Brian - ProfilesArchive

About Me

I'm a senior at the University of Mass. (Yes, I'm too lazy to type the whole name of the school, and yes, I'm quite aware that this diatribe is longer than the name of the school, thank you very much). I study pure maths and computer science, but when I'm not focused on my academics (all too often I'm afraid), I stray to the liberal arts side of the intellectual spectrum. I think that life is too short to be really pretentious about music and culture, so I like to enjoy both high and low art/culture.

Errr, I don't really know what else to put here, since you can't really learn much about a person until you engage them in conversation.

You can learn more about my tastes in music, books and film by reading through those nifty lists on the side of the page.

Obligatory Quote: ... we know very well that work is 'natural' just as long as it is 'profitable', and that in modifying the inevitability of the profit, we shall perhaps one day modify the inevitability of labour. -- Roland Barthes

My Interests

Music, Computers, Philosophy, Film, Art, Linguistics, AI, Sketch Comedy, British Comedy, Math

I'd like to meet:

I'd like to meet some non-math/non-computer people, and well, everyone.

Music:

The artists that I listen to most are Kate Bush, Nethers, Boards of Canada, Goblin (Italian Horror Jazz), The Elephant Six Collective (all of the bands under that umbrella), Nico, Royksopp and the Supremes. More generally, I like all kinds of music. No, really, I listen to it all. As long as it's good I'll give it a listen.

I also listen to dance/electronic music. Some of my favorite groups/DJs:Orbital The Orb Underworld Hybrid Kirsty Hawkshaw Sasha Paul Van Dyk Sven Vath High Contrast London Elektricity Future Sounds of London Bent banco de gaia bt etc...

Lately I've been interested in girl groups from the 50's and 60's, Motown, Soul, Classical, melodic/ambient drum and base and alt. country.

Movies:

The Royal Tenenbaums, Amelie, Wargames, Napoleon Dynamite, Real Genius, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, The Fisher King, Labyrinth, The Princess Bride, The Evil Dead, Dawn of the Dead, The Life Aquatic, Brazil, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, Lost in Translation, Wet Hot American Summer, Susperia.

I enjoy both high brow and low brow humor, with a little bit of ultra-gore mixed in for variety. Iâ€™m up for watching any new movie, especially if I get to watch it with fun people.

Some of my favorite directors are:David Lynch Wes Anderson Jim Henson Terry Gilliam Sam Raimi

Television:

The Family Guy, The State, Mr. Show with Bob and David, Nova, Nature, Red Dwarf, Monty Python's Flying Circus, Futurama, Simpsons, Law and Order

Books:

The Chronicles of Narnia, His Dark Materials Trilogy, The Dark is Rising Series, The Discworld Series, The Illuminatus! Trilogy, A Series of Unfortunate Events.

Although I've only listed a couple of children's books here, I frequently find that I read more children's books than "adult" books. I just think that they are better written, have more interesting characters, and are more fun to read.

Some of my favorite authors:

Jorge Luis Borges H.P. Lovecraft Edgar Allan Poe Patrick White Franz Kafka Philip Pullman C.S. Lewis Susan Cooper Terry Pratchett Neil Gaiman

Heroes:

Danger Mouse