Hey, a quiz
Haven't seen one of these in a while.
30 Questions about 1 person.
1) Single, Married, Divorced, Remarried, Widowed?
Demographically single, but Katie and I have been dating for over three years now.
2) Kids?
None yet, although I continue to be a jungle gym for Katie's niece and nephew.
3) Home: rent or own?
I rent a one-bedroom apartment with a study. Decent place, but I'd like to upgrade in the next year or two.
4-a) Do you have a lawn?
No. On the bright side, no lawn mowing! On the downside (funny how that's one word), my complex is guarded by a ridiculous gate. I do grow a geranium and a mint plant on my balcony, though.
4-b) If so, have you ever told those damn kids to get off it?
Metaphorically, I guess. I've hit the point where the thrill of new technology is balanced against criticism of the tradeoffs involved. I still like CRTs, landlines, etc. and am ambivalent about the trend of favoring portability and fluff features over ergonomics and basic usability.
5) Job Title:
Product Engineer. I usually put Electrical Engineer on forms, but that makes me sound like a tinkerer. In my actual job I'm a combination of trumped-up programmer, analyst, investigator, diplomat, teacher, chef, and general nuisance.
6) Standard transportation to and from your place of employment (make and model please if it's yours):
2007 Honda Civic LX (4-door sedan), dark blue. I'm looking to trade up to an Accord this year. The Civic is a nice car, but it's too small. I wouldn't mind having a navigation system, either.
7-a) Morning wake-up beverage:
Milk. Sometimes decaf coffee. Caffeine messes with my digestive system, and is usually a bad idea anyway. If you need help waking up you're not getting enough sleep.
7-b) If applicable to above, how do you take it?
Milk goes in a glass, coffee goes in a mug. Milk in a mug is weird. Not sure why. Never tried coffee in a glass.
7-c) Do you drink it all day, or just a morning thing?
Just in the morning. I drink water during the way. Straight from the tap, baby!
8-a) What "wacky" things have you adorned your workspace with to show your coworkers that you're not just a dull faceless drone?
My cubicle is sparse and spacious when it comes to furniture, but there are a few touches. Two whiteboards instead of one, a picture of Katie and I at Niagara Falls (need a better one), souvenirs that coworkers have brought back from foreign travel, and some reference books, most notable the Tufte series.
8-b) Do you doodle in meetings? If so, what do you usually wind up drawing?
We all have company-issued laptops. If I don't have work email to read/answer, I usually read Facebook and/or blogs.
9) Last time you were unemployed, and for how long?
2006 after I graduated from college. It took six months for me to get my current job. Not a happy time. I turned down a few other offers but I think I made the right choice.
10-a) Did you vote in the last presidential election?
Yes, for Obama, though with the electronic machines it doesn't feel real at all.
10-b) Do you plan on voting in the next one?
Yes. I should vote in the local elections, too. I don't know enough about local issues.
11) In a social setting are you more likely to drink beer, wine, or mixed drinks?
My social settings usually don't involve alcohol, so I'd be more likely to have water or a chocolate malt. At parties it's water or (more likely) nothing. I wish there were more parties without alcohol.
12-a) What kinds of beer do you prefer? (brand or general type)
I tried beer once. Not my thing.
12-b) What kinds of wine do you prefer?
If I have to drink wine, I want it as sweet as possible.
12-c) What kinds of mixed drinks do you prefer?
To the extent that I can "prefer" one blend of corrosive neurotoxin in my mouth over another, I think vodka is the least offensive of the stuff I've tried.
13) Do you play video games?
Yes, quite a lot. Mostly PC games, with a smattering of console stuff. I don't have a current-gen console, and should probably fix that before too long. I'm currently playing Mass Effect 2, Left 4 Dead 2, and replaying Final Fantasy VII on the side. I just finished Shadow of the Colossus recently.
14-a) Do you have any of your old toys from your childhood?
Nah, I wasn't a big toy person and Mom sold what I had at garage sales. Does my NES count?
14-b) Do you still play with them? (or maybe use them for question 8)
See above.
15) How often do you visit your parents?
Once or twice a month. They're pretty busy these days, and spend all their weekends in Galveston Bay.
16-a) Are you a member of any clubs or groups for purely social purposes?
I go contra dancing once or twice a month with the Houston Area Traditional Dance Society, and sometimes pay membership dues.
16-b) For networking purposes?
I'm an IEEE member, although it hasn't done much for me so far. I just joined a standards development mailing list for power adapters for mobile devices, which might be fun. I also have a LinkedIn profile.
17-a) Are you active in any fandoms online?
Used to be active in anime fandom, but haven't followed that scene in a few years. I'm not hardcore enough for most story-specific fandoms.
17-b) In real life?
Used to go to an anime con, but haven't been in a few years.
18-a) Do you have a Crackberry or other similiar extended mobile telephony device?
Nah, just a plain cell phone which desperately needs to be replaced. I want a good-quality flip phone with actual buttons, but those are very hard to come by with the smartphone craze in full swing.
18-b) What features of your phone/mobile device do you actually use?
