What's your callsign?
Pastorius
Thinking back, what drew you to TAW?
I had been taking a break from online gaming after running a Black Ops server for some time. I was playing a lot of quiet, single player games like Skyrim as a kind of antidote I guess? Anyways I’m a bit of a visual nut and I stumbled across a game called HAWKEN in the nvidia forums. I was very quickly hooked and immediately realized that I would have to join a clan if I wanted to experience real team orientated, tactical play and get the most out of the game. So, I put up a request for a clan on my profile page in the HAWKEN forums and Subdivision and Stealthmist got in touch. I had briefly looked at TAW when I played Black Ops and I knew of its great reputation so I was very keen to join and the guys were very friendly and supportive. Also, I’m thirty eight years old now and I really needed a clan that I could feel comfortable playing in that was free from the antagonism and profanity that is sometimes associated with competitive gaming.
Do you have any special hobbies or activities outside of online gaming/TAW?
In my professional life I am a musician and a high school music teacher. In my spare time I am a self-confessed nerd. I design and build gaming PC’s and I am very proud of my rig as I spent countless hours and a great deal of cash building it. I guess I am obsessively creative. I have to have some sort of project on the go all the time or I get very restless. I love trying new things too. Last year I built a scale model of Stonehenge at the school I work at that stands about four feet tall. I set all the blocks in individual concrete molds and the whole thing is set to the rising sun just like the original. I am very meticulous, much to the annoyance of my girlfriend Rachel.
Did you admire a famous person? What made them admirable?
My username ‘Pastorius’ comes from the jazz bassist John Francis ‘Jaco’ Pastorius. He was and still is my musical hero. He is widely renowned as the most innovative and virtuosic bassist of the 1970’s and 80’s. Unfortunately he fell to a world of drugs and died very young but his legacy will live on. I teach young students now that try to emulate his riffs and always ask me to teach them how to play like Jaco. My other musical hero is Stevie Wonder. He is, in my eyes, the Beethoven of 20th century. I was lucky enough to see him in concert a few years back and I will remember it forever.
What are some favorites? color, food, ice cream, book, movie, song, sport, etc
Blue – Burgers – Chocolate – The Hobbit – Dirty Harry – No way to say goodbye (Roberta Flack) – Sailing.
What are the goals you are still working toward?
Professionally I would like to be the principal of my own school. Privately, I would like to marry, settle down and have some children with my partner Rachel.
Tell me how you first got involved in with TAW . . .
As stated in the first question really.
What was your first impression of TAW?
I was very nervous at first but the guys were so friendly and talked me through the first steps. The induction was a little daunting but very good and gives a good solid foundation for you to build on.
What's your first memory of something related to TAW?
I remember writing in my profile on the HAWKEN forum that I wanted to join a clan and Subdivision getting in touch. He’s a really cool guy and we got along immediately. He often commented on my posts. I was writing a song that was inspired by the HAWKEN concept at the time and he helped me out allot. The song got noticed by the games developers and posted on the main page of the website. They also published it on the HAWKEN facebook page and twitter feed. The guys were really supportive and it was great to see the TAW banners being flown in the thread that had nearly 8000 hits in total.
What has surprised you most about working with TAW?
How much fun it is. The Hawken division are just awesome and we have a great time on and off the battlefield.
What's the best/worst thing to happen since you started working with TAW?
Getting promoted to Staff Sergeant and leading my own platoon is the best thing to happen and probably coming last in the Battle for Illal Tournament was perhaps the worst but even that was great really as it was a lot of fun and I had Xelance and Sub in my team an I learned a great deal from them. It was a very close run tournament and I gained the resilience medal at the end too. Happy days…
What do you wish other people knew about TAW?
That it’s a really positive, friendly and welcoming organization to be a part of. Everyone is willing to offer support and encouragement and help you progress through the ranks.
Tell me about some of the people you've met while working on TAW?
Seron appointed me my first promotion to Drill Instructor. He is a great guy. He always has time for everyone and is very supportive. He really knows his stuff too. OddCore helped me a great deal with becoming an effective PL and his leadership through this year’s tournament was just fantastic. It was great getting to know Stealth a little. He is a fellow Midlander and we are a similar age so we get along really well. He makes me laugh a lot. Subdivision, as I have already said, is a great guy and I feel lucky to have met him. I have missed his long trawl through the various HAWKEN patch notes over the last couple of months so I can’t wait for the next one as it’s going to be a doozey. Xelance is a very cool guy indeed and it’s great to see him heading up the EU side. In fact, I haven’t a bad word to say about any of the guys in the TAW - Hawken EU division. They are an awesome bunch and I am very proud to be a part of it!
What would you say are some of your strongest beliefs about TAW?
Respect – Honesty - Teamwork –
When your friends/family find out that you volunteer, donate, etc., what do they say or ask?
They think I am way too old to be playing video games! My girlfriend is supportive and is happy I have a hobby but she gets annoyed if I spend too much time gaming when I could be watching mindless girlie rubbish on the TV with her instead. My father justifies it to himself by focusing on the military aspects.
What might someone be surprised to know about you?
I’m 38 years old and I have a Star Wars Lego collection.
For their time, effort and dedication, this member will be awarded our In-The-Scope member tab for completing the interview.