I have a big kitchen and a big chef's knife, and I'm not afraid to use them.

I have a big smile and a bigger laugh, and I'm not afraid to use those either.

I like big words and big ideas

and bacon.

To earn my keep, I design lighting for buildings. I'll light a show or something random from time to time, but just for fun.

I go out of town or out on the town whenever I don't have a good reason to stay home. My main regret of a steady job is that I don't go on enough road trips, although the impending guilt of the resulting carbon emissions has somewhat curbed my desire (bike trips on the other hand...).

Meanwhile, I am trying to understand what it means to be good and be happy, so I can help propagate further goodness and happiness in the world.

Staying up late.

Improvising in the kitchen with whatever is on hand.

Explaining why fluorescent is not (necessarily) "bad" lighting.

Explaining why LEDs are not (necessarily) "good" lighting.

Describing the qualities of a good (or bad) wine.

Composing paint swatch poetry.

Calculating the tip.

My tall frame, red beard, and warm smile.

Food - If it's fresh ingredients and prepared well, I'm in. If I'm cooking at home, I'm very likely to add balsamic vinegar, garlic, curry, rice, a/o blue cheese into the mix. I occasionally get severe cravings for sushi, Thai green curry, Pho, jalapeño poppers, honey mustard pretzel bits, and coffee heath bar crunch ice cream. I cannot resist kettle corn, or anything else that plays on the salty-sweet dichotomy. This is hardly an inclusive list.

Books - Ann Patchett (Bel Conto); Molly Katzen (The Moosewood Cookbook); Neal Stephenson (The Big U); Malcolm Gladwell (Blink); Jon Krakauer (Into Thin Air; Under the Banner of Heaven); David Sedaris (everything); Tom Stoppard (Arcadia); Non Fiction - Wilderness, Cuisine, Kakaro; Guilty series - Harry Potter, The Ender Chronicles, The Wheel of Time (Robert Jordan recently - does that mean it will finally end?!)

Movies - (Writers) Aaron Sorkin, Charlie Kaufman, Alan Ball; (Directors) Christopher Nolan, Darren Aronofsky, Michel Gondry; (Actors) Ed Harris, Sam Rockwell, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Don Cheadle.

I've really enjoyed and watched multiple times: A Few Good Men, Dead Poet's Society, An American President, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Memento, Pi, The Big Labowski, American Beauty, Fight Club, Ocean's Eleven, Dr. Strangelove, Twelve Angry Men, and (in TV) Firefly, The West Wing, and Battlestar Gallactica/ In alternate forms of media, I'm a big fan of NPR, TED Talks, and Radio Lab.

I neurotically watch every trailer posted to Apple's website, and read the IMDB trivia for every movie I watch.

Music - Ani Difranco, Kris Delmhorst, Heather Combs Band, Regina Spektor, Peter Mulvey, Jay Nash, Gomez, Splashdown, Counting Crows, Green Day, Good Charlotte, Cake, The Be Good Tanyas. I don't spend a lot of time keeping up on the music scene, so I'm sure there are at least a few dozen musicians out there that would really make my day, if only someone introduced me.

A reason to laugh, An excuse to sing, A good kitchen with sharp knives and seasoned cast iron, A sturdy pair of shoes, Garlic, And a backpack to put it all in.

Numbers and patterns

Enjoying good food, good company, or, hopefully, both.

There is a mole on my inner right thigh. I regret it doesn't have any magical powers.

You are inquisitive, active, intelligent, and grounded. Goof balls welcome.