Gunslinger Gaming

A father. A son of a NASA associate involved with the Apollo Missions. A rocker. A player of Pong. Our dear friend, Dick Lazer, is a strange, awesome brew of a person. If you have ever had the opportunity to game with him, I can personally promise you will have a good time. He has also been with the Gunslingers since the “early days,” so it is fitting to set aside some time to learn more about what makes him tick during the month of June: the Six Year Anniversary of the Gunslingers. Pick your poison, kick your boots up, and enjoy the following rather untamed interview!

GS: You have been a Gunslinger since July 2009. You have probably seen more changes around these parts than most people. Do you remember the first Gunslinger with whom you gamed? What is a favorite memory of yours?

Dick Lazer: Lets see, the first person I met here was Missie (Sissy) in the chat. She was so nice and inviting. I thought it was awesome she was from Denmark. Then, I met Murph, Korchie, and Freddy, but the first person/people after that I played with, I think, (LOL) were Miranda and you, Murph, on The Conduit.

After that, I found out this was mainly a MKW (Mario Kart Wii) clan, which I had, loved, and had more than a blast on many occasions. Back to the question. One of my fondest memories would have to be the Christmas video you made on Reflex, and I was playing under my doppelganger name of NoNeck (going back to my habit of calling people “no necked m’er f’ers”) and at the very end I’m t’baggin some poor soul. I remember it like it was yesterday. Loper walks up and says, “Oh, I don’t think I want any part of this,” and backed out of the scene. LMFAO.

[*The Video in Question:]

GS: Before we get too far, let’s talk about your username. Now, your real first name is Richard, but what is the story behind the use of “Dick Lazer.” If I recall correctly, there is an amusing story attached to the name being used in real life, yes?

Dick Lazer: Okay, there is no real big story behind my name. When I was a kid, my dad worked for NASA, the Apollo missions. Anyway, there was this guy who worked for my dad. He was real cool, and was in charge of some kind of lasers. His name was Dick Laser. My friends always thought it was funny to call me Dick, seeing that my name is Richard. (Kids are just great. I wont tell you my last name, just that kids also called me “rich turd hog barf”, @ssholes. LOL) So, as soon as you could put your whole name on your high score in the arcades, Dick Lazer I was.

My name Dick Lazer has passed into my real life. Hell, my plates on my truck read D LAZER. So, into a shortened version of said story: I was just leaving the liquor store, driving down the road, and there’s a bunch of people in the road, all drinking, talking shit. I’m just trying to get by, and this big ol’ dude, mad dogging me; talking shit, calls me out with a few “f yous” and “I’ll kick yer f’ing ass.” So, I throw it in park (Yeah, I might have had a drink or two, and might be pretty large myself—not as large as him—but stout) and step out of the truck, when a guy comes running out of the house saying, “Hey man, don’t f@!# with him. That’s Dick Lazer!!” The other dude says, “That’s Dick Lazer??” He says, “Yeah, look at his plate” (D LAZER). Anyway, he looked and smiled at me. Turns out these guys came to a lot of our shows and were big fans, and, honestly, I believe my name just might have saved my ass. I was alone. HAHA.

GS: In addition to being an ever active Gunslinger and once donning the GS Leader cap, you have been kind enough to include a few of your songs in the GS Jukebox. Do you still practice your craft? Which bands are among your all-time greatest influences?

Dick Lazer: Yes, I do. Can’t stop. I don’t really have a band as much these days, just a couple of friends I like to make noise with. Still recording as much as possible. I recently digitally remastered a few songs from a band I was in in the ’90s. I will get you some fresh tunes for the GS Jukebox. Hell, we have better versions of those songs now, I think. My major influences growing up were mostly Led Zepplin, Black Sabbath, and Rush. Later, I moved more into Ozzy Osbourne, Slayer, and Pantera. Page, Iommi, Lee, Lifeson, Rhoads (RIP), King, Hanneman (RIP), and Darrel (RIP) all speak to me.

[*Footage of Dick Lazer Playing COD back in 2009 cut to "I Wanna Scare People," a song performed by him and his band, So Below.]

GS: You first signed up with GS as a Wii owner. Then you moved to the PS3. Now, you representing on the Xbox360. What was the first game you ever owned? Looking down the barrel of the next generation of consoles, have you made up your mind on which one you may or may not be getting?

Dick Lazer: Nintendo forever. Anything else, never!! LOL. I still have the Wii, and the PS3 (stopped reading bluray ;( ), but, yes, the XBox is my new frontier. (Speaking of which, TripleF73 just signed on, LOL.) My first game? I was very lucky that my dad loved new things. I had Pong the first Christmas it was released, then Atari and Intellivision right there after. Both my parents loved video games. The

Lazer’s first game.

first Nintendo didn’t come out until after I moved out, but my mom still bought one, day one.

Next, Next Gen? The jury is out. I just don’t know yet. I wont know until next year. My wife wants to get an XBoxOne at Christmas, but I’m not so sure. I think I’ll wait for a couple of updates, and a price drop!!

GS: There is a term in gaming called “bromances.” There is none as legend at GS as the long time one between you and GS*Freddy. What games are you playing together now? How on earth can you two stand each other after all this time?

Dick Lazer: What can I say, Freddy (Jay ). I first met him during my first Frosty Pints on The Conduit, then next on MKW and COD: Reflex. I can happily say I haven’t gone a week (most of the time, a day) without talking to my bro. Nowadays, we are playing BO2, zombies and MP, and a little Forza 4. Mostly COD, though. It’s always been our thing. Playing Reflex is when we really got tight. “Stand each other?” HAHA, we are like brothers. We piss each other off to no end!! But, you know? I wouldn’t have it any other way. At the end of the day, we are still brothers. I think of his wife, Sammie, as a sister, and his son, Tbear, as my nephew. I love them all. Thanks again for making this site for me, BTW.

GS: As a husband and father in your family life, what is a day like in the Lazer household? How does the rest of the family regard gaming? Is there any advice you can give other parents who are seeing their children drawn into gaming habits as well?

