I'm a graphic design student who has recently moved from the Silicon Valley to the heart of Cajun Country, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

For the moment, I'm a rather virginal epinionator, so I'll be carefully writing a couple of opinions a week, but let's just say that this kind of stuff is right up my alley. I see beauty in function. Consumer products are a sensory experience to me, and their story deserves to be told vividly and colorfully.

I'm a very detailed and passionate reviewer; I'd rather err on the side of length instead of brevity. Don't worry, I'll try and keep it enjoyable. :) Most (if not all) of my reviews will include particular information about the buying experience, customer service / support, comparison to competing products, and categorized details about function, looks, reliability and ergonomics.

Unless we're talking about food, in which case I'll just blather incessantly about how it tastes. :)

Likes:

WPA and Monaco Grand Prix posters from the 30s

Plus-sized women & BBWs

College or independent radio stations

Georgia-Pacific's new ad campaign

Restoration Hardware

Classic Porsches (especially the 356)

Teddy bears, rubber duckies, print pajamas, Bloom County's Opus, all things cute

Humorists--James Lileks, Garrison Keillor, Dave Barry

Jazz--Billy Holiday, Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, Tex Beneke, Stan Getz, Dave Brubeck

Classical sax--Marcel Mule, SF Sax Quartet, Amherst Sax Ensemble, Ibert / Debussy / Bozza

Hip hop--Biggie, 2pac, Mos Def, Jurassic 5, Pharaoh Monche, Grouch, Agallah, Common, Musiq Soulchild, Lucy Pearl, Ozomatli (yes, that's hip hop too.)

Dark, rich beers--Gordon Biersch Winter Bock, Guinness, Sam Adams Triple Bock

PESTO! Anything with fresh basil, thyme, mint. Greek food. Vietnamese food. Salads, especially Insalata Caprese. Dijon mustard, a great champagne, big juicy steaks, cheap roadside cafes, boudin, big muffalettas, PLENTY of crawfish, and I can't live without beignets.

Dislikes:

People who go totally insane over politics, or take themselves and their causes oh-so-seriously

Mass-market network news

Dark sarcasm

Rough flights (boy, have I had my share)

Sado-masochism

People who obsess over being thin

"Alternative" rock

Hollywood

Andrew Lloyd Webber productions

Easy-listening, and "less talk" radio stations

Boy bands / Girl bands / The Disney Channel

Miles Davis

Mazda's "Zoom Zoom" ads, and that irritating kid in the new Bank of America ads

Limp, overcooked veggies, and canned ANYTHING