My childhood never really began with much social affection from beyond the members of my own family. Like many children at an early age, a case of adolescent shyness had played a drastic role in promoting the underdevelopment of my social ability throughout the years of my elementary education. As the tallest kid on campus throughout those years, my stature didn’t quiet encourage positive encounters but rather invited a shunning distance from my peers. Perhaps I didn’t quite carry myself with an inviting personality, or that I never took a chance to introduce myself in order to form a good first impression. Regardless of the fact, I must confess that had it not been for that stage of social deprivation I would perhaps never have found a devoted interest in a hobby that would forever change my life: art.

Art was my remedy, my escape, and my passion. For me, art became more than a form of expression. It was my link to a world beyond. Eventually, my interest in such aesthetic works carried on from mere pencil and paper to the marvelous freedom of digital modeling, and Minecraft was the medium that enabled it all.

While many sought to use Minecraft as a form of adventurous entertainment, I sought the opportunity to utilize the program as a medium for art, business, education, and community. It was within this domain that I had found my talents redeeming and widely acknowledged by the public. Here, I was motivated to perform awe-inspiring works of art, to form lasting connections, and to develop my abilities with artists of the same passion from places all across the globe. Day after day, we entertained ourselves by perfecting our craft in game-level designing through acts of world terraforming, architectural and structural designing, and organic model sculpting. Having dedicated countless hours as a group to such projects, for us to finally see our masterpieces presented live on popular virtual networks and displayed at massive conventions and museums for the public experience was a great honor. I had grown so much through this vast and international community that by the time I knew it I had begun pursuing various personal investments and leading a small community of my own. From developing entertainment networks to forging game-level maps and server content, each project created new connections and improved my self-confidence. Through the investments and businesses that I have been involved with, I have gained significant insight into various trades in the industry and acquired many new skills from operating Linux based servers to website development. Whether it was overseeing commissioned projects, managing technical utilities and finances, or directing an organization, there was always something to do and new things to learn.

Without a doubt, it was because of this community that I had gained exposure to the
world and had acquired the confidence needed to converse with a diversity of
people. In this new era where the hearts and minds of people are easily connected
and empowered through the vast fabric of the internet, there is a sort of
pleasant relief for me in knowing that behind the aliases of virtual avatars,
there are real people like myself, seeking to connect with others through our
own talents and interests.

It was during this stage of my development that I learned to appreciate two invaluable
lessons. The first had become my creed: to put oneself out there and to take
the risks in pursuit of a gratifying outcome. The second lesson had become my
principle: no matter how insignificant something may seem to be, there is
always value to be discovered depending on how one makes use of it. Together,
these two lessons have become my keys to success.