Calls, voice mail (which is really a call), text messages, and sometimes the camera.
18-c) What features are there, but baffle you as to their purpose or usefulness?
The super-low-end (and costly) web browser and MP3 player. Customized ring tones drive me crazy. My ring is a nice discreet beeping. I don't see why anyone needs blaring rock music just to tell them they have a phone call.
19) How many computers do you have in your home?
Don't ask an embedded programmer that question. :-p One PC working, another in pieces, a friend's off in a corner, and a beat-up old laptop in a closet make four.
An interesting side question is "How many computers do you have in your PC?".
20) Do you consider the environmental impact of your actions before making a decision?
Not as much as I should. It's hard to find trustworthy information on what the environmental impact of my actions actually is.
21-a) Realistically, which new car would you buy if you had the means right now?
The Honda Accord has at least as much headroom than any other car available at any price, $400k Rolls-Royce not excepted. However, there are a couple BMWs that tie it. :-D
22-b) Fantastically, which car from this or any era would you magically *poof* into existence in your driveway?
Maybe something that flies? My current car looks like an X-Wing on the inside; I don't think I can complain too much.
23) Do you listen to NPR, AM talk radio, or podcasts?
Sometimes, no, and yes. I'm finishing up a podcast of an American economic history class by Brad DeLong, then moving on to one about the history of the Normans.
24) Do you watch the Daily Show / Colbert Report?
I watch the Daily Show on the net until I get too behind, then I wait a while before catching up again.
25) Do you consciously eat healthy?
I consciously eat unhealthy. :-( Must work on that.
26) Do you exercise? Do you go outside or to a gym?
One or two times a week I'll ride my bike around the city in the middle of the night. Other people are horrified by this, but I find it very relaxing. I also go contra dancing. Sometimes I jog, but it's very painful and tedious.
27-a) Are you religious, or otherwise spiritually inclined?
No. I want to know what's really going on, and I don't find those concepts helpful. I'm sure I could mangle the definitions enough to fit me, but I'd rather find something new.
27-b) Is your current faith different from the one you were raised with?
Yes and no. My parents were ostensibly Christian and were disturbed to find out I was an atheist, but they didn't really give me any religious instruction, either.
28) Do you collect anything?
Books and shiny rocks. Neither seriously.
29) Think back 10 years, are you where you thought you'd be now?
I had just graduated from high school. I had no idea where I'd be right now.
30) If you could go back 10 years and tell your old self something, what would it be?
Find a better college, push yourself to go out and do new things, talk to Abby more often, give serious thought to smothering Maggie with a pillow, and don't get too worked up over your first girlfriend.
30 Questions about 1 person.
1) Single, Married, Divorced, Remarried, Widowed?
Demographically single, but Katie and I have been dating for over three years now.
2) Kids?
None yet, although I continue to be a jungle gym for Katie's niece and nephew.
3) Home: rent or own?
I rent a one-bedroom apartment with a study. Decent place, but I'd like to upgrade in the next year or two.
4-a) Do you have a lawn?
No. On the bright side, no lawn mowing! On the downside (funny how that's one word), my complex is guarded by a ridiculous gate. I do grow a geranium and a mint plant on my balcony, though.
4-b) If so, have you ever told those damn kids to get off it?
Metaphorically, I guess. I've hit the point where the thrill of new technology is balanced against criticism of the tradeoffs involved. I still like CRTs, landlines, etc. and am ambivalent about the trend of favoring portability and fluff features over ergonomics and basic usability.
5) Job Title:
Product Engineer. I usually put Electrical Engineer on forms, but that makes me sound like a tinkerer. In my actual job I'm a combination of trumped-up programmer, analyst, investigator, diplomat, teacher, chef, and general nuisance.
6) Standard transportation to and from your place of employment (make and model please if it's yours):
2007 Honda Civic LX (4-door sedan), dark blue. I'm looking to trade up to an Accord this year. The Civic is a nice car, but it's too small. I wouldn't mind having a navigation system, either.
7-a) Morning wake-up beverage:
Milk. Sometimes decaf coffee. Caffeine messes with my digestive system, and is usually a bad idea anyway. If you need help waking up you're not getting enough sleep.
7-b) If applicable to above, how do you take it?
Milk goes in a glass, coffee goes in a mug. Milk in a mug is weird. Not sure why. Never tried coffee in a glass.
7-c) Do you drink it all day, or just a morning thing?
Just in the morning. I drink water during the way. Straight from the tap, baby!
8-a) What "wacky" things have you adorned your workspace with to show your coworkers that you're not just a dull faceless drone?
My cubicle is sparse and spacious when it comes to furniture, but there are a few touches. Two whiteboards instead of one, a picture of Katie and I at Niagara Falls (need a better one), souvenirs that coworkers have brought back from foreign travel, and some reference books, most notable the Tufte series.
8-b) Do you doodle in meetings? If so, what do you usually wind up drawing?
We all have company-issued laptops. If I don't have work email to read/answer, I usually read Facebook and/or blogs.
9) Last time you were unemployed, and for how long?
