I'm a multi-faceted geek trying to get the best out of life. My interests are all over the place; if you find a common thread, please let me know! For the last few years I've been learning to ballroom dance. I just started learning to play drums. Going running regularly is part of my weekly routine. I have a black belt... uh, in Go that is. This is all stuff I do for myself, I don't intend to start doing any of this professionally or competetively. I just want to learn about all the interesting stuff there is to do in this world. Too bad there are only so many hours in the day!

I have a taste for the unusual and unconventional. I'd rather mull issues around in my head for a very long time than form strong opinions about something right away. This makes me a very difficult person to offend. Whether you take that as a challenge is up to you!

Trying to figure out my direction after just finishing my PhD . School was great and all but I think I've had enough for now! I'd like to move away from my PhD specialization, and I'm looking forward to starting fresh and working my way up in something totally new.

Recently I've found myself getting (back) into music, specifically drumming (I blame music games!) I've been practicing pretty regularly and even getting together with my guitar-playing roommate to jam a little. It's been great so far; to think I've been missing out on this side of music for all this time! I'm not sure if I want to actually do anything "real" with it eventually but right now it's a great hobby.

Learning stuff (I better be, I've done it for most of my life)! Playing plastic drums like a pro, playing real drums like a rank amateur. Finding the best in people. Solving Rubik's cubes. Slicing tomatoes.

People love to comment about how tall I am. Also how I tend to do more listening and laughing than actual talking... at first, anyway.

I didn't read much until Harry Potter, which I devoured shamelessly. Then I felt guilty, so I started reading the "serious" books from my "high school English class" shelf that we had never gotten to. Surprisingly... they're really good! Now that I'm older I think I have the perspective to enjoy them a lot more. Finished Great Expectations a while ago and am currently on (hiatus from) Dubliners.

My favorite movie is usually whichever good one I've seen last. I'm fickle like that. Recently that's been Children of Men and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Science fiction with a unique concept is always bound to grab me. Any story based on time travel has a special place in my heart by default.

Music! I'm in a constant state of child-like wonder and amazement when it comes to music, so if you play something catchy I'll probably like it. Current favorites: Foo Fighters, Metric, The Killers, Offspring, Rise Against, RHCP, Weezer, Pearl Jam. Secret guilty pleasure: Boston. Also some Japanese bands you haven't heard of!

The best kind of food is unquestionably Italian, but I have been known to put up with sushi on occasion.

Running 3 times a week. My traditional breakfast: yogurt with cereal and a banana with peanut butter (I'm a creature of habit). The internet. Rock Band! Diet pop. Catchy music. Learning and abandoning a new game (video/board/other) every few weeks. That's six, right? I've never been very good at math.

Music: ever since I started with the drums I have to dissect the beats from my favorite songs. Conversations I may or may not have at some point in the future. The best way to explain interesting concepts to other people. All the stuff I should write down in my calendar so I don't forget.

I tend to keep my Fridays open for spending time with friends. Buddies + video games = the best combination. The rest of the week I'm probably doing something different every night, like kicking butt on the Go board or on the dance floor. Except on the dance floor it's usually accidental... usually.

Sometimes, when I'm alone in the car... I sing along to girly songs on the radio.

You're a unicorn. Barring that, if you can tell me about something awesome I've never heard of before!