Not as much as I would want

So, IÂ’ve finally worked up the courage... by QuintusFabiusPictor on 2015-01-16 13:26:00 UTC Reply

I’ve finally got myself to join the PPC and waved goodbye to the last vestiges of my sanity. So, hello everyone!
I’m a twenty-something guy from the Netherlands, currently working on my MA in History. I’ve been reading PPC missions for the past three months as a distraction while on international exchange in India, where they served as safe little havens of insanity when the culture shock became too much.
With two librarians in the family I’ve been brought up with reading, and my personal favorites include Harry Potter, Discworld (although I am just getting started in the series) and the works of David Eddings and Tonke Dragt. I’ve struggled through The Lord of the Rings, and while enjoyable, I prefer the films. I’m also a bit of a connoisseur of video games, although i’m behind the times by roughly five years (due to a combined lack of time and money: the two curses of the university student).
While I like history in general, my heart skips a beat whenever I get to do something with the history of technology, especially (military) aviation. So if someone happens to do a mission that involves things like that, I’m always available for a friendly discussion or for fact-checking.
I’m fluent in Dutch, and fairly good in English (thanks, bi-langual education!). I am also able to "communicate" with people in French and German, but only as a last resort. My math is horrible, though...
Thank you all for reading!

Hello and welcome! by Thantosiet on 2015-01-19 02:24:00 UTC Reply

Here's a bag of holding to store your other newbie gifts so they won't get lost/try to kill you. It has pockets so you shouldn't get anything lost inside.

You've already gone through favorite fandoms, so do you have any favorite Agents or Missions?
Welcome to the community! by Darkotas on 2015-01-17 22:36:00 UTC Reply

Glad to have you! For your newbie gift, take this Random Tool Generator. I don't know what it could be used for, but it certainly sounds interesting!
Welcome! by dragon master 7 on 2015-01-17 02:17:00 UTC Reply

Welcome to the PPC board!. You actually might find out we are the most sane people out there in the world of fanfiction. I mean, try comparing us to your average fangirl... Here, have a broom stick that throws you off every five minutes. ;)
Ave! =] *poke-us tertius* by Scapegrace on 2015-01-16 17:18:00 UTC Reply

Please accept this finely-crafted wilver Suehair cape, guaranteed to deflect any and all criticisms of character.

*may not actually be guaranteed offer void where prohibited or where eldritch*

Anyway, welcome to the Board and we hope you enjoy your stay. =]
Newbie! *glomp* *poke* by Iximaz on 2015-01-16 16:57:00 UTC Reply

Hello, and welcome aBoard! As a newbie gift, take this humming urple wide-mouthed tree frog! If you ever feel the need to look directly at it, use sunglasses.

I hope you like it here! :D
Hm... by Desdendelle on 2015-01-16 16:10:00 UTC Reply

From that name I guess you have at least some knowledge of Roman history?

Not as much as I would want by QuintusFabiusPictor on 2015-01-16 16:28:00 UTC Reply

I do have the basics of Roman history down, and we had to study his work as one of the first Roman historians during historiography class last year, but other than that my Roman history is as rusty as an artefact pulled from the wells in Bath.
basicaly, our Uni splits the history students in two groups at the end of the first year, some going to the department of antiquities (and are hardly ever seen again) and the majority moving into what’s called "medieval to present”. I’m one of the last group (to be exact, department of contemporary history, unit of colonial history). The antiquities are compelled to take Latin and Ancient Greek, and I couldn’t handle those languages...

Aha. by Desdendelle on 2015-01-16 16:49:00 UTC Reply

I have a friend in classical studies - what you'd call antiquities, I guess - and he's ecstatic. Then again, he's weird like that.
I myself enjoy reading Roman history for fun; I doubt I'll go and study history once I'm done with my military service, though, because that's not something you can make a living from.

shameless recruitment talk incomming! by Anonymous on 2015-01-17 05:17:00 UTC Reply

If you enjoy history, go for it! You’d be supprized how much you can do with it. The advantage (and disadvantage) of a history degree is that you are not taught one job, but a skill that is needed in many jobs: to analyze, organize and synthesize information quickly. A history degree can get you many places; Our current Prime Minister, for example, has one.

Uh, please identify yourself, Anonymous... (nm) by son_of_heaven176 on 2015-01-18 04:01:00 UTC Reply

I'd hazard a guess... by Desdendelle on 2015-01-18 20:20:00 UTC Reply

... and say it's our friend Quintus, of the gens Fabii, known as Pictor.

Welcome! by SkarmorySilver on 2015-01-16 15:54:00 UTC Reply

Have one of my own shed feathers, a replica Golden Snitch, and a remote-controlled model Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor!
First plover! (nm) by Tawaki on 2015-01-16 15:37:00 UTC Reply

Second plover! by domirossi on 2015-01-16 15:55:00 UTC Reply

Sorry, Tawaki, I couldn't find anywhere to put the one you gave me, so...

Greetings and bienvenue! by Voyd on 2015-01-16 15:10:00 UTC Reply

Have a +1 shovel!
*pokes* Hello, new newbie! by TheShyIon on 2015-01-16 15:07:00 UTC Reply

Have a stealth-field-producing kitten!
Welcome aBoard! by domirossi on 2015-01-16 15:00:00 UTC Reply

I also tried to read LOTR a few years ago. I managed to read Fellowship, but I then lost my book. Yes, book, it was a full text version. Basically a brick. Don't ask how I managed to lose it, I don't even know.

So, uh... Oh, yeah, gifts. I found this bottle of soda in my Bag. You should probably put it in the fridge for a while if you want to drink it... Be careful, though, it literally tastes like urple.
Welcome! by eatpraylove on 2015-01-16 13:34:00 UTC Reply

International exchange? That sounds fun! What were you doing in India?

Also, your newbie gift is a box of movie-theater popcorn, to eat while you read the Original Series and Constitution!

Thanks for the popcorn! by QuintusFabiusPictor on 2015-01-16 13:55:00 UTC Reply

It was a lot of fun! It's not often you get the chance to visit the other side of the world while your university picks up part of the tab.
The long version of what I was doing there: An interdepartemental study of the visual symbolism on Indian (paper) money from the Sepoy Rebelion until the 1970's in relation to the theories of Nation Branding and Banal Nationalism.
The short version: looking at pictures of money I wish I had...