[TollhouseFrank]

This is the 16th in the series of T32 Spotlights! I'll continue to interview members when given a chance. The interviews will appear in a spotlight every now and then as long as the nominations keep coming in! For how to go about nominating a fellow folder, please go to THIS THREAD. To see the ever growing list of who has been interviewed and the expected date of the next spotlight, please go to THIS THREAD.

This spotlight, we have someone who really needs no introduction. He came out of nowhere in early '05 to help take the reigns of T32 and redirect the team. Later on, he managed to impress a few Mods so much, he made it to Senior! Now, though he isn't around as much due to RL issues, he still enjoys spending 2-3 hours a day here on the OCForums and elsewhere.

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TollhouseFrank

**folds under the name F(OC)LD**

Again, Thanks for taking the time to allow me to interview myself.

So around when did I start folding?
February 2005. Helped Create F(OC)LD not too long after that.

If there was something recent that you did that you wanted your fellow teammembers to know about, what would it be?
My wife, Christina, and I just celebrated our 1 year anniversary! It was so great! Also, we got a huge bonus in the fact that we got extra federal tax return this year (instead of it going 100% towards college loans like i initially thought it would) and we got to order parts to upgrades my wife's OLD, OLD, OLD computer.

What is my EOC (extremeoverclockers) stats link?
F(OC)LD

Where do I live?
I live in Wallback, WV. It is out of the way, and a 1 hour drive from anyplace in any direction (including stores, etc). Just go to google maps and put in 25285 as the zipcode... that'll get ya close enough (still 2-3 miles from my house, but close enough).

How did I initially hear about F@H?
Back in '04 I started reading the frontpage. It was then that I first saw F@H. After I joined the forums, it was another 3 months till I ventured my way into the foreign inner-sanctum known as Team32.

After starting, why do I continue to Fold?
I started because of my mother (Primary Progressive Multiple Schlerosis). However, it soon became 100% points for me. Then switched back and forth. I'm currently about 75% science, 25% points right now.

What do I do for a living?
Nothing. I'm currently unemployed. I keep hopping between temp jobs and seasonal jobs as there is NO IT/IS industry/opportunity here. I only stay here because Christina is going to college in the area (a private college).

What do I do for fun?
Amtgard, Airsoft (love my shotty), Hunting (love my 3inch chambered 12gauge with 3inch nitro-mags), LAN's, playing my multitude of games on my Gamecube.

Is there anything special you do in your spare time that you really enjoy?
Spending time with Christina, enjoying a good evening together of making her special cookies/brownies and then watching Mountaineer Sports (Basketball or Football depending on season) or Cartoon Network all evening.

What are the stats of my main folding rig?
MSI K8 Mobo. S754 A64 3200+. 1Gb Corsair Valueselect 3200+. 430watt Rosewill PSU, Albatron GeForce 6800nu (fully unlockable), Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS. 8x DVD-ROM, 16x Dual-Layer Samsung DVD+-R/W. 80gb HD, 160GB HD. Speakers: Logitech Z-680's (ghettofied.. i broke the powerbutton... had to use a pencil to touch the connector inside to create a button and turn it on... i lost the remote years ago).

Borg-Farm?
Machine above, Wife's current SocketA Sempron 2200+, 512Mb PC2700, Radeon 9200se, 2x40gb HD's

SOON: Wife's new machien: Sempron 64 3000+, 1Gb PC3200, GeforceFX 5500 OC (tremendous improvement from her prior card, and cheapest i could find anywhere... ain't gonna pass up a $30 5500 for new from a reputable vendor). I WILL try to OC it to see how far it can go and be stable, but likely it will be similar to mine and be unstable at anything over 200FSB

Future goals?
I left high school wanting to be a US Senator. That dream has kind of died, but I still want to be in power some day. Strange as it sounds, I want to command an army similar to General Ben Raines from William W. Johnstone's "In the Ashes" Series. (ought to give you an idea of my ideological convictions)

Anything Else?
Well, I just founded the official www.OCForums.com team for the new DC project DIMES. Some people are worried about the security risks. Sure, I share them, but the coolness factor wowed me over harder and I dont' mind what the project is trying to accomplish (and is poorly translated due to being israeli in nature and thier ability to mangle English).

