Profile

Subscriptions/Access: I tend to be shy about adding people. I also tend not to use locked posts very often. And I'm enjoying meeting new people. So, for now... add me if you like, and I'll very likely add you back. Please do take the time to introduce yourself with at least a quick comment. We'll see how we get along. If you find me boring, drop me. Likewise, if, sometime down the road, my reading page starts to get cluttered, I may drop subscriptions. No big deal either way, as far as I'm concerned, and I hope you'll feel the same.

Invite Codes: I have a number of invite codes available. Free to a good home. By which I mean that I'm happy to give one to you or your friend, whether I know you or not, no strings attached. So long as you tell me that it will be put to good use (i.e. not for spam and not just left idle).

Where in the world is HatMan's sleep schedule?

Physically in: US EDT (GMT/UTC-5)
Breakfast: 3:30 AM, EDT
Projected bedtime: 5:00PM, EDT
Approximate time zone: GMT/UTC+1 (France)
Updated: May 9, 2009

Intro/Bio:

Hi. I'm Paul. AKA pgwfolc AKA pgwfolc. AKA zennerd. Among other things.

I'm a nerd. I'm a mechanical engineer. I'm an amateur philosopher. I'm insane.

Sometimes, I'm insane because it's way more fun that way. In fact, I don't trust sane people. Sometimes they scare me. Sometimes, I just pity them.

Sometimes, it's because my immune system has spent the last 30 years finding ever more devious and subtle ways to try to kill me from the inside out and my brain isn't quite what it used to be. But I try not to dwell on that.

In general, though, I'm friendly. And happy to meet new people.

My motto in life is:

"Life is like a box of chocolates - without chocolate, it's empty!"

You can use that if you want, but please credit me. Last I checked, searching for the phrase only turned up stuff from me.

I'm a dyslexic agnostic insomniac, but whatever the jokesters may tell you, I have better things to do with my time than stay up all night wondering if there's a dog. Actually, come dinner time, I tithe unto Dog.

Honesty is important to me. I say what I mean and I mean what I say. I joke, I tease, I use sarcasm, and, if I really have to, I will sometimes resort to incomplete truths. But if I have a religion, it is information/communication/truth (which I guess makes me an agnostic gnostic... or would, if the term didn't actually refer to something else). Fudging makes me uncomfortable at best. Lies are sacrilege. Also, they make for inefficiencies. Did I mention I am/was a mechanical engineer? Efficiency is important. Though, fine, much of my life in reality comes down to rigidly compartmentalized chaos. But that actually turns out to be an efficient system in many cases. Really.

I was a mechanical engineering student until forced to go on medical leave. For the last 8 years. Was also a minor in philosophy. Many people were confused by this, by how I could be both, but... rigidly compartmentalized chaos. Feet solidly grounded, head in the clouds.

As a child, I invented water distillation. I also invented the Sleep Number bed. A neighbor helped me get things ready for patenting. Day before I sent the papers off, I saw an ad in a magazine. Just a little ad in the corner. *sigh* Later, as an engineering student, I invented submarine pressure hulls. One of these days, I hope to invent something which hasn't already been invented by someone else.

Back to that "information is my religion" thing... I collect information. Facts. Tidbits. Whatever may somehow someday be useful. Also whatever seems shiny. And then I offer it up freely - sometimes, quantitatively speaking, too freely - whenever it seems like it might be helpful. Not so much because I want to prove myself or show how spiffy I am (though I must admit it does feel nice to do so - human nature and all) but because I have a compulsive need to be helpful. And because information is sacred and therefore not to be hoarded. And because it's hard for me to comprehend the idea of not wanting information.

And... I'm not really sure what else I am just now. Kind of in a transitional phase, I guess. I've lost interest in a lot of my old stuff. Dreamwidth is the first thing I've been really excited about for a while.

There's more (some of it redundant) in this post, if you're interested.

Anything not covered... just ask. :)