Bio
Where am I from?
My name is Thomas, and I was born in Auckland, New Zealand. Now I live in a small town called Waiouru, located in the central North Island of New Zealand. I can look out my window here and see an active volcano named Mount Ruapehu, an accessible skiing location. On a clear day, I can also see Mount Ngauruhoe, more commonly known to most as Mt. Doom. Yes the one from the Lord of the Rings trilogy. If you ever visit, be sure to stop by Johnny Nations, a world-famous eclair shop in Ohakune.
When did I start Gaming?
I developed a keen interest in computers and consoles from about the age of 7. I started with the Commodore VIC-20 and then the Atari 2600 Games console. Over the years since, I’ve played with nearly everything in between; however, I identify first and foremost as a PC gamer.
When did I start live streaming?
My first foray into live streaming was circa 2008, in the days before Twitch.tv was even a thing. Back then, there was a site called Justin.tv, and that’s where I originally started. After a few years, they forked off the gaming channels, and thus Twitch.tv was created. A while later, they advised that Justin.tv was going to be closed down. Us old-timers were presented with a deadline to move our accounts over to Twitch and retain our channel names. I was a little late in making that decision and missed the given period. Still, they gracefully helped me migrate over regardless, and so on April 05, 2012, I became a Twitch streamer.
Where did the name Ardalista come from?
I chose the name Ardalista via an online name generator. It immediatley stood out as something that was unique. And so Ardalista is the name I have used for the last 10+ years in the gaming community.
Where have I been since?
Since 2013, with all that was going on in life, I only had a passing interest in live streaming. I mostly chose to view and support others when my schedule allowed. I occasionally live-streamed the game Rocksmith 2014, in the year following its initial launch. Before too long, I opted to record my content instead of streaming it. I began to post to my YouTube channel in 2014.
What else do I do?
I’ve held numerous roles within the Information Technology sector spanning the last 20 years. I continue to work in this field to this day. I have a reasonably broad depth of knowledge, and I’m competent at dealing with most anything that comes my way.
I studied for and qualified as a Scuba Schools International – Dive Control Specialist / Assistant Instructor, with accreditation for 12 diving specialties. I’ve been a member of a stunt team, a pyrotechnician, and a member of an internationally traveling circus. I represented Auckland in Ten Pin Bowling and placed 2nd in the NZ National Championship – Men’s open category. I also enjoy playing darts and going for long drives in my Audi.
Parting thoughts
Outside of work, I still love gaming and tinkering with technology. I run a few personal servers here at home for different things. When it comes to gaming, I have a varied taste, and so I’d call myself a variety streamer. I’m happy to help others with tips or advice. If you are stuck and need some guidance, then get in touch. My various social accounts, all of which you will find in the footer of the site.
Thank you for visiting
Appreciate you taking the time to get to know me a little bit. I look forward to seeing you when I’m streaming on Twitch.
— Ardalista —