Post by Isles of Nixon on Feb 10, 2012 16:24:23 GMT -5
Good evening and welcome to another edition of “Insider the Islanders’ Studio.” People have asked me who the greatest guest could I possibly interview and the answer is my following guest.
He came here as a rapscallion and transformed himself into an elder statesman. He has served as a Senator and worked on our immigration battles. A masterful recruiter in his own right, he had the pleasure of recruiting me into this region and for that, I am eternally grateful. He was mayor of Taco Island and is a staunch advocate for TITO. Tonight, I have the high honor and distinct privilege of welcoming to the stage, the 25th knight of TITO, TwoBagger.
IoN: It’s been a few years since you did this last – what’s changed in the land of TwoBagger?
Well, in the last few years, I like to think I've grown as a person. I've graduated from high school and am about to graduate from college, and though I'm busier than ever I'm glad to be where I am.
IoN: How long have you been a member of the NationStates community? Was XKI your first region that you joined?
TwoBagger: I first came to NationStates around January 2007. I remember making several nations just to see what they'd do. I noticed on one of the nations that I created that I was getting a lot of telegrams from other nations asking me to join their regions. So I picked one with that nation, and logged back in to my other nations to see if they'd gotten any messages like that. In the end, though, none of those regions really appealed to me like this one did (and still does).
IoN: You’ve filled many roles here in the region – ACN party chairman, senator, tactical officer, Mayor of Taco Island, many times all at the same time. How did you manage each role and looking back, do you think it was wise having one person in so many critical roles in the islands?
TwoBagger: Well, I was really lucky in that a lot of those roles were more fun than work. For instance, I especially enjoyed being Mayor of Taco Island, back when we had the Taco Island Jail, as well as being able to give back to the community in my position as head of Taco Island Charities. I also liked it as a Senator when people came to me with ideas for improving the region, and of course it was always an honor to lead TITO into battle as a Tactical Officer. I was also lucky to be the ACN chair during part of our party's heyday, when 3 of the 4 Senators were in the ACN and we were able to accomplish some of the goals that we had worked for.
IoN: What motivated you to take on all of those roles?
TwoBagger: I think it was mostly a sense of duty, with a little bit of pride. I remember being honored when I was approached for each of those positions. I was a little confused when Coyotemen (the Mayor before me) came to me about being Taco Island Mayor about a month after I came here, but after that it was easier for me to accept when people asked me to take on extra responsibilities. Most importantly, I enjoyed being able to give back to the community that I'd gotten so much from, and I started to feel more like I was fitting in, that I'd really be a good candidate for the jobs I was being approached for.
The only exception to that was when Grub asked me to become a Tactical Officer. That was a huge surprise and something I definitely didn't know if I was ready for.
IoN: You disappeared for awhile there – was it as a result of overworking in the region, outside factors or perhaps both?
TwoBagger: That was due to a little of both. One factor was my poor performance in school; once my grades started slipping, I realized that I didn't have the time to do well in classes and maintain all of the roles I'd held in the Islands. I also felt that I was losing the trust of some of the people I was working for here in the Islands, and I wasn't able to serve as effectively as I had earlier.
IoN: In your opinion, how has the region evolved since you joined in 2007 and even in the time you left and then returned?
TwoBagger: The only real evolution I've noticed has been in politics. It seems like when I first joined, we examined each of the candidates more closely than we did today. I remember watching a debate for one of the Senator seats in the chat, and it just seemed easier back then to pick out the candidate who agrees most with you on the issues when you have that sort of back and forth going than it does in elections where each candidate runs on their record.
Apart from that small part of our region, though, not much has changed. People come and go, popular threads pass through Taco Island, but at the end of the day this region's strong community and commitment to defending haven't changed since I first came here over five years ago.
IoN: What was the driving force for your return to the region?
TwoBagger: Each time I came back, I did so because of the community here. I'm reminded of the song: "sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name, and they're always glad you came." This is just one of the most accepting communities I've experienced, and when I leave I can't help but remember how much I've enjoyed my time here.
IoN: Who have been some of the islands you’ve looked up to, either active or CTE?
TwoBagger: I've met a lot of admirable people during my time here, but three that stand out are Minna, Fleeb, and Estayland. Minna is someone I think particularly highly of; she's been extremely consistent in her warm and welcoming presence here, and I'm glad that we were able to honor her with the first ever Heart of the Islands award.
IoN: What did you miss the most from the Islands?
TwoBagger: Again, each time I left, I came back to rejoin the community that I'd missed. It's just grown on me over the years, and it's the one thing that keeps bringing me back here above everything else.
