Shelverman (The Exiles)
David Grimes
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"Make me feel it! Make me feel alive again!"
Male
24 years old
Fairfield, Pennsylvania
United States
Last Login: 12/7/2009
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Shelverman (The Exiles)'s Interests
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| General | I'm a nerd, and I'm proud of it, because I don't think that nerds have to be losers! As long as we can laugh at the stereotypes (especially when they apply to us), I think that we can see ourselves objectively enough to avoid being losers. We're just strange!
I'm the first one to admit my interest in all things nerdy, from computers and video games to movies and television. (I grew up on Star Trek, and it shaped my entire youth.) I'm curious about everything, though, because a writer benefits from every kind of knowledge and experience. My goal, instead of knowing a lot about a little, is to know a little about a lot. | | Music | NOW PLAYING: two songs from the musical episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, "Standing" and "Standing/Under Your Spell (Reprise)."
I like music, but I never took an interest in specific bands or artists during my teens. My taste in music, like my taste in everything else, is eclectic. Most of my personal collection comes from assorted soundtracks, because my main exposure to music is through movies and television. (Even when I like a popular song, it's often because I heard it in a TV show or movie.)
| | Writing | The best way to sample my writing is to explore the blog archive on your right. My blogs are primarily editorials and humorous recollections, but "The Valiant," "Dog Days," and "Sacrifice" represent my fiction writing and "The Spice of Life" is a column that appeared in the Gettysburg Times. To date, the latter represents my only notable recognition as a writer. (I was published twice previously, first in a poetry anthology as a child and later in a Parade Magazine teen column... but those don't count.)
My current project is a novel (my first) based on my work as a library shelver. Facetiously titled, The Shelverman Chronicles, it will span 20 episodes and appear -- in part -- on my blog. I hope that I'll be able to get it published someday too, but for now, I'd be happy if I even had time to write it. It's been on the back burner for a very, very long time.
 | | Movies | Science fiction and fantasy are my first loves, but I love good stories in any genre. That's because I see movie-making as an art form, and I'm fascinated by the entire process. I don't judge a movie on entertainment value alone. I also care about how groundbreaking it was, how difficult it was to make, and how skillfully it was put together.
I can't be too critical, though, because I like to make movies with my friends in my spare time. (See one example here.) | | Television | I love television for its ability to tell long, intricate stories that evolve over time. Talented television writers like Joss Whedon never cease to amaze me; the demands of generating new stories at that pace must be incredible, and the fact that they can do so with quality and consistency is astonishing. I love movies, but two hours of quality cinema could never compare with two years of quality television. There's nothing like growing up with a character across dozens of episodes and years of your own life. | | Books | As a writer, I naturally hold the written word in high esteem. Books are an incredible outlet for storytellers like me because, unlike movies, they have a cast and crew of one: the author. That means that anyone with a story to tell can tell it without needing actors, sets, musicians, or make-up artists. Money doesn't matter. Anyone can be the master of his own universe... and share that universe with those who read his work. | | Heroes | This section used to contain pictures of my friends, but those pictures were posted long enough ago that my real-life heroes must know who they are by now. For brevity (and variety), I'm going to list my fictional role models instead: Mr. Spock from the original Star Trek, the Doctor from Doctor Who, and Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird.
The quality that I admire in Mr. Spock is his devotion to logic.
He has the discipline to control his emotions, but -- unlike many Vulcans -- he recognizes that life would be empty without them.
He is the epitome of balance and control.
The quality that I admire in the Doctor is his relentless enthusiasm.
He is unfathomably old, gifted (or cursed) with the ability to regenerate when he dies, and doomed to outlive everyone he cares about. Some would lose hope; instead, the Doctor travels through time and space, finding a child's wonderment in the marvels of the universe.
He is the epitome of hopefulness and optimism.
The quality that I admire in Atticus Finch is his quiet empathy.
He is wise and honest, willing to stand tall for a righteous cause even if he stands alone. Yet, in spite of possessing an unassailable morality, he never becomes self-righteous. Atticus teaches his children to look inside their enemies until their bitterness is replaced by comprehension.
He is the epitome of tolerance and understanding.
| | The Exiles |
The Exiles began as a guild on Graal, an online game, and that guild still exists today. Members of the guild show their membership by adding "(The Exiles)" to their names, as I've done here on MySpace. However, another set of Exiles exists. Those Exiles are my friends from Harrisburg Area Community College. Although we've accumulated second-generation and satellite members, these are the original seven:
Ringman, Ace, Fullmetal, Storm Elf, Katana, The Voice, and me. We took these nicknames online, and over time, they stuck in real life. It may seem silly to some of you, but it's all in good fun, and personally, I think that everyone -- at some point in life -- should be in a gang with funny nicknames. They can cement your friendships in surprising ways.
| | Credits |
Original layout by Sina, later modified by me
Metal Gear SOLID contact table by me
Shelverman ambigram by Ringman |
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(The Exiles), Pens in Space, The Triangular Table
View All Shelverman (The Exiles)'s Groups
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Shelverman (The Exiles)'s Details
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| Status: | Single | | Here for: | Networking, Friends | | Orientation: | Straight | | Body type: | 5' 11" / Average | | Ethnicity: | White / Caucasian | | Religion: | Agnostic | | Zodiac Sign: | Scorpio | | Smoke / Drink: | No / No | | Children: | Undecided | | Education: | In college | | Occupation: | Between Jobs |
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Shelverman (The Exiles)'s Schools
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Mcdaniel College
Westminster, MD
Graduated: N/A
Degree: In Progress
Major: Mathematics
Minor: Education
Clubs: I'm in KME (the Math honor society) and KDP (the Education honor society). I've also been told that I'm a member of some amorphous club that exists only in John Maddrey's mind... and that makes me proud.
