Photo of my original "DNQPY" named character in Nintendo game, Dragon Warrior, taken in 2009.
When I was a kid (maybe 8 or so), I was into video games, starting with Nintendo Entertainment System. My neighborhood friend liked to use a string of characters instead of his name when required to name a character. He said something about it being cool or whatever. I decided to do that too and without any thought at all I made up "DNQPY" and used it in my playthrough of the now iconic RPG, Dragon Warrior, on the Nintendo.
For some reason the name stuck with me over the years, even though I'd long moved onto more story-based games with default character names that I rarely changed. It became my Xbox gamertag as well as my website domain name and some social media accounts. The name became a symbol of "fun for fun's sake", along with the joy of adventure, creativity, and gaming. Basically, a symbol of all things which seemed opposite of the serious, logical and career-driven adult I had become.
Photo of my original "DNQPY" named character in Nintendo game, Dragon Warrior, taken in 2009.
I hadn't written it down anywhere. After awhile I wondered if I possibly even misremembered it all these years later. In 2009, I plugged in my Nintendo and loaded my Dragon Warrior cart. Amazingly, the save was still there and I had confirmation that "DNQPY" was right (see picture).
Today, I dedicate this website to creative works that hopefully my childhood self would be proud of. It's a reminder to myself that I should take a break from my daily grind and endless todos and make something fun. Maybe I'll leave something behind that will live longer than me.