IoN: In your long and distinguished career, what are some of your proudest moments?
TwoBagger: In my mind, three things stick out. First was my promotion to Field Commander of TITO. There's just not much in NationStates that can hold a candle to the honor of leading the biggest and best military force in the game.
Second was seeing someone that I'd recruited succeed in this region. I remember that you held onto your Senate seat even after one of the nastiest elections I've seen in this region, and you've more recently been knighted. It's really great to know that I can serve this region not just by leading, but also by bringing someone here who's equipped with all of the tools to make this region better.
Third was stepping down as Mayor after spending a year in that position. Letting go of that was the toughest thing I ever did here, but after all the fun I'd had as Mayor, I was proud to be able to give that to someone else.
IoN: What do you hope to accomplish in the future?
TwoBagger: I don't really know. I feel like I've accomplished almost everything that I've ever wanted to do here, and there's not a whole lot left besides just continuing to help out in TITO and making new friends in the region.
IoN: Now let’s peel back the first layer of skin on the onion and talk about the man behind TwoBagger: Where/when were you born?
TwoBagger: I was born in Fort Worth, Texas, about 22 years ago. Although I've moved from place to place, every time I leave Texas to visit somewhere else I'm reminded of just how much I enjoy my time there.
IoN: Are you single, dating, married?
TwoBagger: Right now I'm single, having just gotten out of my most recent relationship.
IoN: What is your favorite food?
TwoBagger: Although I love tacos, I love pasta even more. I don't know if I could live in a world without pasta, and I certainly wouldn't want to.
IoN: What is your ethnic background?
TwoBagger: My ancestors (that I know of) are mostly Scottish, Irish and German. When people ask, though, I just tell them I'm white, mostly because it's easier to say.
IoN: You’re stuck on a desert island (that’s not a member of our illustrious region) and can have one book, one DVD and one compact disc – what would they be?
TwoBagger: For the CD, I'd probably take Billy Joel's Glass Houses, although I might have taken the Doobie Brothers The Captain and Me if that album had "Rockin' Down the Highway" or "Listen to the Music" on it. It's music I grew up with, music I still listen to today, and music I think I'd still enjoy even if it was the only music I listened to for the next thirty years. For the book, I'd take the Bible; if I'm going to be stranded on an island then I'm going to have a lot of time to think about who I am, who I need to be, and where I'm going. Choosing the DVD is much harder, although I'd probably end up taking The Godfather. It's one of the best movies I've ever watched, and one that I don't think I'd get tired of ever.
IoN: Do you have any regrets about anything you’ve done, or perhaps haven’t done, in the past?
TwoBagger: Unfortunately I have a lot of regrets. Most of them have to do with school, girls, or (more often) girls that go to school with me.
IoN: And with that, we turn to the final ten questions, borrowed from Bernard Pivot’s Bouillon de culture:
IoN: What is your favorite word?
TwoBagger: I'm partial to "dominated." It's got a nice ring to it, and if you say it in a deep voice you can really drive home just how badly you've beaten your friend at whatever game you were playing.
IoN: What is your least favorite word?
TwoBagger: I never like the word "failure." I don't like saying it and I don't like hearing it, usually because it means that someone did something really bad and I'm going to be worse off for it.
IoN: What turns you on?
TwoBagger: I really enjoy solving problems and figuring out new things.
IoN: What turns you off?
TwoBagger: When people get angry for little or no reason. That's got to be the most frustrating thing, especially in restaurants when people will yell at waiters for the tiniest mistakes.
IoN: What sound or noise do you love?
TwoBagger: I love hearing people laugh. When people laugh, it usually means they're having fun, and I like being around people who are having fun.
IoN: What sound or noise do you hate?
TwoBagger: I hate hearing people scream for no reason. Every time I hear a scream out of nowhere I panic, and it's just frustrating when that happens because someone saw a mouse or didn't get everything they wanted.
Also crickets, they're The Worst when I'm trying to sleep.
IoN: What is your favorite curse word?
TwoBagger: "Dagnabbit!" Still makes me grin sometimes when I hear it.
IoN: What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
TwoBagger: I think I'd love to be a doctor. It would be nice to have that body of knowledge and be able to use it to help people.
IoN: What profession would you not like to do?
TwoBagger: I don't think I'd like to be a soldier. I respect the people who do, but I don't know if I could live like that: in constant fear, plus knowing that I might have to shoot at other people.
IoN: If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?
TwoBagger: I'd love to hear him tell me "Well done, good and faithful servant."
