I'm a generally happy person, and something of an optimistic cynic somehow. I tend to see the good in people, even most of the assholes, and I'm annoyed by people who always look for and see the worst.

I love traveling. I used to have a job on a research ship which took me to all seven continents. To my surprise, I found that there are Irish pubs on every one.

I can be equally happy out for a noisy night on the town or sitting on the porch reading a book. I like the outdoors, and I enjoy hiking in the greenbelts, or climbing mountains in Tasmania, but I spend far too much time on these damned computers and forget to do that stuff.

I like reading, watching movies, playing computer games, spending time with friends (especially weird ones -- hmmm. that might be all of them), traveling, fixing up my old house, driving with the top down around the lake, good food and drinks, renaissance festivals, and lots of other, frequently contradictory, things.

I like that the US is having an artisanal renaissance, and especially that Austin is so big on it. Quality food, beer, and coffee is making a comeback. Woot! I sometimes pretend I'm an artisan and make my own beer, soap, whatever. I recently started roasting my own coffee for fun, savings, and the satisfaction of making something myself.

I generally do boring-ish things with computers to pay the bills, though for the last several months I've been doing those boring-ish things for a computer game company, which makes it a little more fun.

I go out with friends to see shows. I cook and have friends over for movies. I geek out on the computer.

I just did a 2500 mile road trip through some of the ugliest parts of the country to help a friend move from Austin to Seattle. My friends seem to be in the Austin to Seattle phase of that migration pattern, and they're trying to get me to rejoin the herd.

I have no plan for world domination.

Computer stuff, cooking, listening/providing support (hmmm, I guess that goes without saying for the Boy Next Door), giving backrubs, remaining perfectly calm no matter what the hell is happening around me, making unexpected smartass comments, making people spray drinks through their noses with the aforementioned comments. Not getting new pictures taken of me for posting here; these two goofy ones are kind of stale (Hey, I finally posted a new one!). Communicating in foreign languages I hardly know when I've been drinking. I'm a decent bowler, but I'm not *really* good at it. Using "literally" to mean literally, rather than figuratively.

It's hard for me to say because I've never actually noticed anything about me first, and I don't think anyone has ever told me what they notice first. I guess I should ask someone. It would probably surprise me.

Books: I read more science fiction and fantasy than anything else, but I'm also a history and science buff. I vary from reading very little to being voracious.

TV: I haven't watched much for the past few years, but I tend to like BBC shows, especially Dr. Who, Torchwood, Coupling, and Monty Python. Some favorite American shows from over the years are Northern Exposure, M*A*S*H, X Files, Nova, Twin Peaks, Firefly, Firefly, and Firefly. Thanks to NetFlix streaming, I can add Arrested Development and Dead Like Me. I'm glad I'm an atheist, otherwise I'd be sure of going to hell for loving Archer as much as I do; that show is soooooo wrong.

Movies: The Lord of the Rings (I'd be kicked out of the geek's union if I didn't say it, and it's true, anyway.) I loved the Kill Bills. I have a long list of dearly loved movies from over the years, including of course, The Princess Bride. I'm a sucker for Bond flicks. I like horror, action, weird artsy foreign films, and even, occasionally, chick flicks. I can be convinced to see pretty much anything they play at the Alamo Drafthouse.

Music: I love all kinds of music, except for rap/hip hop and stupid pop songs. I regularly listen to punk, metal, classical, country, blues, rock, big band, jazz, and all kinds of things. The band most likely to make me pause in what I'm doing and turn up the radio seems to be Morphine. I can't wait for Bleach (the three kickass girls from Okinawa, not the lame-sounding other bands by that name)to return to Austin. Bad news on that last one. I just read on the net that Bleach03 broke up last year. :-( Good news, I guess, is that I've added some rap to the mix, thanks to MC Frontalot coming to town. Somehow I relate better to nerdity than I do to misogyny, urban gunplay, and heavy drug use. Who knew?

http://www.last.fm/user/dubiousdave

Food: Yes, please. I love food. One of the best parts about traveling is trying new food. I don't have a favorite kind. It just depends on the mood I'm in at any given time. Sushi, Chinese, Mexican, Italian, French, Cambodian, Vietnamese, Indonesian, German, Indian, Persian, Moroccan, Ethiopian, etc. Damn! I'm getting hungry just writing this. It doesn't have to be exotic or fancy, though; not a week goes by that I don't get a craving for a good burger.

rutabagas

Recently, I guess I've spent time thinking about what I want out of life and about how it's been far too long since I took a real vacation.

I've also been thinking about how some people manage to score 9% compatibility with me or 60% enemy. What the hell do they do for fun, kick puppies? I just saw one that was 70% compatible, 4% friend. I don't think "compatible" means what they think it means.

Having a few drinks with friends at a pub/bar, watching a live music show, playing computer games, reading. Lately, it's been skewed too far in the games and movie-at-home direction. Most of my going-out-to-shows friends have moved or settled into domesticity.

I don't tend to blurt out things about myself, but I'm not especially secretive. I'm pretty open to answering questions. I suck at making first contact.

You want to go out for a coffee or a beer. You found out about the next amazing live appearance/movie pre-preview at the Drafthouse before everyone else and you want me to go with you before all those other jerks buy out the tickets. You just found out that your erstwhile traveling companion has contracted ebola, and you need someone to accompany you to Prague tomorrow (and you *didn't* contract ebola -- I hate long international flights when I have ebola).