I like roller coasters. I like game shows. I like the Dr. Demento Show. I like Yahoo's email service. I like soft serve ice cream. I like XTC (the band, not the drug) and other like-minded artists. I like Stargate SG-1 and other sci-fi. I like thunderstorms, but not if they interfere with me being able to ride roller coasters. I like obscure board games. I like checking new states off of my "have visited" list. I like vinyl records. I like pizza. I like spending quality time with friends in Elysburg, PA. I like air conditioning. I like my VCR. I like going to concerts where the audience neither must stand for an extended period of time to see the artist nor dress formally for the performance. I like Douglas Adams. I like bumper cars that really bump, carousels where you can still grab for the brass ring, and fried, greasy "arteries-be-damned" amusement park food. I like hybrid cars, though I can't afford to buy one (yet). I like lots of affection, given and received in equal measure. I like Letterman and Conan. I like arcades that have old (i.e. circa 1989 or older) video games...Zoo Keeper is the best, assuming I can ever find someplace that has it again. I like to be responsible for other peoples laughter. If you think you might like me, I'll probably like you, too!

Bouncing around from roller coaster to roller coaster hopeful I can pay off the credit card debt established as a result.

Making smart-assed remarks in my profile on personals sites. Then again, maybe not...can't think of one right now!

I have no idea, really. No one's ever told me and I've never asked. Online, I suspect it's my eloquent, sometimes angry, sometimes silly, and often verbose writing. In person, probably the fact that I'm overweight, that I'm dressed for maximum personal comfort (even if that means looking a bit slob-ish), or that I tend to be quiet and not very well-spoken unless I've had time to carefully consider my words. If any of this bothers you, tough. I'm me, accept me as I am or I really have no need for you.

Books: The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and nearly everything else written by Douglas Adams. The Incredible Scream Machine by Dr. Robert Cartmell. Favorite book I was forced to read in high school: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

Movies: UHF, Rollercoaster, Spaceballs, The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (even though the book and British six-part TV series are better), most Star Trek and Star Wars films, Contact, Being John Malkovich

Music: XTC, They Might be Giants, Moxy Fruvous, "Weird Al" Yankovic, (David) Yazbek, The Grays/Jason Falkner/Jon Brian/Jellyfish, Tom Lehrer, Ben Folds Five/Ben Folds solo, Dan Hart, Becky DiGregorio, John Forster, Squeeze, The Beatles (of course), Frank Zappa, Bonzo Dog Band, Mitch Friedman, Genesis, The Police, Brian Wilson's "Smile," Beach Boys "Pet Sounds," Dogs Die in Hot Cars, The Futureheads, Franz Ferdinand, R.E.M., DaVinci's Notebook, Fountains of Wayne, Peter Gabriel, Brian Stevens, Sean Altman, School for the Dead, Nines

Food: Pizza, chocolate chip pancakes, pizza, funnel cake, pizza, calzones, pizza, chocolate (of all kinds), pizza, and ice cream. Oh, almost forgot...pizza!

Television (this really should be in the subject heading, even though it isn't):

Shows currently in production - Stargate Atlantis, The Simpsons, Family Guy, Boston Legal, Jeopardy!, The Price is Right, The Office, Deal or No Deal, Mythbusters, How I Met Your Mother, Big Bang Theory, Heroes, 30 Rock, Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?, and Doctor Who.

Late night - Letterman and Conan O'Brien.

Frequently watched reruns or DVDs: Babylon 5, Red Dwarf, Wonderfalls, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Quantum Leap, Seven Days, and most "real" games shows on the Game Show Network when I have an opportunity to watch it (i.e. Match Game, Password, Card Sharks, etc. and NOT reality shows or things like Love Connection and Newlywed Game).

Cable TV, air conditioning, my favorite music and a way to play it, electricity (to power the previous three), traveling to amusement parks, and my closest friends. (We are assuming the basics, oxygen, food (per my needs)/water, clothes, and shelter are a given, correct?)

Whether or not I have a soulmate out there somewhere and if so, whether or not I'll have the good fortune to meet her. Where I'll be travelling next to ride roller coasters. Whether or not there's enough time left on my tape to record the TV shows I wanted to watch while I'm out. The current political climate in my country, where it seems they won't stop stomping on the Bill of Rights until they've exhumed and reanimated Tailgunner Joe. Ways to deter one of my best friends from discussing Big Brother, him knowing full well that I don't watch the stupid show.

In season, at an amusement park or at home so as to save cash for a future amusement park visit. Out of season, either at a movie, playing trivia, or at home (again, to save cash). There isn't a "typical" Friday, per se, but these are the best bets if you're planning to stalk me. You're not planning to stalk me, are you? You're better off just talking to me, instead. I don't bite...unless you want me to.

I've rewritten this section more than any other. Why? Because I'm not good at finding a key private thing to admit that's private enough to be thought provoking but not so private as to be "too much information." So to heck with it. If you want to know something private about me, just ask. Maybe I'll answer, maybe I won't. I tend to be a strange bird* in that I'm very forthcoming about things others might be very private about, but very tight-lipped about other things that the average person would volunteer readily. That's just one of the many quirks you'll have to put up with as you get to know me. :)

* = I'm also a strange bird in so much as I'm willing to use phrases like "I'm a strange bird." :P

Well, first off, be advised that I GREATLY prefer email to IMs. I like to carefully consider my responses and at least attempt to use proper grammar and spelling in said responses, so please email if you can. If you insist on IMing instead, be advised that I may not respond, and if I do, I take no responsibility for how messy and/or inappropriate my response may be. :)

That said, you should message me if:

You like roller coasters and/or amusement parks and want to try to make a new friend to go riding with.

You have anything significant and/or unusual in common with me and wish to discuss it.

You have the address and phone number of any pizza place with a coal-fired oven that I don't already know about.

You think you're my soulmate and want dame fortune to smile upon me.

You want to.