Profile TheWriterInBlack:

Basic Information Tell us a bit about yourself.

I Would Describe Myself As I am a writer of science fiction and fantasy who lives with his daughter, three dogs, and two ferrets. I work in sci-tech during my day job. Love goth and metal music. Looking for friendship, dating, and we'll see what develops. I am trying to make "Viking goth" a thing. I have an interest in knives, swords, and other blades and have a modest collection. I also have an interest in guns and do shoot Also, what I want from government is to mostly stay away.

When it comes to personal interactions I tend to have two modes.

One I term "deer in the headlights." Basically, I have no idea what to say. I freeze. It's not just a matter of I need a second to think, I really just have no clue what words should come out of my mouth. I have had folk tell me that this comes off as brusque or downright rude. And, well, I'm not intending to be it's just that a combination of social anxiety and utter cluelessness causes me to freeze. You can be my best friend in the world and I still have no idea what to say.

The second mode is when you get me going on a subject I'm passionate about. Then, the problem is the exact opposite; getting me to shut up. I get motivated about the topic and...well, that just takes over.

There are a couple of lesser modes for special situations as well.

The first of these is "polite greeting." "Hi." "How are you." "Nice day." "Things going well?" "Take care. Have a nice day." Basically "canned" phrases (which doesn't mean that they aren't well meant) that I have sometimes heard described as "polite noises." I can do that. I can even be sincere about it. It's just, you run out of those pretty quickly.

The last is "on stage presence" which is what I use when doing panels at cons or when doing training related to my work. It's sort of a toned-down version of mode 2 that relies on the more formal structure of a panel discussion or a training session to keep me from going overboard as I am wont to do without that structure.

The observant reader will note that what's lacking in there is a "mode" that is useful for social interactions, in particular for meeting new people. It is no great surprise that virtually all of my friends are folk I've met through science fiction conventions and thus were able to interact with initially via "on stage presence". Online also comes closer to that "on stage" than any in person interactions and, so is behind most of the _rest_ of my friends--those I didn't meet through cons, I "met" online. Indeed, I tend to be a lot more "open" online than I'd ever dream of being face to face with all but my absolutely closest friends.

And this lack is one of the major challenges of my life: how to actually meet and get to know people in "meat space" beyond the rote (although never empty, not for me) pleasantries.
Sign Capricorn

Appearance & Situation What's your present situation? Describe your appearance.

My Body Type Is Heavyset
My Height Is 5' 9 (1.75 m)
My Eyes Are Blue
My Ethnicity Is Caucasian
My Marital Situation Is Divorced
I Have Kids Yes - At Home
I Want Kids Yes
Body Art Pierced... But Only Ear(s)
My Hair Is Other
I Have One Or More Of These Dog, Exotic Animal
Willing To Relocate No

More about him

What genre of music do you enjoy most? Other
What is your favorite band? Probably The Sisters of Mercy, or any one of several gothic/symphonic metal bands
Who is your favorite writer? Hard to say. Who have I read most recently?
Who is your favorite character from literature? This may seem odd, but Batman
What is the best site about Goth culture? YouTube channels like Toxic Tears'.

Status What do you do?

My Education Level Is University Degree
My Current Employment Status Is Full-time
My Speciality Is Research / Science / Engineering
My Job Title Is Sr. Analytical Scientist
I Make This Much In A Year $60,000USD To $74,999USD
I Live With Kid(s), With Pet(s)
At Home All Is Calm
I'm A Smoker No
I Drink Yes - One Or Two

Personality How do you act? What are your tastes?

Back In High School, I Was A Nerd
My Social Behavior Is Reserved, Shy
My Interest And Hobbies Are Reading, Music, Tv, Internet, Fishing / Hunting
My Idea Of A Great Time Is Hanging Out With Friends, Trying New Things, Reading A Book, Going To A Museum
An Ideal First Date Would Be Something interesting, like a museum or other place where we can talk but where there's something to do if conversation lags.
I've Always Wanted To Try Skydiving, SCUBA diving, exploring places nobody's been before.

Views Views on life.

My Religion Is Agnostic
I Attend Services Never
My Political Views Are Libertarian
My Goal In Life Is To make some small mark in the world.
My Kind Of Humor Is Dry / Sarcastic, Obscure

Taste What do you like?

On Tv, I Always Watch Dramas
When I Go To The Movies, I Always Go To See A Action, Science Fiction, Comedy, Romance, Drama, Animation, Horror, Thriller
When Listening To Music, I Always Listen To Rock, Metal
When I Read, I Always Read Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Science Fiction, I'm An Author, Romance

Looking for What are you looking for in your soulmate?

What Do You Find Attractive? Sensitivity, Humor, Thoughtfullness, Intelligence
What Do You Look For? I'll be honest. I'm not sure. Part of what I'm looking for is to find out what I'm looking for.
What Kind Of Relationship Are You Seeking? Friend, Date, Intimate