I'm originally from Kansas, but somehow I came to love all sorts of things that are somewhat lacking back home--like mountains, beaches, and progressive politics.

As a disclaimer: I'm kind of a huge nerd, and the only way that has changed in the last 20 years is that I mentally map out the political resources in Game of Thrones instead of just getting a huge kick out of Ewoks.

Trying to have as good of times as possible with as good of people as possible. Advocating for better environmental policy. Working on elections, most recently bouncing all over Colorado in 2012. Ideally, I'd like to be exploring and traveling more than I do, but the whole trying-to-bring-down-big-oil thing does get in the way.

Climbing trees, playing devil's advocate, getting people together, making chili, running and diving unnecessarily to catch frisbees, making obscure references, and being a smart ass. Hopefully I'm pretty good at walking, because I just signed up to hike 62 miles in a day... we'll see how that goes.

That I look a bit like either a huge leprechaun or a tiny Paul Bunyan, depending on your point of view.

Books: Still Life with Woodpecker, Ender's Game, Game of Thrones, Antony and Cleopatra.

Movies: Put Bill Murray in it and we'll call it good. (Partially just because there's a good chance that Wes Anderson directed it.) I'm also probably a fan if it involves the apocalypse, Harrison Ford, and/or robots. Keep Shia LaBeouf out.

Shows: Arrested Development, Community, Archer, West Wing, Sherlock, Planet Earth, Firefly.

Music: I was a radio DJ in college and I cast a pretty wide net, but for these purposes let's stick with Andrew Bird, The Black Keys, The Dirty Projectors, Metric, and the New Pornographers.

Food: All of it. Really. Man, food is great.

A hyperactive imagination, sunlight, semi-regular interaction with dogs, good friends, good bourbon and good coffee.

Communities, gender binaries, global warming, political will, Super Mario as existentialist hero, sandwiches.

Grilling on a porch with somewhere between three and thirty friends, or biking around the city seeking out rooftop bars.

When I get "Call Me Maybe" stuck in my head, I'm actually pretty okay with it.

If you're outdoorsy, nerdy, trying to figure out how to save the world, or all of the above.

If you have anything you get irrationally excited about and feel like talking about it.

If you have moxie. But then again if you do, you don't need me to tell you why to message me, you're probably just gonna do it, and I think that's pretty cool.