[ghettocomp]

Great Interview!! I saw you added to the list a day or so ago, and just wondered when I would see #16 posted

[pscout]

Can't really say I'm glad to meet you cuz I already have ... as so many others here in the folding forum have too

Your energy and enthusiasm are contagious!

And I am glad to meet you

Keep up all the good work you do here
... and I am sure we will be folding together for a long time to come.

Pete

[WarriorII]

Cool Frank !

Nice to know some of the little things that make up 'Da Man.



WII

[TollhouseFrank]

thanks guys!

however... the spotlights are in for a.... turn....

I don't know if i told you guys or not, but things in my life got rough recently. Marriage-splitting rough. I've been working hard on restoring what I f'ed up.

I'm thinking seriously of turning the spotlights over to someone else. I'll still be around to add the spotlights to my sticky and all... but I don't have the time I used to have to keep up with the spotlights.

[WarriorII]

Whatever it takes Bro.

You know we still luv ya!

[dz_jad]

Originally Posted by TollhouseFrank

but things in my life got rough recently. Marriage-splitting rough.

hope all goes well with that....
if I understand the statement correctly...


thanks for all you do!

[TollhouseFrank]

Originally Posted by dz_jad

hope all goes well with that....
if I understand the statement correctly...


thanks for all you do!

Yeah... it's nearly to the point of the "d" word.... it'll go a couple of days and it'll be like it was when we were first married... then 3 days of absolute hell.

Needless to say... we have hit a VERY bumpy spot in life and aren't dealing with it well.

[dz_jad]

Originally Posted by TollhouseFrank

Yeah... it's nearly to the point of the "d" word.... it'll go a couple of days and it'll be like it was when we were first married... then 3 days of absolute hell.

Needless to say... we have hit a VERY bumpy spot in life and aren't dealing with it well.

just some of my 20 year old advice(me being 20 years old, not married for 20 years, or even married for that part )
but hey, I saw a fact somewhere, some survey....that said a certain percentage of couples that were considering the "d" choose just to stick it out, and work it out....and a good deal of those couples said in a handfull of years that they enjoyed marriage again...
sorry for the vagueness on that...and probably the awkwardness (its beging the OCforum.....)

[ghettocomp]

Originally Posted by TollhouseFrank

... Marriage-splitting rough. I've been working hard on restoring what I f'ed up.
.....

Been there done that.. aint no fun. Keep working on getting things fixed up. I have had to do that so much. I really know what you are going through, and it is not an easy thing. Hope things work out for the best for the both of you.

[Nexus Realized]

Great interview Frank, It's nice to know a little more about you
Fold on bro and best of luck

[ihrsetrdr]

Great interview Frank; good to know more about the man behind the avatar!

Sorry to hear of the marital situation...wish I could offer some advice, but every relationship is unique. Hang in there brother.

-Tim

[muddocktor]

It's nice to know you better through your interview, Frank. I sincerely hope that you and your wife can work through things and stick it out. By all means, your RL relationship with your wife takes precedent over anything on the net or forums so get it straight between you and Mrs. THF first before worrying about the team or the forum.

[walaka7]

Ah man. The worst crap happens to the neatest peeps. Being married and with current spousel unit for several years I can tell you there are times that the D word comes up, whether out of spite or frustration. It's a dark an unfortunate part of marriage. Main thing is that the two of you need to listen to each other. I mean really listen. People tend to not say what they truelly mean, especially in a heated discussion. So after the "discussion" is over, take a little time and figure out what she really meant by what she said. A lot of times the "fix" for the situation is very simple, yet may require much decoding to uncover.

