Re: An introduction

Well, I've been lurking and injecting the occasional LTA comment every
now and then, but I think I'll take this opportunity to make a proper
introduction of myself.

I started gaming in 4th grade with Avalon Hill's STARSHIP TROOPERS game,
and was heavily into D&D (the original boxed basic version, not to be
confused with the earlier digest version) by the end of sixth grade. 
Then came Traveller, and Aftermath, and Morrow Project, and . . . well,
you get the idea.

My miniatures career didn't start until much later, and at least as far
as playing regularly, is still largely theoretical.  Mostly I drifted
into it after using minis (with progressively larger and more elaborate
tabletop layouts) to handle the larger conflicts in the RPGs I ran,
although I have always played in miniature events at local conventions,
starting with Werecon '80 at Wayne University (sigh, RIP Werecon).

I currently live in Ann Arbor, MI with my wife (a real gamer chick --
she says she married me so she could guarantee access to a good GM).  I
love Full Thrust, BFG, Dirtside II, A Soldier's Companion, OGRE Squash,
Shockforce, etc.  Unfortunately, I seldom get to actually play outside
of convention settings.

I also regularly run and/or participate in large CHAMPIONS rpg superhero
battles with miniatures, thus my interest in flying stands and my large
collection of urban scenery.  I can currently set up a small downtown
area in 28mm (an unwieldly scale, I know, but it's what I started with),
and I collect civilian and non-combatant miniatures whenever I can find
them.  If anyone starts making good police figures, let me know!

I own an awful lot of GW figures (my only defense is that I did not pay
full price for any of them), and have almost completed building a large
Imperial Guard army out of old Grenadier Future Warriors minis, UNIT
troops from Harlequin, Galoob Alien's and Battleforce vehicles, and
diecast military vehicles from a variety of sources.

My current pet projects include improving my adjustable flying stands,
learning Bill Wardrop's paper-into-wood modeling techniques, and
converting some Oldsmobile Starfires and Cadillac convertibles into
post-apocalypse 'technicals'.

In real life, I am a technical writer.