INTRO PROFILE

[kippesp]

THE OLD CROWD – INTRO

***Name:
Paul Kippes

***Nicknames/IDs:
Originally used smitster1

***Age:
31

***Family:
Youngest in a family of 3 sons.  Never married.  I do have a
dog that I tried to name Mr. Smith.  But using that name in
training proved difficult and so went with Smitty.  (See
movie 'The Awful Truth' for a Hollywood version of my 
wire fox terrier.)

***Home
Dallas, TX.  But I've really only lived here 3 year.  Two on the
front end and 1 on the back end.  Can't say I know just how long
I can remain.  Have lived in Wichita.  And also my favorite, St. 
Louis.
If only I would have known that at the time!!

***Birthday, Place of Birth:
October 31st, Dallas, TX

***Education/Job/Role in Life etc:
Undergrad in Electrical Engineering & Computer Engineering.
Masters in Business.  Eventually will have a masters in computer
science.  Love school and learning.  At the moment, I'm not in
an ideal career situation.  I do software programming but am highly 
under
utilized (I hope).  Nevertheless, this is what I've found after 3 
degrees.
But it beats unemployment, which I've been through.

***Other things we might want to know about you:
- I assist Heidi with FictionAlley.org where I do server things and
programming stuff.
- During my jobless stint I found substitute teaching computer
science & business in high school to be quite a lot of fun.
- Spend far too much time tinkering with computers
- Never feel like I know enough about what I think I'm suppose to 
know
- I'm really quite bad at spelling

***First contact with Harry Potter:
My mom mentioned the SS in a list of recommended books.  Wasn't 
interested.
Then I heard the August 6, 1999 NPR story on the drive to work.  Read
the first chapter of SS in the bookstore (probably that week) and 
the rest
is history.

***Favourite Potter things:
The feeling of excitement during first HP readings (I remember 
tearing through
the first Quidditch match at an un Godly rate.)

***Extent of Potter obsession:
Have read the books multiple times and listened to them each as 
least twice
(usually while washing dishes or driving).  Purchased a really cool
Hallmark puzzle.  And I have the Hallmark bookends.  Member of HPFGU
and participated until was overwhelmed Masters degree and HPFGU 
message
volume around September 2000.  I'll be wearing an FA.org shirt on 
Friday evening.
I've seen both films, of course.

***Other interests/activities:
I get far too many magazines--I think its 17 per month--and I'm a 
horribly
slow reader.  Enjoy business books and computer books--obviously I'm 
not
very focused.  Once a pretty mean runner, but then messed my knee up 
after a
marathon.  Have been attempting to get back into that.  Enjoy 
rollerblading
but haven't found a local spot for that.  Love cold weather.

***Current/recent reading:
A couple of database books and a project management book.  Just 
finised
POA again and will read GOF before Friday/Saturday.

***Current/recent listening:
NPR freak.

***Current/recent viewing:
Saw Matrix Reloaded and am very upset that I did.  Finding Nemo was 
superb
as are all Pixar films.

Am very happy that the TV season time-sponge is over.  But during 
that period
I was glued to Smallville and Buffy.  Also watch Enterprise as a 
sort of tip-of-
the-hat to Star Trek.  And my evil mom has gotten me interested in 
some
hour-long crime show.

Paul