1. I'm a skeptic and an atheist, but I'm only interested in atheism and organized skepticism if they also include feminism and other social justice issues.
2. I was seventeen and very, very excited when Obama was elected in 2008, but I've been very disappointed since. I'm much, much farther to the left than he has turned out to be.
3. I met my wife at Missouri Scholars Academy, a summer camp for nerds, when I was 15 and she was 16. We are now 22 and 23, and we have been married for almost exactly a year. It was the best decision I've ever made, and I'm incredibly lucky that she puts up with me. She blogs at thepaisleyelf.tumblr.com
4. I have a weirdly passionate love for Ken Burns-style documentaries.
5. I have been babysitting my nieces Evelyn and Linda for the past four summers. They are now 8 and 5, and the most adorable freaking children in the world.
6. My favorite animal is the tardigrade. Aww, look at you, surviving the vacuum of space! Who's a cute little extremophile! You are!
7. Carl Sagan, Neil DeGrasse Tyson, Greta Christina, and Rebecca Watson are my heroes.
8. I struggle with severe depression and social anxiety, but I started taking medication for it a few weeks ago and am already feeling noticeably better in social groups.
9. I love music festivals and jam bands. My wife and I actually got to see the (surviving members of the) Grateful Dead a couple years ago, and it was awesome!
10. I identify as the B in LGBT, but since I am married to a woman and thus have the privileges of passing for straight, I mostly shut my privileged mouth and listen when it comes to those issues. My wife and I are also taking the first faltering steps into polyamory, so we'll see how that goes!
Since this isn't a personal blog, I won't do much stuff like this, but I'm always very happy to talk to anyone who messages me! Back to the science pictures.
