Until the age of 16 Jade was fairly certain he would make his way in the world as a poet. He dreamed a poet's dreams. He spoke as poets do - especially to the young poetesses. Like many poets, potential or otherwise, Jade had spent almost all his life to that point thinking about life, observing life, writing (poorly, it's sad to say) about life; but not actually living very much.

Until, that is, the day just beyond 16 when he decided that his was not turning out to be a life well-lived. A life well-examined, perhaps, but certianly not well-lived.

So the next day he changed all that.

He began climbing and acting. He climbed just about anything he could climb and he began doing all the related things that make one a better climber. He ran and swam and learned how to fight.

As for the acting, that only lasted for a while.

Then he joined the army and continued doing all these things - and more - professionally as a 2nd, and then a 1st, lieutenant.

When he left the army he bacame a private investigator. This was interesting, but tedious in ways that are never accurately reflected in literature or on the screen.

Finally he decided that the time was right to settle down with this wonderful family and leave his life of professional adventure and intrigue behind.

So that's exactly what he did, opting instead for a life of everyday adventure and intrigue.