The Dragon's Cave -

WORDS meme, Yoinked from kathrishali Kath posted five words that he thinks best describe me, and I am required to post them here and explain what they mean to me.

Dragon: My online presence is a dragon persona, so this one is pretty obvious. The next question is, however, "Why a dragon?" I have always been fascinated with dragons, and the dichotomy often presented by popular fiction about them. Some portray dragons as evil, destructive beasts, while others portray them as wise, stoic, powerful creatures who often stand somewhat aloof from humanity, while still others portray a division among dragons where some are evil and some are good. I find that I identify with dragons being stoic and standoffish; willing to help out when needed, but otherwise keeping to themselves and their close circle of kin. Dragons are often not trusted nor accepted within civilized society; they feel that they don't fit among mainstream cultures. Yet when they come to the aid of others, they are honored by those who were helped.

teddy bear: I've always had one teddy bear or another for as long as I can remember. I no longer sleep with a teddy bear (my wife is more cuddly after all), but I still have my teddy bear from my youth, sitting on the head of the bed next to my wife's teddy bear. :)

kids: I am proud to be called father by my children, even though being a father is one of the most challenging things I have ever done. I love watching my kids grow up, learn new things, and make new discoveries. I just hope and pray that I can be the father that they deserve.

gaming: Gaming has been a part of my life since I was old enough to use an Atari 2600 controller. I was much more of a player when I was a child, but when I first saw the movie TRON, I realized that I could have a career doing this kind of thing! After a few years in the field of Information Systems, I was able to land a job in the gaming industry, and I've never turned back.

zebras: I'm certain that Kath put this one so that I could sing my praises for Lauren, his Zebra alter-ego. Even so, I have always had a deep love for equines, Horses and Zebras in particular. They are noble, beautiful, powerful animals, and I cannot help but feel a sense of awe and love when I come close to one. I think this likely came from my mother, who also has a deep love for horses; she talked about them often while I was growing up, and even took me horseback riding when I was around 8 years old.