Dick Lazer: My life is like most of yours: Get up, kids to school, us to work, blah blah, coffee coffee. We are a gaming family, though (go figure). Let’s see, living room, my area: 360, PS3, and Wii. My wife is a PC gamer, so it’s World of Warcraft for her on her Vaio. She is very high ranked in her guild. My oldest has a lappy for WOW, and a PS3, N64, and GameCube in her room, and my seven year old has a Wii and a Nexus tablet. She prefers her tablet. I believe you should just let the kids game from the get-go. Yes, stuff has to get done…chores, rooms clean, whatnot. But, if video games are “no big deal,” then that’s exactly what they are. No big deal. My kids have all sorts of shit to play with, but I’m always catching them with these things, maybe you heard of them. They call them books. They like boardgames, too. LOL,

GS: There is a rumor that you are no longer welcome at Disneyland. Is this true? Elaborate if so inclined.

Dick Lazer: Well, uh,….mmm, erm….Let’s just say I HAVE visited DisneyLand and World many times since said incident, which may or may not have happened, and may have happened like this…..

Yes, Disney Jail is a real thing. If only it looked like this…

It was late spring, nineteen-eighty-something. We may have been in a group of eight. One of which may have been my girlfriend/wife now, one might have been her father, and just maybe her little sister. We had five friends come along to help me move (moved to Cali from AZ) star tours was brand new, and after a couple hours we may have decided, the 6 of us (dad and lil’ sis were off doing their own thing) to head out to the parking lot for a lil’ 420 action before we got on Star Tours. (Hey, it was the ’80s.) Anyway, you would not believe how powerful binoculars are. Before the bowl even got around, we were surrounded by Mickey’s freakin’ SWAT team!! Well, four of us were 18+ (barely), and two were 17. 18+ in Cali, no biggee. Under 18? BIGGEE!!! So, the two underagers were taken to Mickey Mouse Jail (no shit, LOLl) until dad was found (yes, my girl might have been one of the underagers :O ), and we remaining four were threatened with Orange County jail. When they found her dad, he said, “Kick ‘em out. I’ll meet them at the car when the park closes.” He met us afterward and never said a word. So long story short, no real law was called. They just said we were 86′ed for life.

Three things to be learned here:
1.) Don’t smoke at Disneyland. You’ll get caught.
2.) If you do, don’t worry. They wont take your weed.
3.) 86′ed, schmay-ty 6′ed. We went back the next day. LOL.

GS: You seem to be a zombie game fan, particularly with the first Call of Duty: Black Ops feature. Does that stem from a more broad appreciation for horror films? If so, what films are among your favorites?

Dick Lazer: I just loves me some zombies!! Wanna play? LOL. Yes, I love zombie flicks. Anything

One of Lazer’s all-time zombie movies.

George Romero has done is golden for what it is, but my favorites would have to be, not in any order: Shawn of the Dead (“All we have to do is get back to the pub mate,” LOL), Zombie Land (“Rule #1: Cardio, the fattys were the first to go,” hehe), and 28 Days Later. 28 Days Later was real to me. If it’s going to go down, it’s going to go like that. I’m looking forward to World War Z. I read the book, and the movie doesn’t have anything to do with it but the name really, but it looks freakin’ crazy awesome. Tidal waves of crazed, flesh eating people? Really? Sweet.

GS: What was the oddest birthday gift you ever received?

Dick Lazer: I got this thing from my brother one year. It’s like a stamper, and you stamp a piece of bread, then toast it. After it’s toasted, the following appears: there’s a picture of a hand flipping the bird and says, “F#ck Y@u,“…but it has the ‘u’ and ‘o’. LOL.

So, I guess I got f#ck y@u toast, once.

GS: What is your favorite drink?

Dick Lazer: My drink is a Pile Driver (named it myself, *hic*). It’s one part vodka, one part OJ, and one part Mountain Dew: Code Red. Mix in a big ol’ tumbler. No ice. Put your vodka in the freezer, and it’s your ice now. Two of them, and you’ll understand the name.

Thank you for being a Gunslinger and a friend all these gaming years, Lazer. Also, thank you, readers, for taking the time to read this interview. If you would like to comment on it, you are welcome to do so AT THIS LINK.

There was a shift in the genre of games that were published during 2012, which very well point towards what is in store for the gaming industry in the years to come. The explosion of digital indie game releases. The revival of action/adventure games. The marginalized success of handheld gaming consoles due to the popularity of tablet and mobile devices. The move from military shooters to science fiction entries. With the looming release of the next generation of home consoles, 2012 marked the beginning of the transitional period for developers and consumers alike.

We, the Gunslingers, have reflected such industry developments in both our dedication to our franchise favorites and in our interest in new gaming frontiers. We all cast our votes, and all of said votes (even the write-in ones) have been counted. It is time to see how we, as a community, felt about last year’s game releases with the 2012 Gunslinger Games Awards Results!

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2012 Game of the Year: BORDERLANDS 2
Last Year’s Winner: N/A
Notes: For a game that doesn’t seem like an obvious fit for a clan who normally gravitates towards competitive online multi-player match experiences, Borderlands 2 won and won with a commanding portion of the votes. Maybe it is because the sequel addressed all the issues of the first entry. Maybe it is because Borderlands 2 focused on working together rather than blowing each other up. Maybe it is because we finally had a first person shooter that dared make us laugh while plundering for more guns. Maybe Clap Trap rigged the polls. Regardless of the melee of reasons, the Gunslingers showed their appreciation over experiencing something new in the first person shooter genre by giving it our first ever Game of the Year title.
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Best Xbox360 Game of 2012: HALO 4
Last Year’s Winner: Gears of War 3
Notes: Considering that there wasn’t much for competition in regards to exclusive Xbox360 titles, it is no surprise that Halo 4 is the decisive winner in this category. That said, it is hard to imagine a title that could have knocked the crown off of Master Chief’s head. Some would argue that the early success of the Xbox is largely due to the Halo franchise, and it is a relief to see that the series can still muster a great amount of support by fans after even after the departure of Bungie. Halo 4 marks the first time that the Gunslingers had a group front for this franchise, but, based on our community interest and the promise of more entries by the developers, it won’t be the last.
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Best Playstation 3 Game of 2012: JOURNEY
Last Year’s Winner: KillZone 3
Notes: Journey, a digital download only title available on the PSN Store, marks the first time that write-in votes determined the winner. Heck, Journey wasn’t even an option in the polls (my bad!). The PS3 Gunslingers spoke and demonstrated their collective appreciation for the elegance of this title. Last year’s Awards may have celebrated a shooter like KillZone 3, but this year beauty prevailed. May that be a wake up call to all the publishing companies out there that find such titles too financially risky to support.

