Post by Hockeynutville on Dec 8, 2009 9:46:45 GMT -5
Here is the second installment in the Eyes on the Islands series.
Hockeynutville: Hello, and welcome to this latest addition of "Eyes on the Islands". Today, our guest is a longtime member of the Islands and currently one of our four Senators. I am pleased to welcome Ad Infinitum or as some know him, PAI. Welcome and thank you for taking time to answer some questions with me.
Ad Infinitum: My pleasure! I'm an open book.
Hockeynutville: So PAI, to begin with, just for those who may not understand, why do some of the older nations call you "PAI"?
Ad Infinitum: Ah, of course. This acronym actually led to quite a bit of confusion in last night's liberation chat. When I first started playing NS, my nation's pre-title was "Protectorate". I didn't like the acronym "AI", because of the artificial intelligence or artificial insemination connotations or anything else artificial, so I slid the P from Protectorate in to the front. It kinda stuck around for some people, others it didn't. Now I have to explain it to all the newbies..
Hockeynutville: How long have you been playing Nationstates now and where did you discover the game?
Ad Infinitum: Way too long, since I got back from my first tour in Iraq way back in the beginning of 2004. I heard about the game from an old friend in passing, who mentioned it over coffee. He said he really enjoyed playing this political simulation game, and I got a little curious and checked it out. As soon as I joined, he stopped playing so I was left on my own for a bit until LoreSong wrangled me up into XKI
Hockeynutville: What about the 10000 Islands appealed to you when you got recruited?
Ad Infinitum: Initially, LoreSong's invitation was obviously personalized and quite eloquent. That was my first clue that I'd fit in here. Once I arrived, I found a thriving, bustling community and a clean, organized forum. There was a constitution, a disciplined military (the selling point for me), and interesting discussions on all sorts of topics. I'd never seen that before, and I was a little impressed. Even though I hadn't been involved with any region before that, it just seemed like 10000 Islands was so much more evolved and advanced than anywhere else on NS. Low and behold, I was sorta right!
Hockeynutville: Do you remember how big the Islands were when you joined?
Ad Infinitum: I sure don't. Not nearly the size we're at today, though.
Hockeynutville: Why did you choose "Ad Infinitum" as the name of your nation?
Ad Infinitum: You know, I don't rightly know. In hindsight, I should have gone with something I could actually pronounce. Since joining, I've made a whole mess of puppets with awesome names, and I'd take pretty much any one of them over this one. I think I just picked it because I wanted something Latin (and I don't know why I didn't pick "Sine Pari"), and this grabbed my attention for whatever reason, maybe because it had a two letter word in the beginning. I don't know I must have been drunk.
Hockeynutville: What does "Ad Infinitum" mean?
Ad Infinitum: It is Latin for "Forever", or the idea of forever, or something fancy like that
Hockeynutville: You are currently a Senator in the Council of Nine. Why did you decide to run for office?
Ad Infinitum: It seemed like there was a lot that needed to be done, and I like getting my hands dirty. At the time, we were neck deep in condemn and commendation repeal business and while we handled things beautifully, I still feel like we could have had a more structured plan. One of my primary goals in the Council is to establish a contingency plan to allow us to react to any Security Council resolution with grace and ease. On top of the C&C business, I know it sounds silly, but I just like being on the Council of Nine. I was Minister of Immigration for a while back in the day, but that got cut short by a deployment. I saw this most recent Senate election as a chance to get back in, yell at Grub all I want, and maybe, just maybe get something done.
Hockeynutville: Heh, well said! Ok, well I'd like to move on to some questions about you outside of Nationstates for the moment. I think it's pretty well known by everyone at this point that you are involved in the Military. What branch did you sign up for and what prompted you to do so?
Ad Infinitum: Yep, I'm in the US Army, (for another few weeks). All the men on my mother's side of the family are in the Army, and all the men on my dad's side are Air Force, so I just picked the side of the family I liked the most. I joined the Army ROTC when I went to college, initially to help pay for school, but once I got in my instructors convinced me to stick around for afterwards. I've always been a rather "gifted" marksman, and the instructors picked up on that right away. They said a lot of things like "your country needs you" and "you're one of a kind", the usual garbage they feed anyone with a sliver of talent. But when they mentioned Airborne and sniper training, I had a hard time saying no.
Hockeynutville: How many times have you been deployed overseas?
Ad Infinitum: Oh boy. Are we counting training? I've been deployed to combat duty six times and overseas training twice. I've been to Afghanistan three times and Iraq three times, all for varying lengths of tours totaling over 36 months in combat, (if my math is correct).
Hockeynutville: Glad to be almost out?
