I'm a geek, slightly messy, with entirely too many computers, not enough books, and a big comfortable bed. And I might even have a sense of humour, if you look hard enough.

See, I have a caring side too, even if you sometimes have to drag me away from the keyboard to find it. I even manage not to be completely useless in the kitchen.

Oh, and the scarred bit? That's my chin after a cycling accident. I take more care of my brakes now. (Also known as: learning from my own mistakes.)

You don't have to know a byte from a nybble, or have the ability to frag n00bs, to get on with me. I only ask for common sense - which occasionally seems to be rather uncommon. I might not even mind if you drag me outdoors occasionally!

I don't usually say much - but when I do say something, it's usually worth listening to. I prefer to let other people deal with the obvious things, and consider at a deeper level myself. I also prefer to show, not tell, just like a good storyteller.

Unless, of course, I'm tired and start rambling. If I'm talking about railway locomotives or unusual engine designs or computers, and I haven't noticed that you're bored out of your skull, that's usually because I'm stuck making small talk when I'd rather be in bed, and therefore my brain has gone on autopilot. I'm not exactly a party animal! :-)

I am quirky, thoughtful, and scarred

Though I'm British, I live in Finland because this is so much nicer than the South-East of England, which is where I would have had to move to make a decent living.

I like it here enough that I think I'll stay. :-) Now, if only there was a proper winter this year.

I like to think that I could be a self-made man. But behind every successful man, as they say, is a good woman...

Computers. I can build them. I can make them do tricks. I could even design one from scratch - starting with a big pile of copper wire and some minions to turn it into relays - if I had to. Not many people can say that. This probably explains why I avoid Microsoft products whenever possible.

Boating. I can sail, row, paddle, or drive just about anything up to 40 feet long - ah, that's about 10 metres or so. But in Finland, this is probably par for the course. :-)

Maths. Not necessarily *pure* maths, but the applied stuff is right up my alley. Given time, I can do square roots in my head.

Learning New Things. I've been known to become basically competent at things in half an hour which take most people a week or more.

Explaining Difficult Concepts. But only to people who are prepared to listen and learn. My mother, for example, is not. (Beware the M-I-L from hell!)

I'm mechanically capable enough to assemble IKEA furniture reliably - even the ones that say they need two people to handle safely. My computer desk needed two people to turn it over *after* assembly - and that's when I left it in two halves for the purpose!

Navigation. I rarely get completely lost, and even then I can find my way back to familiar ground again. I know how to use a map and compass, even though GPS is sometimes easier. In an emergency, I might even ask for directions!

My hair. It's long enough (and my figure is/was slim enough) that I have, once or twice, been mistaken for a woman when seen from the wrong angle. This impression is rapidly corrected when I show my face or say anything!

Sometimes, first contact is on the phone, and people then automatically add a decade or two to my real age, because I sound extra mature in that context. I've been mistaken for my own father more than once on the phone - especially as we have the same first initial.

Or they might notice that my grubby mitts are on the controls of their badly-setup stereo, trying to correct the most egregious problems as best I can. Fortunately this doesn't happen too often, but I do value my ears!

I read Rowling, Pratchett, Pullman, Clarke, Asimov, Garner... and if you recognise *all* of those names, you're doing well. (If you don't, I won't mind enlightening you.) I also read technical manuals - for fun.

I won't listen to anything of the type that usually occupies the Top 40, or anything that involves more screaming than melody. Beyond that, it's pretty much fair game.

Unfortunately, film adaptations of good books usually do an injustice to the books. There are rare and notable exceptions, however - LOTR being among them. (Did I mention I've worked out a mode of Tengwar for efficiently writing Finnish?) While we're on the subject, please keep the slasher flicks out of my sight, or I'll be forced to cower in the other room with my fingers in my ears.

I often eat Italian, or - if I can find good sources - Chinese. I have to avoid anything with chilli in (ouch), and try to avoid mushrooms and the more "robust" vegetables (besides, spinach is no better for you than any other random veggie). I like chocolate as much as the next person, but I'm afraid salmiakki and mämmi are for novelty only.

Er... does it count if I put six different computers? I really would start building one from scratch if I was on a desert island - provided it had a copper mine, anyway.

More seriously, I need my sleep. Which is a problem when I often forget to go to bed in good time. Perhaps I need some encouragement/bribes. Or I should just become a night owl.

I also need a certain degree of freedom. No, I'm not going to cheat on anyone - I just need my decisions, desires and needs respected to a normal extent. In the past, that has sometimes been lacking.

The Internet, or something very like it. I find I can put up with pretty low speeds - 4800bps at one point - provided it works.

A cosy place to relax. Bed is good. A really nice chair is also good - I have one of those too. Anywhere can be enhanced by a pair of, shall we say, ergonomically warmed pillows...

Mental stimulation. I'm constantly solving the world's problems (or just little curiosities) in my head. I have even been known to resort to cube roots on occasion. The one computer game that I pay a subscription for is known for it's strategic depth.

Computers. Sorry, can't help that. :-)

Other engineering (or at least pseudo-engineering) solutions to the world's problems. Elegant solutions are usually possible, though making them happen is quite another matter!

Sex. Well, I'm a healthy young man who isn't getting any - what do you expect? Don't worry, I can behave myself - if you want me to, that is.

...in front of the computer playing EVE Online. Which I'm also quite good at.

I'm not especially tall, but my hands and feet are a little on the large side - particularly in the wide dimension. You know what they say...

...you find yourself in need of a tactile experience, a meeting of minds, a mug of coffee and some chocolate - all in that nice big bed of mine. Now of course this might lead to me needing to tighten the bolts on the frame... where's that Allen key?

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