Hobbies and Interests

A life where all I did was rise, bathe, study statistics, eat, and sleep would not only drive me to deep depression, but also make me less effective as a statistician. (I tried it for a little while.) So I do several things besides my work in the department. I've divided them into group and individual activities, as a good starting point.

From March 2001 to November 2005, I served as a volunteer for Decipher, specifically their card game based on Lord of the Rings. First, I like the strategy involved in construction. Second, I like the strategy involved in interactive play. I've learned a lot, and am adding a Decipher page for more on this subject, including links to my reports.

I used to lead the Chicago discussion group of the Regeneration Forum, a somewhat fruitful attempt to engage Christians of my generation in transforming culture. The magazine folded in 2003, and the discussion group followed soon after. You can read more about my beliefs, and my works, on the faith page. During the school term, I volunteer as a lector and extraordinary minister at Calvert House on campus. I'm also the organizer for the graduate student fellowship.

In the summer, I also defend the honor of the Mathematics and Statistics departments by playing on the Eckhart Sabres softball team in the university summer league. I rowed on the Harvard freshman lightweight team in 1992-93, at 155 pounds, believe it or not, and I played basketball a lot up until 1998 or so. I like to play ultimate frisbee, though I'm short a crucial long forehand throw and some experience. I can do other things, thanks primarily to my size and ability to contort horizontally to catch discs. I finally found a use for my childhood clumsiness: learning how to land! Around December 2004, I managed to convince myself that keeping physically fit was a good thing. I head to the gym about five days a week now. It helps that I can read the Economist on the exercise bike.

Unlike a lot of people, I prefer music with emotion, and passion; I'm not using it to relax. It's also been said that people never advance past the tunes they heard as teenagers, which would mean I'm fated to hear big hair bands and grunge for the rest of my life. Ouch. More realistically, I really like Johnny Cash (to the point of annoying my classmates), big band and other Americana, and I'll even admit I have a thing for Europop at times. It makes me smile, and I always can use more of that. You can view a list of some songs I like.

Like most graduate students, I read a good bit. You can find out my current books and magazines, along with blurbs about my favorites, on the books page. I don't watch a lot of movies, so I don't have much to say on them. Unlike many intellectuals, though, I actually think there are decent things on TV. Sometimes, despite its best attempts to self-destruct at times, TV can bring us things we wouldn't consider otherwise, and force us to consider life in varied ways. Or we can just watch Friends all the time and wonder why New York looks clean and all white, your choice. On the TV page, I list and defend my favorite shows. I don't watch many movies (explaining why on that page), but there I also list some films I appreciate.

Finally, the power page delineates my studies into the dark world of power and voluntary submission. Unlike much of this site, the information there can be disturbing at times, so be careful, OK?

Updated November 2007. There used to be transcribed articles here, but I eliminated those on the most recent shift, as Internet archives become fuller.
Keeping in the spirit of good humor, once or twice a year I dye my hair some bright color - here's a picture.