'The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.' - unknown
Who is mbuckley0317?
First Question, let’s gooo! And it’s going to be so original… where are you from and/or where do ya live? What’s something you like and hate about it?
I was born in Orange, California but my family was from Tampa, Florida and ended up moving back when I was about three years old after we lost my biological father to a drunk driver. I suppose the best thing about living in a city like Tampa is that there is usually something to do. It’s not a huge city like New York or LA, but it’s big enough to stay busy with activities. The downside of Florida overall is the heat; I’m more of a cold person and despise the heat.
I’ve seen your Instagram and know you’re into motorcycles! I know you also ride, what got you into riding? What motivates you to pursue that scary (to me) thing?
There is only one memory that I have of my biological dad. I believe it was at night, in either California or Idaho (we lived there for a little bit) but he bought me a little yellow toy motorcycle at a gas station. On top of that, I was about 6 or so when I visited my sister and brother-in-law in California and he took me for my first ride on the back of his bike at the time. So, these are probably the key events that lead to my primary passion. Once I started riding sportbikes there was no turning back. The thrill of accelerating as fast as an F1 car got into my blood and I firmly believe the closer you flirt with death, the more you appreciate the beauty and frailty of life. However, the older I get the more cautious I become and therefore have slowed down immensely.
Tell us a childhood memory that shaped you into the person you are today!
My mother married an amazing man a few years after my dad passed. He was a wonderful stepdad that never tried to adopt me, but I feel he did an amazing job of being a father. What sticks with me is he didn't want me to have a gaming console once home computers became available in the 80’s, which was frustrating at the time. So, I was the kid that never got a NES or Sega and had to play on the Commodore 64 and Amiga. Unbeknownst to me, this gave me the upper hand on most kids since I was learning computer skills at the same time as gaming. I think this just gave me the opportunity to succeed in any job that required computer skills. After all, this was the early years of computers when they were not a common household item.
How many tattoos do you have and do you ever travel to get them done by a specific artist? Have any plans for the next one (where on your body and what is it?)
My left arm is mostly sleeved, half of it is H.R. Giger the other half is a dragon on one side and a nautilus shell with a golden ratio overlay on the other. My right arm has a lower half sleeve of an anthropomorphic version of the sun/moon. There is a tribal outline on my back, which will be used or adjusted for a Giger-style back piece in the future. I also have a chest piece that will be a cover up at some point, possibly a sacred heart or something Irish. There are also two neck tattoos, Jade Rabbit from Destiny and Xanthos and Balios (horses of Achilles). My left calf has my favorite tattoo, which is an owl and cardinal in memory of my mom. My right leg has Harley Quinn, and THE L337FL337/Gears Tat. The next piece will either be an angelic figure to fill out my right sleeve or finishing/filling in my left sleeve. There are quite a few more ideas for future work to be done, but it’s definitely not a cheap hobby. I typically don’t travel to get things done, but it’s not out of the question.
World’s 1st L337FL337 tattoo! Gayle the Gargoyle is L337Lauren’s stream mascot. <3
Do you ever have repeating dreams? Mine often consist of scary elevators or toilets.
If I dream, I usually don’t remember them. This could be because I daydream too much, I don’t know. Occasionally, I will actually remember something, so who’s to say if it’s recurring or not. But, a lot of the time, it will be something to do with what is happening in life or a modeling project or something.
Tell us about a hobby you enjoy we might be surprised about?
I don’t know if it would be a surprise or not. I know I’ve never mentioned it before, but I do enjoy occasionally going to the gun range. I have a small collection of guns that I inherited and purchased over the years. A very good childhood friend of mine works in the security industry. He has tried on several occasions to get me to go to the range, but ammunition is expensive, and I usually find it wasteful. So, I try only to go a few times a year.
If you could own a pet that is not a traditional dog, cat, fish, sort of pet… what would it be? Why?
I’ve always said that I’d like to own a pygmy marmoset (finger monkey). They’re native to the amazon and are about the size of a thumb. I just think it would be a cool conversation starter when I’m hanging out someplace and someone notices a tiny little monkey pop out of my shirt pocket.
