"A man should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently and die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."
Robert Heinlein

What he said.

And yes, my profile pic is crummy (actually, it's a fantastic picture...but this picture of a picture just isn't cutting it). I know...I'll fix it later... Message me if you want a slightly better but still crummy pic...

I have been fortunate to have led a very interesting life. I have worked as a baker, run a book store, worked for a University, the Feds, private corporations and non profits.

I tend to lean towards new experiences rather than doing the same old thing, and would rather drive than fly. I love finding little out of the way diners in small towns, with a waitress who calls everyone Sweety or Hon...

The allure of the road trip is not to be denied nor underestimated.

And yes, the food does taste better in places like these. I theorize that it is simply because the egg was in a chicken yesterday, and the biscuits were made from scratch that morning. You can always tell it is a great place to eat if they make their cinnamon rolls by hand, the night before.

"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving"
Albert Einstein

I read every day. All of the time. I try to learn not just from my own experiences, but from the wisdom of others.

"I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge. That myth is more potent than history. That dreams are more powerful than facts. That hope always triumphs over experience. That laughter is the only cure for grief. And I believe that love is stronger than death."
Robert Fulghum

And I try not to take life too terribly seriously.
"In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move."
Douglas Adams

Heck--In a hundred years, we will all be dead, so why spend so much time worrying about the little things.

What am I doing with my life? Well, surviving thus far. I strive to be a good person, help those in need, teach what I can when I can, juggle badly, and pet as many dogs as possible. And tummy rubs too. For the dogs, not for me. Perhaps I am crazy, but when a dog rolls over, and you scritch their belly, the world always seems a little better. Must be something magical in their fur.

I can do just about anything but work intelligently on cars. But you need a meal cooked, a diaper changed, or an invasion planned, I am your man.

I am fantastic at lifting heavy things, and getting stuff off of high shelves.

Oh. And I am not too shabby at scrabble if you ever want a quick game...

I have a devilish grin and a mischievous look in my eye. And I am kind of tall. And sometimes, if I am distracted, I can look pretty intense apparently.

I read voraciously. Ran a book store years ago, so I read anything. From classic Greek lit, to Shakespeare to Bradbury and Heinlein...Steven King, Laurie R. King, Vonnegut, Robbins, Mishima...whatever I am in the mood for. Oh. and ALWAYS Douglas Adams or Neil Gaiman.

As for movies, I am a mixed bag. Anything entertaining from Blade Runner or Brazil to Real Genius, Adam's Rib, Bringing up Baby, from classic Disney Animation to Ralph Bashki...I will watch just about anything, and only mock the truly silly stuff.

I try to go to at least a few shows every year down at the DCPA--The new rendition of Les Miz was quite well done, and I am looking forward to Evita.

Musically, I tend to lean towards 60-80 rock, but again, I will listen to anything good. Right now I have Colcannon fired up. Don't feel bad. You have never heard of them.

As for food, I enjoy just about anything. But cooking, I make a killer sausage gravy--I am a firm believer in the concept of Bachelor Chow. Look in the fridge, on the shelves, make something good in under 30 minutes. And thanks to Alton Brown, I can make absolutely killer sauces, so my fridge always has butter for a roux.

My sense of humor (it keeps me sane), my laptop, my friends, my work, my understanding that this is a boring list of "needs", and of course my unending love of stinky cheese.

Work. Play. Not Panicking. Knowing where my towel is.

Relaxing, hanging out with friends, playing some pool, or just having a beer and a chat. Or none of the above. I tend to just go with whatever sounds good come Friday.

If you grew up swimming at a Foothills pool south of Denver, and if you are in your early 30s I may very well have taught you how to swim. Creepy eh?

You enjoy witty reparte, intelligent conversation, or bad jokes. Although if you enjoy MY bad jokes, you might want to see a therapist instead...;) Or neurosurgeon more likely. You may have a six foot section of rebar stuck in your brain.

Or if you just like scrabble, and are bored, and want to play a game. I'm easy that way...;)