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Best Wii U Game of 2012: NEW SUPER MARIO BROS. U
Last Year’s Winner: N/A
Notes: When the polls opened for the 2012 Games Awards, the Nintendo Wii U console wasn’t even a month old. Naturally, the amount of nominations for its first round of Awards was limited, but it is no surprise that the eternal Nintendo mascot, Mario, wins the vote. Generations of gamers now have fond memories of side-scrolling Super Mario Bros. action, and the Wii U adaption keeps those memories alive. If only there was capitol punishment in the Mushroom Kingdom, King Bowser may not be a re-occurring problem for the plumbing siblings…
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Best Wii Game of 2012: THE LAST STORY and XENOBLADE CHRONICLES
Last Year’s Winner: Legend of Zelda: Skyword Sword
Notes: These two JRPG titles remained in a deadlock of votes at the close of the polls. In an odd way, it makes sense. Both games were published in Japan over a year before ever hitting North American shores. Both games got excellent critical reception. Both games are legitimate examples to point to and say, “See? The Wii still has a few surprises!” If you haven’t had a chance to play either of these titles, you are missing out. The Last Story and Xenoblade Chronicles are fantastic bows as the curtains fall upon the Wii generation.
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Best PC Game of 2012: GUILD WARS 2
Last Year’s Winner: Star Wars: The Old Republic
Notes: Guild Wars 2 edged out Diablo III by a single vote. Unlike the year prior, this year was a battle between to role playing games that offered free servers. It is a feat in on itself to get GSers playing this game to pause long enough to cast a vote! Engrossing and accessible to gamers new and veteran to the genre, Guild Wars 2 provides an a solid argument for stopping payment on your World of Warcraft membership fees.
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Best Vita Game of 2012: ASSASSIN’S CREED III: LIBERATION
Last Year’s Winner: N/A
Notes: Rather than simply porting Assassin’s Creed 3 onto the Vita, Ubisoft opted to created a game focused on a side story to accompany the events of the console release. The extra work paid off. Aveline de Grandpré, an African-French assassin, acts as a perfect protagonist for diving deeper into the rich history of North American strife. Just perhaps the success of this title will open the door for more female characters headlining the Assassin’s Creed franchise.
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Best 3DS Game of 2012: KID ICARUS: THE UPRISING
Last Year’s Winner: Mario Kart 7
Notes: Edging out a couple Mario titles by a single vote, Kid Icarus, who hasn’t had his own game since the original Nintendo system back in the late ’80s, returns to grab the title for best 3DS game. Thanks to a solid story mode, bonus AR card content, and a competitive multi-player option, the game provides a sizable amount of content for its purchase price. Will the game’s success be enough to warrant future Kid Icarus games? Who knows, but it certainly makes it more likely that the character will appear in the next Super Smash Bros. Brawl title.
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Best Action/Adventure Game of 2012: ASSASSIN’S CREED 3
Last Year’s Winner: Batman: Arkham City
Notes: Despite some buggy moments, Assassin’s Creed 3 succeeds at the gamble of changing the franchise’s historical time period and locale. The gameplay incorporated more open-world opportunities such as hunting and ship battles that wasn’t previously in the franchise. Considering that Assassin’s Creed: Revelations didn’t even come close to winning this category last year, Assassin’s Creed 3 winning this year’s title possibly foreshadows future successes for the franchise….as long as Ubisoft is still willing to take risks.
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Best Role-Playing Game of 2012: MASS EFFECT 3
Last Year’s Winner: Elder’s Scroll: Skyrim
Notes: Love the ending of the trilogy or hate it, the journey of the Mass Effect storyline was worth the travel. In different hands, Mass Effect could have simply been another science fiction shooter clone, but, thanks to the frequent need of the player to make storyline altering decisions, the experience becomes a more personal, invested one that begs to be played through more than once. Mass Effect 3 got Kinect support, the whole trilogy has become available for the first time on the PS3, and the third chapter was a launch title for the Wii U. If you haven’t played this game yet, what was your excuse again?
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Best Shooter of 2012: CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS 2
Last Year’s Winner: Battlefield 3
Notes: After Battlefield 3 upset Call of Duty’s reign for the best shooter title at the Gunslingers, Black Ops 2 headshots the competition to get its title back. The multi-player features tighter maps, zombie mode contains more, well, modes, and the campaign mode tells a tale of continued controversy and conspiracy, Treyarch proved that gamers are still eager to play the next COD installment. Also, having Trent Reznor compose the soundtrack didn’t hurt.
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Best Fighting Game of 2012: PLAYSTATION ALL-STARS BATTLE ROYALE
Last Year’s Winner: Mortal Kombat
Notes: The game’s title doesn’t roll off the tongue, but its familiarity to Super Smash Bros Brawl sure made the game quick to pick up, learn, and have fun. The whole Sony exclusive pantheon of characters meet up often for the first time in this game, and it is surreal to see Fat Princess globber Drake from the Uncharted series. PS3 copies of this title also included vouchers to the Vita version, which promoted cross-platform gameplay. Who do I use as my regular fighter? Jak, of course.
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Best Sports Gamer of 2012: FIFA 13
Last Year’s Winner: FIFA 12
Notes: FIFA successfully defends its title of the Gunslingers clan’s favorite sports game. In a genre that often has publishers simply phoning in another annual installment of a sports game, FIFA 13 continues to polish and improve on the experience. Whether you call it soccer or futball, virtual grass stains are better than real life ones.
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Best Platformer of 2012: NEW SUPER MARIO BROS. U
Last Year’s Winner: Super Mario 3D Land
Notes: Mario remains undefeated for best platformer in the Gunslingers community. Is that really all that surprising? The characters featured in this franchise are some of most iconic and readily recognizable figures in the gaming world. One thing is for sure. Luigi better be getting his cut.
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Best Racing Game of 2012: NEED FOR SPEED: MOST WANTED
Last Year’s Winner: Mario Kart 7
Notes: Remakes of the more classic installments of Need for Speed have been good to EA. The strength of the Need for Speed franchise is its balance of arcade-style racing and chases with real sports car models and physics. This title will also be coming to the Wii U, which should further the general GS appreciation for Most Wanted.
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Best Dance/Music Game of 2012: THEATRHYTHM FINAL FANTASY
Last Year’s Winner: N/A
Notes: This 3DS exclusive upset the more favored-to-win (based on sales) nominations to gain the GS title of best dance/music game. By combining the universe of Final Fantasy characters with beat-based gameplay mechanics, Theatrhythm Final Fantasy offers an unique experience in this genre full of flash-in-the-pan hits. Guitar Hero is dead. Long live Final Fantasy.
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Favorite GS Clan Front of 2012: BATTLEFIELD 3
Last Year’s Winner: N/A
Notes: Black Ops 2 may have won best shooter and Borderlands 2 may have won game of the year, but, when GSers were asked what game they had fun in as a clan experience during 2012, Battlefield 3 returns to the awards ceremony. Considering that over 860 Gunslingers are still on the Battlefield 3 Master Lists for our clan front, it makes sense that folks are still looking to show their appreciation for this title. Via the platoons, through GS Forum discussions, or directly by in-game contacts, may the GS front of Battlefield 3 remain strong until, well, Battlefield 4.
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Thank you all for voting and reading the results for the 2012 Gunslinger Games Awards. May 2013 treat us so kindly as well!

