i've got nebraska roots, but consider myself more of a californian at heart. i went to usc for college and grad school and have an undying love for all things trojan. after school i switched coasts and spent a couple of years in nyc before jumping ship completely and moving to south africa. i've been in chicago for a couple of years now, but i still feel a bit like a newbie at times and am always looking for new places to explore.

i love to get outside and desperately miss the summer. when it's warm out on any given day you might find me playing volleyball at north ave beach, running along the lake, playing golf or tennis, rock climbing, going to a streetfest or at an outdoor concert. now that the winter is upon us i'm mostly wishing chicago had some mountains to snowboard down, living in complete denial about how cold it really is, and searching for cool new things to try out. oh, and eating. i *love* food. i like to take pictures of stuff and took a few pottery classes after i moved here, so if you want a shoddy looking bowl or an ugly mug to impress your friends, i'm your guy.

i picked up the travel bug after college and have been doing my best to see the world since. the next place on my list is south america, so if you've hiked the inca trail or have any recommendations for the area i'd be keen to hear about it. or, if you think you've got a better idea of where i should go, let me hear it.

making pancakes. i'm on a quest to find the perfect flapjack.

if it's movember that would likely be the giant mustache taking over my face. it's all for a good cause though...

reading for me goes in streaks. if i get into a book i have to finish it immediately, then sometimes take weeks or even months off between reads. if it's not that interesting i'll just get stuck in the middle and never finish, but always feel weird about starting a new one before it's done. favorites include david sedaris, nick hornby, and the harry potter series. recently finished the hunger games, which was good, but i'll take ender's game over it any day.

too many movies to choose from. i like comedy and action/adventure flicks and anything pixar. cheesy teenage comedies are also a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine. some favorites include the princess bride, the shawshank redemption, definitely maybe, braveheart, iron man, and the lord of the rings series. i have a bit of a man crush on ryan reynolds and an actual crush on isla fisher, and i could watch the scene in forgetting sarah marshall where he sings the vampire song over and over.

i don't watch much tv, other than sports (college football and any playoffs) and netflix so i'm not up to date on anything. i like archer, himym, the league, 30 rock, scrubs, arrested development, bones, breaking bad and the wire.

i love music, especially live. i'm big on indie rock and old school hip hop but will gladly go to a blues or jazz show. current favorites include florence + the machine, bon iver, the national, frightened rabbit, mountain goats, the magnetic fields, radiohead, lykke li, mumford & sons, the black keys, the civil wars. also, kanye may be a douchebag but his latest album was fantastic.

food... yes, please (but hold the mayo... that stuff is disgusting).

why groupon is convinced that i am really a narcissistic woman in disguise. no groupon, i do not need a brazilian wax, liposuction treatment, and heavenly massage combo pack. thank you though, that's very thoughtful of you.

i *hate* shaving. every time i do i feel like i am secretly being punished. i'm sorry world... whatever i did to offend you, i apologize. just don't take it out on my face.

i'm a terrible singer, but i will probably do it around you anyway... just not at karaoke. my sadism has it's limits.

you know a cool restaurant, bar, or area of the city to check out.
you've got an extra ticket for concert you're dying to see.
you want a running, tennis, or golf partner.
you have a large sum of money that you need help getting out of nigeria.