2006 after I graduated from college. It took six months for me to get my current job. Not a happy time. I turned down a few other offers but I think I made the right choice.
10-a) Did you vote in the last presidential election?
Yes, for Obama, though with the electronic machines it doesn't feel real at all.
10-b) Do you plan on voting in the next one?
Yes. I should vote in the local elections, too. I don't know enough about local issues.
11) In a social setting are you more likely to drink beer, wine, or mixed drinks?
My social settings usually don't involve alcohol, so I'd be more likely to have water or a chocolate malt. At parties it's water or (more likely) nothing. I wish there were more parties without alcohol.
12-a) What kinds of beer do you prefer? (brand or general type)
I tried beer once. Not my thing.
12-b) What kinds of wine do you prefer?
If I have to drink wine, I want it as sweet as possible.
12-c) What kinds of mixed drinks do you prefer?
To the extent that I can "prefer" one blend of corrosive neurotoxin in my mouth over another, I think vodka is the least offensive of the stuff I've tried.
13) Do you play video games?
Yes, quite a lot. Mostly PC games, with a smattering of console stuff. I don't have a current-gen console, and should probably fix that before too long. I'm currently playing Mass Effect 2, Left 4 Dead 2, and replaying Final Fantasy VII on the side. I just finished Shadow of the Colossus recently.
14-a) Do you have any of your old toys from your childhood?
Nah, I wasn't a big toy person and Mom sold what I had at garage sales. Does my NES count?
14-b) Do you still play with them? (or maybe use them for question 8)
See above.
15) How often do you visit your parents?
Once or twice a month. They're pretty busy these days, and spend all their weekends in Galveston Bay.
16-a) Are you a member of any clubs or groups for purely social purposes?
I go contra dancing once or twice a month with the Houston Area Traditional Dance Society, and sometimes pay membership dues.
16-b) For networking purposes?
I'm an IEEE member, although it hasn't done much for me so far. I just joined a standards development mailing list for power adapters for mobile devices, which might be fun. I also have a LinkedIn profile.
17-a) Are you active in any fandoms online?
Used to be active in anime fandom, but haven't followed that scene in a few years. I'm not hardcore enough for most story-specific fandoms.
17-b) In real life?
Used to go to an anime con, but haven't been in a few years.
18-a) Do you have a Crackberry or other similiar extended mobile telephony device?
Nah, just a plain cell phone which desperately needs to be replaced. I want a good-quality flip phone with actual buttons, but those are very hard to come by with the smartphone craze in full swing.
18-b) What features of your phone/mobile device do you actually use?
Calls, voice mail (which is really a call), text messages, and sometimes the camera.
18-c) What features are there, but baffle you as to their purpose or usefulness?
The super-low-end (and costly) web browser and MP3 player. Customized ring tones drive me crazy. My ring is a nice discreet beeping. I don't see why anyone needs blaring rock music just to tell them they have a phone call.
19) How many computers do you have in your home?
Don't ask an embedded programmer that question. :-p One PC working, another in pieces, a friend's off in a corner, and a beat-up old laptop in a closet make four.
An interesting side question is "How many computers do you have in your PC?".
20) Do you consider the environmental impact of your actions before making a decision?
Not as much as I should. It's hard to find trustworthy information on what the environmental impact of my actions actually is.
21-a) Realistically, which new car would you buy if you had the means right now?
The Honda Accord has at least as much headroom than any other car available at any price, $400k Rolls-Royce not excepted. However, there are a couple BMWs that tie it. :-D
22-b) Fantastically, which car from this or any era would you magically *poof* into existence in your driveway?
Maybe something that flies? My current car looks like an X-Wing on the inside; I don't think I can complain too much.
23) Do you listen to NPR, AM talk radio, or podcasts?
Sometimes, no, and yes. I'm finishing up a podcast of an American economic history class by Brad DeLong, then moving on to one about the history of the Normans.
24) Do you watch the Daily Show / Colbert Report?
I watch the Daily Show on the net until I get too behind, then I wait a while before catching up again.
25) Do you consciously eat healthy?
I consciously eat unhealthy. :-( Must work on that.
26) Do you exercise? Do you go outside or to a gym?
One or two times a week I'll ride my bike around the city in the middle of the night. Other people are horrified by this, but I find it very relaxing. I also go contra dancing. Sometimes I jog, but it's very painful and tedious.
27-a) Are you religious, or otherwise spiritually inclined?
No. I want to know what's really going on, and I don't find those concepts helpful. I'm sure I could mangle the definitions enough to fit me, but I'd rather find something new.
27-b) Is your current faith different from the one you were raised with?
Yes and no. My parents were ostensibly Christian and were disturbed to find out I was an atheist, but they didn't really give me any religious instruction, either.
28) Do you collect anything?
Books and shiny rocks. Neither seriously.
29) Think back 10 years, are you where you thought you'd be now?
I had just graduated from high school. I had no idea where I'd be right now.
30) If you could go back 10 years and tell your old self something, what would it be?
Find a better college, push yourself to go out and do new things, talk to Abby more often, give serious thought to smothering Maggie with a pillow, and don't get too worked up over your first girlfriend.