The photo to the left is of me in 2012. It was taken by a photographer that has taken many photos of the Unbelt team over the years and I would like to give credit where credit is due. This photo, and odds are many of the ones I use involving my SCA posts will most likely come from her. In the Society, she is known as Duchess Caoilfhionn inghean Fhaolin, mundanely know as Meredith Balin Hull. They are all her work and her property, I have used them with her permission... because I felt it is proper and right to ask before simply using something, even though she shares them with us on facebook. Her instincts serve her well, and I feel that many of her pictures capture the spirit of the people and events at SCA events do in ways that some of the bards capture the feelings with word and verse. Sorry if the photo of me scares you. The photo itself is a goodp hoto... it's one of the better ones of me... I really am just that ugly. :)
In the SCA, I am known as Gavin MacKinnon, a member of the Household of Von Drachenklaue, a warrior of the Eastern Kingdom, and rather occasionally as an armorer. Mundanely, I am known as Andrew Williamson. I am a metal worker and welder that loves to put on armor and beat his friends with sticks as well as painting Warhammer 40000 minatures, video gaming, reading books, learning new stuff, and hanging out with friends.
I've always been the type of person that likes keeping my thoughts and beliefs to myself. Recently though, I've been getting more and more vocal about things... and I've read some blogs and some facebook posts that I felt I wanted to respond to, but that facebook wasn't the correct place. So, by creating this blog, I have created a spot, where I can take my time and coalesce my thoughts into solid, conherent thoughts, and then possibly have some positive and hopefully constructive discussions through this forum of social media.
Maybe it has to do with having almost died in January of 2015 to a blood clot that traveled from my knee to my chest that I acquired from participating in a hobby that I've been active in for almost 20 years now. It was a very touch and go situation and it's been on my mind almost constantly since it happened. So much so that I recently realized that I mention it about once a week in a facebook post or reply to a post.
My friends can attest to my inevitably bad luck. It's been an ongoing joke through most of my life about my own personal black cloud that follows me around and makes sure I never have a smooth moment in my life. I still laugh and joke and press on. My friends are the key to this. They're all good people in a general sort of way and I take comfort in seeing their lives progress and their happinesses. My ideals of my perfect, happy life are quite different than theirs, but I still see and enjoy the happiness that marriage, children, and success bring them. They pick me up and keep me laughing when it all goes wrong and my next bit of misfortune comes along. Thanks guys.
Anyway, that's about all their is to this. Just figured that maybe you guys would be interested in knowing a bit about who the man in the computer chair is.
