I'm horrible at self-summary.

I suppose I'm a quiet sort of guy until you get to know me. I continue to be fascinated by the world around me and love to find out new things. And I mean constantly; my greatest joy in life is learning. I'm fiercely loyal and will cut off my nose to spite my face if my friends are involved. Although I can enjoy a deep philosophical discussion as much as the next man, I get the most happiness out of simple things shared with great people. I'm not at all religious, but I believe in humanity, if that makes any sense.

I love art, especially in public. I think the best art is ephemeral, and has to be captured as it happens, as a performance. The whackier and more surreal, the better. I want to live in a world where anything can happen, and if we have to make that world, so be it.

I hate that almost every sentence in this section starts with "I."

Kind of a weird story: I graduated with a History degree and went on to grad school, but neither grad school life nor the post-graduate history career path were really for me. So, I dropped out and really kind of fell ass-backward into cooking, which I have become very passionate about. I want to end up a chef someday, but without a culinary degree, the path is somewhat harder. So, for now, I'm working hard as a cook in a moderately-upscale restaurant in Shadyside.

I'm also thinking of taking up busking, just because I miss performing music that much. Hopefully everybody will appreciate the "art is life"ness of it enough to not notice that I can't sing.

..being humble.

Really, though, I am good at cooking, as well as at being a professional cook, which is not at all the same thing.

I've been told I'm really good at active listening and being supportive. I don't know about all that, but I do seem to be good at being a confidant.

If this section were titled "I'm not really good at but really, really enjoy," I'd be able to put playing music here. I'm under no illusions about my ability, but I did teach myself guitar, bass, drums, and piano (in progress), and I LOVE playing.

Now this is one that's just impossible to answer about yourself, right?

I've been told I look a little intimidating, owing to being a little tall and broad-framed. (Man, it's hard to find a way to say that without sounding like I'm fat and trying to lie about it. Basically, I'm a big guy who's not overweight, I suppose.) I've also been told I look really serious, whatever that means. Perhaps paradoxically, I have a quite loud and distinctive laugh; I've been identified from a block away and around a corner on that basis alone.

I have a few tattoos on my left arm that I hope someday to turn into a sleeve. The one people ask about in bars is my home state's motto in Latin.

So I find I edit this section pretty much every time I'm online. As a result, nothing's in any particular order. Also, these lists are much abridged and could probably go on forever. And, while I appreciate being able to talk about a shared interest in a band or an author or something, I do think some people tend to judge others on their artistic tastes much too readily. I figure I'll never judge someone on what they're passionate about, as long as they're passionate about something, and they can make me understand why.

That said, I do get really passionate about my favorite bands. I've got two band-inspired tattoos so far, and I'm planning more. But I'll also listen to shitty radio pop as long as it's shitty in a fun way.

A) The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay-Michael Chabon, The Yiddish Policemen's Union-Michael Chabon, Kitchen Confidential-Anthony Bourdain, Sex, Drugs, and Coco Puffs-Chuck Klosterman, American Gods-Neil Gaiman, Good Omens-Neil Gaiman and Terry Prachett, Friday Night Lights-H.R. Bissinger, Lies My Teacher Told Me-James Loewen.

B) American Beauty, Citizen Kane, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Lost in Translation, Pulp Fiction, Requiem for a Dream, Casablanca, North by Northwest, Vertigo, It's a Wonderful Life, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Star Wars, Indiana Jones (although not really Temple of Doom so much), Back to the Future, Lord of the Rings.

C) The Beatles, Streetlight Manifesto, Dresden Dolls, Amanda Palmer, Rasputina, Flogging Molly, Bad Religion, Soundgarden, Bloc Party, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Nicole Atkins, Regina Spektor, Mindless Self Indulgence, Neutral Milk Hotel, Tegan and Sara, Children of Bodom. Slayer's Reign in Blood album might be the most badass thing ever created. I might be getting into Donora -- the jury's still out.

D) This is probably the hardest list to pare down. I love a lot of French food, especially cassoulet, foie gras, and duck confit. Cornbread makes me way happy, as does my mother's chicken and dumplings. Pasta always puts a smile on my face, as does risotto (Although, I make a LOT of risotto at my new job, and I fear I may start to hate it sooner or later.) Really, though, I love trying new food, and there isn't room on this page for the food I've loved.

You know, there isn't really anything I can say here without sounding twee and cliched. I'm officially protesting this question.

..too many things. Seriously, my mind doesn't stop. Not that what I'm thinking is profound or anything; it's not at all. It just doesn't stop.

..usually working. One of the occupational hazards of being a cook is that you tend to work when everybody else is playing, play when everybody else is sleeping, then sleep when everybody else is working. But I think the general gist of the question is along the lines of "What do you do for fun?" In answer to that one: I love trying new restaurants, and there's just no substitute for seeing movies in an honest-to-god theater. I'm pretty much always down for karaoke. Possibly to an embarassing degree. Otherwise, I tend to end up at either my bar or my coffeeshop. I love being a regular.

If I'm at home, I pretty much guarantee I'm reading something. And if you should happen into my bar or coffeeshop, there's a decent chance you'll catch me reading there as well.

I like musicals. Not in a "fabulous" kind of way. It's not my life or anything. But I do like musicals. I quote from them and sometimes even sing showtunes in the shower. I guess I'm not a burly, manly man.

..you want to. I know this is the place where you're supposed to list your turn-ons and turn-offs and whatnot, but, honestly, I'm all-for the idea of everyone in the world just saying "hi" to each other, so we can all figure out once-and-for-all who we do and don't like. Just an idea.

That said, if you smoke, drink, have interesting tattoos and/or piercings, and think there's nothing remotely embarassing about singing Rick Astley in a bar at one in the morning, you should probably message me. Especially if you play bass.