Where would you want to visit if you had unlimited money? What would you do there?
If I had unlimited money, I’d probably just want to spend a few months (or longer) in Greece. The ancient world has always fascinated me. I would love to just wander everywhere around the country getting to know the people, culture and landmarks extensively.
You have a lot indeed idk music taste. Help me in stream w the playlists. Ranges from 80s rock to 90s hip hop. Tell us what kind of music you are into and have you ever been to concerts? Is there a dream concert w living or people you’ve love to see to have seen?
My parents raised me on everything from Aretha Frankin to Elvis to classical music. I also have early memories of my brother cranking up the radio when my parents would go out on the weekend, subjecting me to all the great late 70’s, early 80’s rock ‘n roll. I appreciate music like any art; I see value in it all. Even the very little bit that I’m not a fan of. I have attended numerous concerts, including performances by Harry Connick Jr., Van Halen, Pearl Jam, and Wu Tang Clan, among others. My favorite 2 shows were Chris Cornell’s songbook tour. He played in the historic 1930’s era Tampa theater, just him and an acoustic guitar. It was a very intimate experience. The second was Sade’s Lovers rock tour I got to see in New Orleans in 2001. My dream concert would be to see David Gilmour of Pink Floyd. He did a very exclusive “tour” this year, but it only consisted of two shows in New York and two in LA., I unfortunately did not get to make it.
Have you ever broken a bone? Or had some horrible injury you’re open to share?
Circa 2002, I did a brake job on my third motorcycle. The brake pads had a recall that the dealer did not sell me. So…. I was on the way back to my apartment and my girlfriend at the time was following me. I was about 2 blocks away from my place when the brakes locked up, sent me over the handlebars into oncoming traffic and I tackled the front end of a car. When I came to, there was a crowd of people looking down at me and I couldn’t move, breathe, or speak. After a moment, the wind came back to me and the paramedics threw me into an ambulance. The medic started cutting my pants off (first thing they do in a trauma) and I told him that he should buy me a drink first. I ended up spending about six hours in the ER with bleeding from the spleen, a broken clavicle and fractured scapula. There were a few other motorcycle spills, but this was probably the worse of ‘em.
GAMING QUESTIONS
What is the nerdiest thing you own in your home?
I’ve been collecting nerdy stuff all my life, really. However, in the late 00’s early 10’s I started to become a serious collector. Primarily sideshow collectible statues and art prints of all pop culture variations. I guess if I were to pinpoint the nerdiest thing, it would have to be the Millenium Falcon that I’m about to finish. Not only was it expensive, but it also took over two years of work to complete.
What game did you first put your eyeballs on? Have you played it in recent years or even suggest it now?
When I was very little my brother owned an Atari 2600. There isn’t one specific game that I can remember first laying eyes on, but I do have memories of the infamous E.T. game as well as Indiana Jones, missile command, beserker, etc. I believe there was a few Atari “collections” on the Xbox that I downloaded several years ago just for nostalgic purposes, but I don’t often go back and play them.
If you could choose 3 game characters to be in your squad, who would they be and what would be their strengths on your team?
The first character I would go with would probably be Cayde-6 from the Destiny universe. I think he would provide an all-around versatile form of combat as well as being an amazing gunslinger. Secondly, I’d have to say Marcus Fenix would be my tank with the ability to barrel through most of the opposition. Thirdly, I would probably say Altair as my assassin to flank the enemies and take them out from behind. I think combined; it would be a pretty solid squad.
You’ve been so supportive of me and the L337FL337 community since I started streaming. ^_^ thank you… I enjoy you being a mod! Have you ever streamed before or just enjoy being a viewer? If you were to stream, what would you stream?
Currently I enjoy just watching and trying to be a positive person in the community. I’ve never streamed before and may consider getting into it when I get closer to retirement. I may try to be the grumpy old man streamer, or something, who knows.
I know you’re a 3D modeler! Did you go to school for it or self taught? What is your favorite thing you’ve ever modeled (if you can share it)?
