User:EricJScull

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Eric James Scull, born April 23rd, 1988, is a 19-year-old American male best known for his endeavors relating to the Harry Potter book series by J.K. Rowling, which have often been as a direct result of his long-term employment on the most successful, highly publicized fan site MuggleNet (http://www.mugglenet.com). Through MuggleNet, Eric is also one of the seven main co-hosts on its podcast, MuggleCast, where he participates nearly each week on the literary discussion which ensues.

[edit] Early Childhood, Family, and Schooling

Eric was born on Saturday, April 23rd, 1988 at 12:11am to parents Janet and Terry Scull. The first three years of his life were spent living in a split semi house in Laureldale, a 'district' of Reading, Pennsylvania. When he was four, with the birth of his sister Bethany, his parents moved to a single home nearby in Tuckerton. From Age 4 he attended Riverview Christian School for day care, each weekday while his parents were at work. His mother is a speech and language pathologist for Schuylkill Valley School District, and his father works for East Penn Manufacturing, Co., also known as DEKA Battery, one of the area's largest and fastest growing employers.

From an early age, some would say that Eric was a 'very cute' kid. His parents at one point considered a young modeling career for him, although thankfully perhaps the nearby talent agencies did not seem particularly intrigued. Nevertheless, Eric's personality was evident at a young age and his pre-school teacher would later recount that he was rather inquisitive and playful, even then. Daily life did often consist of outdoors activities with local neighbor kids, one of whom Eric has remained best friends of to this day. Since Eric's infancy, Terry Scull had taken it upon his own craftiness, skill and care to raise Dwarf rabbits for breeding and sale during Easter holidays. As a result, one of Eric's favorite childhood photos is that of himself on a rocking chair with Snuffy, Puffy, and Twinkle. (How much cheesier can this Wikipedia article get?!) Still, his father's ambitions--while successful--did not extend unto their new house, except for the lives of three bunnies - two named Midnight and Moonlight, who were kept out back in a cage expertly built by Terry.

When it came time for kindergarten, Eric attended Muhlenberg Primary School in the afternoon while receiving an education from his daycare as well. He regards his daycare kindergarten teacher as a wonderful woman, for it was she who taught the class a multitude of phrases in the German language, which lay dormant at the back of Eric's mind all the way through until a reintroduction was given in 10th Grade. At Muhlenberg Primary, Eric most enjoyed the time for recess and during indoor playtime recalls mainly playing/building with the polished wooden blocks. Most significant in his early life is the 'graduation' ceremony held for his kindergarten graduation at the Calvary School, where for a performance of 'Three Billy Goats Gruff,' Eric portrayed The Troll, shouting Who's That Trip-Trappin' Over My Bridge?!?! and not recognizing the ensuing laughter as cheerful or complimentary.

Eric remained in the Muhlenberg School District for his entire primary and secondary education, and peers in his year experienced some of the defining changes in the schools' structure in the past two decades. Notably, Eric was schooled in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Grade at the C.E. Cole Building of Muhlenberg, which was (during the summer after his 4th Grade year) later closed upon completion of the Muhlenberg Elementary Center (holding years K-5), where Eric was in the first fifth grade class to use the building. Also, throughout Grades 6-8 at the Muhlenberg Middle School and 9-12 at Muhlenberg High School, massive construction and expansion projects were often being conducted as the area grew in population and the district likewise, also expanded. Eric regards his schooling as adequate and at times quite enjoyable, fondly remembering Field Days when they still existed and Grades 2 and especially 4, when during the small-scale Renaissance Faire that the school had organized Eric was dressed as a Monk and stood at a stall handing out paper mazes which he created in the shape of several Medieval objects.

The only extra-curricular activity Eric participated in before the age of 16 relating to school was his learning and playing of the Alto Sax for band. This task, while enjoyable, lasted only from Grade 4 to Grade 8 and Eric confesses that, while fun, his application to music might perhaps lay elsewhere. At any rate, Eric was an average student in school who enjoyed maths over social studies, english over science. Though this was not always the case academically, and certainly changed to an all-out reasonable interest during high school, these early courses are what Eric remembers as being most effective. He recalls male teachers being his early favorite, despite having several good female teachers as well. It was both women Kindergarten teachers who Eric idealized the teaching job from initially, though, and the teacher career path was Eric's second ever considered occupation (his first was 'bubble-maker,' loudly admiring one day in infancy the structures produced from his Bubble wand).

[edit] Computers and the Video Game Market

On December 25th (Christmas Morning), 1991, at the age of 3, Eric was all-too excited to proclaim "Super Nintendo, alright!" only to be told a moment later that what he had actually received for Christmas was actually just a regular Nintendo Entertainment System. Eric didn't really know (or care) about the difference - he was really just so very excited about his proper introduction to video games! His first games were Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt, Solar Jetman and Captain Skyhawk, and his later Nintendo collection (by 1996) included 40 very fun titles including Cobra Triangle, Contra_(arcade_game), Double Dragon II, Super Mario Bros._2 and Tiger Heli. Eric mostly stuck by Regular Nintendo games without the purchase of a Sega Genesis, Game Boy or Super Nintendo console. Still, his best friend Josh and he would play his NES and Josh's Sega Genesis quite often. Favorite Sega games from childhood of Eric's were Sonic_the_Hedgehog_2_(16-bit), After Burner and Mortal Kombat (video game). The only games from Super Nintendo which Eric has played and enjoyed are Super Mario All-Stars, Mario Paint and Tom and Jerry (video game).

