I grew up just outside of Houston, attended the University of Houston, and moved to Austin soon after I graduated in the hopes of getting into the local film or video game industries. Yeah, that didn't work out so well.

Equal parts geek, nerd, fanboy, and dork. To be honest, I rarely message anyone on this site, mostly because I'm horrible -- absolutely horrible -- at starting conversations with total strangers. Just ask the half-dozen people I've actually messaged here. I love looking at profiles, especially snarky ones.

Politically liberal, but personally conservative. I don't have, or particularly like, piercings or tattoos, I eat meat regularly, and I am not even remotely 420 friendly. While I love college football, I'm not a Longhorn fan, in fact, I'm quite the opposite. I've been told I live in the wrong city. I strongly believe that you have the right to do whatever self-destructive thing you want, as long as you don't harm anyone else, or put yourself in a situation where hurting someone else is likely.

I'm an agnostic, but religion-friendly. I have no patience for anyone, from any belieft structure, who feels resentment, bitterness, or rage at anyone else's beliefs. That's a brand of negativity that I've been trying very hard to completely remove from my life.

I love Austin, and while I'm not really personally liberal enough for Austin, I'm probably much too liberal for the rest of the state. That said, I miss Houston terribly, keep trying to find reasons to visit, and have considered moving back on more than one occaision.

Considering a career change. I currently work in the insurance industry in a capacity that more than pays the bills, but isn't as satisfying as I'd like it to be. I've recently had an "aha!" moment, which is making me consider becoming an educator. Then I think about the standardized test problem, and I think about becoming an education reformer. Then I just think about Math, and wonder why i ever got that English degree in the first place, since I was always better at math in school.

Then I think about pie. Because, well, yum. Pie.

In my free time, I enjoy thinking up writing projects that I never actually get around to writing (7 abandoned screenplays and a webcomic later, I've come to accept the reality). I also play MMOs, but please don't bolt in a panic because of that -- it's time-filler, and I am easily lured away by calls saying "lets go do ______".

Especially if _______ is karaoke.

In college, I studied creative writing. I was very good with dialogue, not so much with narrative. It wasn't until I saw a sneak preview of Chasing Amy that I realized I might have better luck with screenplays than I was having with fiction, and I spent the next several years obsessing about being a writer-director just like Kevin Smith.

When I managed to meet him at the world premeire of Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, I wanted to thank him for helping me find direction, and it went something like this:
"OmigoditsogreatomeetyouIvebeensuchabigfansinceyourChasingAmy campustouryouhelpedmefindirectionasawritercanIhaveyourautograph ?"

Long story short, I'm really good at wierding out celebrities. Someone needs to bring a camera if I ever get to chance to meet Andrea Corr.

Several years ago, I went to Atlanta for Dragon-Con. At one point, I bumped into Jason Mewes and after chatting for about two minutes he told me I was the coolest guy in the room. It's only fair that I point out that I was also the only guy in the room besides Mr Mewes that wasn't dressed up like a Storm Trooper.

If I'm comfortable with the people I'm with, I'm a font of factoids and trivia (mostly irrelevance and minutae, think Cliff on Cheers), with a mix of obsessive fandom on the shiny new things in my life. I do tend to shut up about something if my companions indicate disinterest, though.

I'm a wallflower most of the time. I've managed to use this for almost comic effect, as the guy who stares at the TV and doesn't talk to anyone casually gets up on stage, belts out an energetic version of Billy Idol's Rebel Yell, and then goes back to staring at the TV and not talking to anyone.

a) I read some fantasy. As a teenager I loved the Dragonlance novels, but they lost their charm when I was in college. Neil Gaiman is one of my heroes, and American Gods is one of my all time favorite novels. Outside the fantasy genre, I love absurdist short fiction (esp Donald Barthelme), and I have a soft spot of Victor Hugo's Les Miserables. I'll admit to not reading anywhere near as much as I used to in general, but I have recently picked up Game of Thrones.

b) Casablanca, Sunset Boulevard, Almost Famous, Before Sunrise, Boondock Saints, Citizen Kane, Snatch, anything made by Charlie Kaufmann or Hayao Miyazaki. Is it mindless silly? I'll love it. Is it artistically creative? I'll adore it. Does it have superheroes making loud explosions. I'll enjoy the ride. I wind up disliking very few movies not made by Michael Bay, and I'll wind up hating it if Bay came anywhere near it. I love musicals. I've yet to see a bad musical (exception: The Apple). I do draw the line at attempts to "revive" my childhood by making live-action movies that do little more than smear feces on franchises that deserved better. Yes, Michael Bay, I'm looking RIGHT AT YOU.

Incidentally, I may have a chip on my shoulder about Michael Bay, but the verdict's still out.

c) I don't watch first-run TV. Most of the shows I like get cancelled right as they're hitting their stride. I have recently started watching a lot of shows on DVD/Netflix, however. Among my favorites to date: Anything created by Bryan Fuller or Joss Whedon, Doctor Who, Battlestar Galactica, and Big Bang Theory. Other shows I enjoyed: How I Met Your Mother, Supernatural, Lost...honestly, give me good writing, strong characters, and continuity and I'll probably enjoy it.

d) Rush has been my favorite band since high school, but beyond that, my tastes bounce all over the place. I'm not a rap fan, and most country grates on my nerves. I also have a very powerful knee jerk reaction towards excessively electronic music -- especially tracks that replaced a real drummer with a computer. Most of the music I listen to are showtunes, but there's a lot of 70's prog-rock and it's descendants, and humor-based acts like Barenaked Ladies and Johnathan Coulton.

e) Sushi , cheese, and wasabi. I put wasabi in everything. Really. Wasabi queso is great. Chipotle burritos are like crack to me, I'd eat there 3-4 times a week, if they didn't make me such a fatass. Mexican and Italian are great. If it's spicy, I'll eat it. But no beans. Beans make me violently ill. I couldn't be a vegetarian if I wanted to.

The hyperbole answer is far more entertaining than the air/water/etc answer, so here we go:

Netflix
my iPod
air conditioning
caffiene
geekery
nerdgasms

Six things I can do without: Aspartame, smokers, drug addicts, potheads, zealots, and the perpetually-defensive.

I believe I mentioned the 7 abandoned screenplays and the webcomic above. Seriously, dialogue flows into my head for all these characters, I just never feel like putting it down on paper.

Half of my Fridays are Nerd Night. Usually this means meeting a bunch of old gaming buddies and playing a game of some sort (usually an incredibly nerdy one). The other half are usually movie nights.

I identify strongly enough with Sheldon on the Big Bang Theory to feel awkward about it.

My biggest fear is H R Puffnstuff -- followed very closely by every other man-sized Kroft puppet. Seriously, nightmares. Major nightmares.

My grandmother used to say "give me some sugar" whenever she wanted a kiss on the cheek. This has made "Pour Some Sugar on Me" take on a whole new level of awkward.

You would love to join me in a duet of I'll Cover You (from Rent) or Meatloaf's Paradise by the Dashboard Light at a karaoke bar somewhere.

You love fantasy and whimsy the way Tim Burton does. Or if you like sushi and/or karaoke.

You want to root for Houston-based sports teams (professional and college).

You love musicals.

Deal-breakers:
While I'm not a grammar nazi, if you don't even try, there's a better-than-even chance that I might grade your message and send it back.

While I am okay with casual smokers, I have no interest in spending time around chain smokers. I hate the smell, and I like being able to breathe. Don't even bother if you're into illicit substances, Nigerian banking scams, or webcam shows. And if you're going to message me to tell me how beautiful you think I am, I HAVE A MIRROR! I SEE THROUGH YOUR LIES!