I'm very quiet, because I am incapable of small-talk. Many people find this disconcerting. I argue alot, but not in a mean way, rather, just because I want to express this or that point. If you come from a house where people routinely scream about politics during dinner, you understand. If not, I'll try not to scream at you. But it's better if you do.
My interests are varied, ranging from serious to absurd. I follow politics, have little interest in sports, and deeply detest the similarity of their treatment in popular media. I have extensive knowledge of numerous useless subjects, and I know a little bit about some useful ones. I'm a vegetarian for ethical reasons, and a moral nihilist, and you can ask me if you'd like to hear an elaborate rationalization reconciling the two.
I like people who think. I know a whole bunch of stuff, and I want to meet people who know a whole bunch of stuff too. If you can ramble about some kind of esoterica, I can probably ramble with you (or against you, more likely, but it's all in good fun.) If not, I will learn. It's nice to have someone to eat and sleep with, but it's not enough.

I'm going to graduate school in chemistry right now, which is sort of a new subject for me. I'm in an M.S. program but I may eventually go for a doctorate. I tried getting out of academia for a while, even considered not trying to win a Nobel Prize or discover the fundamental nature of existence, but, well, it really sucked.

A child of the digital age, I don't really read books. I read Google Books, and lots of them, but only 15 pages at a time. The last physical book I read in its entirety was Mutiny on the H.M.S. Bounty. I read it through in the middle of the night because I had a bout of remorse at having forsaken paper. I have thoughts, now and again, of picking up a novel, but there aren't any hyperlinks to them.
I generally prefer movies that are as not-stupid as possible. There are some exceptions, of course; I think Underworld is beautiful, vacuous as it is, and I don't get Citizen Kane. My favorite movies are Fight Club, Pleasantville, and Forrest Gump. (I might name others, but I find it annoying when people have a giant list.) My least favorites are Kill Bill Vol. 1, Mama Mia, and Waking Life. In fact, if you like Waking Life, you are probably a moron. Just sayin'.
I don't listen to alot of music. I just can't stand to sift through all the crap in contemporary music to get to the good stuff. The music I like is mostly folk and classic rock, though I find much of the material in those genres boring and repetitive. Simon & Garfunkel are great, and Ros Serey Sothea is awesome.
I love Indian, and have made myself immune to spiciness. I know how to cook a motley assortment of dishes, but I can never get Indian food right. As of November 2009, I have made several major breakthroughs which may lead to the discovery of korma.

I continuously develop extremely elaborate fantasy storylines ranging from serious to wacky, which I may write down one day. (Or I might not.) These have led me to educate myself in a variety of subjects, such as 1960's weapon systems, the history of California state sodomy law, and everything about post-colonial Cambodia prior to the Vietnamese invasion. (Did I mention that Ros Serey Sothea is awesome?) I ponder metaphysics sometimes, mostly in the context of Nick Bostrom's Simulation Argument. I also really want to know who those Nigerian con artists are, and why they don't use spell check.

On any given day, I am approximately 40% likely to have a beard.