Gadget Head

Who is this Gadget, anyway?

Gadget is a creative freak trapped in the body of an introvert, an idealist who is grounded in realism and laughs at the silliness of everyday life. Gadget learns in color and likes to "do" more than "say". He's a guy who strives to build community and connect people. Gadget is proud to have been called mischievious, pedantic, responsible, and artistic (not to mention a few other names that shouldn't be stated here).

Why do they call me Gadget?

My Real name is Jason, but all of my friends know me as Gadget. It's a nickname that I picked up back at Chico State before I graduated in '94. It stuck and has become my alter-ego.

During my first year of college, I lived in the dorms. Like many, I was moving away from home for the first time, and was ready to take on the world. Of course, it's always nice to have an accomplice before you stir things up, so I became friends with a guy named Jordan, the first outgoing, obnoxious, unique, and truely entertaining guy I came across. Jordan, lived in the room across from me and he thought it was bizarre that my room was filled with wacky toys and other weird things to play with so he started calling me Gadget. It wasn't the most flattering name, but it wasn't "cheesehead" or one of the other pitiful names he called people. Besides, what did I care if one weird guy called me a funny name, right? Wrong! Jordan was also a very social character and he seemed to know everyone and everyone knew him. Whenever we'd run into someone, he'd introduce me and say, "Hey... This is my friend, Gadget". Of course, I'd say, "No, no. My name is Jason". Well, before long, everyone on campus knew me as Gadget and I just stopped fighting it. After all, there are many Jason's, but only one Gadget.

That was many years ago, but the name is still with me. Now, almost everyone I know socially calls me Gadget. In fact, aside from work and my family, many people don't even know that my real name is Jason. It's nice being able to go home at the end of the day and become someone else.