Hobbies

Baking - I started baking in 1993 in self defense. I couldn't find any good bread and decided to make my own. Since then I have learned a lot about how to bake many different styles of bread, branched out into other baking areas, and developed a love of cooking in general. My baking has led me to be a recipe reviewer for three published books: Celebration Breads: Recipes, Tales, and Traditions by Betsy Oppenneer (ISBN: 0743224833, October 2003), American Pie: My Search for the Perfect Pizza by Peter Reinhart (ISBN: 1580084222, November 2003), Peter Reinhart's Whole Grain Breads: New Techniques, Extraordinary Flavor (ISBN: 1580087590, August 2007), and Peter Reinhart's Artisan Breads Every Day (ISBN: 978-1580089982, October 2009). The downside to all of this baking is that my standards have gotten higher than ever. I almost can't buy commerical baked goods anymore. It is a good diet plan since I am no longer tempted by the cakes and cookies in the store. On the upside, I am always up for a challenge. If there is something you want to know how to make, let's work together to generate something that meets your expectations.

Storytelling - I enjoy the art of storytelling in various forms. When I lived in Johnson City, TN (1993-1997), I was exposed to the National Storytelling Festival deepening my appreciation for the art. Another good resource is StoryNet.

I also enjoy creatively made and told stories in movies and written or illustrated forms. In particular, I enjoy enjoy and study comic and cartoon art. While America has largely marginalized the art as strictly for kids, many American and international artists have shown some of the potential for the art form. People like Will Eisner, Scott McCloud, Moebuis, and Bill Watterson, to name very few, have worked hard to develop the art form as a legitimate art worthy of attention. Some resources of interest are MOCCA, Scoop, Lambiek Comiclopedia, Michigan State University Comic Art Collection. In spite of years of enjoyment, I still have no artistic skill for the creation of any art.

Music - Music is something that is very personal. I find that the music I gravitate towards tends to be highly experimental, very unstructured, and to many ears, closer to noise and than music. It rarely includes vocals and even more rarely includes lyrics. I got started down this path by buying music on a dare because it had interesting cover art. Some of the artists I have enjoyed recently include Klaus Schulze, Iury Lech, Interstellar Cement Mixers, Peter Benisch, and many of the FAX label and Electroshock label artists. Since you likely have never heard of any of these artists or labels, here are some links to get you started with some interesting music. My two sources are Eurock and EAR/Rational Music.

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Last Modified: January 15, 2018