I am big hearted, easygoing, and fuzzy.
My Self-Summary
I was born and raised in New York City, which will always be "home"
to me. Because of that, I was raised with good manners, a love of
museums and concerts in the park, and a firm belief that if you're
going somewhere that's less than three miles away, you should walk
there. However, I've been in Buffalo for the past four years, and
have come to love it. I rarely make it two months without
traveling somewhere, and
am 3/5 of the way to reaching my goal of spending at least one
night in all 50 states. I sometimes talk too much or too fast, but
usually what I say is worth hearing.
What I’m doing with my life
I am a Graduate Student in Classics at SUNY Buffalo, just starting
my dissertation on Homeric epic. I should have my Ph.D in two
years. I get to read great Greek and Latin texts, teach them to
motivated college students, and spend time with brilliant and
passionate colleagues. In other words I'm very, very lucky.
I’m really good at
I'm pretty good at
cooking, but I'm a better sous chef. My
knife skills are solid, and I find cutting garlic and onions into
very tiny pieces cathartic.
I'm okay at
bowling. I usually throw in the
130s-150s, but I hit 200 once in a while.
I have become pretty skilled in
planning trips. Between the three
Classics conferences I hit every year, my annual vacation with my
brother, and the many (probably too many) last minute trips I take,
I am now a master priceline.com and amtrak.
The first things people usually notice about me
Something I've said, usually loudly
My favorite books, movies, music, and food
Books
I love Classical texts, particularly the Iliad and Odyssey, but I
tend to read murder mysteries when I'm reading for pleasure. I
particularly enjoy the writing of Jeph Loeb and Elmore Leonard.
I've also read Freakonomics a dozen times, and believe that Robert
Heinlen and Ray Bradbury are two of the greatest English language
writers in history.
Movies
While I appreciate the excellence of serious movies like Saving
Private Ryan, I prefer fun films. I've watched The Naked Gun and
Dr. Strangelove a thousand times, and I'll probably watch them a
thousand more. The Usual Suspects is amazing (particularly when you
watch it with someone who hasn't seen it yet), and Christopher
Guest can do no wrong.
TV
I own DVD sets of The Tick, Transformers, and X: Men the Animated
Series, and do not apologize for it. In terms of what is currently
on TV, I enjoy Chuck, the Daily Show, and Iron Chef.
Music
Mostly, I listen to rock Music (Radiohead, Beck, and the Matt Smith
Band are favorites). However, there's nothing quite like a great
orchestral work, particularly if it features a chorus (I was a
choir boy for 9 years).
Food
I love to eat Mediterranean, Indian and Thai food, but I prefer
cooking Mexican and Italian food. That said, I love getting the
chance to try something I've never eaten before, and I'll usually
go through the entire menu of a restaurant I like before I order
something twice.
The six things I could never do without
My awesome younger brother
My laptop (it has my entire life on it)
A proper kitchen knife
Giants games on Sundays
JStor
Good shoes for walking
I spend a lot of time thinking about
Old books
New recipes
Where I put my keys
On a typical Friday night I am
Fridays are usually a work night for me. For some reason, thesis
work goes by faster during the weekend. When I have the chance, I
like to go to game night with friends or catch a movie. I'm usually
traveling somewhere once a month, which means that there is 22.5%
chance that I'm spending Friday night frantically trying to make a
midnight bus, train, or plane.
The most private thing I’m willing to admit here
I released a tropical fish into the Louisiana Bayou, and three
months later read that someone in the bayou choked on a "rare" fish
of the same species and size. I think that makes me a butterfly
effect killer.
You should message me if
You want to say hi, or if I made an egregious typo and you're kind
enough to inform me of it.