Welcome to the first Gunslinger Member Spotlight interview of 2013! We are starting off the new year by catching up with the social guru that is otherwise known around these parts as Yuuuki! So, toss that left over carton of eggnog (trust me, it is expired) and learn about her love for anime, how “electric goo” prompted a marriage proposal, and why you shouldn’t trust your car’s GPS system.

GS: Happy New Year! The holiday season is officially over. How did you spend Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year? Did you acquire any new games along the way?

Yuuuki: No new games. I only play one game at a time and my husband knows it, so Black Ops 2 all the way for me. For Thanksgiving, we do my family in the morning and my husband’s family at night. Christmas we go to my Aunt’s on Christmas Eve, my parents on Christmas day morning and his family Christmas day night…very exhausting. For New Years, we went to a restaurant down the street from our house with our house-mate and his girlfriend. Had two drinks and was in bed by 12:20am, woo-yay being old.

GS: Looking back at your thousand-plus posts on the GS Forums, it really appears that you like creating discussion and making others feel welcome. Would you consider yourself a social butterfly in “real life” or is the online version of you quite different?

Yuuuki: Hmmm… I’d say I am like this in real life. Usually after a few drinks, though. Hahaha. I learned Korean from a girl once at a bar after getting sloshed with her randomly.

GS: There has got to be more to Yuuuki than just gaming. What other passions do you have in life? For example, does your username point towards a love for anime? Are there any hobbies (past or present) that would surprise us?

Yuuuki: Yes, I love anime. I just made a Totoro emblem on Xbox, but no one knew what it was. I also love Korean pop music. Most of my friends on here have had to listen to it through my mic at some point. Hahaha. Wakko especially loves it, calls it my feminist music, LOL. My passion is photography. I have my college degree in it. I sell prints as a side job and have my first art fair later this year. For a surprising hobby, I’d say its that I rock and mountain climb. For our honeymoon, I dragged my husband up a 6,000 foot mountain near Mount Olympus in Washington State. There was snow at the top in the middle of September we were so high. We camped up there for the night, it was so beautiful. I incorporate the two by taking pictures every where I go.

GS: Both you and your husband are gamers. Do you two ever get competitive? Do you have a humorous example of what it is like being a gaming couple?

Yuuuki: Oh yes, but he always wins so it never gets too out of hand. We used to bicker over who got to play because when I moved in there was only one Xbox. So, I bought another for him for Christmas our first year together so we’d each have our own Xbox, headset, TV set up now. (Of course he decided he was a PC gamer shortly after so…..) The funniest thing was him proposing to me while we were playing Portal 2. We had just gotten the game and were playing together, and he kept getting mad at me because I kept shooting the wrong color portal. So, finally i just started moving the portal and dropping him in the electric goo I was so frustrated. It was awesome. I couldn’t stop laughing. We kept calling each other names and yelling at each other ’till we finally beat it. We took a break, and I got in the shower. After I got out, he had the ring out in our bedroom and asked me to marry him! I was like seriously? I just called you an asshole. Hahaha.

GS: What is your secret (i.e.: guilty pleasure) favorite movie of all time? Why? Warning: if it has won an Oscar, we will assume you are lying.

Yuuuki: Friday Night Lights. I love football, and I love movies about football. The movie is pretty terrible, I bought it off Amazon for 1 cent. But, I can watch it 30 times and not be sick of it. I’ve had to buy it twice. I watch it so much, and the DVD craps out.

GS: Throughout your membership with GS, you have gamed with a good amount of folks. How did you ever come across us in the first place, and do you have a favorite in-game memory?

Yuuuki: I’ve tried to think of this before in talking with Bloodstoner. I played with someone who played with someone who was in GS and then I met more and more GS and they kept saying to join, so I did. I was originally in Hupit but the people there were hit or miss, so I thought I’d try here. I wouldn’t say I have a favorite in-game memory. But, my favorite time was when people who hadn’t played in forever came back on for Black Ops 2. I used to game with Grigor, Bratty, Meatpuppet, Wakko, Rika, Chilled, and some others over 2 years ago on Black Ops 1 and then they all went away and did family stuff when MW3 sucked so much. Then, they all started coming back on, and its been awesome having the OG group back on to pound some faces. I love everyone in GS that I’ve met but us oldies will always have BLOPS1 memories together

GS: There are some big game releases on their way for 2013. What games are you most excited for? To book-end that question, what was the very first game you remember ever playing?

Yuuuki: O.o whaaaa??? Honestly, I only play COD titles >.> Hahaha. Is that disappointing?? So, I guess I wont be getting a game this year. But, I do have Halo 4, and I’ve only ever played 2 games on it so I promised Grimm I’d give it another whirl and see if I was doing something wrong (it seems like I was). The first game I remember playing is Excite Bike on Nintendo. I hated that game. My brother always beat me. We played on a little 12 inch black and white TV, ugh.