And so ends another edition of "Inside the Islanders' Studio". I'd like to thank TwoBagger for taking the time to taking the time to answer these questions and once again, thank him for being responsible for bringing so many great nations into the community, myself included.
He came here as a rapscallion and transformed himself into an elder statesman. He has served as a Senator and worked on our immigration battles. A masterful recruiter in his own right, he had the pleasure of recruiting me into this region and for that, I am eternally grateful. He was mayor of Taco Island and is a staunch advocate for TITO. Tonight, I have the high honor and distinct privilege of welcoming to the stage, the 25th knight of TITO, TwoBagger.
IoN: It’s been a few years since you did this last – what’s changed in the land of TwoBagger?
Well, in the last few years, I like to think I've grown as a person. I've graduated from high school and am about to graduate from college, and though I'm busier than ever I'm glad to be where I am.
IoN: How long have you been a member of the NationStates community? Was XKI your first region that you joined?
TwoBagger: I first came to NationStates around January 2007. I remember making several nations just to see what they'd do. I noticed on one of the nations that I created that I was getting a lot of telegrams from other nations asking me to join their regions. So I picked one with that nation, and logged back in to my other nations to see if they'd gotten any messages like that. In the end, though, none of those regions really appealed to me like this one did (and still does).
IoN: You’ve filled many roles here in the region – ACN party chairman, senator, tactical officer, Mayor of Taco Island, many times all at the same time. How did you manage each role and looking back, do you think it was wise having one person in so many critical roles in the islands?
TwoBagger: Well, I was really lucky in that a lot of those roles were more fun than work. For instance, I especially enjoyed being Mayor of Taco Island, back when we had the Taco Island Jail, as well as being able to give back to the community in my position as head of Taco Island Charities. I also liked it as a Senator when people came to me with ideas for improving the region, and of course it was always an honor to lead TITO into battle as a Tactical Officer. I was also lucky to be the ACN chair during part of our party's heyday, when 3 of the 4 Senators were in the ACN and we were able to accomplish some of the goals that we had worked for.
IoN: What motivated you to take on all of those roles?
TwoBagger: I think it was mostly a sense of duty, with a little bit of pride. I remember being honored when I was approached for each of those positions. I was a little confused when Coyotemen (the Mayor before me) came to me about being Taco Island Mayor about a month after I came here, but after that it was easier for me to accept when people asked me to take on extra responsibilities. Most importantly, I enjoyed being able to give back to the community that I'd gotten so much from, and I started to feel more like I was fitting in, that I'd really be a good candidate for the jobs I was being approached for.
The only exception to that was when Grub asked me to become a Tactical Officer. That was a huge surprise and something I definitely didn't know if I was ready for.
IoN: You disappeared for awhile there – was it as a result of overworking in the region, outside factors or perhaps both?
TwoBagger: That was due to a little of both. One factor was my poor performance in school; once my grades started slipping, I realized that I didn't have the time to do well in classes and maintain all of the roles I'd held in the Islands. I also felt that I was losing the trust of some of the people I was working for here in the Islands, and I wasn't able to serve as effectively as I had earlier.
IoN: In your opinion, how has the region evolved since you joined in 2007 and even in the time you left and then returned?
TwoBagger: The only real evolution I've noticed has been in politics. It seems like when I first joined, we examined each of the candidates more closely than we did today. I remember watching a debate for one of the Senator seats in the chat, and it just seemed easier back then to pick out the candidate who agrees most with you on the issues when you have that sort of back and forth going than it does in elections where each candidate runs on their record.
Apart from that small part of our region, though, not much has changed. People come and go, popular threads pass through Taco Island, but at the end of the day this region's strong community and commitment to defending haven't changed since I first came here over five years ago.
IoN: What was the driving force for your return to the region?
TwoBagger: Each time I came back, I did so because of the community here. I'm reminded of the song: "sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name, and they're always glad you came." This is just one of the most accepting communities I've experienced, and when I leave I can't help but remember how much I've enjoyed my time here.
IoN: Who have been some of the islands you’ve looked up to, either active or CTE?
TwoBagger: I've met a lot of admirable people during my time here, but three that stand out are Minna, Fleeb, and Estayland. Minna is someone I think particularly highly of; she's been extremely consistent in her warm and welcoming presence here, and I'm glad that we were able to honor her with the first ever Heart of the Islands award.
IoN: What did you miss the most from the Islands?
TwoBagger: Again, each time I left, I came back to rejoin the community that I'd missed. It's just grown on me over the years, and it's the one thing that keeps bringing me back here above everything else.
IoN: In your long and distinguished career, what are some of your proudest moments?
