Meet the Mods: koko_99_2001

[koko_99_2001]

Since we all know how big and scary the moderators are (*snicker*), we thought it would be a great idea to each take a turn and introduce ourselves to you! Many of you know us already, but for the newbies, it's only fair they learn about us as well! Feel free to ask any questions after the introduction.  

Here we go!

Forum Name: koko_99_2001 (ok, so I should've shortened it when I joined the forum YEARS ago, but didn't know any better at that time!)
Goes by: Cat, Koko
Real Name: Catherine DaCosta

General Interests:
I love to read, mainly Christian Fiction. Favorite authors include Tamara Alexander, Tracie Peterson, Cathy Marie Hake, Judith Miller, Julie Klassen, and I'm sure there are MANY more!

Obviously I enjoy playing computer games. King's Quest was really my introduction to them. Since then I've played every Nancy Drew game, Sid Meier's Pirates, Baldur's Gate 1 & 2, Icewind Dale, and I'm currently in Icewind Dale 2. My husband and I also enjoy playing WoW together.

I've also gotten into sewing this last year and made the Renaissance costumes Erik and I wore to the Renaissance Festival this year. Cooking is definitely another love of mine...I just don't have as much time as I would like to whip things up! That said, the teachers where I work have been really stressed out this week due to school requirements, so I baked chocolate chip/white chocolate chip cookies for them. Who is their favorite speech therapist now, huh??

King's Quest:
As I said, King's Quest pretty much my introduction to computer games. The first computer we received had King's Quest VI already installed, so I remember many hours of playing in the Land of the Green Isles with my family. Later, we were introduced to King's Quest V by a family in our church. After that, I believe we just gradually collected all of the games as we could find them. This is before we knew about Amazon and eBay, so it really took some hunting. In fact, as I think about it, we did not even end up with the Internet until we got Mask of Eternity (our computers were too slow to be able to handle the Internet at that time), and I remember us having all of the games by that time.

I found TSL back when it was called the Unofficial King's Quest IX: Every Cloak Has A Silver Lining. My sister and I were looking online because we wondered if Sierra ever came out with a 9th game. Imagine our surprise when we found one of the original websites! Not long after that, I joined the forum, disappeared for about a year, and then came back and had to rejoin (due to moving of the server or something, everyone had to reregister). I think my profile says I joined February 2003 (I'm at work as I type this on Word, and do not have access to the forum ).

Fun/Interesting Facts:
The Silver Lining has a special place in my heart for several reasons. One reason is definitely because I've watched it almost from the beginning and watched how it has evolved. Also, I was one of the co-founders of Save KQIX when Vivendi shut us down with a cease & desist back in 2005 while I was in graduate school. To see us come out of that so much stronger was amazing. Then, to watch it happen a second time this year! Both heart breaking and heart warming! We've returned and received fan licenses twice! How many projects can say that?? I've held many hats on this project beginning at Fan and moving to Community Representative, then Moderator, Beta Tester, Public Relations, Global Moderator, and HR Representative. Wow!

The other reason The Silver Lining is special to me is because I met my husband on this website. You can still find him lurking on the forum on occasion (Fataliomega). Back in the day, everyone used MSN to communicate and since I was in college, I stayed on MSN often to chat with forumers/friends anytime I had a break. Erik was one of these. We officially began talking (and I fell in love ) in 2004, but life got in the way. That's what happens when one of you lives in Tennessee and the other in Florida! Anyway, God brought us back together in 2008, still long distance, but we made it work as he graduated from college. We were engaged February 14, 2009, married July 11, 2009, and have lived happily ever after since!

And before anyone asks, no we do not have children yet...unless you count our kitten, Imoen (Immy for short!), who had her 1st birthday on August 24th. And yes, we are looking at getting her a brother or sister soon!

Pictures!
One of our favorite wedding pictures:


At Chihuly Nights in Nashville:


Ren Fest 2010 in the costumes I made:


Hanging out with an awesome buddy of mine as we visit historical sites together


Immy as a kitten, right after we got her:


A much more recent picture of Immy as she is begging us not to take her to her aunt...the Vet!

[Haids1987]

Let me be the first to say that it's always great to see when Cat posts! She's so sweet and uplifting all the time, and is always a ray of sunshine.  Big and scary she is not, though her post count and community status might make it seem otherwise.

You're awesome, Cat!

[koko_99_2001]

Thank you, Haids You're the sweetheart! I do hope I don't scare anyone away with my long post, though!

[Haids1987]

Hey, I read the whole thing and found it very interesting!  I LOVE your wedding pic, that's one I hadn't seen before.

You really are wonderful, Cat.  I always get excited when I see that you've been posting, you're always so sweet!

[atec123]

nice idea.  are all the mods gonna be doing this?

oh and nice read too.  it's really pretty amazing that you met eric on the forums and then got married.

[kindofdoon]

So who else is going to post? These are good to read.

[KatieHal]

Yep, we will be doing a mod a week until we run out of mods.

Love the pictures, Cat! And seriously, nice work on those Ren Faire costumes!

[waltzdancing]

Cat's a great person and I have been blessed to get to know her. She is a hard worker but nothing seems to damper her spirits. You go, Cat!

[dark-daventry]

I love those photos cat! I don't think I've seen most of them. And for the record, I can't sow at all... I wish I could sow like you can.

[KatieHal]

Haha, I have to point out this one: it's "sew" when there's thread involved, DD. 'Sow' is related to tilling fields (hence the saying "reap what you sow").

[waltzdancing]

I didn't notice. Oops 

[Rosella]

It's great to see these pictures, Cat! ^^

I knew most of this, but what I didn't know was really interesting. And by the way, your cat is adorable.

[Haids1987]

Haha, I have to point out this one: it's "sew" when there's thread involved, DD. 'Sow' is related to tilling fields (hence the saying "reap what you sow").

Or it could refer to a pig or a stone pig statue.  (i.e.: "Girl at the rock sow.")

[kindofdoon]

I like this joke.

[Haids1987]

Good ol' typos.

[MangoMercury]

Nice to meet you, koko_99_2001!

[koko_99_2001]

Nice to meet all of you!

Glad you guys like the costumes I'm hoping to make some more, but haven't had the time yet. We are headed to the Texas Renaissance Festival this weekend. Whoo hoo!

Any questions for me? I'll be glad to answer them!

[FataliOmega]

Pleased to meet you, Koko.   

We're going to the a Renfest in Texas soon too!

[darthkiwi]

That was a wonderful read; it's very welcoming to be told all this. It's an amazing thought that you met your husband on these forums, too 

[crayauchtin]

Are you and Erik back to Cenarion Circle, ps?? Cause I've been ignoring all my other servers for it so I can be a high level to create the guild asap!