I graduated with my bachelors in Computer Engineering from Virginia Tech in 2004. I've been working for the Department of Defense since 2007, and I've won a ton of awards and spearheaded some breakthrough projects. I'm really good at programming. But I don't care about it. At all.
So last winter, I wrote a comedic TV pilot along with a bunch of essays, applied to the prestigious graduate screenwriting program at Chapman University, and got accepted. I left my job with the DoD and moved out here to Orange in mid-August. I couldn't be happier with my decision.
I'm really good at stupid things that don't matter. For example, table tennis. Totally not impressive whatsoever. Other examples would be bowling, frisbee golf, mini golf, Ms. Pac Man, and nok hockey.
I have seen Billy Madison over 150 times. I have a ton of embarrassing stories about myself and I have no problem telling them to pretty much anyone. Chapman probably wishes I had mentioned this in my application. TOO LATE!
I love pretty much every kind of food. I'm not really on speaking terms with pickles or mushrooms right now, but I'll still eat them without complaining. I also love cooking and baking.
I play a lot of music. About 10 different instruments, to be exact (saxophone, trumpet, tuba, trombone, baritone, bass, guitar, harmonica, flute [shut up], drums), though I haven't actively played many of them in years. I have 3 guitars hanging in my room and they distract me constantly. Its pretty fantastic. I still buy albums on vinyl and love the way they sound.
I really like sports, but I have no favorite teams. No, seriously. My dad was a sportswriter, so he had no allegiances, and I ended up the same way. I soak up sports information like a sponge, even when I don't mean to. It happens. I love playing sports, but I'm not really competitive. I mean, I always try hard, but I'm not super upset if I don't win.
Comedy is one of my favorite things on the planet. I love standup. I've been dabbling for a few months now, and I have always loved watching standup comedians. David Cross, Louis CK, Patton Oswalt, Marc Maron, Chapelle, Richard Pryor, Sam Kinison, Norm Macdonald, and the list goes on. I came to school out here specifically to get into writing comedy. I'm in the process of writing two movies, a TV pilot, and a bunch of short films.
TV and movies in general are awesome. I love watching them. I'm not attached to my couch or anything, I just think there are a lot of good things going on in the film world right now.
I started going to shows (indie rock, punk, hardcore, and everything in between) in the late 90s and that is where I made a lot of my friends. I still love that community, though I've lost touch with it to an extent. Much of the music I still listen to is stuff that I discovered in basement shows in the middle of nowhere. My music taste is extremely all over the place. Pretty much everywhere except for Top 40.
I think the biggest creative influences on my life are Calvin Hobbes, the Far Side, and Bloom County. If you aren't familiar with any of these, Google them. And then read them. They are hilarious, intelligent, stupid, and poignant all at the same time.
I'm not sure if I have a personality or if my brain is just a database of Simpsons and Seinfeld quotes that I recall at times in conversation that seem appropriate.
I've spent a lot of time traveling and plan on doing it a lot more in the future.
I think Bruce Springsteen is the greatest songwriter of all time. The first 5 records, at least.
"Just My Imagination" by the Temptations is a perfect song.
For better or worse, I'm very different from other dudes. I will make you laugh a lot. I'm down-to-earth like nobody you've met before. I'm very awesome to the people that I care about. Parents always love me. I can relate to almost anyone.
You will have a good time with me.
