Hello, my name is Chris. You have heard of a "Jack of All Trades"? Well, I feel that I fit the bill in many ways. My hobbies are numerous; ask my wife! lol

Where to begin? Okay, I was born in Baltimore, MD from an Italian mother and a German/Heinz 57 American father. They met in Italy while my father was doing his first hitch as an U.S. Army officer. He left the military, had me and 6 months later re-joined the Army just in time to be told, "congradulations, Uncle Sam wants you in Viet Nam." You see, prior regs allowed those with children to avoid the conflict, rules changed since my Dad's departure! The consequence of which, I spent a couple of years in Italy and Italian is my first language. This was the first of two tours to Nam for Dad. Lucky for us, he didn't get hurt. We had duty stations in Germany (2), Georgia, Delaware (where my Dad advised the National Guard there and tested units all over the Eastern seaboard) and Texas (2).

My Dad retired in Texas in 1988. I have been an official Texas resident since 1974. I have been in San Antonio since 1989. My hobbies include wargaming, paintball, working out, racquetball when I can, table tennis (ditto), karate (although this is a vocation rather than a hobby), guitar playing (sporadic) and others when I have the inclination or time.

Karate

I have been involved in martial arts since my Dad's departure for Viet Nam on his second tour. I joined a Judo class when I was 5 or 6 and did this for 3 or 4 months. I joined another Judo class when I was in 5th grade but didn't stick with it due to various reasons. I was mesmorized by Bruce Lee movies and watched the original Kung Fu show on television when it first aired and of course, in sindication. I joined my first karate class in Delaware as a High School Junior in 1981. For some reason, I hadn't joined a karate class prior to this. The style was Ishin Ryu and the teacher was Sensei Reese Rigby, a GoDan (5th level) black belt at the time. My Dad was strict about grades and I ended up having to drop after some months due to a 'C' in a couple of classes. Of course, a 'C' was an 81 and an 83 at this school but I never went back to class as my grades improved. We ended up moving away and I didn't resume karate until 1989. It was in San Antonio, that I started both Kendo and Kenseido karate. I achieved rank in both, higher in Kendo. Once again school got in the way and I had to take evening and day courses which kept me away from karate. In 1993, I joined Hill Country Karate from a recommendation of an acquaintance of my father's. My father joined in 1994, after I was a blue belt. I was really hard-corps and was going 4 nights a week since green belt. My Dad started at two nights a week and later started going 4 nights a week like his wacko son. I got my first clas just before I got my black belt in 1996 and have been teaching ever since. Currently, I am a senior black belt or 3rd level. Through attrition of various students, I am actually the 3rd most senior active black belt behind my director Nick S. and a 4th level black belt Mark D. Whodda thunk it? I teach 2 nights a week currently.

Wargaming

Okay, I admit it. I first took this up because of getting to play with little soldiers like most of us. The fascination increased with the study of history, the chance to paint and do other modeling, and yes, competition. Until 1989, my miniature gaming was extremely rare. I started with Heritage 15mm Napoleonic Prussians and Empire II rules. Never actually played but did attempt to paint; dismal at best, I might add. Learned later that you are suppossed to prime the little buggers ;-) Anyway, later in life i picked up boardgames such as Risk, War at Sea (damn good game!) and a lot of other Avalon Hill games. I picked up some Prince August Molds when I was in 10th grade and visiting relatives in Italy. I casted quite a few French and Prussian 25mm Napoleonics. Never gamed with these either. In 1989, I asked at Dibble's Hobbies about playing wargames and in specific Samurai. I met two gamers Greg R. and David B. David and I became fast friends, not only because he had Japanese but because we found we thought alike in many ways about many subjects. Through him, I became a much better painter and gamer. Thanks Dave! Anyway, these were the days of 7th edition by WRG. We went through the rewrite and playing up to the 7.6 ammendments, interpretations by the NASAMW. You know, it is true, Americans and English (or more specifically, WRG!) are separated by a common language! Anyway, we stuck with the game until bought out by some Yanks and changed into Warrior rules. Much easier to read and gaining quite a following of new players and converts.

15mm Painted Armies:

War of the Roses, 100YW English and other Medieval Morphs

Macedonians (will be selling these; should sell well as Alexander is coming out)

Mongols/Timurids (will be playing these again once the new lists come out)

Early Imperial, Marian, Republican, Middle and Late Imperial Romans (I need to rebase all of these; new rules for Marian, Early and Middle make these great armies again!)

