Brief Biographical Survey

This is the result of a biography form I filled out as a way to get to know my boss at Washington Mutual this Summer.

1. Alma Mater: University of Washington, Information School
2. Childhood Ambition: Sitting at the dinner table, my parents asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. “I don’t know,” I said. They told me I could be anything I wanted. “Ok,” I conceded, “I want to be either… a blue whale or a lion.”
3. Fondest Memory: Camping on Jones Island in the San Juan Islands which includes but is not limited to: chasing raccoons away from our food, driving a 15 horsepower dinghy around the bay, and “setting free” every piece of driftwood that I could possibly drag to the water.
4. Soundtrack: The Steve Miller Band – The Joker
5. Retreat: Typically, I retreat to my laptop. This is a bad habit, so I have resolved to retreat to good company and familiar faces instead.
6. Wildest Dream: When I was 15 or 16 and driving to school with my mother in the passenger seat, I was talking to her about soccer. I began daydreaming about playing the game and nearly drove off the road going ~5 mph.
7. Proudest Moment: Graduating from high school was a proud moment for me. Also, getting complemented as “the best bartender ever” the other night had me feeling proud.
8. Biggest challenge: To be completely (and overly) honest, learning effective social skills has been the biggest challenge of my life. I’ve progressed by leaps and bounds in the last year since I quit Everquest (the online game) and joining a fraternity.
9. Alarm clock: Off. I’m kidding. It is set for 8:20a.m., after which I hit my snooze button every 8 minutes until I have to rush to get ready for class. I’m fixing this habit by having two alarms, one of which I can’t reach from my bed.
10. Perfect day: Yesterday was pretty close. I woke up around 9 and went to The Dish in Ballard for breakfast with my roommate, his girlfriend, and my old roommate. On the way, we spotted some storm troopers on the side of the road and ended up checking out the comic book shop, where we got a bunch of free comics. After a delicious breakfast, we went to a philanthropy event across the street from our house where I got a cool red t-shirt, a gym bag, and a sweet sailor cap all for free. I watched a few funny skits before heading to the library for a few hours. My mother and younger brother showed up later and we met my older brother and his wife down at Pyramid before going to the Sounders opening day game. After the game, I hung out with friends and played a little basketball at home for two hours before hitting the sack. The only thing missing from all this (to make it a perfect day) was my girlfriend.
11. First job: I worked at the ferry landing on Orcas Island during the Summer after graduating high school (and the next Summer too). My mother moved off of Orcas after 25+ years there in July after I graduated, and I lived with my best friend and his father for the rest of the Summer.
12. Indulgence: I indulge in one of my three favorite restaurants as often as I can afford to. Check out The Dish in Ballard for breakfast, Schultzy’s in University District, and Red Mill on Phinney Ridge and in Magnolia.
13. Last purchase: I bought two magazine holders (to hold my free comic books) and an eyeglass repair kit from Storables yesterday. I also bought a 16oz. Americano from Starbucks earlier today. I think I’m allergic to dairy.
14. I’m Saving up to buy: I don’t make any money, so I don’t really save to buy things. I save to invest if I can. That said, I do have a few things on my wish list, including a larger hard drive for my laptop, a bicycle, a comfy couch, and a TV.
15. Favorite movie: It’s too hard to pick if I don’t put a time limit on it, so I choose from recent movies. I really enjoyed V for Vendetta, Man of the Year, and Children of Men. I liked all three more for the subtle social, political, and philosophical messages than for the action or plot.
16. Favorite Book: Information Ethics by my professor Adam Moore. It is an anthology of profound ethical theory essays that has sparked in me a wildfire of thought and a deep interest in philosophy.
17. Inspiration: I am inspired by mankind’s tenacity for self-preservation. No matter what trials humanity may face during my lifetime, I take solace in my strong conviction that we will always have food, drink, and cheer.
18. My life: My life is just getting started. If I’m lucky, someone will make a movie about me some day. :)