Once more I compress myself into a paragraph. Chemistry and climate change ooze out through the cracks. The strange lights and mystical signs must be all the science fiction and fantasy I read (Connie Willis is sublime!). The classical music clashes with the square dancing music, and sometimes the whole mess just wants to run off and go hiking in New Hampshire or running along a Cape Cod beach. But it is my mess, and I like it.

I can often be found contra dancing, reading a science fiction book on a park bench, watching theatre or improv, or traveling through Spanish speaking countries. I am almost always happy and smiling, even when my code isn't working. I wish I could be in multiple places at the same time, because there is always more fun stuff going on than I can handle.

I just finished writing a PhD thesis on climate change policies

Science, contra dancing, making friends, acquiring new hobbies, reading fast.

I'm guessing my smile, but I've never actually polled people about this. Maybe I should. (When I'm wearing my Art Gecko shirt it is my nerdy clothing. At contras it might be my dancing)

Favorite Books:
Among my favorites are: Connie Willis, Dumas, Lois McMaster Bujold, Guns Germs and Steel, Orson Scott Card, Oscar Wilde, Tom Stoppard, Sharon Shinn, Shakespeare, Como Agua Para Chocolate, Harry Potter, Robin McKinley, Shogun, Tolkien, Jane Austen, Time Traveler's Wife, Naomi Novik.

Favorite Movies:
geek movies: Princess Bride, Sneakers, Star Wars, food movies: tampopo, wedding banquet, eat drink man woman, como agua para chocolate, chocolat, other movies: el cinema paradiso, finding nemo, bend it like beckham, casablanca, amelie, groundhog day

Favorite Music:
Popular classical music: beethoven (violin concerto!), mendelssohn, brahms, orff, musicals:, man of la mancha, sweeney todd, mikado, eclectic: the bobs, TMBG, enya, oldies, cows with guns, tom lehrer, the police, REM, billy joel

Favorite Foods:
Thai, Afghan, Sushi, French (preferably while in France, of course), or instant cheesecake on day 3 of a backpacking trip. But I'm pretty omnivorous. And I have a high metabolism, so I like to eat a lot. I tend to cook vegetarian, but I do appreciate the occasional meat dish, even if it isn't very environmentally friendly.

Friends, books, dancing, trees, sleep, and the things that I don't miss until they aren't there anymore...

How I would fix things if I were world dictator. Except that it would really be a very stressful job with way too much responsibility, and I'd probably reach decision paralysis because while the ability to see multiple sides of an issue is often a strength, sometimes you just need to damn the torpodoes and go full speed ahead because doing a flawed plan well can be better than nothing.

Other times I'll compose stories in my head, or plan what I'm going to do with friends, or think about my thesis, or just daydream in stream of conciousness.

Going to a play with friends.

Unless I'm going dancing (Irish, contra, square). Or on a plane to go to a friend's wedding. Or going out to dinner. Hanging out playing games. Watching a movie. Doing some research. Trying to learn Arabic. Or sometimes just staying home with a good book.

You are an interesting person, of course. But I especially enjoy spending time with friends who are _nice_, as well as smart, friendly, cute, and fun. As Elwood said in Harvey, "For years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. You may quote me."