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I'm fascinated by the thinking process, and because of this, I love manuscripts and sketchbooks. An aspect of my collecting books includes collecting author manuscripts. Gaining insight to a writer or artist's mind is a privilege that I cherish. It saddens me to think that as the digital age marches on, things like holograph manuscripts have given way to word processors and PCs. No longer will handwritten emendations shed light on the inner workings of a writer's mind. We're stuck with final copy in the form of 1s and 0s on magnetic discs. I feel guilty that my own work has shifted from analogue to digital in the last couple of years. Not having physical art feels wrong, but, there is no denying that the flexibility of digital has its merits.

When I was a kid, I wanted to be a comic book artist. I've done a few things here and there over the years, but, nothing major. I have a story brewing in me, that will probably have to be dealt with sooner or later. The fate of my parents seems to be providing me with a framework for some sort of magnum opus. The stuff from the depths of my past are beginning to bubble to the surface. We'll see what happens.

I play table tennis weekly.

Sonny Rollins, Eric Dolphy, and John Coltrane can do no wrong in my book. Charles Mingus, Dave Brubeck, and Paul Desmond all have places on my shelves. Nirvana (and Foo Fighters) still work for me. The fuzz guitar of Davie Allan and the Arrows transports me to my childhood. The voice of Soeur Marie Keyrouz is out of this world. You might find me spinning the Magic Numbers, the White Stripes, Martha Wainwright, the Kills, Beck, the Penguin Cafe Orchestra, Goldfrapp, Archive, Ron Sexsmith, Jelly Roll Morton, Buzzcocks, the Beatles, Miles Davis, Sufjan Stevens, the Heartless Bastards, or Ravel in the same afternoon. There's so much more on my shelves, and even more I haven't yet discovered.

One of my passions is high-end audio. There's nothing quite like hearing a superb sound system that reveals that there's sooo much more music that you had no idea was on an album you thought you knew intimately. I understand that iPods and MP3s are convenient, but, for quality and sheer musicality, I'll opt for my he-man rig any day of the week.

I enjoy caricature books, good and bad (for perverse reasons.)

The boldness and playful quality of the later work of Joan Miro impresses me. I suppose the child-like qualities of the work of Paul Klee and Wilfredo Lam have a similar appeal. I love the power and movement in the paintings of Franz Kline and the balance of Piet Mondrian. I don't really care for Henri Matisse's paintings, but, I appreciate how daring it was to do what he did in light of what his contemporaries were producing. I like his paper cutouts. I appreciate the grace of Gustav Klimt and the angst in Egon Schiele. After spending so much time with Michelangelo Buonarroti's Sistine Chapel paintings, I came to the conclusion that he was a far better sculptor than he was a painter, and I firmly believe Gian Lorenzo Bernini was a better sculptor than Michelangelo.

As I think about this more, I should stop here, otherwise you'll be scrolling way too much. If you ever meet me, ask me about the comic book artists and caricaturists that have influenced me and we'll talk about it - the list is long.