I'm currently living in Brooklyn and getting my Master's in Middle Eastern Studies. I'm hoping to do a thesis on Arabic language science fiction, a topic I know next to nothing about but sounds like the most fun research ever. I grew up in Brooklyn, went to high school in New Jersey (and hated it) and did my undergrad in Boston, so I've sort of come full circle (geographically speaking anyway).

I'm a super sarcastic dude but usually mean well with it. I love zombie movies and punk rawk, and hate the winter and cloudy light. I come off somewhat gruff sometimes but I'm actually pretty ok (not to toot my own horn or anything)

I would sell my soul to have Anthony Bourdain's job

Self description is hard you guys

Per above, I'm currently in the first year of a Master's program so I do a lot of fancy book learning. When not doing school stuff I'm usually out at a bar with friends or exploring the city.

Post Master's I'm hoping to move to and work in the Middle East for at least some time, but aside from that I have no concrete idea for what I want to be when I grow up.

School and being academic (but not in a condescending way, which is something that really grinds my gears).
I'm a proficient doodler
I speak moderately coherent Arabic.
My catchphrases tend to infect the lexicon of the people around me so I guess that's a skill of mine too.
I also make a damn good bean salad and I tend to make people laugh a lot.

My tattoos. And yes I know how incredibly hip that makes me sound, but its true

Books: Blood Meridian, The Stand, The Zombie Survival Guide, The Shadow of the Wind, Ficciones, The Dark Tower Series, The Plague, Watership Down, White Noise. I also read a ton of non fiction/social science books and articles of which there are too many to list.

Movies: Children of Men, Wet Hot American Summer, Pan's Labyrinth, Total Recall, Dawn of the Dead, Tombstone, Mystery Team, The Usual Suspects, Pretty much any zombie movie ever made; they have to be REALLY bad for me to not like them.

Shows: Parks and Recreation, Bored to Death, Community (counting down the days until it returns. So close, yet so far...), 30 Rock, Battlestar Galactica, Arrested Development, Walking Dead, No Reservations, Bizarre Food, House Hunters International

Music: Propagandhi, Refused, Johnny Cash, Dinosaur Jr., MF Doom, Fugazi, Pelican, Oingo Boingo,

Food: Pretty much anything; I'm very adventurous when it comes to food and enjoy finding and trying new things. Middle Eastern is my jam

Coffee
Beer
Sense of Humor
Books
Meat
Hot Showers (I actually have gone without these but I just really like them)

Politics. The future. The Middle East. Friends. Comic Books. Survivalism. Science Fiction. Whether I own too many plaid shirts, or if that is even possible.

Out with friends, probably at a bar or someone's house. I used to leave Friday nights as my quiet, unwind at the end of the week night but I have Fridays off currently so I will usually have spent the day doing work and will want to go do something

My three biggest fears are clowns, sharks, and rats.

I also have a weakness for/intense love of trashy MTV reality shows. I'll talk your ear off about Real World and The Challenge

You are into any of the things I wrote above and/or are curious to learn more.