For over twenty years, first as a student of cultural anthropology, then a
librarian at Penn State University, next a research assistant at the
University of Texas at Austin, and most recently a senior CAD systems
engineer as part of a world-famous microprocessor design team, I've been sitting in a cubicle working
as one small cog in a machine while in my own world training and dreaming
of armored combat and researching, constructing, and collecting swords and
armor.
Whoa ... that makes my life sound like a schizophrenic nightmare ...
actually, 1995-1999 were pretty good years, what with finishing a master's
degree in information science and then taking a major swerve from academia
into corporatia. I put in 60+ hours a week helping to design, build,
maintain, and constantly expand what was at one time the world's largest
"virtual networked supercomputer" of 1,500 top-end unix servers tied
together into one massively parallel system, and I was personally
responsible for engineering one of the largest data file server
installations of it's day - 35 separate servers and over 16 terabytes of
storage space. My sanity-saving entertainment for all of that time was to
utilize the Internet to collect hundreds of antiques and modern
reproductions of weapons and armor from around the world, maintain
contact with other enthusiasts, and continually researching and maintaining
my world (in)famous arms and armor
resources page.
The year 2000 began with my fulfilling one dream - space and privacy. My
lady Amber and I purchased a small 22 acre ranch near Austin, Texas. Our
house is rustically beautiful, covered in cedar, 3000' square feet, and I
have my own 650' armor workshop and a pole barn that I'm converted into
medieval european armored combat training facilities. 2001 started stage two of my dreams - the beginning of
this business and my being able to
finally get to do what I've wanted to do for nearly twenty
years: devote most of my attention to the armor, weapons, and combat that I
love.
My friends, I proudly present to you TherionArms, open for the business of
trading in antique weapons and armor from all times and all countries.
Coming soon will also be the finest of functional modern reproduction
armors and weapons, as I'm currently in negotiations with several European
armorers and swordsmiths looking to expand into the U.S. market.
Oh, yes, and there's also my new training organization, the Texas Marxbruder, where I and
several friends in the Austin area will be researching and recreating
historical techniques of european medieval and renaissance armored
combat.
The future looks golden!
regards,
Howdy, folks. It's a new year, and a new beginning for me and for
TherionArms.
Hal Siegel / Therion Calgate
January 1, 2001