TwoBagger: In my mind, three things stick out. First was my promotion to Field Commander of TITO. There's just not much in NationStates that can hold a candle to the honor of leading the biggest and best military force in the game.
Second was seeing someone that I'd recruited succeed in this region. I remember that you held onto your Senate seat even after one of the nastiest elections I've seen in this region, and you've more recently been knighted. It's really great to know that I can serve this region not just by leading, but also by bringing someone here who's equipped with all of the tools to make this region better.
Third was stepping down as Mayor after spending a year in that position. Letting go of that was the toughest thing I ever did here, but after all the fun I'd had as Mayor, I was proud to be able to give that to someone else.
IoN: What do you hope to accomplish in the future?
TwoBagger: I don't really know. I feel like I've accomplished almost everything that I've ever wanted to do here, and there's not a whole lot left besides just continuing to help out in TITO and making new friends in the region.
IoN: Now let’s peel back the first layer of skin on the onion and talk about the man behind TwoBagger: Where/when were you born?
TwoBagger: I was born in Fort Worth, Texas, about 22 years ago. Although I've moved from place to place, every time I leave Texas to visit somewhere else I'm reminded of just how much I enjoy my time there.
IoN: Are you single, dating, married?
TwoBagger: Right now I'm single, having just gotten out of my most recent relationship.
IoN: What is your favorite food?
TwoBagger: Although I love tacos, I love pasta even more. I don't know if I could live in a world without pasta, and I certainly wouldn't want to.
IoN: What is your ethnic background?
TwoBagger: My ancestors (that I know of) are mostly Scottish, Irish and German. When people ask, though, I just tell them I'm white, mostly because it's easier to say.
IoN: You’re stuck on a desert island (that’s not a member of our illustrious region) and can have one book, one DVD and one compact disc – what would they be?
TwoBagger: For the CD, I'd probably take Billy Joel's Glass Houses, although I might have taken the Doobie Brothers The Captain and Me if that album had "Rockin' Down the Highway" or "Listen to the Music" on it. It's music I grew up with, music I still listen to today, and music I think I'd still enjoy even if it was the only music I listened to for the next thirty years. For the book, I'd take the Bible; if I'm going to be stranded on an island then I'm going to have a lot of time to think about who I am, who I need to be, and where I'm going. Choosing the DVD is much harder, although I'd probably end up taking The Godfather. It's one of the best movies I've ever watched, and one that I don't think I'd get tired of ever.
IoN: Do you have any regrets about anything you’ve done, or perhaps haven’t done, in the past?
TwoBagger: Unfortunately I have a lot of regrets. Most of them have to do with school, girls, or (more often) girls that go to school with me.
IoN: And with that, we turn to the final ten questions, borrowed from Bernard Pivot’s Bouillon de culture:
IoN: What is your favorite word?
TwoBagger: I'm partial to "dominated." It's got a nice ring to it, and if you say it in a deep voice you can really drive home just how badly you've beaten your friend at whatever game you were playing.
IoN: What is your least favorite word?
TwoBagger: I never like the word "failure." I don't like saying it and I don't like hearing it, usually because it means that someone did something really bad and I'm going to be worse off for it.
IoN: What turns you on?
TwoBagger: I really enjoy solving problems and figuring out new things.
IoN: What turns you off?
TwoBagger: When people get angry for little or no reason. That's got to be the most frustrating thing, especially in restaurants when people will yell at waiters for the tiniest mistakes.
IoN: What sound or noise do you love?
TwoBagger: I love hearing people laugh. When people laugh, it usually means they're having fun, and I like being around people who are having fun.
IoN: What sound or noise do you hate?
TwoBagger: I hate hearing people scream for no reason. Every time I hear a scream out of nowhere I panic, and it's just frustrating when that happens because someone saw a mouse or didn't get everything they wanted.
Also crickets, they're The Worst when I'm trying to sleep.
IoN: What is your favorite curse word?
TwoBagger: "Dagnabbit!" Still makes me grin sometimes when I hear it.
IoN: What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
TwoBagger: I think I'd love to be a doctor. It would be nice to have that body of knowledge and be able to use it to help people.
IoN: What profession would you not like to do?
TwoBagger: I don't think I'd like to be a soldier. I respect the people who do, but I don't know if I could live like that: in constant fear, plus knowing that I might have to shoot at other people.
IoN: If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?
TwoBagger: I'd love to hear him tell me "Well done, good and faithful servant."
And so ends another edition of "Inside the Islanders' Studio". I'd like to thank TwoBagger for taking the time to taking the time to answer these questions and once again, thank him for being responsible for bringing so many great nations into the community, myself included.
