1. Tell us a little about yourself...

I’m 48 years old. I was born in San Francisco California and have lived here all my life. I have 2 brothers. My older brother is 13 months older than me and I am 16 months older than my younger brother. My mom is Russian 1st generation and my Dad is a wide variety of nationalities including: English, Irish, French Canadian, Polish and Canadian Indian (Ojibwa). My mother and father were divorced when I was young and I was raised in part by my great grand mother. She spoke no English.

My Russian Grandfather taught my brothers and me chess at a young age. My Mother loved games also and we regularly played Michigan Rummy & Mah-jongg (her 2 favorite games) with her till her death in 1998. My father is still alive and lives in a senior assisted living situation in the city. I do not visit him as often as I should. I am in the Laborers Union and have worked for the same construction company for the last 7 years. I love to laugh and am considered funny.

My main hobby for the last few months is making my own Kubla costume.

2. What do you do at KublaCon?

I Kubla!

3. How did you get involved with KublaCon and how long have you been here?

It all started about 6 or 7 years ago (maybe 8 years ago) …..

There I was at Ricky Hyatt Con in Palo Alto, playing games in open gaming, when an odd sort of fellow came in and set-up a game he had designed at a table right across from me and began teaching people how to play. I had seen him at other conventions but had never spoken to him before. He played the game twice while I finished the game I was playing and I asked to join the next game. I played one game and enjoyed myself tremendously and played again. I had a wonderful time the second game and tried to play in a 3rd game in row. To my surprise the quirky game designer told me I had to make room for others to play. So I wandered off. I came back ½ hour later and the new game of Dwarven-Dig had already begun with only 4 out of a possible 6 players.

I called the zany turban wearing game designer on not letting me play and Japji and I have been best friends ever since. Soon after the move from Oakland The ‘Kubla’ possession became available. I was Kubla for two years. I then Decided that I would rather play games at my favorite con than dress-up. I came back after a one year break.

4. What motivates you and what rewards to you get out of being involved with KublaCon?

I get a room. I get recognition. I get tee shirts and pins. I get meals at the con. I get to taunt and embarrass all the people that I know. (and don’t know) I get to yell all I want and say, practically anything that I’m thinking. I get my own army of mini Mongols to follow me around and be ferocious. My god that’s living!

5. What is your earliest gaming or game convention memory?

Earliest gaming: Playing chess with my grandfather.
Earliest Con: Pacific-con in or around 1980 at the Dunfy Hotel.

6. What is your favorite gaming or game convention memory?

My god there are so many. Getting a massage from both of the massage girls at the same time at Kublacon. Winning the heroclix tournament the year heroclix came out. Dressing all the Kubla-kids in Mini-mongol costumes. Drinking Japji’s tea when he is not looking. As I think about it the thing I treasure the most from the con are the people that I have met. Many of my closest friends right now I have met at cons including Japji and his family, Cy (get out of my head) Myers, Clark (he beat me again) Millikan, Leonard (just let me play instead of DM) Carillo, Randy (will you take your move already) Kreit, Suzette, (a little more to the left ) Lake to name a few.

7. What is your least favorite gaming or game convention memory?

It is not my least favorite but may be my most embarrassing con memory. Back when Pacific-con was still around I showed up at the Dunfey Hotel for a weekend of gaming.

I had my ice chest and 2 big bags of games and I carried them all upstairs in one trip to get my weekend started. It was about 6:PM and I expected things to be jumping already. To my surprise there were no tables set-up yet and it was not crowded. The people I did see all looked like professional wrestlers, bikers, and football players. I found a table and began setting up 1830 (my favorite game at the time). People were looking at me strangely. Someone asked me what I was doing eventually and I explained setting up a game… ‘Wanna play?’. It was quickly explained to me that this was not Pacific-con. I had got my weekends mixed-up and it was the Oakland airport con. I drove to Oakland feeling quite sheepish.

8. Give us a top 3 list of your favorite games and tell us your least favorite game.

Favs:
Age of Renaissance
Advanced Civilization
Settlers of Catan (Cities and Knights)

Least Fav:
Wise & Unwise (sorry Ben)

9. Where do you currently play games and what do you play when you are there?

Japji(Whose turn is it and why aren't they going?)'s house… DnD.
Brad Nozic's house Conan RPG.
Family gatherings new favorite game: Times-up.

10. If you could tell all of the KublaCon attendees something, what would it be?

If you are not having fun you are not doing it right.