This is a collage I made on 08/08/02 of my first several years online, and I will of course explain every image shown.

Beginning in the upper left, you see a button with the words "Trail of the Fallen Angel" on it. This was an image from when I was working for the "Titan: AE" online RPG, just after complete control was given to me. TotFA was my first real scripted scenario I wrote for it (which I still have by the way), in which the players were forced to act based on an attack at the current colony (which by the way, was Defiance Colony...heh). All players that completed the scenario were given this image for their signature. After 7-8 months, the online RPG was nearly dead.

The next image you see is a grass tile that was created for the RPG project that I began work on. The first chapter, Prelude to Perdition helped everyone focus on the current task, and this was one of the first things to pour into my email account. Unfortunately, due to some things going on in the real world, and a lack of programming skills, this project was put on hold (I promise to return to it one day however)

Directly below that is a flag I used to symbolize the United Coniferous Alliance (UCA) in SimCountry, an online game.

Next to this is a picture of my high school biology teacher line dancing in the rain. After spreading the picture around online, she retaliated by sending pictures of me around.

Beneath that, is the logo that I use on my Defiant Programming projects on the splash screen (and the gray background behind it is the splash screen designed by CJ with Jade Wind Productions for my use). CJ also designed the graphics for Project Defiance, as well as Titan: AE, and along with being one of the great people to come out of HMOnline, was also a great person to talk to online.

To the right of that, is a series of three objects that I will tell you about... First, the message about the CLA comes from an epic story written for my clan when it was in its early days by Qjakal. In the tale, the forces of my clan, when cut off from the rest of civilization, discover their roots, so to speak, in nature, and use this knowledge to wage war for their beliefs. The statement, "Listen when the wind blows, for then, we come..." suddenly has meaning.
Next, the marble square is the exact tile I used for the second website I ever made...an interesting find for me at least.
Finally, the picture of George W. Bush in the Mickey Mouse Ears? I just made that because I thought it suited him...heh

Below the TotFA logo is a set of tiles that was used in the Defiant Refuge 3d Chatroom that was operational for a short while (and one day, may work again...), and on it are the letters "UCA"--symbolizing the United Coniferous Alliance--the clan that was born of the CLA when it came under heavy attack in the game "Earth: 2025"

Next to this is the banner for HM64 Online...one of the most influential things on this collage. It was here that I met such incredible people like Shadow, Ellegon, CJ, and Ann. Simply by talking with them, asking for advice, and exchanging our ideas, not only have I forged nice friendships with those online, but I have furthered my knowledge and learned to create such things as what you see on my webpage today. The message board on this site was once home to many more great people online, and the time I spent there was well spent. Occassionally, I still return there as if I were going home, to try and pay my respects before it is eventually lost to time.

To the right of the banner is the logo that represented CRSdefiance for so very long--a knight from "Ogre Tactics: Let Us Cling Together". I never told anyone where that came from, so now you all know...

To the right of that is a graphic that I have been using for everything I have done with Scatha. Now, for a history of my connection with Scatha. I had visited the board a few times a few years back when it was first getting started, but my first connection to it was when I took command of Titan: AE. There was a large rivalry between the two online RPG's. Strangely enough, the person running Scatha was Ellegon Cyrus, the person I am now helping, so maybe things worked out for the best...

Below the tiles is a picture of a strange looking kitten. Not something you would expect to see here, but that picture was the beginning of my friendship with Shadow. I had taken that image and some text from his signature, and used it on one of my message boards, thinking that no one would notice. Well, someone tracked me down, and I basically had to apologize out my ass. Well, that got me started talking to him, and we have been talking ever since...on nicer terms though.

To the right of the kitten is a banner representing the "Soldiers of Chaos". After the CLA disbanded, I was contacted by former member Qjakal to go to work helping Sojourn Development test out their Chivalry mod for Tribes, as well as join the SOC clan and work on the website for them. This was the banner that I created for them. The SOC was also whereI briefly used the name "Gladius" and met Xenogoemon. *slaps everyone with a trout*

"Fight the System" was sort of like the motto for my second website, as well as the site of a friend of mine. This wasn't meant in a violent way at all, but more in the sense of we need to fight against the things that need changed in society, and form a better place for all. In fact, I still live by this principal today, but use a name instead of a motto--"CRSdefiance"

To the right of that is a large picture of a girl I used to know, with the head of Gary Coleman. Come on...you have to admit it...it is funny. For awhile I used it in a signature at a message board as a "summon that went terribly, terribly wrong"

Further right, I have placed the logo given to all members of Project Defiance--a webring or sorts that I would love to get started again. If any of you would be interested in helping me with a project like this, let me know, and I will give you any training needed if you have no clue what to do.

The golden figure to the right is known as the "Golden Moogle"--a once prized possession that went in signatures at message boards. A Golden Moogle was the prize at every HMonline fanfic contest, and I was the judge of the third such contest. Most people probably thought that my judgment was biased, but Shadow really did have the best submission of all in that contest.

Below that, is a grayed out figure...you will notice that it is the same shape as the icon that represented me for so very long... In the final scenario of Titan: AE, the character that used to represent me had lost his mind, and was on a mission of vengeance for his fallen comrades--something that lead into the next, and still unread saga of the Titan:AE RPG universe. I still hold the keys to the forgotten board, so if anyone wants them, speak up...

To the right of the icon is a potato. What I did to it, and why I did it, I still don't know...but that was indeed once a potato.

In the lower right corner is the infamous "cap21.gif" that my web page creation made. Actually, it is an animation, as were a few of the things in this collage, but unfortunately, it doesn't work in a JPG file. If my old principal was on top of a rather large figure such as that, I'm sure you can figure out what we animated. For all of us to put ideas into it, and work on, as well as for it, we sadly put the entire blame onto one person...heh...You can't remain defiant if you are caught now can you? I am almost certain that I am the last person to possess this picture.

To the right of that is another two part explanation. First of all, the text "HM:BTN" stands for "Harvest Moon: Back to Nature". The reason why I put that in was because I worked for a HM:BTN fansite, and managed the Player's (in this case, farmer's) Circle, Cheater's Circle, Calendars, Birthdays (for the website about the game, not real people), and worked some with the message boards. This site did not carry the force that HM64 Online did, so I instead made suggestions to add a BTN section to the HMonline message board, and left my duties (they were about over anyway).
Under the text, is a picture of gouda. My friends and I have always talked about "The Cheese of the Month club, where every month is Gouda Month!", so on my second website, I dedicated a website to this. In fact, I later copied the entire page and brought it over to this site, along with the marble background that you see above. Check this page out in the Cellar section of my site.

Finally, in the lower right corner of my collage, is "CRSdefiance" in flaming text. This has been my online name for many years, and it will continue to be my online name. I have grown very attached to it, and it has become like a second name to me. When I created the name, it meant three different things to me--one of which "Defiance" clearly explains--the initials you will have to figure out on your own, as they have two meanings...

And one more mystery for you to solve. I have purposely left holes in the picture for a reason. See the bricks? The red and black in the middle? The gray stripes near the top? Yes, there is indeed another mystery in my collage, and I will leave this to you as well. I doubt that any of you will ever figure out exactly what it was, but if you do, I would love for you to tell me your guesses... :)