01-16-02 One-On-One (To see the original interview, Click Here).

1. You recently got married. In today's liberal society, how hard is it, in your opinion, to maintain a marriage?

Answer: Maintaining a marriage is no different than it was 20 years ago. Both partners must be each other's friends and confidants. There also has to be an implicit trust between the two parties, meaning that if your significant other goes with some of her friends to Canada on the spur of the moment (true story by the way), you can trust that she won't be sleeping with some Canadian guys. If that bond of implicit trust doesn't exist, then the marriage will either fall apart or leave both on the edge of divorce. Basically, if the two of you were stuck in the middle of a firefight, and only you knew that you both could escape it if you both just kept firing back, could you trust him or her to know this as well, and not break and run or cower in fear? You might get scared, you might feel like running, but if the chips are down, the odds are stacked against you, and fate has turned its back on you, can you trust that him/her would stay with you until the end, no matter what?

2. Your diary is themed "Rogue Marine." Who is the rogue marine, and has this become an alter ego for you personally?

Answer: Rogue Marine is very much my alter ego. Many people, by reading my site, can tell that I've got a lot of love for the Marine Corps, even before they were sent out after 9/11. I am also a major fan of the Star Wars: Rogue Squadron books. Its a series of books about a Special Forces-type of X-Wing pilots who go do anything and everything, so I combined the two and I came up with Rogue Marine. There are other factors that made me choose the name, but those were the major ones. Rogue is the side of me that makes me feel that I can go there, do that, and walk away with all the T-shirts. It's the part of me that gives me the perserverence to go on when times are tough, excell when I put my mind to it, and stand out in a crowd, even if I look stupid or dumb. He "makes" me stand up and fight for what I believe in. Besides, it's like what I have quoted on my site - "Without free will, there is no difference between submission and rebellion." I have to stand up and for what I believe in no matter what the cost is in pain and suffering. But it's also an ill tempered and impatient side of me, so I don't let him have free reign all the time.

3. What are your opinions on the community that Diaryland has created?

Answer: It has created a community of anonyminity. Everyone here, for the most part, knows the other by screen names or diary names. This is a place where you can express your hopes and dreams in words, and have people judge that based on what you've written and not on what they may or may not have heard about you. Personally, I think Diaryland is worth keeping online.

4. Your diary is well-constructed. How important is the layout of a diary to you compared to the content?

Answer: Content and design are like Yin and Yang: you can't have one without the other, and there must be a balance. A really dark and Gothic site doesn't go well with content about how truly cheerly life is all the time. Layout also is important, because a crappy or hastily put together layout can really turn away readers, even if you have award-winning content. Layout draws the eye and the content conveys the message. I've designed mine with the fact that there are good days and bad in mind, and try to have my layout focus on what I say in any event.

5. You review for several sites on Diaryland. What do you most hope to accomplish by reviewing?

Answer: To find others who have like-interests, and to pass my knowledge of design and writing on. Your words are only as strong as the weakest word or sentence you've written, but if that sentence can stop a bullet, you've got a well-written piece. I also hope to let others see that you can't do 100%each time, and give them honest critiques about their diaries overall.

6. If stranded in the Sahara Desert, far from civilization, what five things would you want with you?

Answer: An umbrella, plastic sheets, a shovel, a tent, and a camel. Gotta escape the desert and get in bed with Nicki somehow. I'm sure it wouldn't be the same with camels, although Osama Bin Laden might know different.

7. Give us a picture of how you want your life to look in ten years.

Answer: Well, I'm hoping to go back to college for a degree in Criminal Justice so I can enter the police academy with college education, but lately I've been finding that while I have good street smarts and problem-solving skills essential to becoming a good cop, I've also got a knack for technology and public speaking that would be helpful in the business world. I know it's late, but I'm tossing around the idea of becoming a cop or a computer techinican, or trying to wring my way up the corporate ladder. Although I must say in all likelihood, I'll prbably become a police officer specializing in cyber-crime, Nicki and I still together, and hopefully no kids yet.

8. You've stated that you had a difficult youth, but overcame that. What advice would you give to others facing tough times in their lives?

Answer: What I've said many times: Keep your head up and your eyes forward. Looking back on the past for something to beat yourself up with serves no purpose but to make you feel dumb. You can look into the past to see where and how you screwed up, and then learn from it. You can't change the past, so you must learn how to not repeat it. I saw that I was heading on a path that only leads to instant gratification and in the long run, would not ensure long and prosperous life. I'm now heading on the right course, and offer my experiences and advice to others facing the same situation. Anyone who needs it can ask me a question, anonymously or not. It sounds noble and poetic but true. If I can help one person return from the dark side like I did, then I've accomplished my mission.

9. Finally, if you could challenge anyone, live or dead, to a game of Combat on Atari, who would that person be and why?