Helloo from Tejas!
This is just a bit about me. Well, all right, it's quite a lot about me. Oh, and if I managed to send duplicate mail to anyone, I apologize.
--Name: David Ramsden
--E-Mail: WiredNavi@aol.com
--Age: 20
--Occupation: Biochemistry major at UT Austin, general goofball.
--Appearance: To quote H.P. Lovecraft - "It is from my right shoulder, not my left, from which the ropy tentacles spring." Actually, I'm just your average all-American boy - Neutral hair, gray-green eyes, about 6'1", 170 lbs.
--Religion: Nil. Well, agnostic. People shouldn't need religion to be good to one another, dammit!
--Politics: Vague, but generally right of center, with some Libertarian leanings. And really, I'm not a bigot - please resheathe your machetes. :)
--Residence: Well, I'm living in Austin (going to the University of Texas) but 'home' is Houston.
--Anime: Anime: A big factor in my life My favorites are Ruroni Kenshin, Vision of Escaflowne, Record of Lodoss War, and Heroic Legend of Arslan.
As for manga, I'm a big fan of Fred Perry's amerimanga Gold Digger, and I love Darkhair Captured, by Ryuusuke Mita, author/artist of Dragon Half. I also like anything by Johji Manabe, Rumiko Takahashi, and Clamp.
--Hobbies: I love to read practically everything, but I prefer fantasy, sci-fi, philosophy, and history. My favorite authors include Ayn Rand, Tad Williams, Terry Brooks, and the master of horror himself, H.P. Lovecraft. (King is a talented and well-meaning amateur.) My all-time favorite author of the month (well, going on a year now) is Terry Goodkind, author of the incredible Sword of Truth series.
I play Magic: The Gathering a little (no, really!), Warhammer 40K, and Warhammer Fantasy (two miniatures strategy games). I like websurfing, Starcraft, and Quake/Halflife style games. My friends and I play AD&D and GURPS quite a bit as well.
I also play an online real-time RPG, DragonRealms, which IMHO is the finest real-time RPG/MUD ever. If you play or want to give it a shot, my characters are Giacomo Lesperata, king of jesters, and Kaoru Byakuro, the eternally irritated elven Warrior Mage. I'll be happy to give you a helping hand if you want to start or just try it out. Check it out at www.play.net.
I enjoy writing but I tend to fall short of my expectations. I'm a 2nd degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and I love racquetball, though I'll admit I'm wretched at it. All in all, I'm much more at home screwing around on the computer or throwing together AD&D adventures than exercising, but if I didn't get out, I'd turn into an enormous, marshmallow-like lump, and I refuse to let that happen.
--Music: Highly eclectic. J-pop, anime soundtracks, 80's pop rock, 60's rock, techno, taiko drums, a bit of industrial, a dash of soul, and a splash of blues, zydeco, and traditional cajun.
--Movies: Well, apart from anime: Monty Python (anything, especially Holy Grail), Braveheart, Ronin, Legend, Spaceballs, the Kentucky Fried Movie, the entire James Bond series, and anything starring Jimmy Stewart, Cary Grant, or Kirk Douglas.
--Flaws: None, of course! That is, apart from my general disorganization, my laziness, my irresponsibility, and my all-around goofiness.
I also enjoy a good debate, or argument, or whatever, though I tend to get pigheaded and stubborn. Please note that I will NEVER be offended by what you say, even if I disagree with you wholeheartedly.
I'm glad to be part of Narada, and I'm very glad to meet you all!
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"That's why I like to talk to you. It's such a waste being subtle and vicious with people who don't even know you're being subtle and vicious."
-- Ellsworth Toohey, from The Fountainhead
Email David at WiredNavi@aol.com.