GS: Let’s pretend the world has flooded and you have to rush onto a raft (oh, it could happen). What is one very impractical thing you could not part with and would demand to take along?

Yuuuki: I’d probably take my digital camera. Which would instantly be ruined by the water and I’d have no computer to off-load the pictures, so I’d be constantly trying to decide which ones to delete so I could take more. It’d really cause more problems then solve anything, hahaha, but I take it every where. You never know when that perfect shot is gonna pop up!

GS: Time for a fill-in-the-blank question! Complete this thought: “When traveling long distances with Yuuuki in the passenger seat, you can expect________________”.

Yuuuki: Her to argue with you about every turn and to mistrust the GPS. (I drove my car into a small pond once following my GPS, so I think they are all STUPID, long story, some of you on here have heard about this and seen the pictures).

GS: Finally, the most important question of all. What is your favorite drink?

Yuuuki: Whole Foods Market Cherry Vanilla Soda and Salerno Blood Orange Liquor.

Thank you for taking the time to read this interview and learning more about your fellow Gunslinger, Yuuuki, in the process. I am sure if you are REALLY nice to her, you can convince her to show you those car-in-the-pond photos!

Whether you have run across Merky Water in chat, in game, or on the Gunslingers Forums, you probably noticed he is a friendly and interesting person with whom to swap ideas. He has been sporting the GS tags since December 28th, 2010, and it is high tide..er..I mean, high time that we learn more about Merky Water! Please forget the lame pun and join us in reading an interview about him below!

GS: You joined the Gunslingers on the final days of 2010. What game drew you to here, and what was your first memory in regards to gaming with another member?

Merky Water: CoD: Black Ops. First CoD title the Wii had with in-game comms. The day after Christmas, the amount of screaming youngsters on the headset was enough to get me looking for a way to mute them. The solution: Gunslingergaming!

GS: In the “How’d You Get Your Name?” thread, you mention that your username is, in part, a reference to working on a river. What is your line of work, and what do you enjoy about it the most? Speaking of rivers, what state is said river in?

Merky Water: Ha. I say a lot in that thread but the river aspect is a bit of the truth. I work at a canoe, raft and kayak livery that operates on the Delaware River. As I love the outdoors, this job appealed as at least 90% is under an open sky. I love kayaking the river and while work requires it from time to time, the type of paddling I enjoy most occurs on my days off. We have a few campgrounds as well but the river work is the draw for me. Interaction with various customers is also usually a plus. But as others in the Recreation business know, even with 95% of the people being pleasant, that other 5% can be so difficult smiles can wander off my face… but then I remember the other 95% and carry on my day! The river flows through a few states, but the area we operate on is where it borders NY and PA and later NJ and PA considered “The Upper Delaware.”

GS: The word on the virtual street is that you have a mean Netflix addiction. What tends to be your genre of choice? What have been some of your favorite “rentals” thus far?

Merky Water's current signature in the forums.

Merky Water: Much to my girlfriend’s dismay, Documentaries are my favorite genre when on Netflix. Ken Burns docs being the best by far. National Parks: America’s Best Idea being my favorite and Baseball being second. Also, nice to catch up on TV shows I either missed nostalgically or missed in existence. The TV show “Life” slipped by me somehow. Arrested Development was good to finally watch, too. Would have been a loyal fan almost to the extent I am of The Office and 30 Rock had I but known.

GS: Since joining, you have convinced your significant other (known around these parts as “Liz_Lemon20“) to also join GS. How did that come about, and are there any games that you both enjoy playing? Has this created a new dimension over who gets rights to the television?

Merky Water: Liz thought I was a bit odd to be playing games as much as I do let alone with ‘strangers.’ Just before MW3 hit, her sister-in-law talked her into trying BO and she fell in love. From there, she started realizing the benefits of an online gamer community. Now, she and I keep trying to nudge her brother and sis-in-law to join the ranks. Liz and I also enjoy bowling and playing You Don’t Know Jack together. The big TV (although mine) is hers when she’s here and rarely would I put up a fight as I already know the winner.

GS: Being a Wii player, I must ask. What are your initial impressions on the WiiU, and do you think you will be purchasing it?

Merky Water: I think I might. It looks very interesting. I honestly thought I was done with console gaming since my N64. Had a friend not talked me into trying his Wii, I would have dismissed it as well. But the motion controls got me hooked. Locating one around launch may prove the issue. I may get one of the other next gen consoles as well if they start to embrace the motion controls they hesitantly started to try.

GS: Okay. Let’s pretend that the controllers need to be recharged. What are some other interests of yours that keep you busy?

Merky Water: Rechargeable AAs are in good supply and I almost always try to keep an extra wiimote with fresh in arm’s reach… But aside from gaming, I enjoy running, cross-country skiing, biking, hiking, rafting(aka drinking as we float) and my favorite: kayaking.

GS: A band of GS members jump into a DeLorean and travel back into time to see what 80′s child version of Merky Water would be doing. What were some of your favorite toys? Cartoons?

Merky Water: Depending the year, watching Fraggle Rock, Voltron or Thundercats, and running around the neighborhood keeping my parents on their toes. “Toys” would largely be Legos, Playmobile, Matchbox cars, Micro Machines and water-guns that showed the least resemblance to guns (overprotective mother ). For the record, I do not consider Legos a toy, but I realize the department they are placed in retail stores.

GS: The world is going to be hit by a comet because Bruce Willis wasn’t a qualified astronaut, after all. What would you do on the final day of Earth? (Pretty morbid, huh?)

Merky Water: Kayak the rivers and streams and enjoy the sights. Even the streaming comet through the blue sky.

GS: We had a couple silly questions, so let’s talk a bit more seriously. What is something you personally regard as important to lead a fulfilling life?

Merky Water: Nature. We humans can make a lot of ‘improvements’ and while comfortable to work and live in, mother nature is second to none as a decorator.

GS: What is your favorite drink?

