Issuing supreme power to you...one moment.

My self-summary Propose an edit

I have fairly simple tastes in most things, and am uncomplicated almost to a fault. I am kind and generous, and will go a long way out of my way to help my friends (I often volunteer to help people move, or to drive hours to take friends to/from the airport). I am incredibly patient, and almost never loose my temper.

I spend most of my free time hanging out with friends, which often involves movies or board games. I also like walking along the Santa Cruz boardwalk, and hiking up in the redwoods. When by myself, I read, study, and explore, and sometimes just play computer games. I haven't turned on my tv in months, but am happy to be a couch potato with other people.

I have a quick wit (when it's functioning properly), and I can be very goofy, but I can also be a little shy, and so it may be awhile before you're subjected to my really silly side.

What I'm doing with my life Propose an edit

After 9 years out in the real world, I've returned to the safe womb of academia, and am working on my 2nd Ph.D. What does this say about me?
"Wait, you did this once, and you've gone back for more? You must be a masochist!"
"Living on a grad student's salary? You must like starving!"
"Back in school at your age? Why don't you grow up and get a real job!"

Hmmm... those are all good points. Well, I actually *like* school, and like learning new things. And since eventually I want to teach, 2 Ph.D.s have got to be better than one, right? As for starving, I still work part time at my old job, and so am actually doing just fine, financially speaking. As for growing up... um...
nyah, nyah, can't make me!

I'm really good at Propose an edit

Math, writing code, logic puzzles, and geeky stuff like that
Teaching mathy stuff
Drawing (see my pictures for two examples). If you want to sit still for half an hour, I'll draw you too :-)
Identifying the work of dozens of comic book artists on sight
Memorizing John Denver lyrics

The first thing(s) people usually notice about me Propose an edit

Yeah, that would be the hair....

My favorite books, movies, music, and food Propose an edit

BOOKS:
I've recently enjoyed books by Tolkien, JK Rowling, Neil Gaiman, James Morrow, Robin Hobb, and Hunter S Thompson. Less recently, Douglas Adams, Neal Stephenson, Kurt Vonnegut, and even Margaret Mitchell. But when I think of "favorite books", I tend to think of....

COMIC BOOKS:
The Sandman, Strangers in Paradise, Bone, Cerebus, Transmetropolitan, Barry Ween, Usagi Yojimbo, Moonshadow
Anything by Donna Barr, Matt Howarth, Charles Vess, Phil Foglio, Alan Moore, Ursula Vernon

MOVIES:
Harold & Maude, Star Wars, Dances with Wolves, The Matrix, The Secret of NIMH, Lilo & Stitch, Brazil, Moulin Rouge!
In general, I love seeing stuff on the big screen. I think I've averaged 2 theater trips a week this summer, and am a regular at the Thursday flashback shows in downtown Santa Cruz

TV:
West Wing, Firefly, Babylon 5, Daily Show, South Park, Northern Exposure

MUSIC:
John Denver, Gordon Lightfoot, Tori Amos, Sarah McLachlan, Neil Young, Paul Simon & Garfunkel, Emmylou Harris, The Beatles, Stevie Nicks, Cat Stevens, 10000 Maniacs, Joni Mitchell, just as examples. The last 3 live shows I saw were John Gorka, The Austin Lounge Lizards, and Robert Plant & Alison Krauss.

FOOD:
My favorite SC place is probably Malabar (vegetarian Asian fusion?), followed by Betty Burgers. Also fond of Avanti, O'Mei, Saturn. I don't really have a "favorite food", and I'm not a picky eater. I eat vegan food and hamburgers on a fairly regular basis, that is to say, I'm very flexible. I'm not much of a cook, but I like helping in the kitchen. Also, I do dishes :-)
Oh, and "hot fudge sundaes"... it would be wrong not to mention "hot fudge sundaes".

EDITORS

• BettyBaker

The six things I could never do without Propose an edit

Friends: I spend so much time with them already, and yet don't ever seem to have quite enough time....

Family: My folks are great people, and I wish I got to see them more often.

Nature: Not just for that good "oxygen" stuff it provides. While I've lived in cities my whole life, I've always been happier when I'm away from them, and the more remote, the better.

My Computer: Amazing how attached to the stupid thing I've become...

My Brain: Not just the obvious parts that control the autonomic nervous system... my problem solving skills are my bread and butter. Without them, I don't know what I'd do for a living, and I don't know where I'd find a career that I'd actually enjoy.

My Car: Well, okay, I could *probably* adapt... but I'm from L.A., and just don't understand this "public transportation" thing.

If, on the other hand, "things" means "possesions"... well, I have too much crap, but my computer is the only thing I can think of whose absence would have a significant impact on my life.

I spend a lot of time thinking about Propose an edit

Witty stuff to put in my profile

Oh, also, art, politics, the meaning of life, the nature of reality, and why those bastards at Fox canceled Firefly.

On a typical Friday night I am Propose an edit

About the same as any other night... maybe at home, maybe with friends. The nice thing about a grad student's schedule is that it's very flexible, and "weekends" are a lot more loosely defined.

The most private thing I'm willing to admit here Propose an edit

I think McDonalds hamburgers are tasty.

You should message me if Propose an edit

you want to.

I assume this is the box where I fill in what I'm looking for in a partner/friend. That's a little tricky, because I've dated or been attracted to artists, scientists, actors, geeks, athletes, couch potatoes, introverts, extroverts, and women of many sizes, shapes, and ethnicities. Also, when answering all those OkCupid questions, I found that I was answering most of the "How would your Ideal Match answer this question?" as "irrelevant". The only things I feel I really care about are that someone is open-minded, thoughtful, and respectful of differences in others. I don't have too many preconceived notions of what a parter or my next relationship should be. But here are a few more thoughts, all the same...

I would prefer someone who is at least a little geeky (i.e. enjoys or is willing to experiment with one or more of: comic books; board games; computer games; sc-fi / fantasy books, movies or tv), but one girlfriend was an artist and basically failed on all these points (and we lasted 2 years :-) I would prefer someone intelligent enough for college, although I don't actually care about the piece of paper. And I would prefer someone who isn't *too* mature, and doesn't take themselves too seriously (this has nothing to do with age).

I wouldn't date someone who I wouldn't otherwise want as a close friend, but my friends come in too great a variety for me to try to impose restrictions on what they are. People are fascinating, and I'd rather try someone and fail than impose limitations on what might be possible.

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