We all have a past, some people have a more colourful one than others, and no doubt if anyone started to dig into mine they will be able to find something, I don't mind as if they are picking on me they are leaving someone else alone.

So, this is a bit about me, and if you are thinking of using this to steal my identity I would not bother, will not do you any good what so ever.

I was born in the North East of England, the youngest of three. My dad was a hard working man but like most hard working men of his age did not make a great fortune just enough to keep a roof over our heads and food on the table.

My childhood was for the most okay, would not say it was full of joy and laughter, but it was not full of misery either.

At school I was told that I had ability but did not apply myself, that was mostly down to being dyslexic and so found every way I could to hide the fact.

I can, however read music (although it has been a few years now) and when at school I got the chance to play a Viola, what I really wanted to learn was the Sax. I did okay with the Viola and actually joined an orchestra.

My parents then moved to Derbyshire, this had the effect of making me a bit of a loner for a while, but this was good as it allowed me to develop my creative side.

I left school, passed all my exams I sat (just!) and went to caterling college, did two years at college and left with another bit of paper but could not get a job. That was 1987.

eventually I drifted into the world of Finance, and now I am a Managment Accountant, seems I can follow double entry pretty easy, but still  hate writing reports.

In 2004 I ventured into the world of board game design, got a couple of "friends" to help me, ploughed a lot of my own money into it and in 2005 managed to sign up to do a game for a well know "Paranormal Investigator" and developed a game which got a lot of interest from fans around the world.

In 2006 went to ExCel and showed off our products, we received a lot of interest and where even approached by a well known Film Distribution Company to work on a game for one of their new movies.

We had to turn them down because we did not have the skill needed.

the problem came when the bank we where with realised they made a mistake on a legal document and had to pull a big part of our funds, this caused crippling cash flow implciations and ultimitly the colapse of the company just when the games actually hit the shops. My wife and I lost everything.  

We dusted ourselves off and have started to rebuild or lives. As for the "friends" I mentioned, least said soonest mended. Another one of lifes lessons.

It has taken a lot to get over the collapse of the business, but I have learnt a lot of valuable lessons from it, mostly that both my wife and I have a relashionship that can and has coped with real crisis, and that has brought us even closer together.

I have also started to adopt the attitude of never give up and never give in, take what life throws at you and use it and find a way to channel it. Well all stumble in life and some times find ourselves on our arses, okay so it hurt but learn from it and don't make the same mistake again.

Shortly after losing everything I was presented with an opportunity to learn Karate, my intial reasons to learn where not for self defence, but for...well shall we say revenge (not the Hollywood type of going on a killing spree though).

Karate has now tought me to let that anger go, and replace it with something more constructive, what the future holds is anyone's guess, but we all have a choice, accept what comes or go out and take what we want (legally of course!).