I've been accused of being a shy extrovert, and I'm gradually beginning to believe these accusations. I'm often quiet and reserved but that tends to fade away when I'm engaged in good times with good friends.

On my own, I am open-minded, easy-going and I welcome suggestions for new activities. I've learned there's a lot to be gained from an eager willingness to make a fool of oneself by doing something new, even when you know it's going to end badly. (Conversely, I've also finally started to learn when I should listen to that little voice in the back of my head that says, "no, really, this is going to end BADLY".)

I enjoy hiking, and biking, and swimming, and waterskiing, and singing and acting and the fine art of conversations and run-on sentences and a variety of other things.

I'm very nearly finally finished my Master's degree in engineering. (New research is fun. Writing up old stuff isn't.)

In general, I'm also finding ways to get more fun out of life.

Currently, I'm spending my time biking around town (when weather permits), hiking on weekends, hanging out at movie or games or crafts nights with friends. I'm learning to crochet.

Puzzles. Problem-solving. Games (sometimes). Staying up late. Sleeping in. Knowing which way to go. Eating "the rest of that". Being willing to try something new.

Ok, I'll admit it: I'm awkward and often seem like I'm slightly out-of-phase with the rest of the world. A non-trivial part of this comes from my lack of understanding of what people are noticing about me.

My favourites books tend to be the major classics of sci-fi and fantasy, I suppose. At least, the ones that I've read; I should read more of them.

Movies? Oh, I'm not sure; Empire Strikes Back, Shawshank Redemption, ones written by Charlie Kaufman or directed by Wes Anderson.

My favourite TV shows include Lost, Futurama, Battlestar Galactica, Doctor Who, Arrested Development, Firefly, Flight of the Conchords, Wonderfalls, Pushing Daisies, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Venture Brothers, with a soft spot in a corner of my heart for Transformers.

I like music with nice melodies, and if there are lyrics, I like it when I can actually understand what the singer is saying (if it's in English). I enjoy classical (particularly the romantic period), movie scores (particularly those by John Williams), nerd-core hiphop (particularly MC Frontalot), funny stuff (like Flight of the Conchords), and a wide variety of what is considered classic popular music of the last half-century. I have a growing fondness for modern folk. And I'm sure there's many things from many other genres that I enjoy but can't recall at the moment.

For food, I like pasta and pizza and nachos and waffles and maple syrup and fish and tea and garlic and lemon and ice cream and cookies and chocolate and caramel and pecans and pie but probably not altogether at once. (But I'd be willing to give it a shot, in the name of science.)

While I do enjoy all the conveniences that modern technology provides, I'd like to think that if I were forced to I could readily adapt to their absence. That said,

And so, in no particular order, the things I really don't think I could do without:

Laughter.
Hope.
Love.
Stories.
Music.
Dreams.

... but a computer with internet access sure is handy.

What to do next. (Both on small and large scales.)

How to solve a problem.

Also, whether I realize it or not, there's almost always a song in my head, and if I'm in a good mood I'm probably humming it out loud without noticing.

Out with friends playing games or watching movies... or at home, unwinding to TV or a book.

I overuse words like "prudent" and "ostensibly".

My backpack is a giant man-purse full of unusually useful items. I'm like a clumsy, geeky Batman.

...you think I might be fun or interesting?