Merky Water: mixed: Bushmills and Ginger
beer: Yuengling (lager or black&tan)
straight: Bushmills (…or most any whiskey on hand when that runs dry)

Thank you, Merky Water for taking the time to sit down with us. If you would like to read more about him or swap gaming contacts with him, feel free to find him in the forums or chat.

Robin has been a fellow Gunslinger since August 2011, but if you have spent any time in the GS chatrooms, you probably know her best as the ever polite personality named Sophiebean. Of course, you may not find her crossbow tactics all that friendly on the Call of Duty battlefields. Let’s find out a bit more about Robin/Sophiebean/TheReasonYouHaveanArrowStuckinYourHead by sitting down for an interview with her!

GS: The very first post you ever made in the GunslingerGaming forums was in the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Masterlist. Is it safe to assume that was the game that got you here? Regardless, how did you happen to wander into our virtual saloon? With whom did you first get into game?

Robin: I found Gunslingers when I was looking at the Battlefield forums and happened to come across this great place. The first people I remember gaming with are Margarita Mama, Bullet Stopper, RLGORMORTIS, and Carbon Bigfoot in Black Ops.

GS: Despite the fact that you have many responses that welcome new members into the group, you like to keep your discussions close to the vest. Would you consider yourself a shy or secretive person in real life? Speaking of real life, how widely known to your friends and family that you are a first person shooter killing machine?

Robin: At first I am a very shy person in real life. As for my friends and family that know that I play first person shooters, that would only be the ones I hang out with the most so not many know.

GS: Your profile states you reside in New York. All too often, people assume that must translate to a life in New York City. What is YOUR New York life? In the city? In the country? Can you share with us a story from your personal life that, for you, best illustrates what a life in New York state means to you?

Robin: I actually live in the country. The closest city to me is Rochester about an hour away. Though, someday I would like to visit New York City. As for what life is like in New York, I don’t really have any stories to illustrate what life up here is to me, but, to me, it seems fast paced at times, and I like it at that pace. Though, the winters up here are too long for my liking, and the summers are too short.

GS: Your PSN is a crossbow reference. How exactly did that come about? Since we are on the subject of names, your forum name is Robin, yet you may be best known for you chat handle, Sophiebean. Which of the two do you identify most with and why?

Robin: I was given the nick name Crossbow Queen in Black Ops. I like the crossbow and some how managed to get kills with it, so the name was created and stuck. I liked the name so much that I decided to make it my PSN. The name I identify with most is Sophiebean since Sophie and Bean are the names of my two dogs, who every once in a while can be heard in the background when I have my headset on. So, that name just means more to me.

GS: Right now, there is a thread in the forums discussing favorite GS moments. As someone who enjoys a presence in chat, what would be one of your favorite moments in chat, funny or otherwise?

Robin: There are so many moments that I have enjoyed in chat, but my favorite has to be one night when we where talking about interesting flavors like Soy sauce Kit Kat and Smokey Bacon Lay’s chips. And so many other flavors there are.

GS: We need to know what makes Robin tick! Gaming aside, what are some of your other passions in life?

Robin: Some of my passions are to read and to spend time outside when its nice out, preferably 80 degrees and up. I also like to look at the stars on a clear night.

GS: True, you are a killing machine in FPS games (and, no, she is not paying me to type that), but you also seem to love a good role playing game. If someone absolutely green to the genre asked you what were some titles that are mandatory to play so he/she got a true impression of the potential of the genre, what titles would you name and why?

Robin: Even though I like role playing games, I can’t remember other ones that I’ve played, but I would definitely recommend Skyrim since you can do almost anything in the game that you can think of. I think it’s a good game to jump into even if your new to Role Playing Games.

GS: Okay. A leprechaun appears in front of you, gives you a million dollars for traveling expenses, and limits you to only to the speed of light. What place would you most wish to visit? No, you are not required to take the leprechaun along. Lawn gnomes, perhaps.

Robin: I would have to say Ireland. Even though I could go any where at the speed of light, I would still choose there mainly because I’ve always wanted to go there.

GS: It is time to come clean. Everyone has a guilty pleasure when it comes to favorite television series or movies. What series/movie that you just can’t help but like?

Robin: My guilty pleasure for TV/Movies is MASH. I know its an old show, but I’ve always loved watching the series.

GS: What is your favorite drink?

Robin: My favorite drink is Snapple raspberry tea.

Robin, thank you for taking the time to answer some of our questions, and, to everyone out there reading this interview, thank you for taking the time to learn more about your fellow Gunslinger!

April’s edition of the Member Spotlight features House.Lannister, a Playstation 3 player who sports a Game of Thrones reference as his username, has been a Gunslinger for just over a year, now. If you ask him, he will swear he is a shy, unassuming person in his “real life.” You got on mic with him and play some rounds of online combat, you start to doubt his claim. That is why he is a great Gunslinger to get to know better, and I invite all of you read the following interview.

GS: As of March 30th, 2012, you have been a Gunslinger member officially for a year. How did you happen to come across the rest of us, and with which GSer(s) did you first get into game?

House.Lannister: Amazing that it’s already been a year… Wow, what a great year it’s been! Anyway, I had just gotten my PS3 about a month before finding the Gunslingers and the only game I had was Killzone 3. I tend to enjoy the objective type of games over the straight deathmatch stuff and since I was so new to the PS3, I didn’t have any buddies to squad up with. I went out to the Killzone site and was shocked and appalled at the incredible nastiness and disrespect that existed there. To this day I always feel like I need a shower after visiting that cesspool. I almost threw in the towel and resigned myself to the fact that I’d have to go it alone; but as a last ditch effort, I started sifting through the clan threads. That’s when I came across Murph’s gunslinger thread. I swear it’s only a slight exaggerating to say it was like the heavens opened and a chorus of angels sang – I signed up immediately. The first Gunslinger I gamed with was Scars… (normally I’d throw in a jab here because it IS Scars after all and who doesn’t like to poke fun of HIM!), but to be perfectly honest he’s the main reason I knew I was hooked from the get go and would make Gunslingers my online family – he really made me feel welcome and got me involved immediately. Within a couple of days I was running with Bison, Steak_N_Fries, Sosyc, CheesyMonkey, BigBangBear and quite a few others.

