I'm open to anything that I find intellectually, spiritually, or emotionally enriching: good friends, good music, and beauty that sneaks into your life in the most unexpected places.
Other things I enjoy: writing (short prose and short stories, mostly), boxing (not competitive, I just beat a bag), conversation (duh), people-watching, being so ironic it's no longer ironic, crafting creative epithets
Specifically, and dead: Richard Brautigan, Kahlil Gibran, Chris Whitley
Specifically, and alive: Salman Rushdie, John Fowles, Stephen Hawking
I don't friend everyone I get requests from. I'm always interested in meeting people who have something intellectually or spiritually engaging to offer, who have an interesting perspective or consuming passion. I value character, ethics, and intellect in my friendships... I'm too old for drama and people who are ruled by their insecurities.
Note: The background image for my page is "Basilica 4" copyright 2004 Paul 'Duke' Paetz. He has a bunch of other great work at:
http://photoscopic.pluckthepetal.com/
I tend mostly toward shoegaze/noise-pop and organic, glitchy IDM. Here's the short list:The Album Leaf
Aphex Twin
The Arcade Fire
The Autumns
Azure Ray
Blonde Redhead
Bright Eyes
Calla
Chris Whitley
The Cure
Daturah
The Decemberists
Depeche Mode
Doves
Dredg
Explosions in the Sky
The Flashbulb
Interpol
Iron & Wine
Lali Puna
Love Spirals Downwards
The Mars Volta
Mice Parade
Mogwai
Mono
Mum
My Bloody Valentine
National Skyline
Neutral Milk Hotel
Nine Inch Nails
The Notwist
Pelican
The Postal Service
Proem
Radiohead
Sigur Ros
Slowdive
Swords
Tiki Obmar
Toad the Wet Sprocket
Tori Amos
The Veils
Wolf Parade
The Wrens
I enjoy movies, but film isn't an art form I consider myself particularly knowledgeable about. I like a lot of independent and foreign films, but I'm not entirely immune to the siren call of dumb action movies.
Above all, I really like films that are visually stunning and convey a sense of poignance. A good soundtrack will redeem a shitty movie for me every time.
I have a thing for subtle science fiction films like Gattaca, Code 46, and Solaris, and I really like schizoid stuff like Fight Club and The Last Minute.
Eh, not so much. I'll watch a good series when it comes out on DVD sometimes.
I read a lot... I'd have to say that Richard Brautigan is my favorite author, closely followed by John Fowles.
I have, in the past, really enjoyed Bukowski, Camus, Mark Danielewski, Andre Dubus, Sebastian Faulks, Kahlil Gibran, William Gibson, Kafka, Kerouac, Gregory Maguire, Thomas Mann, Nietzsche, Chuck Palahniuk, Salman Rushdie, Ayn Rand, Sartre, and Vonnegut.
I don't really believe in having heroes.