In 1994, when Eric was 6, his family purchased their first computer, a Packard Bell with Windows 3.11. Eric and best friend Josh also played plenty of games on each of their computers, including shareware games such as Bio Menace, Monster Bash or Halloween Harry and also other games like Prince of Persia, Commander Keen and Doom.

The video game that most caught Eric's eye in his later childhood was Super Mario 64, a game he recalls wanting from the first day he ever played it. However, in a surprising twist of fate the second videogame console Eric ever owned was in fact the Sony Playstation. This was a conscious decision on Terry Scull's part, who discussed with Eric the plausibility and more-coolness of CD-based games, before presenting the system to him (wrapped and under the tree) that Christmas 1995 (and under the alias Santa Claus). Eric's first games on the PlayStation were Twisted Metal and Warhawk (PlayStation game). His favorite game series for the console (and this console only) is Crash Bandicoot.

Eric did eventually acquire a Nintendo 64, and extended his initial ownership of Super Mario 64 to include the games StarFox 64, Mario Kart 64, Donkey Kong 64, Goldeneye 007, Super Smash Bros., Pokemon Snap, Diddy Kong Racing, and Pokemon Stadium. Eric also followed the Pokémon series with Game Boy Color, owning the red, blue, yellow, silver and gold versions of the game.

At the dawn of the 21st Century, Eric purchased a PlayStation 2 and is satisfied with that as his only one of the three 'next-gen' consoles (compared to GameCube and X-Box). In the advent of PlayStation 3, X-Box 360 and Nintendo Wii, however, Eric just really wants to play Wii as he hasn't yet. The new Mario Kart (coming 2008) looks great!

[edit] Online Advancement

This section will detail a bit of Eric's life spent online, before Harry Potter and MuggleNet.

[edit] Harry Potter and MuggleNet

This is the point in the article where the majority of those-who-know Eric will relate, and begin to see the grand scheme.

[edit] Fan of the Week

MuggleNet.com's initial connection with the fandom was only through its segment called Potter Profiles. Find out more information once this section is updated!

[edit] The Caption Contest

Since October 2002, originally conceived by website founder Emerson Spartz, and then handed over to new MuggleNet staffer Eric Scull two weeks later, the Caption Contest remains MuggleNet's strongest connection in a submission-based light ever. Receiving up to 2,000 entries a week, the contest features a still photograph or movie screen acquired from the Harry Potter films or promotional images received by us directly from Warner Bros., which invites fans to quote the characters they see in situations entirely made up or reminiscent of other media sources. Between 15 and 100 winners are reported to have won per week in the past. What do you win? Alas. Because of the vastness and the fact that there still is - only one man running it - as well as its frequency preventing lots from happening, the only prize for winning the Caption Contest is in fact your submitted name on the site next to your chosen caption. Still, that is certainly all that some fans could hope for, and a rather reasonable achievement anyway given MuggleNet's success. The contest is fluff, not a real serious competition, but it is enjoyable, fun, and attracts enough viewers that it is prominent.

[edit] Book Five Release

The fifth Harry Potter Book, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, was released on June 20, 2003. MuggleNet celebrated this event in Oak Park, Illinois, where the entire town (under the direction of The Magic Tree Bookstore) changed their shops to mimic that of Diagon Alley in the Potter books.

[edit] Book Six Release/Spellbound!

[edit] London and Oak Park for Book 7

The massive events done for Book 7 of the Harry Potter series were conducted in London at Waterstones, Piccadilly Circus, and again in Oak Park, Illinois.

[edit] High School Theatre

A moderate subset which will highlight some of Eric's characteristics as they relate to acting/theatre and drama...

[edit] MuggleCast Personality

This will wonderfully chronicle life with the podcast MuggleCast, and all of their exploits both past and present.

[edit] Episode 3: August 21st, 2005

[edit] The MuggleCast Fan Forums

[edit] Fan Casts including MCFCC

[edit] MC LIVE in Nov '05

[edit] The MuggleCast Mix

[edit] Lumos, 2006!

The not-for-profit organization known as HPEF, or Harry Potter Education Fanon, premiered their first ever Harry Potter conference within the walls of the J.W. Mariott Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada from July 25th-28th. The conference was called Lumos! and received around 2,000 registrations from Harry Potter fans worldwide.

While at Lumos, Eric was first introduced to his girlfriend and love of his life, Kristin Coleman.

[edit] Episodes 100/101

[edit] Prophecy, 2007: From Hero, to Legend

[edit] The Future...

[edit] Travel Destinations

Many people call Eric the "world traveler," though he'll admit he certainly hasn't been as many places as real world travellers, or nearly as many places as he'd like. This will be a bit of an explanation on the 'worldliness of Eric,' as it were.

[edit] University and Post High-School Life

In the upcoming Fall of 2008, Eric will be attending DePaul University in Chicago, IL where he currently resides.

Throughout 2007, Eric lived in the capital city of Wellington, New Zealand where he studied at Victoria University of Wellington for a Bachelor of Arts in English.