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Just who is Ackadia ?

Hi, my name is Paul Ackerley and I'm the webmaster here.

A British-Canadian living on the wrong side of the big pond, I'm married to Louise, with two children...

Ryan (11) is quite the whiz on his PC - he tried typing before he could even crawl!

Erin (8) is equally proficient and isn't above showing her teachers how to do things when get stuck!

Myself, I have a career background covering the chemical, design, food, and I.T. sectors. Currently I am in retirement as I recuperate and decide my future paths.

Really I want to go 'home' (Canada), but that's not practical at the moment

My wife, Louise, is happy left to her Internet based competitions, puzzles and games.

What kind of a name is Ackerley anyway?

I'm taking Susana's word for it here, but...

It was originally spelled "Æthre leah", which meant "by the woodland glade" or "by the forest meadow" (loose translation).

Family Heraldic Colours: Black and Silver.
Family Heraldic Animal: Swan.
Family Coat of Arms:
The shield contains a silver field transected from the upper left hand to the lower right hand side with a royal blue ribbon. The ribbon is studded with three gold crosses. The upper and lower halves of the shield formed by this transection each contain the roaring head of a lion rendered in royal blue and silver. There is a rampant swan on each side of the shield.

According to Heraldic Symbolism:

Argent, white or silver - Peace and sincerity.
...
Lion - Deathless courage.
Swan - A lover of poetry and harmony.

Interests

I have a number of interests, including:-

• Reading
  My favourite authors include Terry Pratchett, Terry Brooks, Lin Carter, Anne McCaffrey,
  JRR Tolkien, Craig Shaw Gardner, Piers Anthony, Raymond Feist and Robert Asprin
  At one point I had over 7,500 books (and no space to move...)
  
  
• Writing
  Fantasy novels (none published) and puzzles, quizzes, crosswords etc
  All of these will eventually appear on this site.
  
  
• Games
  I've played chess since I was 5 and Dungeons & Dragons since the late 70's
  
  
• Computers
  I asked mum for my first computer as a teenager.
  came the reply, "We didn't pay that much for the house..."
  I'm not as good as I should be and what I've forgotten could filled volumes, but I can still hold my own.
  A lot of that knowledge will, eventually, find a place on this site.
  
  
• Languages
  I've been neglecting my studies this past decade, but I can still manage Spanish and a little French.
  (My Italian and Portuguese are rudimentary at best.)
  
  
• Other interests include Photography, Archery, Ancient history and lost civilisations, and the 'Unexplained'
  
  

Background:

My résumé is so long it's silly, but of the more notable experiences, in no set order...

• Worked in various labs - including research into aluminium paints and explosives
  
  
• I owned a games design company specialising in promotional boardgames and puzzles
  
  
• Wrote a number of fantasy game books (none published yet)
  
  
• Was a photo-journalist for a while
  
  
• All points between Cleaner in a Trailer Park and Labourer thru Machinist in various factories around the world
  
  
• I set up the UK's first Shareware library dedicated to fonts (with sales worldwide).
  This later evolved into Signwriting, then into a Computer Store and mail order company - which I am well rid of!