Greek:
Kappa Mu Epsilon
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2007 to Present |
Harrisburg Area Community College-Gettysburg
Gettysburg,Pennsylvania
Graduated: 2007
Student status: Alumni
Degree: Associate's Degree
Major: General Studies
Clubs: I was a member of Phi Theta Kappa, the SGA, and the Psychology club. (I used to toy with the idea of becoming student government president, but I decided to set up a puppet dictatorship instead.)
Greek:
Phi Theta Kappa
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2004 to 2007 |
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Shelverman (The Exiles)'s Companies
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The Good Life Cleaning Service
Fairfield, Pennsylvania US
Contractor
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2007 - 2009
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Frederick County Public Library
Frederick, Maryland US
Shelver
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2002 - 2008
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Shelverman (The Exiles) puts detailed life updates on his profile. Posted at 5:53 AM Mar 17
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Shelverman (The Exiles)'s Latest Blog Entry
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"I Withdrew from Student Teaching" (an announcement)
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"Veering Off Course" (the night I fell asleep at the wheel)
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"TIE Fighters Attacked My School!" (a tall tale)
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"Blowing Bubbles" (an essay on human nature)
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"Humans in Disguise" (Otakon 2008)
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Shelverman (The Exiles)'s Blurbs |
About me:
AAHi. I'm David Grant Grimes, and I used to be a pretty fun guy. Lately, though, I haven't felt like myself. In fact, after everything that's happened, I'm not even sure who "myself" is supposed to be.
AAIn January of 2008, just 15 months after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease, my father became so dangerous that my mom and I were forced to institutionalize him. So began a 5-month odyssey of hospitals and nursing homes, as he was shuffled around by institutions that didn't want to deal with his difficult behavior and surprising strength.
AAAfter that, he spent the rest of 2008 in a facility in Shippensburg. During that time, my mom -- and I, when I wasn't at school -- made the hour-long drive to see him almost every other day. By the end of 2008, his health had declined so much that he was no longer a threat to anyone, so (at the beginning of February) we brought him home. We cared for him there until he passed away on March 12.
AAOn top of everything else, I'm in my senior year as a Math major at McDaniel College, where I'm studying to be a high school teacher. Honestly, this major (at this time in my life) has felt like the hardest thing I've ever done. With my graduation in May, and my student teaching in the fall, I'm so close to achieving everything I've worked for... but I feel like I'm completely spent. I've held on through everything that's happened just to reach this finish line, but I'm overwhelmed by the thought of the new beginning that will follow it.
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AAI've never gone through anything like this before, and it's affected me in ways I would never have expected. From day to day, I don't know how I'm going to feel -- about school, about life, or about the people in it. Some days, I can recapture the easy-going, fun-loving person I used to be; other days, it's hard to find much hope in life at all. On those good days, though, I can still laugh, and I can still be energized by the inspiration to create something funny or exciting (even if it's just a Photoshopped image or a terrible pun).
AASomeday, I hope to return to being a writer and a hobbyist filmmaker. For now, I lack the time and energy to be anything but what I already am: an only child, trying to support his mother after the slow loss of her spouse; a struggling student, trying to complete a difficult major with a tired mind; and a teacher-in-training, devoted to his career but unsure of himself.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALast Updated: March 16, 2009
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Who I'd like to meet:
I'd like to meet my maternal grandmother. I've been told that I got my irreverent sense of mischief from her, but she died before I was born, so I'll never really know.
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| ||Ðavid / Shelverman (The Exiles)'s Blog Archive [Subscribe] |
««I'm gradually changing these so they can be viewed only by MySpace friends»»
"Sacrifice" (my Star Trek fan fiction) (view more)
"The Spice of Life" (my column in the Gettysburg Times) (view more)
"Projections of Failure" (my Battlestar Galactica fan film) (view more)
"Dork Convention!" (Otakon 2007) (view more)
"Windows Update" (a glimpse into my life, plus prom) (view more)
"4 Minutes" (a challenge) (view more)
"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" (a review) (view more)
"Snow" (a Valentine) (view more)
"A Christmas Story" (view more)
The Birthday Blog (view more)
A Weak Excuse for a Homecoming Blog (view more)
"Dog Days" (a Star Trek: Enterprise fanfic) (view more)
"Why I Am a Tortoise" (on the pleasures of taking it slow) (view more)
"The David-Has-a-Girlfriend FAQ"
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"Men in Tights" (Otakon redux)
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"The Valiant"
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"Forever for Tonight"
(view more)
"A Yankee's Tale" (Alabama redux)
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"The Long Game"
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««Blogs below this line are hosted on my old Xanga page»»
Behind the Scenes of "24"
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"When I Grow Up"
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"Why I Wait"
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"A Short Time Ago in a Small Town Not Far Away"
(view more)
(P.S. – I didn't list a few blogs here because, looking back, I didn't like them very much.
Also, some of these blogs have broken links and pictures. I'll fix them when I have time.)
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