I first met Patrick at..ACen 2003? Maybe 2004? Supremely driven. I fell out of touch with him around 2007, but still saw him every now and then at a few AWAs.
This reminds me...
I had won an Iron Editor competition at ACen 2004 (well, back in that day, we called it Iron Chef). It wasn't until a couple years later that Patrick created the Iron Editor medals. For those who don't know, they're pretty heavy metal pieces with "AMV IRON CHEF" on one side and the contest's motto, "Celerius Difficilus Maius", on the bottom. The convention name is engraved on the backside of the medal.
In 2008 (or 2009...my recollection of years is pretty bad), I was at AWA's Iron Editor competition in the back room. I had heard that Patrick had called me up to receive a medal for my win in 2004, but didn't go up there -- it felt a bit hokey to me to receive a medal for something I did
five years prior. (I had also ceased editing AMVs around 2007.)
Retrospect has a funny way of changing things. I don't think I'd find it nearly as hokey if I knew it was probably the last time I'd meet him in person.
- trythil