GS: Your original Introduction post remarked that you signed up for KillZone 3. What many people may not know is that the Nintendo Wii and your kids have a big role in you getting back into gaming. Can you tell us about that? Did it affect your decision in buying the Playstation Move? Additionally, let’s put some context the questions. What was the first game you ever owned and what was the last game you played prior to giving up gaming until picking it up again?

House.Lannister: First games were for Atari 2600 – Breakout, Combat (since it came with the console), Defender, Yars Revenge, and Pitfall come to mind as favorites among the shoe boxes full of cartridges. Pretty much kept up with most new consoles from then until the early nineties when I went to college. Even though I took my SNES with me to school I ended up playing more games on my computer at that time… Maybe it just felt more like studying!! For the next 10 years or so I’d get an occasional game on the computer (Sid Meier’s Civ and Alpha Centauri were a couple that consumed me for a month or 2 at a time) but for the most part games took a back seat to Real Life. Then a few years back my Mom gave my kids a Wii for Christmas and the seal was broken. At first, it was just some Wii Tennis here or some Band Hero there… with the kids of course. Then IT HAPPENED. A friend handed me this disk and said I should give it a try… COD4: Reflex. This was my first ever experience with Online Multiplayer (and first FPS since Doom) and Holy S^*t was I hooked. I convinced a co-worker (and now fellow Gunslinger Iskaral_Pust) to pick it up as well and we’d always try and play together. Only major complaint we had was we couldn’t talk to each other while we played (well, the noob tubes and quick scopers too, but that’s another long winded post all by itself!). That’s when the wife surprised me with the PS3 as a belated birthday present. It was bundled with KZ3, but I immediately ran up to Gamestop and bought COD4, figuring “hey, I know the guns and maps, I just have to get used to the new controller and I’ll be in business!” Um… Nope. That’s when I realized that aiming with analog thumb stick is a skill I just do not possess. So COD went back to the store and the PS Move came home.

GS: You have been playing KillZone 3 for over a year now. Do you find yourself as the type of gamer who enjoys one title at a time or do you juggle other titles as well? What unreleased game that is coming out in 2012 do you find of interest, and in what ways may your experiences in KillZone 3 serve as a meter stick to your expectations?

House.Lannister: Historically I’d say I tend to have one primary game at a time. I’m a bit of a “completionist” (some would call it OCD) so I tend to keep at a given game until I’m done with it. Online multiplayer has changed that a little for me though since it’s never really DONE. So now, I’d say I have one game for online gaming and a couple of other single player/offline games to mix in when I’m in the mood for just getting lost in a game by myself. As far as future titles are concerned, I’m really looking forward to Dust 514 and Counterstrike: Global Offensive. I wouldn’t say that I use Killzone 3 as a meter stick per se, but fun gameplay, varied game modes and good graphics (all while being Move supported) is a combo that’s been pretty hard to find so far.

GS: You have remarked that you are an engineer in your GS forum profile. What sort of engineer are you? How long have you been in this profession, and what do you find most appealing about the profession?

House.Lannister: I’ve been a Mechanical Engineer in the Jet Engine Business for the last 15 years; initially in the design and improvement side of the business but now in the troubleshooting and repair side of the house. Basically I’m the onsite technical support for the Air Force whenever they have engine problems – If the engine isn’t operating like it should, they look to me to help figure out what’s wrong and get it fixed and back in the air as quickly as possible. It’s taken many years of job shopping within the company to find my niche, but I can honestly say now that I Love My Job. At the risk of sounding kind of cheesy, to me the most appealing part of my job is the pride that comes with helping keep the F-22 flying – that and getting to walk out of my office throughout the day and watch Raptors take of and land (yeah, if it hasn’t been fully established by now, I’m a geek).

GS: Being a parent, which gender has caused you more grey hairs? Your sons or daughters?

House.Lannister: Tough question… It is true I didn’t have a single grey hair before kids, but each one causes grey hairs in their own special way. I struggle with the mind blowing emotional swings with the girl (and she hasn’t even hit puberty yet!?!) and the strong willed defiant nature of the boy. But I’m not sure how much of that is gender based or simply the particular personality of the kids.

GS: We now know House.Lannister, the professional and the gamer. What are some other loves in life you wield that we may not yet know? Living in Virginia, does any of your other interests have a more local application?

House.Lannister: We’ve only lived in Virginia for a few years and really haven’t found a local niche hobby yet – does shuttling kids around town count?? Before VA (and kids), we lived in Connecticut for 7ish years so we really embraced Skiing and Snowboarding. Before CT, we lived in South Florida where my in-laws introduced me to SCUBA diving. By far diving is still one of my favorite hobbies; we just don’t get to do it as much as we’d like to anymore. Last but not least, motorcycles have been a life long passion – I’ve been riding them in some fashion since I was about 5 years old.

GS: What was the last vacation or trip you and your family took? If asked, what would your family say it is like traveling with the House.Lannister? Please refrain from using phrases such as “God-like” or other red-flag terms of untruth.

House.Lannister: Nearly all of our family vacations involve driving to visit family. Since that’s the way it’s been since the kids were infants they actually handle the 6-16 hour drives like champions. Where the complaints tend to come from is the seat next to me… She’d be the first to tell you that my right foot is entirely too heavy and I’m not the most tolerant of drivers that aren’t paying attention or think they are the only car on the road.

GS: What was the first album you remember buying, and, to date one’s self, on which media format was it on?

House.Lannister: I love music in general but I never really spent much of my disposable income on it. My parents had a pretty large record collection that I’d sift through when the radio inevitably got too monotonous, so I never felt the need to have to go out and buy more music. However, the first album I remember buying for myself was Metallica’s Ride the Lightning on cassette tape. The main reason that one sticks out is I had just gotten this new fanged device called a Walkman (how’s THAT for dating myself) and was amazed that I could actually bring my own music with me while I was cutting the grass.

GS: You have been a responder to the “What Are You Currently Reading?” thread and have noted in your GS forum profile that reading is among your interests. What sort of genres do you most often read? If left on a desert island (yes, I did just add a desert island question), what are some reads you just couldn’t live without?