Whatever it takes, go handle it, we'll still be here when you get back

[LandShark]

nice to meet you more THF!! and another great interview!! (if you need help for the interview, let me know, I might be able to help my friend!! )

and I sincerely wish you and your other half will work thing out!! just remember, every relationship will have it's own rough spot, patience and understanding is what it needs! best wish to you and your wife THF!!!

[TollhouseFrank]

landshark... i may take you up on that. i don't have time to get into it right now... but you are the only one so far to offer to help with the spotlights.... YGPM in about... 6-7 hours... LOL

[Oric]

Great interview Frank.

Sorry to hear about the problems.

Hang in there.

[AlabamaCajun]

Man this hit me like a ton of heavy stuff today. Good to meet you but man wish it could have been on better terms. Theres not much we can do to help out in these situations but to offer support and encourage a positive path the two of you can follow. As with many of the others have said, it's the listening part. Tussles are normal and happen from time to time. Some cases offering a hug is all that is needed. For me sometimes it means putting the Dang Game CD in s closet where I can forget about it. We certainly hope for the best.

[TollhouseFrank]

things are on a high note right now. Christina has been acting like the week after we were married. She is so happy and stuff. I'm just so worried it will all come crashing down in a day or 2 and we'll be back to the fighting and stuff....

anyways... good news... her new compy parts are getting shipped Today.... so by friday we should have a new A64 folding away!

[Misfit138]

Good to make your acquaintence, THF.
Life is never easy, and marriage takes a lot of work. He who is married is stabbed all over with many pains, but yet, it can bring joy and the two of you can work at 'becoming one flesh'.
It's worth your best effort to keep things going.
Keep it up and hang in there bro.

[Joe Camel]

Originally Posted by THF

enjoying a good evening together of making her special cookies/brownies and then watching -snip- Cartoon Network all evening.

o ya?

---

nice to meet you THF!!

good luck with things...its never "easy" , but the BEST things in life are worth working (hard) for.

ENJOY!! (everything)

FOLD on.

[TollhouseFrank]

*sigh*.... good few days are gone.... she's in a bad mood again.......

[dz_jad]

well, oh well...
things gotta look up sometimes...
she can control her mood, and you can control yours....
I've had to survive with some people that I didnt like, and they didnt like me, but as long as I kept my mood good, things went good. so yeah...

good luck!!

[dwschoon]

Nice interview. I know your pain. Hope things get better. I also can help some when I have time.

[k3nshin]

tollhouse your awesome

you are one one the main persons that got me folding.

I hope you can get your situation worked out and say around for a long time!

Oh and to add, team F(OC)ld RULES!

[Redleg]

If'n ya don't mind a good to know ya, from a team member from a different team, it's Good to know ya Tollhouse. I see ya post on our (11108) board every now and then. You guys are doing some great work.
About the Ashes series. Is Johnstone still writting the series. I've lost touch with it since I retired from the service (2001). I know he started up a cowboy series, but didn't get into them.
Anyway, keep up the great work, and KEEP'M FOLDING!! IT'S ALL FOR SCIENCE

Retired_Redleg

[TollhouseFrank]

Uhm.. William W. Johnstone passed away before completing most of his book series. The last 2-3 of each series are all done by ghost-writers (thus you see a series degredation of writing style/ability.) Especially the last "Ashes" book. It thoroughly disgusted me how they dealt with Ben Raines and introduced the 'next' series with the new hero, Jim LeDoux.

However, his mountain-man/preacher series is still good, and if you want just a single good book, look at I think... it's either "Bloodland" or "Last of the Dog Men".

[Redleg]

Oh man, guess I'm really out of it. Didn't know he died. Thanks for the info. I'll see if I can find either of those titles. I did like his style of writting. Just picked up Leon Uris' last book, Ohara's Choice, only to find out he died in 03, and his editors had to finish it.

sorry for hijacking, will stop now.

Redleg

[TollhouseFrank]

don't worry about the hijackin'. I enjoyu talkin' about my fave books.