How (or WHY?!) Did This Page Come Into Existance?
I suppose this site has its roots in four places: Sparkmatch, Presidential Classroom, my sister, and my Computer Science course at Penn State.
My sister was the one who first piqued my interest in getting a website, as she had established the soon to be/recently defunct euterpia website. At least, this was the first time it entered my mind. I, however, lacking in HTML knowledge decided against getting a website, as I had no idea how to run one.
It was then I got into the seemingly defunct Sparkmatch website. For those unfamiliar with Sparkmatch (related to sites such as thespark.com and Sparknotes, its essentially a tongue in cheek internet dating program. I started talking to a girl on there (someone whom I never spoke with afterward) who suggested I utilize a website to put my picture on. I built my website on Homestead (while they were still free) and set up shop there.
It was around this time I went to Presidential Classroom. PC was one of the greatest weeks of my life, and afterwards my caucus wanted a way to keep in touch. Using Homestead again, I organized a website to help Caucus 8 keep in touch. It contained a poll, a contact list, a picture area, and other areas which were in development. Sadly, it never came to be.
Then, Homestead became a pay service and kicked my cheap ass to the curb. I decided against redoing all my work for another website, and slowly I lost interest.
That's when my friend Pat and my Computer Science class came along. Pat, my roommate freshman year, started a wrestling website and asked me to be a columnist. This got me back on the internet. Then, I found out that for an assignment, I would have to create a webpage. This is why part of the address is psuclass. I did the assignment, and then decided to keep the space to not only have a personal page on the net, but also to supplement my work at the wrestling site.
I christened it "The Asylum" as a tribute to my original website (imustbeinsane), the idea being that the "inmate" was running it. Since then, though, I've almost come to view this site as a haven for my thoughts and ideas. It's become a place where I can feel free to express my thoughts and feelings on just about anything without fear of reprisal (to varying degrees, of course). This page was no longer the home to the insane, but an asylum in the truer, safer sense of the word. Thus, "The Asylum" has become, simply, "Asylum."
In conclusion, this site is me all the way through. It is my reemergence on the net, plus a way for those who don't know me too well to get a little better glimpse into who I am and why in God's name someone would give me a webpage.
Hope you guys enjoy the site.
Andrew Henry