25 Random Things About Me

In response to Pete’s list…

1. I don’t blog as much as I used to. I’d like to say that’s because I have two other writing projects on the go—which I do—but they’re seeing about the same amount of output.
2. I’m a mild-mannered computer geek by day, and a mild-mannered arts geek by night.
3. I share a birthday with Al Yankovic, which pleases me greatly.
4. Despite many years at university and in the software industry I’m not a coffee drinker. Can’t stand the stuff.
5. I type two spaces after a period. It’s the right thing to do.
6. I have an odd habit of mentally “typing” words and phrases, counting the number of letters, and subdividing them into groups.
7. I love to drive.
8. I was a competitive trivia game player in high school (and even late elementary school). The year our team won the provincial finals there weren’t nationals to go to.
9. I learned to ride a bicycle on one of Ontario’s 400-series highways. Seriously. (Proof.)
10. My favourite author? Harlan Ellison, hands down. Favourite (well-known) playwright? Daniel MacIvor.
11. I played piano for about twelve years and trumpet for a similar period, but it’s been at least that long again since I’ve made a serious attempt to play either instrument.
12. Black licorice. Not red. Yucch the red.
13. I don’t own, and have never owned, a cell phone. This is as much due to the usurious telecom charges in Canada as my own natural tendencies.
14. I can spot even the most innocuous typo at a glance from ten paces.
15. I’m working on a secret project that incorporates at least four other items on this list. (Mu-ha-ha-ha-haaa….)
16. I have a Rubik’s Snake wrapped around the left front speaker of my stereo to prevent it from crackling; it’s been there for more than fifteen years.
17. I have a Mac… which I almost exclusively use through VNC from my GNOME/Fedora desktop.
18. I once broke a finger when I punched a clown at an amusement park in Prince Edward Island.
19. I still think analog watches are a pretty neat idea.
20. I’m told that when I saw Star Wars for the first time, I was creeped out by Threepio and Artoo but not Darth Vader.
21. I’ve only been on the campus of my alma mater once since I graduated.
22. I own two inverted world maps.
23. I find it much easier to promote others than myself.
24. I’m fascinated by process, often more than by the result.
25. A large majority of the people who inspire me are women, and I’m fortunate to count many of them as friends.

And a bonus 26th random thing: it’s taken me two full weeks to finish this list.