This week's "Power User Profile" features frequent commenter and "recipe" builder Myro!
- A photo (or drawing) of you in "real life":
- Online name used in HeroMachine environs: Myro
- Real name: Derek Myro-something-or-other. I'm not going to give my full last name, but at least you all know where the "Myro" comes from.
- Real city/state/country: Calgary, Canada
- Real job: Hospitality Industry: Food and Beverage supervisor.
- Real age: Late 30s, I'm not going to get more specific.
- Gender: Male
- Married/single: Engaged to be married
- Online archive of your creations (if any): http://s685.photobucket.com/home/Myrowire/index
- The best piece of HeroMachine art you've created: in my opinion, this: That's like trying to ask me to choose between my children, and I don't play favorites...yeah, I'm kidding. I'm going with this one:
There are a number of reasons: I really like the way it turned out, it got a bit of praise in what was a very difficult contest, it gave me a chance to work with one of my older characters once again, and mostly, because it pushed me, and in doing so, helped me gain insight into myself as a HeroMachinist.
- Favorite all-time geeky movie if any: "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back". Although, to be honest, I'm a fan of all the Star Wars movies. Even the prequels. Let the slagging begin.
- Favorite all-time geeky book if any: Douglas Adams' "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"
- Favorite all-time geeky TV show if any: Ummm, errrr... Is "Lost" considered geeky? I was a huge fan of that. Probably the geekiest thing I watch regularly now is "Chuck."
- Favorite all-time comic book character: Depends on what day you ask me. I tend to like my characters to be comedic, so I tend to rotate between Atomic Robo, Scott Pilgrim, Blue Beetle (the Ted Kord version), Spider-Man, and Deadpool.
- If you could have one super-heroic power in real life, you'd choose: I tend to hurt myself often, so Invulnerability or a Healing Factor would be nice some days, and given the nature of my job some days, there are times where Teleportation or Flash's Super-Speed, or even the self-multiplication of Multiple Man or Dupli-Kate would come in quite handy, but ultimately, I'd probably have to go with the ability to accurately predict the future, say, a week in advance. Can we say, "winning lottery numbers?"
- In your leisure time you like to: Besides playing with HeroMachine and commenting in the blog forum? Reading, playing video games, watching movies, watching TV, playing pool, table-top RPGing, and sometimes hiking when weather permits. In fact, if anything, I tend to have too much on my plate too often, so even my leisure time seems like a chore.
- Character design turn-ons (things you love to see that make for a good design): "Wow factor." You'll know it when you see it. After that, good craftsmanship and attention to detail.
- Character design turn-offs (things you hate to see that make for a bad design): Oh, the usual. Lack of attention (the old backwards hand with the thumb facing the wrong direction, missing ears or eyebrows, etc.), laziness (lack of attention is a lapse in judgement; laziness, the far more abhorent crime, is a choice. I can usually tell the difference in the final product), poor color choices. All the kinds of crap I've done in the past (and may possibly do in the future. It's funny that I can spot someone else's problems sometimes, and yet not when I do it myself).
- Best tip for a HeroMachine newbie: Actually tips, I have quite a few. HeroMachine 3 can be a little intimidating when you first use it (or at least it was for me), so go slowly until you get a general handle on what you're doing. Once you have the general techniques down, start challenging yourself. I've made some spectacular crap (and not in a good way) when I've done so, but my best work has always come when I've tried to push myself to create something different and challenging. Try not to get too hung up on your failures, and try to learn from them. Create for yourself, not for the approval of others; if you aren't interested in what you're doing, it's doubtful anyone else will be impressed either. Take advantage of everything the forum has to offer, it's a great and helpful community that is willing to help out others that are running into problems; taking part in Open Critique Days especially can help improve your artistic abilities.
And one final piece of advice that no one else will give you: Don't underestimate the benefit of a good night of sleep. I've got chronic intermittent insomnia, and when I've missed a lot of sleep, I make some of my biggest errors. Get some rest before creating, or at least, after you finish with a design, sleep on it and take a fresh look at it after a good night's rest. It should help you catch your mistakes.
- Any personal message you'd like to share with the HeroMachine community about Geek Life: I'm not going to say that geek is the new cool, but it's certainly more mainstream than it was when I was younger. Embrace your geek side. Being sincere and truthful about who you are will lead to a more liberating and happier life. It's been said that geekiness is simply a passion for subjects that most people don't get, and with the proliferation of the internet, it's easy to find others who share your passion. Acceptance is not only possible, it's actually quite likely if you're willing to make the effort.
Holy crap, Myro is really Jay Leno!
(Nice profile, by the way)
Congrats Myro!
“It’s a Trap” from the Pisces contest made me laugh. Nice use of a meme! I really like the design and story the Oglathyn. Same for your FnF Robin Hoods.
