Hey, my name's Ben. I'm a fairly bookish type, in that I like to sit and read for hours on end, and then wonder where the time went. Getting lost in a good book is one of my favourite past times, at least until I get hungry after missing a couple meals. Then I promise myself it will never happen again, pick up my book, and forget I just made dinner. I'm fairly certain that out of all the kids I knew, I was the only 10 year old to ever be grounded from my bookshelf.

I'm somewhat of a quiet person, content to listen to a conversation and add what I feel needs adding. But that's not to say I don't talk. When a topic I enjoy comes up, I'll talk you into next week. This could be anything from books and... well.... anything really. I know a depressing amount about things that will never, ever come up in a normal conversation. The kind of obscure information I don't even know I have until it comes out of my mouth.

I am a fairly intelligent person, even if sometimes things don't come out of my head and off my tongue exactly as I wanted them to. I hold general information (only the useless kind mind you) like a sponge, a sponge that will never leak and never fill up. I like learning for learning's sake, but only if it holds a genuine interest to me. I studied Archaeology and Classics at University for a while, but ultimately decided it wasn't for me.

Also, I'm apparently an ESTP. Best matched with a ISFJ or an ISTJ I'm told. I mean, who am I to disagree with Jung?

Everything I do for the next few years is planned out, to a loose schedule. Basically, by the time I'm 25, I want to be in the Police, although which branch I'm unsure of as of yet. I'm quite a dog person, so I would love to get into the dog handling section, even though it is very competitive. Everything else on my own personal level is only leading to that right now, from fitness to learning to drive. Of course, this would be so much easier if they would start recruiting at some point. There's an indefinite nationwide freeze on new recruits, so that's not going anywhere right now.

I work as a waiter at a nice restaurant at the moment, and loving it. I'm very much a people person, however much I pretend not to be, and talking to different people of different kinds on a daily basis appeals to me. That's also part of the reason that I want to get into the Police.

Reading. I cannot stress this enough. Reading.

But I do other things as well. First off, I am after all male, so I'll confess to playing the odd video game here and there. I don't play them much, more for something to do with friends than anything.

I used to be quite good as a winger in Rugby, until I went to University and stopped playing.

Throwing and catching things. I freak people out with my unnatural ability to catch near enough anything that is thrown at me, within limits. For the same reason, I used to be great at baseball before I moved to the UK 8 years ago, but since then I've been relegated to softball while in secondary school, and nothing for the last few years.

I also love to make things, in many ways. I like the feel of putting something together with my hands, and being able to look at it days, weeks, or years later and say, "Yeah, I did that." I've played games like The Sims in the past, but the little people quickly become a sideshow to whatever outrageous house I've put them in this time. And I am by no means any good, but I have done a touch of writing here and there. Those stories will never see the light of day again, not where anyone can know it was ME who wrote it.

Oh, and can someone be "good" at finding funny pictures? Because I am. You know, if it's possible and all.

Wow. Now I know why most people like to keep this bit short. Ah well

My accent. I've lived in far too many places in my life, and as such it is an interesting one to say the least. I spent my childhood on the Canadian West Coast, and then the early part of my teenage years freezing on the East Coast. Then I was hauled off over here, and have been ever since. Hence my accent, which I affectionately refer to as Atlantian.

This is the most evil question I could be asked. Not for me, but for you, the suffering reader. I pity you. I indulge myself in everything from Fantasy and Science Fiction to some good Historical/Alternate History, right down to the most boring WWII reference books you can imagine, and then jumping back to the Darwin Awards. What can I say, stupid people are funny.

Authors - To spare your eyes a list about a mile long, I'll take a few of my favourites.

J.R.R Tolkien
George R.R Martin
Joe Ambercrombie
Terry Pratchett
Douglas Adams
Neil Gaiman
Mike Carey
Conn Iggulden
Harry Turtledove
J.V Jones

Films - A bit of everything really. From the cheesiest Romero zombie flicks to modern ones like 28 Days Later, to rom-coms and war films. I don't really have a huge preference. You know what? How about I actually list some films.
28 Days and Weeks Later
Shaun of The Dead
Hot Fuzz
Inglorious Basterds
Knocked Up
Grown Ups
Inception
Any Bond film ever made
Thomas Crown Affair
We Were Soldiers
Full Metal Jacket
Tropic Thunder
Zoolander
You, Me, and Dupree
Me, Myself, and Irene

If you can somehow follow the logic in the way that list goes, then you shall receive an internet cookie.

Music - I tend to like Alt-rock, metal... actually, rock in almost any form to some degree or another. I have a CD somewhere that has the Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby" right next to Metallica's "Master of Puppets". But my all time favourites are:

Breaking Benjamin
Trapt
Metallica
Linkin Park
Apocalyptica
Rise Against
Disturbed
Jimmy Eat World
Lostprophets
Korpiklaani (because the Finnish are insane)
Sevendust
Pillar
Rammstein
Blowsight
Psychostick (because the Fins aren't the only insane ones)
Seether
Mudvayne
Three Days Grace
Blink-182
Sum 41

and too many others to remember. Please don't ask me to put them in order. Please.

One thing you will likely never catch me doing in company, is singing. I was once told I have a singing voice like two dying bullfrogs in a thunderstorm raining sharkskin. It makes no sense, but sounds awful anyway.

Food - I do like my food. Not in an "I'll eat anything and everything" way, but in an appreciative way. I like cooking, and I like eating. Red meat will be the end of me one day, but I quite honestly couldn't care less. Pop me in my coffin with a medium rare steak and some peppercorn sauce, and I'll be happy. Oh, and fish. I love fishing, and I love fish.

My current favourite meal: Venison pie with mash.

In no particular order:

1)My slowly dying, collapsing bookcase and the content of said bookcase.

2) Friends and family.

3) My computer, and it's internet connection. Not having it is like missing my right arm.
R.I.P laptop fan.

4) My bike. I need it for work, and keeps me fit for another thing. Plus, there are few things in life as enjoyable as passing the idiot who nearly ran you down in the road while he has to wait for the tractor in front of him. You know who you are.

5) Music. While I play no instruments, music entertains me greatly.

6) Good conversation, because nothing beats human company.

Where my next book is coming from, and how I afford it. It would probably be cheaper to take up heroine. I actually buy three books a month, minimum, and not small ones either.

How much I would like another job, and the best way to get into the Police force, however long it takes.

Sat in front of this computer, probably adjusting bits of my OKcupid profile until it's just right (for this week anyway). Finding myself shocked that I listened to the Cupid and completed my profile, for no rewards.

Honestly, I don't have a typical Friday night. Or a typical night of any day of the week for that matter. The closest I get to anything regular is a film and dinner on some wedensday nights with friends. Got to love Orange Wedensdays.

I like salt popcorn. I'm told this is an example of all that is wrong with this world, but dammit it tastes good. Even if it does make me thirsty.

Also, I'm dyspraxic. It's like dyslexia's little cousin; I get all of the lovely spelling problems and such, with the added clumsiness of dyspraxia. It's something I've worked at all my life to get past and improve on, and I can quite happily say I've come a long, long way. And quite frankly, anyone who turns their nose up at that at all can kindly crawl back under their rock. The world does not need you.

You somehow struggled through that profile.
Or, if you want to really! It's always good to hear from other people here. Unless you wink. Then, my friend, you should just not have bothered.