I think most people are bad at describing themselves, and I know myself well enough to know I'm not an exception to that rule.

Just got a PhD. in philosophy. Luckily I'm an only child, so by default I'm the successful son.

The last new work I read that made a real impression on me was Mikhail Bulgakov's "The Master and Margarita." I've quite liked everything I've read by Dostoevsky except "Crime and Punishment" ("The Brothers Karamazov" and "The Eternal Husband" are particular favorites). I'm also fond of" Joseph Roth's "Radetzky March" and Melville's "Moby Dick" and "Bartleby the Scrivener." In philosophy... well the sad truth is most philosophers write awful prose. Plato, Augustine, Rousseau, and Kierkegaard are about the only exceptions.

Movies: The Third Man, Double Indemnity, Rushmore, Bottle Rocket, Raising Arizona, Crimes and Misdemeanors, The Hustler, Withnail and I, Bridge on the River Kwai, Dr. Strangelove, The Sacrifice Gremlins 2, High and Low, Yojimbo, Eight Men Out, Rear Window, North by Northwest, After Life, Slap Shot.

TV: The Wire, Freaks and Geeks, Homicide, Futurama, Justified, Boomtown, The Office (only the U.K. version never got into the American one). NewsRadio, King of the Hill. And okay I'll admit it, Star Trek. In fact, I have pretty strong opinions as to why Deep Space 9 is the best Star Trek series. Why deny it? I can be a huge geek.

Music: Willie Nelson, Dwight Yoakam, Lyle Lovett, The Kinks, Pulp, the Rolling Stones, Otis Redding, The Clash, Can, Randy Newman.

Well excepting all the many many things I literally need to survive like food and shelter, I'd really hate to give up my books, coffee, or a computer. I guess that given the sorry state of mass transit in the U.S. a car would have to go on the list. Milk also since it makes coffee and tea so much better. Can't really think of a sixth thing though.

Oh I don't know, if you feel at all inclined to get in touch you should. What's the loss after all?