Ad Infinitum: I'm optimistic. I've been involved with the Army for over a decade so it'll be interesting to see how I adapt to civilian life. The hardest part is going to get my USPA (United States Parachute Association) licensing. None of my airborne or military free fall training carries over into the civilian world, so if I want to jump out of airplanes anymore, I'm going to have to pay a lot of money and go through a whole new set of training to get licensed for that.
Hockeynutville: How old are you now?
Ad Infinitum: Old enough to kick your ass! I'll be celebrating the fourth anniversary of my 25th birthday in May
Hockeynutville: Where did you go to school and what programs did you take?
Ad Infinitum: I went to the local university, majored in history and minored in military science. I took a lot of off-the-wall classes, too, such as Russian literature and a fun class where you just discussed what dreams you had the night before. Our homework was "take a nap at such-and-such time today, on an empty stomach, and write down your dreams when you wake up". Easiest psychology credit EVER.
Hockeynutville: Nice! How about we do some quick Q&A before I ask a few more Nationstates related questions? I'll ask you your favorite or preference and in a short answer, you let our readers get a quick scope on things PAI.
Ad Infinitum: Sounds good!
Hockeynutville: Your favorite color?
Ad Infinitum: Green. Always has been, always will be.
Hockeynutville: Your favorite food?
Ad Infinitum: Oooh, I thought these questions were supposed to be easy! I'll just go with beef jerky.
Hockeynutville: Your favorite band/singer?
Ad Infinitum: Of all time its either Elliott Smith or Pixies. Currently though, the Heartless Bastards, Black Keys, Tom Waits... I refill my iPod on the daily.
Hockeynutville: Which do you prefer, TV or Movies?
Ad Infinitum: TV on DVD, so I can marathon through an entire series on an off-duty rotation. (Overseas, we go 48 hours on, 48 hours off, and you can buy a bootlegged season of pretty much any television show for around five bucks, it's a great way to kill time).
Hockeynutville: Hamburger or Hot Dog?
Ad Infinitum: Burgers forever.
Hockeynutville: Blondes, Brunettes or Redheads?
Ad Infinitum: Brunettes... Though I've been known to pine for a pink-haired girl or two
Hockeynutville: For the ladies out there, if you had an ideal locale or activity for a first date, what would it be?
Ad Infinitum: Shooting range? Nah, I usually just go for coffee with an open-ended conclusion. I once went on a 12-hour first date because we just kept thinking of places to go and things to do. It ended with me hiding in her bathroom while her parents made a surprise visit to see her new apartment.
Hockeynutville: Heh, alright. Ranging back into some Nationstates questions, have you ever met anyone from the 10KI or NS?
Ad Infinitum: Not in person, but I have talked on the phone to a few people, and I've got a few friends from NS on Facebook. In fact, our very own Lichto and I are texting BFFs. True story.
Hockeynutville: You've certainly been around long enough to see plenty people come and go. Is there anyone you miss in particular?
Ad Infinitum: It seems like every time I come back from deployment, there's a fresh set of faces and all my old friends are either CTE or newly elected senators or something. Some names that come to mind, Boolari (of course), Sheynat, Crackenback, Mandrill, The Undaunted, and an old friend from the RIA, Tierra de Madre.
Hockeynutville: What makes you keeping coming back to the 10000 Islands? It would certainly be understandable for you to forget about Nationstates after the rigors of combat.
Ad Infinitum: Oh, it's the last thing on my mind when I'm out in the sand... but the people are unforgettable. The community, the inside jokes, the hilarious fake grudges (I'm lookin' at you, Ayunli)... Most of my friends are overseas when I'm home, and vice versa, or they're all grown up and moved across the country with their wives and office jobs, so NS provides an outlet for me to be my naturally silly self without all the embarrassment that comes with it out in real world.
... Not that I don't embarrass myself plenty in the real world, but at least I can keep it to a minimum
Hockeynutville: Ok, last set of questions. Any plans for the future on what PAI the civilian will do?
Ad Infinitum: I've been in contract negotiations with a kidnap and ransom insurance company for a couple months now. They've got an open slot on a hostage recovery team that's got my name written all over it. I'll pretty much be one of the guys on the support team from the movie "Proof of Life", except I won't be a bumbling fool.
Hockeynutville: Any advice for anyone here who might be looking at a career or serving with the Army?
Ad Infinitum: Do your pushups! They’ll teach you the rest but if you’re not in shape you won’t learn a thing.
Hockeynutville: What are the chances of you running for President in 2028???
Ad Infinitum: Ha! Slim to none. I'm not a politician because I like to get things done instead. Politics have no place in government.
Hockeynutville: Alright then. Well PAI, I'd like to thank you again for taking the time to do the interview. Perhaps in the future you'll come back and do it again?
