I Mustache You A Question

• This mustache and this both are… bananas!

  Four names that people call me, other than my real name:

1. Alex.  BIGGEST PET PEEVE.  There’s nothing wrong with the name Alex, except it’s not MY NAME.  I used to joke to people that called me that that there’s a dyslexia epidemic, until I came across someone who actually had dyslexia.  Has anyone seen my foot? Oh here it is, in my mouth.  It got bad enough that I actually (in a moment of low self-esteem, probably in my teens) considered changing my name to save everyone the trouble.  Nowadays, I correct people right away so they can’t get into the bad habit – I have to confront the embarrassment head-on.
2. Papa – only two people call me that, but they do say it A LOT.
3. Ax – due to #1 and what must have been a record-setting number of disparaging nicknames as a kid, I generally refuse to answer to anything but my actual name.  This one nickname gets grandfathered in since my oldest friends still use it.
4. Axe-man – see #3

• Four jobs I have had – My career as an engineer has been quite checkered, but if you’re not in the industry, it probably doesn’t seem that varied.  I think this list is more for crazy/joe jobs, so I’ll list those.

1. Cleaning after pets at the Ontario Humane Society
2. Tutoring (French, Math, Physics)
3. Translating Academic Papers from German to English (or at least, proof-reading the translations)
4. Wireless Network Engineer

• Four movies I have watched more than once:

1. Star Wars (all of them) – I think it was generally accepted practice in my generation (for boys at least) that social ranking was determined by who had seen the movies the most.
2. Pulp Fiction – This is one of the movies I decided I must own on DVD once I first got a DVD player.  Highly quotable, in fact, it just gave me the idea to put “Bad Motherf***er” on some of my tri stuff (helmet, bike, etc.) just so I can paraphrase the diner scene.
3. Swingers – From the same list as Pulp Fiction, maybe not quite as timeless.
4. The Good The Bad and the Ugly – I love this movie, but I mostly put it on this list so anyone who’s seen it will now have the theme stuck in their head.

• Two Books I recommend:

1. A Prayer For Owen Meany – If this book isn’t the only book to make me laugh out loud AND cry, then it’s definitely the record holder for number of times it’s done both.
2. The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy – This book might not be for everyone, but if you like it, we can be friends, and if you’ve read it, you’ll better understand my sense of humour or even my worldview.  I try to emulate Douglas Adams a fair bit in my own writing.

• Four places I have lived:

1. Toronto: Grew up in Scarborough, first place of my own in North York, currently in Mississauga.
2. Waterloo, ON: University
3. Braunschweig, Germany: 1 year exchange
4. Leeds, UK: Grad School

• Four Places I have been:

1. Thailand
2. Costa Rica
3. Germany
4. Switzerland

Honourable Mentions: France, Mexico, Turks & Caicos

• Four places I would rather be right now:

1. Costa Rica – any place warm/tropical would do right now, but I dreamt of this place the other morning.
2. Seville – This place made a great impression on me culturally (architecture, food, music); it’s also warmer than here, and very relaxed.
3. New Orleans – Ditto
4. Bed – Warmth, comfort… you know.

• Four things I don’t eat:

1. BRAAAAINS – this is part joke about how I’m not a zombie (yet), but some people do eat brain.  I consider myself an adventurous eater, but here’s where I draw the line.
2. Leek – I really don’t like the taste of this one.
3. Brussel Sprouts – Does anyone like these?
4. Avocado – this one’s weird, I think it’s the texture, because I have no problem with guacamole.

• Four of my favourite foods:

1. Spaghetti and Meat Sauce – this was number one when I was a kid, and I’m not gonna change…
2. Burgers
3. Steak
4. Muffins – I had to admit these were my weakness when I found that I could avoid sweets entirely, except I’d crack and get one of these mid-mornings.  I can say no to ice cream, chocolate, cookies, cake, donuts no problem, but muffins slip the net far too often.

Honourable Mentions: Butter Chicken, Peanut Curry, Pancakes, Jambalaya…

• Four TV Shows I watch:

1. New Girl
2. Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
3. Brooklyn 99
4. Saturday Night Live

Honourable Mentions: I’m working through Orange Is The New Black on Netflix, Game of Thrones (season 2 so far) on DVD, and when House of Cards comes back… hooo boy.