And congrats on the engagement!
See, you even made it without having a rug growing on your face. But you do have the backwards thumb hate thing going on so I guess that’s OK 🙂
Congratulations Myro.
Nice fivehead, dude. 😀
Another worthy addition to our ranks! Your stuff is definitely some of the best out there.
Congrats Myro! I think Imp summed it up perfectly!
Congrats Myro, your stuff is always inspiring and fun. How you made it here without a face-rug I’ll never know!
Always good to see another Chuck fan!
Wow, thanks everyone. It feels very surreal getting this praise when I still feel like I’m trying to figure things out when it comes to my work on here. I’ve figured out i’ve been following the blog here for about a touch less than a year now, but I didn’t start commenting until aroused July last year, and not even regularly commenting until about September, and looking back, I wish that I started contributing earlier, I really missed out on a lot. Of course, now that I’m more or less entrenched here, it’s impossible to get me to shut up now, LOL.
As much as I’ve said not to create for the approval of others, when the praise does come, it feels pretty good. Between early teenage ostracism and the crazy things sleep deprivation can do to my psyche at times, I’ve not always felt like I fit in, and while I can’t say anyone’s ever made me feel unwelcome, there were some times early on when I did wonder if I should be here. So ,to everyone that did reach out and made me feel welcome here, whether you knew it at the time or not, thank you.
Atomic Punk (3): Considering neither “It’s a Trap,” nor “Oglathyn” even warranted even an Honorable Mention in their respective contests, I’m slightly surprised you even remember them. But thanks.
Gero (1): Lay off the chin! Besides, I’m more of a Team Coco guy myself.
Imp (5): Same goes for the hairline. Actually, the picture does look quite a bit like me, but I think ny hair has retreated a 1/4 inch away from my face since that picture was drawn, so, yikes!
@ everyone who commented on the lack of chin fur: Sorry, but there are no plans to change that any time soon. Not even with the HM Power User designation. Sadly, if I go 2 days without shaving, I freak out and lose even more sleep.
Thanks again everyone
Really Myro, its good to have another Canadian on the list. I was starting to feel outnumbered you know. 🙂
How is it that, in a country the size of Canada, we are only living 3 hours apart? I guess our presence on this site just goes to show that not all of us Albertan’s are redneck’s, eh?
MMI (10): Definitely not. Even us “oil country cowboys” can be articulate and artistically creative. Represent!
I raise my timmie”s to ya! Congrats!
You Canadians are all right. You gave us Rush and William Shatner. However, you also gave us Celine Dion which puts your national good/bad score deeply in the bad. Any country with a “bad” score is an enemy of the world! War is the only answer!
Oh wait, it’s been done. Never mind.
Seriously, congrats Myro. I always look forward to seeing what you come up with each week. The level of work and creativity that you put into each one is one of the reasons I have yet to put any of my own relatively weak attempts up.
Sorry aboot Celine. But you did give us Britney Spears. And then we gave you Bieber Fever. I think it’s your turn to “throw-up” the next annoying icon.
Yayy, chuck! I love that show! 😀 Great profile Myro.
Welcome aboard. Canada is okay, I read Capt. Canook(might be wrong spelling) when it started. You all have good bacon too. lol
DOOM: What makes this creature in particular stand out to Doom from the other challenged, sub-mongoloids that frequent Hebert’s drawing apparatus? Slave, you may speak…
Joshua: If I may, Lord Doom…Myro has been a most loyal and ardent subject since you’ve made your glorious presence kno–
DOOM: Bah! If he were truly loyal he would have recognized his unworthiness and demanded that Hebert cease these useless “power-user” debacles because there can only be ONE worthy of such adulation and that is DOOM!
Joshua: Yes, m’Lord. *Waits till Doom storms off* Myro, congratulations, buddy!
🙂
Joshua (17): Oh dear God, that had me laughing so hard I have tears in my eyes. I’m sure my coworkers think I’m demented. Thank you for that.
Also, Lord Doom seems to be a “What have you done for me lately?” sort of overlord. After all, was it so long ago that I created this?
http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv217/Myrowire/Hero%20Machine%20Contest%20Entries/latveriandoombots.jpg
Good show, Myro.
Hey Jeff, I think Panner would make a great addition to the Power User group.
MMI (20): I agree. I second Panner.
Sorry Myro,I probably should have mentioned this elsewhere rather than in your profile thread.
MMI (22): It’s cool, this is the most recent Profile thread open, so I’m not sure where would be more appropriate. And I don’t think I would have caught it if I wasn’t permanently following my profile thread. Which I’m doing out of vanity now. But Panner is a good call.
And remember everyone, narcisism is fueled by insecurity, not self-confidence.