House.Lannister: I try to mix it up a pretty good bit. Fiction tends more toward the sci-fi and fantasy genres with some spy, mystery, and horror mixed in for spice. I also try to have a non-fiction in progress (usually political or science based, but occasionally I’ll pick up a historical account or biography as well) to try and put some perspective on the 20 second sound bites that are thrown at us on a daily basis and passed off as “News”. As an aside, for anyone still in the “reading with kids” stage of life, I highly recommend The Strange Case of Oragami Yoda and Darth Paper Strikes Back… They are just full of win. As far as the desert island question goes, I’m going cheat a little: I’d choose my Kindle with a solar charger, that way I can load it up with Stephen King, George R.R. Martin, and Tolkien. Almost sounds like an awesome vacation… Don’t suppose I’d have access to the 3G network would I??

GS: Prepare yourself. The following question is going to be a tough one. What is your drink of choice?

House.Lannister: Sweet Iced Tea! But, I assume that’s not what you’re really asking; if I’m aiming for something a little stronger I’ll usually go with a Jack and Diet Coke.

Thank you, House.Lannister, for being a member of the Gunslingers and taking the time to answer our interview. To our readers, thank you for your attention and game on!

If you have signed up to Gunslinger Gaming in the last eight months, you very well may have come in contact with Leiflvr. He joined the fun back on Friday, August 19th, 2011 and has been among the first people to greet new members in the Introductions section of the GS Forums ever since. Who is the man behind these friendly greetings? It’s time to find out because Leiflvr is the subject of this month’s interview!

GS: How did you find the Gunslingers, and was it for any particular game in mind? Do you remember who was the first GSer with whom you got into game?

Leiflvr: I found GS like most other members here. I just got sick of listening to kids who really shouldn’t be playing this game (COD) making the game a chore rather than a game. I read the landing page and thought oh well that’s great and left. Came back a few days later and signed up. It seems I’ve been here forever but really it’s only been 8 months.

As for GSer’s who I gamed with first… I believe it was bullet_stopper, Carbon Bigfoot, tick221, rigormortis and Margarita. When I first joined I didn’t have a headset so the only way I could communicate in lobby was through the clan tag in Black Ops. There are a lot of things you can write with only 4 letters.

GS: Many of our members may have first come in contact with you via the Introductions section of the Gunslingers Forum. There, you are always lending a kind message for new members. What personally drives you to be so proactive in greeting folks? Do you believe your friendliness here reflects how you engage people offline as well?

Leiflvr: I never really thought about it but I think Slammer47 was a huge influence on me initially. He was (is) a great cheerleader for GS and it instilled a feeling of paying it forward. The first impression is always the most important so I don’t want people, who may be a bit unsure, to miss out on how great the GS community is. As for how I relate to people offline….I’m a bit shy actually so I’m probably outgoing more-so online than in RL where I’m a bit more reserved until I get to know people.

GS: When you were first approached with the interview, you seemed surprised because you feel you don’t have a lot of gaming history. That begs the question, what was the game that got you playing video games in the first place?

Leiflvr: My wife (girlfriend at the time) went away for a week or so to some work conference so I decided to rent a PS2 and grabbed GTAIII. I was blown away. Before that the last game I’d played was Super Mario on NES. In terms of online it was only when Black Ops came out that another GSer (panicpuppy) convinced me to pick up a copy. MW2 was really my first FPS and I did play that online too but Black Ops was the first one that consumed my time.

GS: We know Leiflvr, the friendly forum poster. We know Leiflvr, the gamer. But not much else. What other interests or hobbies do you have, and, as people tend to ask at every get-together, ‘Whadda you do for livin’?”

Leiflvr: Being Canadian I’m an avid hockey fan which I have to be as it’s a mandatory part of our citizenship requirements. Other than that I’m just really into my kids and family. As for what I do for a living I’m a test analyst for a brokerage company testing online trading systems….zzzzzZZZZ….HUH? Sorry dozed off there for a sec.

GS: Not to make you paranoid, but what part of Canada do you reside in? What is a local treasure you could tell us about that has remained overlooked from the more commercial travel guides?

Leiflvr: I’m live in an eastern suburb of Toronto, we even have a Nuclear plant so I guess I’m in the Springfield of Ontario…anyway in terms of local treasures there are a lot. I think our China Town is the 2nd biggest in North America behind San Fran. We have an awesome distillery district that has a lot of art shops, cafes, and pubs. We also have a lot of parks and trails in the city and all over the province.

GS: You are what many of our members can relate to being. A parent. Can you relate a funny or surreal moment in your parenthood experience that best illustrates what the Leiflvr household is like?

Leiflvr: Actually the first one comes to mind is the other day I was having a tickle wrestle with the kids and my son turned the tables on me and had me pinned down tickling my neck. I eventually had to say “mercy” and he stands up and says “ A 40 yr old man with a tickle spot…..who knew?” Coming from a 7 yr old THAT is funny. I think laughter is a big thing in our house and my kids both have a great sense of humour. I think it makes for better adjusted kids the more they laugh.

GS: As a kid, what was the most trouble you got yourself into? Confess!

Leiflvr: I’m an angel and I have the sealed court documents to prove it!

GS: What is your all time favorite movie? Now, what is the movie that actually gets put into the player the most often?

Leiflvr: Man I was a big movie watcher as a kid and there are so many. Raider’s of the Lost Ark is the one I paid to see the most as a kid. As an adult my favourite is Usual Suspects which I will watch anytime it’s on. As for what gets put in the player most often it depends which kid is choosing so either Dora for my daughter or Bakugans for my son…..Does anyone else think Dora’s parents should be charged with neglect? They let her walk around a rain forest by herself and she’s always asking ME for help!! WTH is up with that?

GS: We all know a famous quote. What is one that most often comes to your mind as you work your way through life? Why does that particular quote mean something to you?

Leiflvr: Jeez who are you Larry King?…..quote…hmm. Twain was always good for a quote so the one I always liked from him was “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.” I think this quote just reminds me to think before I speak which has saved my butt more times than I can say.

GS: And the most thought provoking question of all, what is your favorite drink?

Leiflvr: Actually I’m not that big of a drinker anymore but I like Heineken for my beer and any drink that has vodka in it for my booze.

Thank you, Leiflvr, for taking the time to sit down and answering our questions and, more importantly, for doing your part in placing such a friendly first impression on new members. Thank you all for reading the interview!