I worked in the car parts industry for 15 years and left after being discriminated against for having tattoos. A few months later, I enrolled in the Art Institute and majored in video game art and design. I graduated with honors and soon found out that was worthless in the gaming industry. Therefore, I spent the next few years developing my skills and portfolio all the while applying to countless game studios. Then I found my place working for an amazing military simulation company that I feel is a great fit for me. A company that appreciates the talent and doesn’t treat their employees like expendable numbers. One of my favorite projects was when I was able to do some conceptual design work for some artillery.
I recently got you into Fortnite. Sorry… but not sorry. “Felt like it.” Random quote - the readers will not understand the inside joke, but still makes me giggle. What is your go-to weapon and drop spot of choice at the moment for blitz?
I always find myself useless until I get a hold of one of the assault rifles. If I have one of those and either a shotty or submachine gun, I can usually hold my own. I find that the drop locations are hit or miss. One night we were doing really well at the sandy shore’s hotel, but after you guys left, I was on with Atticus and it was a horrible spot. I think the key is dropping at a relatively quiet spot just to get a decent loadout started.
You wake up and find yourself in another dimension. It’s a video game world you’ve always dreamt about being apart of. Where did you exactly wake up and what game world is it?
I would have to say that I’d wake up in Destiny’s universe on one of the planets or moons. In my opinion, the original story arc gave me a feeling of Star Wars, LOTR, Mad Max and Alien all wrapped into one big package. Yet, it was still loosely based in humankind’s existence. I would love to explore all the planets and destinations, as well as having the capability of exploring further into the depths of space.
Star Wars! You’re a fan and have an amazing falcon craft going on. Share the process of the model and what’s the hardest part of it?
It is a subscription-based model. The company would send 5 packs of parts each month for two years. So, I would basically do the AO and base painting before assembly. Now that I have it completely assembled, I’ve moved into the primary paint and distressing. I would honestly say the most difficult part is yet to come. Whenever I get to the final texturing or painting of a model, it is extremely difficult to come to a stopping point and call it done largely because I want it to be as movie accurate and perfect as possible. It is really my favorite stage, and I hate to see it end.
What games are your most memorable ones?
GRAW back in the day was what started my journey into multiplayer games. Then, the original MW2 is where I started making some good friends online, not to mention, that was when I was still pretty good at MP games. I also absolutely have to give credit to the first Destiny. I was playing the beta and completely fell in love with games all over again because of it and that is when I made my decision to pursue a career in game art.
What conventions have you visited that you’ve enjoyed and/or which one would you like to go to one day? Meet anyone you enjoy hanging with on Twitch?
I’ve been to quite a few different comic cons, including Tampa, Orlando, and Pensacola. Hands down my favorite was going to the Twitch meet up in Raleigh for multiple reasons. You, Cliffy, the Sages and Bri and Mike made me feel very welcomed as a friend and part of the community. It was a wonderful time exploring a beautiful city and a little bit of bonding with amazing people!! One of these days, I would like to experience San Diego comic con, but I recently looked up the prices and that event is straight up robbing the fans. So, I think I could definitely find better use of that kind of cash.
Favorites
Band/Singer: There are too many artists in my catalog so I’ve put my top 3 that are equals. David Gilmour of Pink Floyd, anything with Chris Cornell and Sade.
80/90s cartoon: There were a lot of greats but I’m going to go with Transformers
Desktop browser: I’m the person that uses Edge.
Muppet: Animal is the best Muppet; this is the correct answer.
Bird: I am going to go with either owl or cardinal because they were my mom’s favorite.
Motorcycle brand: I love my current MV Agusta, BUT my Honda is my pride and joy. So, Honda, definitely.
Star Wars movie: Star Wars Episode 5: The Empire strikes back.
Restaurant appetizer: I’d say a really nice cheesy spinach and artichoke dip with some warm tortilla chips.
Weird fact you know: You cannot sneeze during REM sleep.
Smell: I used to live in the Redwood area of Northern California, and I absolutely love the smell of a dense rainforest like that. There is nothing like it.
🍌THANKIES for being an amazing mod since I’ve met you.
Was really cool beans to get to know you more. <3 L337Lauren