So now I´ll introduce myself. So much to know, so much to enjoy. If I wanted to meet people, probably I would write something like this:

"Boy looking for somebody to share breakfasts on Monday mornings. Promises not beeing too late. Most of times. Likes capuccinos and orange juices. Small cafes, not Starbucks. Appreciates soft tone of voice, specially before 8.30 A.M."

I love debating, specially with people who do not share my oppinions. Well, I used to start discussions even when I shared the other person´s point of view. Nothing personal, you see.

I write unpublished short stories since I was 15. Like the ones Paul Auster collected in I Thought my Father Was God. But, I´m afraid, below their quality. So I keep my stories to myself.

Recently, a good friend of mine started composing an epic novel (in line with Lord of The Rings). I review his works and have discovered how annoying a critic I can be. So, trying to take it easy.

As the Politics test result recognize, I´m a center left leaning kind of person for Spanish standards, which happens to mean radical Liberal for American standards. You know, Europeans.

On the other side, the good one, I think my closest friends consider me a loyal person and lately seem to greatly value my opinions and counseling.

Born with two left feet. Unable to dance. Yes, shame on me, I admit.

I have finished a college degree in Economics where I become a big fan of Paul Krugman. I´m also studying Laws. I hope that eventually I´ll get a PhD (Sustainable Development, Governance), but that´s not going to happen anytime soon.

Studying, studying, and studying (when not writing a profile on Ok Cupid)... Trying to become a civil servant and retaking a Laws Degree I had started several years ago (distance learning)

Really enjoying being back at the library at this moment. I missed you so!

Apart from that, going to the gym (almost) every day to get fit again. Apparently, my cholesterol levels are too low now. What? Hard training!

Reading for pleasure, after a long time.

And cooking on a regular basis. At last, my mum has realized the rice with cockles I prepare is far better than hers.

Being sarcastic when not neccesary, discussing economy policy making with non economist adversaries, botching jokes, losing video game football matches, cooking magnificient dishes (but still incapable of frying an egg), hurting my left ankle, smashing grammar...

Apparently, it is what people do not notice about me. That I am really shy and nervous when meeting somebody new, and easilly distracted when in company of large groups of people.

TV Shows: The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, Jon Stewart, El Intermedio, Sé lo que hicisteis, John Oliver, the day Dick Cheney shot in the face an old friend of him, Ed Helms; The West Wing, Fringe, The Middleman (anyone out there?) Mad Men when Christina Hendricks is on screen (let´s admit that), Battlestar Galactica, Doctor Who, TNG Jekyll, Coupling, CNN holograms...

Books: Cesare Pavese, García Márquez, Guy de Maupassant, Stephan Zweig, Bertolt Brecht, Tagore, some poems by Luis Cernuda, The Book of Kings (fantastic action), short stories by Russian writers, Robert Ludlum (guilty!), Conan Doyle, Jack London, Red Harvest by Dashiell Hammett (got it for free, for buying another forgetable book) Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett (Good Omens), Q, Méndez Ferrín, Paul Auster, currently reading Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman by Haruki Murakami and trying to decide if I like it

Press: The Guardian, The New York Times, Slate Magazine, El País

Movies: Billy Wilder, specially One, Two, Three and Frontpage; also His Girl Friday; Rutger Hauer in Blade Runner; Laura Linney final lines incarnating Lady Macbeth in Mystic River; Steve McQueen chasing gangsters in Bullit; Ralph Fiennes playing The English Patient; glorious Leonor Watling eating an orange; Han Solo when (and maybe only) dubbed in Galician; Mel Gibson, yep, Mel Gibson, playing Hamlet; Amelie Poulanie, British comedies, Kubrick, Tim Burton, "If you need me, just whistle. You know how to whistle, don't you Steve? Just put your lips together and blow”...

Music: I started putting together compilations after watching John Cusack in High Fidelity (what a lovely psycho he was). The result are terrible misfit mix-tapes, now happily resting in my i-pod. If I had to choose one a few songs for each year since I was I child, songs that ment something to me, that year, this could be the list:
1993.- Mike Oldfield: The Bell
1994.- Capercaillie: Fisherman´s Dream
1995.- Renee et Gaston: Vallee de Larmes
1996.- Everything but the girl: The Heart Remains A Child
1997.- The Corrs: Only when I sleep (getting cheesy!)
1998.- Iron Maiden: Fear of the Dark
1999.- July, 31st, before 50.000 people, Mike Oldfield playing excerpts of Ommadawn (fantastic concert and long discussion afterwards)
2000.- Lucrecia: Qué sabes tú (broken heart), Led Zeppelin: Stairway to heaven (recovered)
2001.- Loreena McKennitt: Dante´s Prayer
2002.- Ben. E. King: Stand by me (for not obvious reason)
2003.- Mark Knopfler: Sultangs of Swing (Macroeconomics was fun again!)
2004.- Queen: I want to break free
2005.- December, 12th, Marlango in concert (Santiago de Compostela): It´s all right; Luar na lubre: Olla, meu irmao
2006.- Moby: Lift me up (basically insipid year)
2007.- Lots of things. Led Zeppelin: Since I´ve been loving you (brilliant, shiny, fantastic night), Paolo Nutini: New Shoes; Lupe Fiasco: Daydreamin´
2008.- Marful: Tris-tras
2009.- Kenny Rodgers: The Gambler; Konono nº 1: Kule Kule; Paolo Nutini: Rewind (live), Allison Krauss: Baby now that I´ve found you, Movits!: Fel del av gården, Morcheeba: Everybody loves a loser (yep, stuff happens!)

Food: chocolate, dark chocolate, chocolate milkshakes; organic strawberry jam, orange juice, capuccinos, home-made capuccinos (love my expresso-machine), seafood in general, broccoli (unbelievable!), grelos (turnips leaves; yes, we eat the leaves, the rest of the world eat the root), kiwis, bananas (always take a banana to a party), monkfish, other kinds of fish which name in English I don´t know, sushi, sashimi, noodles and tempura (totally unable to prepare them), filloas (similar to crêpes), bread (and by that I mean authentic Galician bread), salads, the ocassional hamburger

1. Tissues (chronicle rhinitis)
2. Chocolate
3. Laptop (sad truth)
4. Using my best friend´s PlayStation3
5. Fuel efficient car, if a car was needed (but would love to drive a '68 Mustang)
6. (still trying to guess)

The future, world politics, odd things in general, going back to Ireland, basketball and soccer (couch potato, i´m afraid), the next book I´m going to read, when I´m going to write the novel that will make me rich

A. Having fun with my friends.

B. Watching TV, which I have to admit counts as a sad plan. And given the lame quality of Spanish TV on Friday evenings, sometimes switching to a German TV show that I can´t underestand because I don´t speak German.
(Update: now that I´m in possesion od a DVB receiver with USB connection, things have changed a bit)

Stationery. As odd as it seems. I´ve recently found I own lots of pencils, ball pens, four staplers, three scissors, and several other unecessary items. And I´ve also found stationery-obsession is a genetic disease, transmitted father to son.

You think you can challenge me.
You are going to teach me a new recipe.
You always take bananas to a party.
You think it is ideas, not vested interests, which are dangerous, for good or evil.
You know how to find a copy of Deanta´s "Ready for the Storm"
You feel like doing it.