Member Facts
	Age:	29
	Gender:	He-Male
	Location:	Anchorage, Alaska USA
	Occupation:	Mr. Fix-It.  Computerized Drafting, Project Management, Construction.  Office computer "guru"...  Hate that name.
	Education:	11th Grade, GED, NIC College for Law Enforcement courses.  Didn't like that.  Taught myself computer repair and computerized drafting...  Now I'm living the dream, of someone else.
	Marital Status:	Married going on 8 years
	Pets:	Dogs:  Bud (English mastiff) Sadie (Bull Mastiff).  Cats:  Bristol, Kenai & the twins Denali & Yukon.
	Favorite Movie:	Debby does.. no.. um.. The Matrix
	Favorite Book:	Ones that are made for TV.
	Favorite Band:	Pink Floyd
	Favorite Actor:	Arnold

So how did it all begin for you — how did you get introduced to gaming and what was your first game?
First was most likely on Atari^®, like Pitfall^™.  Actually, first was Pong^™.  Then to Atari^® 2600, Intellivision^®, Colecovision^®.  Then just to be different, I chose the Sega^® system over Nintendo^®, then to the Genesis.  Playstation & now the Xbox.  1st real computer game was Oregon Trail^™ waaay back in grade school.  What really hooked me was Half-Life^™.

When did you make the cross into MMORPGs?
Earth & Beyond^™ was my 1st true MMO.  I had dabbled in Diablo^™, but the rampant cheats killed it for me.

How did you choose your Echelon nickname and/or game names?  Is there a story behind them?
I have always used some derivative of Deez since going online.  Originally Deez~Nuttz until too many lil kiddies copied me.  So now it goes from Deez to Deezus depending on what is available.  And the name idea came from the Great Snoop D O double G.

How did you discover The Echelon?  Why did you decide to join?  How long have you been a member?
Can't remember specifically who invited me in, but I was playing E&B at the time.  I wanted to join because of the people who were in it.  Because The Echelon was multifacetted in terms of games the members played, and if I switched games, there was a good chance there was a chapter playing it as well.  Been a member for about 2 years now.

What is your favorite genre of game:  medieval fantasy, science fiction, comic book, or contemporary world?  Why?
I would go with Science Fiction for the most part.  That's always held my interest outside of games, and it holds true in games.  Though I do enjoy Fantasy — girl Elves are just so sexay. :)

What are your favorite race (i.e., human or nonhuman), gender, and class (i.e., tank, nuker, healer, thief, etc.) to play?  Is there a particular reason why you choose them?
Non-Human, male, and Tanker.  Big and nasty, dealing out a lot of damage.  These are the traits of a Deez.  The class I have always chosen.  I don't like complicated characters — I'm a simple minded fool, don't cha know.

What is your primary reason for playing MMORPGs (i.e., an escape from real life, to take out aggression, to explore alternate personas, to become immersed in a fictional world)?
All of the above, actually.  Well, minus the Alternate Persona — it's me, damnit, not me pretending to be someone else.

What do you consider achievement in a MMORPG (i.e., high level, possession of rare artifacts or equipment, a broadened social circle, notable PvP conquests)?
Hmm.  I think the fact I chucked 3 MMOs in a month is fairly notable.  And yes, I've met a lot more great people.  Some of which are pretty close online friends.

Now some fun stuff.  What is the longest stretch of time you have ever played straight — breaking only for restroom visits or food?  What was keeping your attention that long?
Unlike some members (Eis), I've always been straight.  But seriously, folks.  Longest time I've played...  Probably about 15 hours.  And that wasn't even in an MMO...  It was TFC.

Would you care to share any particularly amusing, exhilarating, or touching stories from your MMORPG experiences?
Nothing good comes to mind.

Does your spouse, partner, or significant other play MMORPGs?  Have you ever played an MMORPG together?
Well, we play RPGs together, but that's getting a wee bit personal now, isn't it?  And no, she doesn't play any MMORPG...  With me at least..

What MMORPG are you currently playing?  How long have you been a subscriber?  What keeps you playing?
Nothing but crap available now as far as I have played.  Crap rewrapped from other crap.

What upcoming MMORPG are you most anticipating?  Why?
The same as everyone:  EverQuest^™ 2 and World of Warcraft^™.

Is there anything else you would like to share with the guild?
This gum on the bottom of my shoe.

Special Section:  "Women of Echelon" Series

The "Women of Echelon" Series is a special feature of interviews with our female guild members, showcasing their unique perspective as the smaller MMORPG player segment and giving them an opportunity to share their thoughts, experiences, and hopes on major gaming issues, the MMORPG community, and The Echelon Gaming Guild.

It has been said that Western women are typically not socialized to play video or pc games.  Do you agree with that statement (either based on your own experience or on the experiences of your female friends)?  Do you feel that current MMORPGs would more broadly appeal to women if they had more exposure opportunities?
I think it would be better for women to just expose themselves more in general.

There is a familiar gender tautology in the game industry:  (1) game advertisements, magazines, and avatars use effusive displays of female sexuality because women continue to be a small segment of the gaming demographic and they must appeal to the male audience; (2) women find effusive displays of female sexuality in game advertisements, magazines, and avatars either intimidating, discouraging of their participation, or outright offensive and therefore continue to be a small segment of the gaming demographic.  Do you feel either statement has validity?  Do you find the visual or textual presentation of games to be alienating to women?  Do you find that you turn a "blind eye" to male-oriented marketing gimmicks?  Has the marketing of games changed over the course of your gaming career?
Hey, they put hot looking Ogre dudes on the cover of MMO boxes, too.  They aren't for the guys.

Some researchers have hypothesized that the violence in games, particularly MMORPGs and FPSs, continues to be a deterrent to female gamers.  How has the violence in MMORPGs affected your experience?  Does violence enhance or detract from your game play?
Isn't Sims^™ Hot Date supposed to fix all this?

Harassment is a recognized problem in MMORPGs.  Have you ever been subject to harassment (particularly sexual) by male players?  Have you ever lied about your real gender or played a male character to avoid harassment?
I think everyone gets harassed equally in MMORPGs.  Whether you're a dude in ladies clothing or a lady with a big stick.

Have you ever attempted to convince a female friend to play a MMORPG with you?  Did she play?
Yes, then my wife came home, and I had to put the handcuffs and nightstick away.

If you started playing MMORPGs at the invitation of a friend, spouse, partner, or significant other, how much convincing did you need?
I never kiss and tell.

Imagine you were asked to describe the value of playing MMORPGs and belonging to The Echelon to another woman.  What would you say?
Socks and Shoes are mandatory in the Echelon, Shirts and Pants are optional.

Anything else you would like to tell the guild about MMORPGs, female membership in the guild, or your experiences as a female gamer?
In all honesty, I think it's great there are female players in this guild, and I hope there continues to be.