10 Random Things About Me

Kayleigh Fraser has asked me to participate in her September Get to Know Me Challenge. I think it is a brilliant dare as it allows you to get to know me, the man behind the profile. So, without further ado, here are 10 random things about me:

1. I was born during a Nor’easter: Nor’easters are a common and ‘well-loved’ feature of New England weather. They are essentially intense ice blizzards with high winds. My dad drove through it while my mom was in labor. Unsurprisingly, I love winter and snow to this day.
2. I love animals: I am not entirely sure why, but my grandfather, father, and I were always able to relate well with animals. This is why our family has taken to keeping pets in the house. Currently, I have two black cats named Julius and Augustus. They are two bonded brothers from the same litter that my dad had found at a local rescue shelter. We originally wanted only one, but we couldn’t split them up. My dad tried to get my mom to bring home a third, but there was no such luck.
3. I am an archaeologist: I have a Bachelor of Arts in Classical Archaeology from Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire and a Master of Arts in Iron Age and Celtic Archaeology from the University of York in York, England. Despite this, I have no formal training in creative writing aside from some assignments in high school. It is primarily my training as an archaeologist that inspires my fictive work, namely my knowledge of material culture, history, society, socio-material relationships, and anthropological theory.
4. Learning has always been one of my favorite hobbies: As a child, I loved school (except for math, I have always hated it). This probably explains my attraction to academia. Some of my favorite things to learn back in school were history, science, language, and art. Come to think of it, this explains a lot about my chosen career, and why I continue to love language learning software, museums, and public lectures.
5. I will do serious damage in a bookshop if you let me: I love books and reading and I am a sucker for a good story. Despite not having much of a budget on most occasions, I will attempt to buy out the place if I am not stopped. Conversely, my ‘to-read’ list measures at least seven miles long by my most recent survey.
6. The first book in my own collection was a pocket edition of Edith Hamilton’s ‘Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes’: One of the first physical books that I called was mine was a popular mythology primer. Indeed, I have a fond childhood memory of going to Barnes and Noble with my mom and dad and picking it out. I honestly think it was my dad’s love of history rubbing off on me initially, but that book went on to feed my curiosity about mythology and folklore’s role in history and human perception of the world. While this was no doubt an important moment in my childhood, it had the unfortunate consequence of me having read many Greco-Roman, Norse, and Celtic myths long before titles like Percy Jackson and Eragon. In fact, I am still catching up on many of the more popular titles to this very day.
7. TTRPG’s have gradually become one of my biggest hobbies: While I am relatively new to the tabletop scene, fantasy roleplaying games and cooperative storytelling have gotten me through the most difficult parts of the last six or so years. Over the last four years, I have started running a few games myself. I even have a homebrew setting with long-term plans to publish it. Most recently, I have been a player on the podcast This Campaign in Ruins, an archaeology-themed Dungeons and Dragons podcast run entirely by archaeologists and historians.
8. I have lived long-term in three different countries: I have been lucky enough to see many places over the course of my education that I never dreamed I would. After a while, you learn to live and travel as frugally as possible as a student (trust me, I have burned many a hole in my wallet to get my degrees). While I have spent most of my life in the United States, I have also lived in Italy and the United Kingdom. This time has not only served to fuel my fascination with people and culture, but I have made many friends that I wish were possible to casually visit on the weekend.
9. I live for experience: If there is something new that seems like fun, I will always want to try it. Whether it is a new place to travel or a new activity to try, I will be the first person in line to go.
10. I love food and cooking: While this partially stems from my love of trying new things, food itself is an expression of art and culture that I am particularly fascinated with. Not only will I want to try new dishes, but I will also want to attempt to make them if I am able. Already, I have basic proficiency in the kitchen, and I find simple cooking very relaxing. One thing I haven’t quite mastered yet is baking, but I do certain dishes from my heritage well like tourtière (French Canadian meat pie) and classic French madeleines.

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