Issuing supreme power to you...one moment.

My self-summary Propose an edit

I'm an easy-going guy who genuinely isn't phased by much. I like meeting new people and doing new things, although I sometimes lack the amount of confidence that would allow me to do even more of both.

I'm an analytical person and a natural problem solver, hence often spending time thinking things over. I like to know how things and people work, and tend to be introspective about my behaviour (hence the massive profile!). I don't often speak without having thought about it first, though I do pride myself on having a quick wit.

I don't know where the desire comes from, but it's really important to me that I'm trusted and people believe the words I saying. This sometimes works to my detriment.

I've come to realise recently that I not only do I think I'm funny; I have an ego about it. For this reason, I'm impressed when a girl makes me laugh - she's at least as funny as I am!

I've got almost no boundaries when it comes to making a joke - I'll only not say it if I think there would be genuine offence taken. I've got a pretty dark sense of humour and I enjoy the disparity between the "you can't say that!" reaction and that you/I am also laughing. Also, I have an ageing fondness for puns and portmanteaus

If I said something that didn't make sense, it was most likely an obscure comedic reference for purely my own benefit. If I won't repeat something I said, it was a joke so bad I'm ashamed I said it in the first place.

Despite not reading many books any more (I mostly just seem to read slashdot.org) I've been surprising even myself with my choice of vocabulary. I mean, who uses words like 'oligarchy' at 2am whilst drinking in a club? Me apparently... :s. I'd be worried I was a pretentious intellectual, but I hate people who are, so I really hope I'm not one myself.

I can talk a lot (often too much) when opened up, and sometimes this leads to passionate gesticulation as I ramble/rant on. I prefer when the other person is an enthused as I; that leads to smiles and friendship. I like it when I meet people who can take random/surreal comments and run with them, taking them to new heights of random/surreality.

I have certain dislikes. I can't stand arrogance because that implies you think you can never be wrong. But since you can't know everything, or be perfect, then this is impossible. I can't stand pretentiousness, or people that are purely obsessed with image or physical presentation. Scape some of that shit off and get a personality. I also abhor hoop earrings.

I have a philosophy of self-determination. This means that I believe that everyone should be able to make choices by themselves without manipulation by others.

I like to think I have a healthy attitude to relationships. I believe that a partner should give the confidence and encouragement to the other to reach for those dreams we all have. The right person is going to help you grow and fulfil your potential, even if this means that that the relationship won't last. This is probably me being a Romantic Idealist.

I am aware I can be a challenging person sometimes, because I ask questions and look for loop-holes in arguments and rules. It's not personal, it's just how my brain works.

I relate to people on a dynamic level. I'll treat you like a real person. Do you need sympathy or time alone? I can give that. Are you fishing for sympathy because you want attention? I won't give you that. Do you want to moan/bitch about something/one? I'll probably try to give you a solution (I can't help it, I'm a guy), but will stop when you tell me you know all that and just want to bitch. Then we can bitch together. Are you my friend but you're being unreasonable (to whomever)? I'll let you know. Do you look pretty or good looking today (guy or gal)? I'll let you know. Do I think you're being foolish? I'll let you know why.

And here's a list: I have 2 lip rings and tongue piercing. I'm empathetic and so can read people well. Though this also tends to make me have tears for accurate portrayals of pain, anguish, etc. I play bass guitar and intend to learn the drums. The music I listen to tends to be metal, death metal and post- metal (though I also listen to and like indie, dance, electronic, EBM, gabba...) I like a good moshpit now and then, I've got a degree in Biology from St Andrews Uni (in Scotland), I know a lot about biology/science, I know a fair amount about a lot of things and a little about lots of others. I tend to laugh a little too loud. I've got a puzzling and sometimes annoying sense of the ridiculous. I have an answer (and a question) for everything. I have deep flashes of intuition, I like politics and current affairs, I actually enjoy watching Channel 4 News, Newsnight and Radio 4.

What I'm doing with my life Propose an edit

At the moment I work for Egg. But I recently decided to actually go ahead and become the Primary School teacher I've been thinking about becoming for the past few years.

I live in a shared house with 2 women (incidentally, NOT a couple): Ruth (32) vegan, resident activist and who works at Derby's organic food shop; and Vic (30) freelance art-worker extraordinaire. The house is a hodge-podge of design, but I love it that way.

I have to admit I'm a bit of a geek, since I do spend a fairly large amount of my spare time on my Xbox360. Shooting, explosions and death seem to be key ingredients in the games I play: Orange Box, Mass Effect, Bioshock, Bad Company, Guitar Hero. I can't stand football or driving games though. I'm looking forward to Fallout 3 and Fable 2 later in the year.

I'm getting back into playing the bass guitar, after a 2 year hiatus. I'd like to learn how to sing at the same time as play, so my friend and I can duet a few covers. Planned so far: Radiohead - Nude, John Frusciante - The Real. We're ambitious if nothing else, because the vocals would be hard enough on their own, without us playing an instrument at the same time!

