Lots of things about me might seem contradictory. I'm both quiet and outgoing, childlike and mature, an intellectual and empathic, a gentleman and a rogue, the magician and the fool.

I'm a physics grad and professional computer geek who's more passionate about trees than processors. So several years back I moved out of the San Francisco area suburbs and into my own little paradise outside Seattle. It's a wooded horse ranch under mountains and open sky. I love it. I'm working on replanting the forest that was once used to graze cattle. The local deer and elk like it enough to have moved in now. It's a magical place, not just because of the physical beauty, but because of the friends who have gathered around it.

I'm strongly polyamorous. I believe that people are not property and kisses are not contracts. I'm currently basically single and dating, with a few play partners. I'm open to new connections in whatever form they take. Note that being poly does not mean I'll date (or sleep with) anybody. Actually, it means I'm rather picky, and am looking for wonderful people that bring something unique and different from what I already have.

I consider myself to be a very spiritual person, though I'm a member of no particular religion. I follow my own path, with leanings towards taosim and some ties to the local pagan community.

I wear jeans and a t-shirt most days, but I adore getting dressed up to go out dancing or to a party. Though I don't mean putting on a tie (never touch the things) - my idea of dressing up is flamboyantly gothic, or perhaps medieval. Modern men's clothing is ridiculously dull. Women get lots of fun choices, men not so much. I don't care, I'll wear ruffles or mesh and swashbuckler boots.

My motto is "Anything for a weird life."

And I was raised by cats.

I quit my job breaking software for a big company after staying in one position for eight years. I'm looking for a new job breaking things, preferably for a fun startup. In the meantime I'm enjoying myself, having adventures, roaming outside, and playing with my nephew. My work never defined me - what I'm really doing with my life is building a community of very cool freaks, enjoying the hell out of life, learning, loving, playing, helping people, creating worlds and stories in my head, listening to the universe, and being amused by the world.

If my life were written as a novel, I imagine most people would think it was an unrealistic piece of fiction. This suits me just fine.

My passions include dancing, listening, planting trees, telling stories, building communities, skiing, discussing history, building stuff with legos, giving backrubs, running roleplaying games, and of course passion.

I love intelligent conversations on any topic, from how the black plague revitalized Europe, to the physics of neutron stars, to superheroes as modern mythology.

My hair. I also get comments on my deep blue eyes, and I've also been told people notice my energy. Many people notice me first on the dancefloor - I make a glorious fool out of myself when dancing, but people seem to enjoy watching it.

This is as good a place as any to mention that I volunteer as a submissions editor for a Science Fiction Short Story Podcast called Escape Pod. So I spend a fair amount of time reading unpublished works. Most of which deserve to be unpublished, but it's worth it to find the few awesome stories and help bring them to the world.

Actually Published Books: Among my favorites are Cat's Cradle, Dune, Lord of the Rings, A Game of Thrones, Alice in Wonderland, Time Enough for Love and The Tao of Pooh. Recently Read: World War Z. Currently Reading: The Fault in Our Stars (why yes, I am a nerdfighter). I also read lots of comics and graphic novels.

Movies: Lion in Winter, V for Vendetta, LotR, Princess Bride, Finding Neverland, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Howl's Moving Castle, and many more.

Music: Enigma, Dead Can Dance, Oingo Boingo, goth, industrial, celtic, techno, blues...

Foods: Thai and Indian - but just about anything, really. I'm a decent cook - mostly experimenting rather than following recipes.

Reading, dancing, snuggling, forests, intelligent conversation, dihydrogen monoxide

I think a lot about people and relationships. People are the most complex and interesting things on the planet, and there's always plenty to learn. And since I don't accept our culture's default ways of running relationships, those are a constant process of experimentation and communication. And more communication. That's how poly works well - when everyone can openly share their hopes and fears, rational or not. I have a few default rules, such as demanding absolute honesty, and "never ask a question if you won't accept no for an answer".

I also ponder what the next plot twist for my roleplaying game should be, and about current news and politics, and meditate on my forest.

Mostly I'm just amused by the world around me.

Maybe cooking dinner for my housemates and watching a movie. Or out on a date, or gaming with friends, or out blues dancing, or night skiing, or partying with the NSPP, or at science fiction convention, or maybe I'm throwing a party at the ranch. Sometimes just relaxing at home with my kitty Caliban and the ranch's other cats and humans, probably a book, and possibly a soak in the hot tub.

Thursday nights I'm usually found at the wetspot (Seattle's sex-positive community center) for the Grind dance night. And I might be hurting someone beautifully.

Let's play a game. Three of these statements about me me are lies. The rest are actually true. Guess which ones. Email me your answers and I'll tell you which ones are really true, and maybe the stories behind them.

1. I have played a christian surfer in a movie
2. I was once arrested at Disneyland
3. I have had a pet fruitbat
4. I am considered a saint in at least one religion
5. I have officiated at an illegal lesbian wedding
6. I have been a guest of a Worldcon speaking about SETI
7. I have been published in Analog Science Fiction Magazine
8. I've been quoted during a session of the U.S. congress
9. I've been quoted on the Animal Planet Network
10. I've been quoted in the OED under "geek"

You have an open mind and an adventurous spirit. And don't forget to be awesome.