Ad Infinitum: Absolutely, it was my pleasure. Thanks for having me!
Hockeynutville: Hello, and welcome to this latest addition of "Eyes on the Islands". Today, our guest is a longtime member of the Islands and currently one of our four Senators. I am pleased to welcome Ad Infinitum or as some know him, PAI. Welcome and thank you for taking time to answer some questions with me.
Ad Infinitum: My pleasure! I'm an open book.
Hockeynutville: So PAI, to begin with, just for those who may not understand, why do some of the older nations call you "PAI"?
Ad Infinitum: Ah, of course. This acronym actually led to quite a bit of confusion in last night's liberation chat. When I first started playing NS, my nation's pre-title was "Protectorate". I didn't like the acronym "AI", because of the artificial intelligence or artificial insemination connotations or anything else artificial, so I slid the P from Protectorate in to the front. It kinda stuck around for some people, others it didn't. Now I have to explain it to all the newbies..
Hockeynutville: How long have you been playing Nationstates now and where did you discover the game?
Ad Infinitum: Way too long, since I got back from my first tour in Iraq way back in the beginning of 2004. I heard about the game from an old friend in passing, who mentioned it over coffee. He said he really enjoyed playing this political simulation game, and I got a little curious and checked it out. As soon as I joined, he stopped playing so I was left on my own for a bit until LoreSong wrangled me up into XKI
Hockeynutville: What about the 10000 Islands appealed to you when you got recruited?
Ad Infinitum: Initially, LoreSong's invitation was obviously personalized and quite eloquent. That was my first clue that I'd fit in here. Once I arrived, I found a thriving, bustling community and a clean, organized forum. There was a constitution, a disciplined military (the selling point for me), and interesting discussions on all sorts of topics. I'd never seen that before, and I was a little impressed. Even though I hadn't been involved with any region before that, it just seemed like 10000 Islands was so much more evolved and advanced than anywhere else on NS. Low and behold, I was sorta right!
Hockeynutville: Do you remember how big the Islands were when you joined?
Ad Infinitum: I sure don't. Not nearly the size we're at today, though.
Hockeynutville: Why did you choose "Ad Infinitum" as the name of your nation?
Ad Infinitum: You know, I don't rightly know. In hindsight, I should have gone with something I could actually pronounce. Since joining, I've made a whole mess of puppets with awesome names, and I'd take pretty much any one of them over this one. I think I just picked it because I wanted something Latin (and I don't know why I didn't pick "Sine Pari"), and this grabbed my attention for whatever reason, maybe because it had a two letter word in the beginning. I don't know I must have been drunk.
Hockeynutville: What does "Ad Infinitum" mean?
Ad Infinitum: It is Latin for "Forever", or the idea of forever, or something fancy like that
Hockeynutville: You are currently a Senator in the Council of Nine. Why did you decide to run for office?
Ad Infinitum: It seemed like there was a lot that needed to be done, and I like getting my hands dirty. At the time, we were neck deep in condemn and commendation repeal business and while we handled things beautifully, I still feel like we could have had a more structured plan. One of my primary goals in the Council is to establish a contingency plan to allow us to react to any Security Council resolution with grace and ease. On top of the C&C business, I know it sounds silly, but I just like being on the Council of Nine. I was Minister of Immigration for a while back in the day, but that got cut short by a deployment. I saw this most recent Senate election as a chance to get back in, yell at Grub all I want, and maybe, just maybe get something done.
Hockeynutville: Heh, well said! Ok, well I'd like to move on to some questions about you outside of Nationstates for the moment. I think it's pretty well known by everyone at this point that you are involved in the Military. What branch did you sign up for and what prompted you to do so?
Ad Infinitum: Yep, I'm in the US Army, (for another few weeks). All the men on my mother's side of the family are in the Army, and all the men on my dad's side are Air Force, so I just picked the side of the family I liked the most. I joined the Army ROTC when I went to college, initially to help pay for school, but once I got in my instructors convinced me to stick around for afterwards. I've always been a rather "gifted" marksman, and the instructors picked up on that right away. They said a lot of things like "your country needs you" and "you're one of a kind", the usual garbage they feed anyone with a sliver of talent. But when they mentioned Airborne and sniper training, I had a hard time saying no.
Hockeynutville: How many times have you been deployed overseas?
Ad Infinitum: Oh boy. Are we counting training? I've been deployed to combat duty six times and overseas training twice. I've been to Afghanistan three times and Iraq three times, all for varying lengths of tours totaling over 36 months in combat, (if my math is correct).
Hockeynutville: Glad to be almost out?
