time overseas when I was younger.

[Stahlseele]

Hamburg, Germany.
25 Years old. Male.
Between 180 and 190 cm tall(yeah, no, i don't understand how it can differ between those two numbers between several measurements either)
I weight in at . . too much i think, 100 to 115 kilogram or something or other. It comes with the Job <.<#
I do Tech-Support.
I collect weapons.
I like to know how to destroy things and people.
I like to know how to make stuff go boom or all melty and stuff.
I do not think that those are a particularly bad combination at all.