I'd like to go travelling at some point. A few of my friends and I are planning an Eastern European "roadtrip" for this summer. And I love to visit some of the good friends I have that live around the world (Canada, USA, New Zealand, Austria, Finland).

I'm really good at Propose an edit

Reading people - I'm a good observer. I can work people out fairly easily, sometimes better than they can themselves. I find getting to know people interesting for this reason.

Making pop/cult-culture references.

Making one-liner jokes very quickly.

Thinking. Re-thinking.

Being a good and supportive friend to friends in need.

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

I'm tall, quiet, and a little on the pierced side.

Some people notice my eyes, others my smile. Some have even commented on my dancing (years ago). But they were crazy, so we can dismiss that occurrence.

How about my funky glasses?

I don't really know any more, because I'm constantly evolving. How about you tell me?

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

I used to be a bigger reader than I am now, so I'll just mention a few: The Selfish Gene (Richard Dawkins), The Red Queen: Sex and the Evolution of Human Nature (Matt Ridley), Vice Versa: Bisexuality, Eroticism and the Ambivalence of Culture (Marjorie Garber), She Comes First (Ian Kerner). For lighter reading: The Darktower Series (Steven King), Discworld (Terry Prattchet), Starship Troopers (honestly, it's much more political and insightful than the film), anything by Robert Rankin (the comedy and writing-style of this man has lost me many a night's sleep!), HHGTTG Trilogy (of course).

Films (in no particular order): Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Charlie Kaufman is a genius), Being John Malkovich (again, genius), Man on the Moon (anyone noticing a theme here?), Fightclub, Saving Private Ryan, Trainspotting, The Usual Suspects, Labyrinth, The Shining, The Big Lebowski, Fargo, Bound, Me Myself and Irene, Snatch, Twelve Monkeys, A Clockwork Orange, Kill Bill Vols 1&2, House of 1000 Corpses, From Dusk Til Dawn, Pulp Fiction, Clerks, Chasing Amy, Mallrats, Dogma, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Tankgirl, Wag the Dog, The Fifth Element, HHGTTG, Meet The Feebles, King Kong (I had to, it made me cry).

Music: A Perfect Circle, Aphex Twin, Candiria, Capricorns, Coalesce, Converge, Crowbar, Cult Of Luna, Darkane, Devin Townsend, Dillinger Excape Plan, Fantomas, old Fear Factory, Fredrik Thordendal's Special Defects, Isis, John Frusciante, Knut, Kyuss, Lamb of God, The Locust, Machine Head, Mars Volta, Meshuggah, Mono, Mr. Bungle, Neurosis, Old Man Gloom, Part Chimp, Pelican, Pink Floyd, QOTSA, Radiohead, Red Sparowes, Rob/White Zombie, Send More Paramedics, Strapping Young Lad, Textures, These Arms Are Snakes, Tomahawk, Tool, Training For Utopia, Velvet Acid Christ, Venetian Snares, Will Haven, Zimmers Hole, Zombie Apocalypse, Zyklon. (...incomplete)

The six things I could never do without Propose an edit

Trusting my friends. I'd go crazy if I couldn't do that.

Being able to be honest and open with my friends. If I couldn't do that with them, then who?

Music. Because otherwise I'd only have the choruses, guitar hooks and drum beats in my head all day, without being able to finish the song.

Being able to analyse stuff and work it out. Without that, I'd be a radically different person.

Women. If they weren't around, there wouldn't be much point would there? I would explain further, but if you've read the rest of this profile, you'll understand what I mean without having to explain that it's not just about sex.

The freedom to be able to say dark, random or subversive things with my friends. I really appreciate that I can be me, and that they enjoy it.

I spend a lot of time thinking about Propose an edit

Politics, strange coincidences, wishing we have an 8-day week with a 3-day weekend, wishing we had a 28hr day, so I could stay up as much as I do, and still get the 8 hours sleep which my body seems to desire. (Oh, someone's found a solution.)

I like to try to work out the origins of why I like some music track. Or why I did/said something, and what that says about me, if I want to give the message or not and if I need to amend my behaviour. Or try to work out a priori why something is the case (recent example: why marijuana and tobacco should have different legal statuses. I concluded they shouldn't).

On a typical Friday night I am Propose an edit

I don't have typical Friday nights, as I tend not make plans for the weekend. I prefer the free-form greatness that is waiting to see what comes up.

Occasionally plans are made in advance, but these are always beyond "lets go out to the identi-club and listen to music I don't like, complain about all the under-age girls who're filling up the place and stumbling sluttishly around with no concern for their personal safety, and drink some overpriced crap lager". Yes, I'm a grumpy old man now.

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

Whenever I walk past the stall selling flowers on the way home from work, I feel a little sad that I don't have anyone to buy some flowers for.

You should message me if Propose an edit

..you're a sassy, independent, intelligent, educated woman with a dark, dark sense of humour.

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