Ad Infinitum: I'm optimistic. I've been involved with the Army for over a decade so it'll be interesting to see how I adapt to civilian life. The hardest part is going to get my USPA (United States Parachute Association) licensing. None of my airborne or military free fall training carries over into the civilian world, so if I want to jump out of airplanes anymore, I'm going to have to pay a lot of money and go through a whole new set of training to get licensed for that.
Hockeynutville: How old are you now?
Ad Infinitum: Old enough to kick your ass! I'll be celebrating the fourth anniversary of my 25th birthday in May
Hockeynutville: Where did you go to school and what programs did you take?
Ad Infinitum: I went to the local university, majored in history and minored in military science. I took a lot of off-the-wall classes, too, such as Russian literature and a fun class where you just discussed what dreams you had the night before. Our homework was "take a nap at such-and-such time today, on an empty stomach, and write down your dreams when you wake up". Easiest psychology credit EVER.
Hockeynutville: Nice! How about we do some quick Q&A before I ask a few more Nationstates related questions? I'll ask you your favorite or preference and in a short answer, you let our readers get a quick scope on things PAI.
Ad Infinitum: Sounds good!
Hockeynutville: Your favorite color?
Ad Infinitum: Green. Always has been, always will be.
Hockeynutville: Your favorite food?
Ad Infinitum: Oooh, I thought these questions were supposed to be easy! I'll just go with beef jerky.
Hockeynutville: Your favorite band/singer?
Ad Infinitum: Of all time its either Elliott Smith or Pixies. Currently though, the Heartless Bastards, Black Keys, Tom Waits... I refill my iPod on the daily.
Hockeynutville: Which do you prefer, TV or Movies?
Ad Infinitum: TV on DVD, so I can marathon through an entire series on an off-duty rotation. (Overseas, we go 48 hours on, 48 hours off, and you can buy a bootlegged season of pretty much any television show for around five bucks, it's a great way to kill time).
Hockeynutville: Hamburger or Hot Dog?
Ad Infinitum: Burgers forever.
Hockeynutville: Blondes, Brunettes or Redheads?
Ad Infinitum: Brunettes... Though I've been known to pine for a pink-haired girl or two
Hockeynutville: For the ladies out there, if you had an ideal locale or activity for a first date, what would it be?
Ad Infinitum: Shooting range? Nah, I usually just go for coffee with an open-ended conclusion. I once went on a 12-hour first date because we just kept thinking of places to go and things to do. It ended with me hiding in her bathroom while her parents made a surprise visit to see her new apartment.
Hockeynutville: Heh, alright. Ranging back into some Nationstates questions, have you ever met anyone from the 10KI or NS?
Ad Infinitum: Not in person, but I have talked on the phone to a few people, and I've got a few friends from NS on Facebook. In fact, our very own Lichto and I are texting BFFs. True story.
Hockeynutville: You've certainly been around long enough to see plenty people come and go. Is there anyone you miss in particular?
Ad Infinitum: It seems like every time I come back from deployment, there's a fresh set of faces and all my old friends are either CTE or newly elected senators or something. Some names that come to mind, Boolari (of course), Sheynat, Crackenback, Mandrill, The Undaunted, and an old friend from the RIA, Tierra de Madre.
Hockeynutville: What makes you keeping coming back to the 10000 Islands? It would certainly be understandable for you to forget about Nationstates after the rigors of combat.
Ad Infinitum: Oh, it's the last thing on my mind when I'm out in the sand... but the people are unforgettable. The community, the inside jokes, the hilarious fake grudges (I'm lookin' at you, Ayunli)... Most of my friends are overseas when I'm home, and vice versa, or they're all grown up and moved across the country with their wives and office jobs, so NS provides an outlet for me to be my naturally silly self without all the embarrassment that comes with it out in real world.
... Not that I don't embarrass myself plenty in the real world, but at least I can keep it to a minimum
Hockeynutville: Ok, last set of questions. Any plans for the future on what PAI the civilian will do?
Ad Infinitum: I've been in contract negotiations with a kidnap and ransom insurance company for a couple months now. They've got an open slot on a hostage recovery team that's got my name written all over it. I'll pretty much be one of the guys on the support team from the movie "Proof of Life", except I won't be a bumbling fool.
Hockeynutville: Any advice for anyone here who might be looking at a career or serving with the Army?
Ad Infinitum: Do your pushups! They’ll teach you the rest but if you’re not in shape you won’t learn a thing.
Hockeynutville: What are the chances of you running for President in 2028???
Ad Infinitum: Ha! Slim to none. I'm not a politician because I like to get things done instead. Politics have no place in government.
Hockeynutville: Alright then. Well PAI, I'd like to thank you again for taking the time to do the interview. Perhaps in the future you'll come back and do it again?
Ad Infinitum: Absolutely, it was my pleasure. Thanks for having me!