Talking to a brick wall...

Rants & Raves

The Journey - From Legos to Websites

One thing legos were not, though, was interactive. And as my imagination lost its hold on my world, interactivity was something that I valued more and more.
Lego Technic worked a bit for that, but while my creative drive was strong, my budget was small. Interactive legos, save a few small gift sets, were not to be mine.

Forutnately, another option made itself known as I grew... For, by chance and a bit of research, I found that the building blocks of the programs on my computer (a Lazer 128 - clone of the then-popular Apple ][e personal computer) could be laid bare with a few simple words and keystokes.
These blocks I took and did what I knew how to do with any building blocks. At the age of 9, I was a programmer. And, armed with a keyboard and monitor, I found a whole new world in which to create.

If, as I grew up, I valued anything more than the time I spent building things, it was my time living in the most powerful creations of others--in my life at the time, the worlds I found in video games.
From the simple, cheesy worlds of Mario to the 'interactive movies' of Wing Commander to the rich and incredible civilizations in Final Fantasy, I found myself admiring the realities that the games I played took place in. And, ultimately, trying to emulate them. >>