I am a masters student (on masters number 2) that is entirely too geeky and awkward for his own good. I am generally liberal and progressive and interested in acceptance and equal standing for people of all genders, races, ethnicities, religions, and favorite ice cream flavors.

While I am quite nerderiffic in several areas (see list of favorite media), my professional geekery is in the Historical Performance Practice of music and the study of musical instruments. I play many different musical instruments but am currently focusing on the Baroque oboe. I also take great joy from playing Irish flute.

I am currently a Masters student at the Juilliard School in New York. I formerly completed degrees at Ithaca College and the University of Limerick in Limerick, Ireland. Most of these degrees are in extremely arcane and crazy fields but doing what ya love is what life is all about. These degrees include Music in Combination with Classical Studies, Gregorian Chant and Ritual Song, and Historical Performance Practice.

Making people's jaws drop with the extreme and profound level of my geekery in subjects ranging from History to Latin to Music to Lord of the Rings.

I am usually wearing some crazy shirt with dragons or tie-dye. I bet they notice that first.

Books: I have an unfortunate tendency to reread the same books over and over again instead of reading new ones so most of the ones on this list I've read a couple times (or four or five...) , Tolkien: The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, The Silmarillion, Neil Gaiman: The Sandman series, Neverwhere, J.K.Rowling: Harry Potter (though a reluctant fan), Terry Brooks: Running with the Demon, Magic Kingdom for Sale/Sold, L.E. Modesitt: The Soprano Sorceress (series), the Magic of Recluce, Sylvia Plath: The Bell Jar, The Collected Journals.

Movies: The Lord of the Rings (notice a theme), Robin Williams Movies, Star Trek, Star Wars, Quills, Amadeus, All manner of movies dramatic, fantastic, science fiction-ic, epic, dramatic, and comedic.

Music: Now we enter my raison d'etre! My vocation in terms of performance and research is the music of 17th and 18th century Europe (in a historically informed style on period instruments!) including Bach, Handel, Telemann, Rameau, Lully, Couperin, Philidor, Purcell, Vivaldi, etc etc etc. For entertainment I enjoy playing Irish, Breton, Galician, Scottish, and English folk music (jigs, reels, an dro etc) and enjoy listening to jazz (Dizzy, Sandoval, Coltrane...) classic rock (Led Zeppelin, Moody Blues, Styx, Queen etc) and even some 80's (Depeche Mode for example.)

Food: Well I enjoy all sorts of different food but haven't really been taking advantage of the resources NYC has to offer in this realm. Any help would be appreciated.

My near obsessions with:
1. Music
2. History
3. Fantasy

And also
4. People who are passionate about something
5. All the myriad possibilities of expression
6. Autumn Leaves and Winter Snows

Expression
Impressionism
Life the Universe and Everything
What kinds of strange implements people used to make music 300 years ago
The wider implications of specific historic events
Hippies
Genderbenders
Old English
Medieval Material Culture

Going to a concert, rehearsal, masterclass, or watching Star Trek DVDs.

I am an open book. Ask and you shall recieve.

The one annoying thing with answers like that is they don't represent anything admitted here do they?

Okay - I admit that I am a little intimidated in real world social situations and a little embarrassed to be turning to OKCupid - but the quizzes, forums, and people are fun and interesting so why not!

You are passionate or geeky about something and would like to share about it. Doesn't have to be something I am passionate or geeky about, I just find it intensely interesting and fun to hear from people who are passionate or geeky about something - anything from basket weaving to Buddha.