Many of you know the characters I play in Everquest, whether it be Josephat, Chronopsis, or even of one my little twinks. But few know much about the man behind those characters.

    In real life, I am a 23 year old man that likes to enjoy life. Currently, I am employed with Tyco Electronics as a forklift operator. I generally work 84 hours over a two week span, leaving little time for EQ.


    I grew up in a small town in Pennsylvania, where if you hear a siren, you know something is wrong. Life was pretty uneventful for myself and my older brother. High school was boring, and I didn't have any fun really until college. I attended Penn State University until May of 2003, when I graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Sciences.

    While at college, I expanded my horizons. My one friend, from pre-college days, introduced me to EverQuest during the summer of 2000. I actually named my character after him. I took his name,

   
Joseph, and combined it with 'phat'. Thus, Josephat was born. Prior to EQ, I was into Ultima Online. I ran my own server for a while. Its players consisted primarily of PSU students. I was forced to shut it down, however, when I began EQ. It was getting way to laggy for me.

    College years really opened my eyes to the real world, though. I became good friends with students and faculty from all over Pennsylvania as well as New Jersey and even some foriegn exchange students. Until this time, I was lost in the small world of nowhere-America, almost oblivious to what was out there beyound the valley that is nestled within the Appalachian Mountains. All the while, EverQuest remained a part of my life. Though playtime time has grown limited over the years, I did eventually reach level 65. But I still have a lot of AA to accumulate. I have been refusing to leave the game that has brought me happiness, and sometimes even anger, over the years. I stay not for the game anymore, though, but for the friends I have made over the years. (I'd start a list, but I'm sure I would leave someone out.) However, with my current work schedule and searching for someone special in my life, EQ has taken a back burner at this point of my life. Lately I seem to be pondering whether there is anything left in the game at all for me anymore. Many friends have left officially, others have gone MIA. Yet, I continue to log in, if for nothing else just for some chatter during the late night hours of my week.

    While my current job is boring and mostly brainless labor work, I stay for the money. Hopefully I can find a job more suiting my education sometime in the near future. Time will only tell what lies along the path that I travel through life. One thing is for sure, though. My path will be full of friends to help guide the way in both the hard times and the good. So I wish this upon you as well, and as always...

"May fortune smile upon thee."