So, who is this clown, and why should we care? I'm an early forty-something system administrator who no longer works for a Very Large Company in Northern Virginia. I worked my way into the job; I had no administration experience whatsoever when I started working for the company, nor do I have a CS degree. I'm afraid this is going to work against me now that I've been laid off. I was a history/poli sci major, undecided as to whether to go into education or law, at Kansas State University back when the football team really sucked, the men's basketball team was really good, and the women's basketball team was an afterthought. I dropped out after my sophomore year; since then, I have failed to enter education or law, the football team has gotten really good, the men's basketball team has gotten really bad, and the women's basketball team is a national power. Go figure. I'm divorced twice, with two kids from the second marriage who live in Florida but I see as often as I can, and am currently not looking very hard. Because of my nature, there just aren't too many women out there who meet my standards that would put up with me. But, hey, if one shows up... I'm a former musician, former athlete, former writer -- that is to say, I'm just not willing to keep expending energy doing things unless I can do them to the level of ability I want. Plus, while I get extremely focused on what I'm doing at any given time, and can keep at it for a long time, I can't stay focused long enough to really accomplish anything. I'm a sports nut, a movie nut, a music nut, and a book nut. As a result, I have entirely too many of all of the above cluttering my home. I have so much sport reference crap that I can tell you who won the Appalachian League title in 1963, rattle off Texas A&M's football schedule in 1968, answer your question about Gordie Howe's career penalty minutes, and expound on the all-time San Diego Padres all-star team, all without once having to resort to the internet. I've got a few hundred movies, and over 1300 CDs and records, and well over two thousand books, not counting comics. My teams are the Kansas City Royals, Kansas City Chiefs, Sacramento Kings (who used to be in Kansas City), Dallas Mavericks, Dallas Stars (I was a Minnesota North Stars fan back when they were there and Kansas City had no team), New Jersey Devils (who used to be the Kansas City Scouts before moving to Colorado, and then to New Jersey), Liverpool FC, and, of course, Kansas State's teams. Musically, I lean toward progressive rock; I grew up on Yes and Genesis. Now, it's a statistical likelihood that at any given moment, if I'm listening to music, that it will be Marillion, Dream Theater, Queensrÿche, or some 80s band. As far as movies, I don't like "stupid people" comedies, and tend to lean more toward drama. I also have a weakness for buying full-season DVD sets of TV shows. (Hey, nothing like watching all of season one of 24 in one weekend.) My book collection is about 50 percent science fiction/fantasy novels, 35 percent histories and classic literature, and the rest is various sports books. I used to work in the comics industry, in just about every capacity; retail, wholesale, publishing... sales, business, creative. As a result, I've got a lot of comic and gaming stuff. I still keep up with the comics, because it's habit. I don't game anymore, though. I just can't bring myself to get rid of the stuff. I like to travel, and I prefer to do it in a car; not because I don't like flying, but because I really like to drive. I've been to all the lower 48 states on my own steam, and have driven through more than half the counties in the US. The five largest US cities I've not been to: Seattle, Fresno, Honolulu, Anchorage, and Stockton, CA. So, I've been around the US. However, except for traipsing around lower Ontario, I've never left the States. Someday. Someday. I used to smoke. I quit. I didn't turn into a non-smoking nazi, however. I even still have ashtrays in my home, just in case someone needs to use them. Don't ask me how I managed to quit smoking cold turkey without purging my environment; I couldn't begin to tell you. I'm a registered Republican, although I don't agree with the GOP's views on a lot of things. I'm a fiscal conservative, but a liberal on personal issues. Really, I'm probably a Libertarian at heart; I don't believe in welfare, I don't believe in government subsidizing businesses, I believe in personal choice in all matters unless those choices infringe on the rights of others. I don't approve of abortion, but don't believe I'm qualified to tell anyone they shouldn't have one. I don't believe religion has any place in government. I believe in the need for America to act as the world's policeman, but I insist that we only do so when it's clearly in the best interest of the people we're policing. I don't particularly care whether our motives are pure in doing so, as long as the result is just. I care about people, but I can still be a real asshole sometimes. I despise stupidity, and won't hesitate to tear into someone for being stupid. I despise dishonesty, and will simply ignore anyone I know to be a liar (although if needed, I will call them out). The people I get along with the best are the people who take my heat and give it right back, and can then laugh about it afterward. I have nothing but disdain for the losers who draw my fire and then whine about it for years. I can't understand why some people insist on lurking around when they know you loathe them and then cry about how you're mean. If I won't talk to you, there's probably a good reason, and maybe you should just let it go and go get a life. I don't approach people. It's not a fear of rejection thing; I've been like this all my life. As a result, I sometimes seem like I'm not approachable, but I really am. I make friends quickly, as long as they make the first overture. I wish it wasn't so one-sided, but it's something I can't change. I've tried, and just don't know how. And that's me, in a nutshell. Enjoy your visit.