About

A couple items of contextual significance: First, I really dislike the notion of “About,” and my previous “About” effort makes me feel all kinds of queasy. Secondly, I totally get why “About” is useful. I totally totally get it. I always read the “Abouts” of other people, and I find them quite interesting. Sooo I feel like I need to give it another try.

Probably the most important thing to know about this blog

is that there’s no telling what I’m going to post on this blog. Take a look through the archives ... (Okay, welcome back). You probably noticed there were precious few strands of consistent interest? Blog-writing how-tos always begin with something like: “Choose a topic!” Or, “focus on a theme!” Well, I don’t. And I might never.

Nextly, regarding myself

I work at Cooper, an interaction design company in San Francisco, California. What is interaction design? Even after doing it for 10 years, I still have a hard time putting it into a nutshell of clarity. Maybe that’s a sign. Anyway, when someone asks me what I do in a social situation, I usually say something like, “Um, well, see, I design, like, things that respond to various kinds of human input ...” and then my lovely wife will helpfully offer, “He’s an interaction designer,” and surprisingly people understand this.

Other things

• I live in California, and I don’t own a car. It is possible, and I’m pretty dang excited for the year 2025, when I’ll be able to ride my bike from the East Bay to San Francisco.
• I’m not always a hater of cars. In fact, I love cars WHEN I AM IN THEM. Behind the wheel, I become everything I hate about “caged motorists,” as my motorcycle safety instructor used to call them. I curse slow-moving pedestrians and clueless cyclists — because seriously get a car already — until I park. And then I’m back to hating cars.
• I was an English major, and I am gainfully employed — for the moment anyway. So perhaps I’m the exception that proves the rule. Still, I want to offer support to my fellow English majors: Don’t ever change. Stay punk. The man can attach the golden fetters to your wrists, but he can’t imprison your imagination (or your beard).
• I hiked most of the Pacific Crest Trail in 2001. It’s a trail that runs from the US-Mexico border to the US-Canada border, through California, Oregon and Washington, and it was a non-stop blast, except when it was so painful that I wanted to cry or quit or both. The day after I flew home, planes crashed into the World Trade Center.
• I am a runner, and my favored genre of run is the urban adventure, particularly the kind that involves running thru non-traditional areas or climbing atop man-made or natural structures to achieve views. If I don’t run for two days in a row, I get a little angry/crazy/antsy/irritable/generally a pain in the ass to be around. So it’s better, you know, if I just get my run in.
• Myers-Briggs: INTP (ca. 1995) -> INTJ (ca. 2010). In my old age, I’ve become more judgmental. Rightly so! Also: Get off my lawn!
• Star sign: Leo. Gregarious, charming, the center of attention? Guilty as charged. (Also: kidding).
• Chinese Zodiac sign: Rat. For your consideration: A list of “famous rats” from a Chinese astrology site. Included: Marlon Brando. Mozart. Plato. Sounds about right.

I wrote this in 2003, when I joined Friendster. It’s mostly still true.

I like running around in the rain, driving at night, tackling people, sleeping in, getting up early, throwing windows open, eating Asian pears, drinking beer out of bottles, and swimming. Late-night swimming is the best, especially when there is no moon and the water and sky blend together. I like letters. In an ideal world, I would spend all morning reading long letters written on old typewriters, and all afternoon running around or reading or throwing snowballs. I ride my bike everywhere. I like making things, I think in words, I learn by doing, and I surround myself with puzzles and projects. Current project: Pretending that About Me is a really, really important thing to get right.