Spartan (bought these cheap and am waiting new list rules early 2005 for Hoplites; I think these armies will be much better with new lists)

25mm

Medievals mostly; not painted by me; bought them to play at Historicon but haven't been in quite a while. I have qualified for the NICT quite a few times but have not played yet.

Incan; about 1300 points that I will probably sell although the new free lists are awesome.

Unpainted 15mm (man, are you kiddin'!)

Mongols (Essex and Museum), Late Romans (Essex), Early Imperial Romans (Essex, Warrior, Old Glory and now Corvus Belli {the ULTIMATE}), Medievals (Essex, Museum, Rank and File) Normans (Essex), Arabs (Museum and Essex), Late Samurai (Dixon), Aztecs (Tin Soldier; need to sell these as I got Aztecs out of my system years ago), Carthaginians (Old Glory part painted), Elizabethans (Essex and for sale) Battlesystem Cormyr, Elves, Dwarves (Ral Partha; can't decide if I still want since I have Warmaster; they fetch a pretty penny on Ebay these days) Union ACW (Old Glory and my never be painted as I have painted army [about 2 Corps) already)

Unpainted 25mm

Early Imperial Roman (Foundry, Old Glory, Gripping Beast) Late Romans (Old Glory) Medievals (Foundry, Old Glory, Essex and others) Khmer (Irregular, don't know what to do with these!), Carthaginian (Foundry, plan to paint and sell) Rep. Romans (ditto)

5/6mm

H&R ancients I picked up cheap. Was going to sell but am waffling. Irregular French, Russians some painted. Irregular Brits painted. Baccus Brits unpainted (the best!) I am still contemplating whether to play Naps now. Too many interests!

Other ancients/medieval rules that I play or have played: DBA, Tactica,  Tactica Medieval, Might of Arms (Great!).

Others that I have read or messed with: DBM, Revenge, Armati, Shock of Impact.

Other periods of interest: Napoleonics (6mm currently), Micro Armor (modern mostly as WWII Germans seem too tough to beat!), Epic 40K (now Epic Armageddon; damn nice!), Man O' War (haven't played in a while but love the game), Warmaster (Empire, High Elves, Brettonians; still haven't played but have read the rules twice and I need to finish an army!) WWI aerial combat (Canvas Eagles now, Hostile Aircraft Prior) 15mm ACW Union (I have quite a bit of 15mm painted; haven't played much as I don't like the rules my buds play "On to Richmond"; loophole allow some gamey stuff; Want to play either Fire and Fury or ACW Warmaster next)

Other wargaming "mights": Pike and Shot (I have unpainted Elizabethans but will probably sell 15mm Essex; contact me if you might want), WWII 15mm (Fog of War rules seem to be enjoyed here; don't know if I want another period yet. I bet my wife doesn't want me too!)

Paintball

Gawd, I love this! Not as much fun without buds though. Too many markers to mention. Willl be paring down over the next couple of months. Have wanted to try night paintball at area Paintball Nights but haven't yet.

Racquetball

Always loved and am playing again; woohoo!

Table Tennis

Local group plays at private club. I am too cheap to join another club right now. The group is quite good with several 2000+ level players. In my prime, I was probably a 1900 player. Not in my prime now ;-)

Guitar

Sadly, I don't play as much as I used to. I am paring down my collection to 2 or 3 electrics, my acoustic and maybe my bass. So much stuff! Ask the wife! Anyway, will be selling my Epi Paul, Dean 7-string, Scalloped strat-type (damn nice but I am not serious enough to keep), my Dillion G&L knockoff (I think these are made at the same plant as the Tradition G&L's). Love the Dillion but I am looking for a 7.5" radius strat copy more than likely; I played one in 1983 and loved the neck ('67 real Strat neck I believe) I still have my ADA rackamp and Digitech processor. I picked up a Rocktron Hush (the best!) and a Pandora PX4 (good stuff!). Still have most of my guitar mags with music. Still have loads of Guitar for the Practicing Musician magazines. Half my collection is at a friend's house and his daughter is using; the deal was to scan these and give me scans. She still hasn't come  though; ah youth.

Oh, I suppose I should mention that I have a BBA and an MBA in Marketing and am seeking a more rewarding job now.

Well, enough misc. ramblings for now. Will add more later for those that gotta know.