I'm John and I tell it how it is. Usually. Sometimes I tell it how I wish it was, or how it used to be - no guarantees. I'm from Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan, a smallish city outside of Detroit. For the past 2+ years I've lived at MIT's Baker House dormitory, where I spend my time climbing the protruding bricks on the outside of the building.

 
 

I'm 19 years old, and I'll be graduating in 2008 with degrees in Mathematics (18) and EECS (6-2), along with a minor in Economics (14). On my application, I wrote that I would major in Mech. Engineering - go figure. The topic of my 100-word "something you do for fun" essay was old-time radio.

 
 

It's Spring of my Junior year, and my coursework this semester consists of:

18.405J

Advanced Complexity Theory

6.033

Computer System Engineering

6.115

Microcomputer Project Laboratory

14.573J

Urban Economics and Public Policy

45.126

(Total)

 
 

I'm the official historian of the MIT Hapa club. Hapa is a Hawaiian word meaning mixed-race (I'm half-Asian).

I was co-president of the E-Club for a few semesters; now I've graduated to hanger-on.

 
 

I like irony, people, Courier New, and oysters.

I dislike tedium and remakes of Casablanca.

My favorite colour is orange.

 
 

Some of you will have reached this blog while looking for Harold MacGrath's novel, "The Drums of Jeopardy" (the main character shares my name). Karlov kills Barrows whereupon Hawksley marries Dorothy after killing Karlov. Now you don't have to read the book anymore, and you should work on my wikipedia entry with all the time I just saved you.