Preamble: Life changes quickly, and I embrace that. As such, summaries are only accurate for a little while. I'll do my best to keep changing this thing with new situations/plans whenever... you know... I feel like it.

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First of all, don't get the wrong impression from my pictures. I'm really not that serious. I spend 99% of my life happy, but I have that subconscious "I'm too cool to smile for the camera" guy-thing. I don't mean to, its just a trend I've noticed.

I can do an incredibly convincing baby voice. I taught it to myself when I was younger to entertain my younger sisters, and it's stuck with me. Women think it's adorable, guys insist I either stop or leave. Mad skills.

You'll learn more about me from my journal than my profile. It's a better snapshot of what goes on inside my head than this. Whereas this profile is the "What" of my life, the journal tends to be the "How" and the "Why".

"When he actually shaves his face, Mike looks like a buff aladdin!" -My youngest sister

I'm plotting (and getting in shape for) a tour across the country on... are you ready for this?... a bicycle. From the coast of Virginia to the coast of Washington, and then, if my body hasn't given out, across to Maine and back down to Maryland. Seems to me like that would be the best way to see the country and actually become a part of the small towns I bike through, rather than just pass through them in the air-conditioned bubble of a car. I'm in the preliminary scheming phase now, specific plans to follow.

I'm a project person, the type who will get completely devoted to one or two goals at a time, and wont let up until they've reached them.

CURRENT PROJECTS: Fitness/nutrition - Working out, tubs of protein powder, running over 80 miles each month (not all at once, mind you), crazy-health-nut eating habits, and a perpetual soreness. You have no idea how much fun it is till you've done it.

Recording Studio - After 4-5 years without one (read: "COLLEGE"), I finally have the space and resources to piece together a full fledged recording studio again. It lets me play each instrument in a song seperately and put em all together. A bona fide one man band, really. Keep an eye out on the myspace for the latest compositions. I'm going some crazy directions with this stuff, and hoping it turns out as well as I hear it in my head.

Wake up, office job, work out, sleep, rinse and repeat. Workin as an IT guy, though long term I wanna get into graphic arts. Lifting weights. Making music. Laughing at the antics of my dog and two cats. Making sure the people around me are smiling and content. You know... the usual.

Anything I feel like I should be good at.

That I'm a big fella. 6'2", ~200lbs, built like a linebacker. I was a bouncer for awhile, if that gives you a better picture. Second thing they notice is that inside the generally intimidating linebacker/bouncer frame is a silly, compassionate, animal <3'ing dork. Don't tell the guys at the gym...

(a)Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (the series), A Prayer for Owen Meany, Ender's Game, Angels and Demons, or any book of Neruda's poetry. (b)Shaun of the Dead, George of the Jungle, Big Fish, Forrest Gump, any Monty Python, and any Mystery Science Theater 3000 I can get my hands on. (c)Too long to list here. If I had to pick a fave from each category I enjoy: Breaking Benjamin, Reel Big Fish, Guster, Billy Joel, Disturbed, George Winston, John Mayer, etc etc etc.

My acoustic guitar, my piano, my saxophone, my bass, my drum set, and my voice.

People in general. Where they're coming from, where they're going, what they're doing. We tend to feel like our life stories are more dramatic and more involved than everybody elses, but in reality everyone has the same level of problems and tragedies to work through. Only by understanding this and helping each other through are any of us gonna make it through life smiling.

too deep for a silly self summary? heh. my bad...

Playing guitar and singing my heart out in an undisclosed outdoor location. Beating you at air hockey. Beating you at pool. Plotting. Running till I literally collapse. Dreaming up new adventures. Conversing philosophically about things that really don't matter. Drinking Guinness with the guys. Seeing movies with a girl.

I took away the link to my music on myspace due to some... interesting... visitors. Back to having to ask me for it. Instead, I'll offer this embarassing tidbit: I strongly believe that John Mayer is one of the best songwriter/lyricists ever. On the level of a Dylan or a McCartney.

... no, seriously...

EDIT: I hate being negative, but here are a few general "You Should NOT Message Me If"s.

1) You're a larger woman who posts a pic of her face, and then a cleavage close-up. HUGE pet peeve of mine. If your body type isn't your strongest quality, that's fine, but dont go waving those things at me because you're insecure.

2) You're guilty of generic messages. "Hi." is not a conversation starter. Therefore, if thats all you can come up with, dont expect a conversation.

3) You think that the most important thing to tell me about yourself is your tally of piercings and tatts. I got nothing against em, but if thats what makes you YOU, i'm not interested.

As long as you don't fit into one of those categories, message away. Mike + Conversation = Joy. That's just science, and ya can't argue science.