CURRENT MISSION

Making the world of science a little less incomprehensible and a little more fun. (Science is just applied curiosity, and since everyone's curious about SOMEthing, everyone's a scientist!)

ABOUT ME

I started out as a software developer—loving it, always busy at it. Over the course of several years (mostly evenings and late nights), I wrote a book: kind of a smart-alec look at sailing. After it got published, I realized I love writing far more than I love programming. So now I’m a full-time writer. Most recent book: The Science of TV's "The Big Bang Theory."

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Whenever I visit a new city, I try to do two things: (1) Send each of my sons a funny handmade postcard. (2) Seek touring advice from someone who knows and loves the city.

Interests

On a plane from Europe, the Italian gentleman seated next to me asked me (through smiles and gestures) what to expect when going through US Customs. He had no English, and I had even less Italian. It turned out the only language we had in common was fourth-year Latin (and how do you say “suitcase,” “baggage claim,” or “declaration form”?). We really only made progress once I hit on the idea of speaking Spanish with an outrageous Italian accent. A strange and wonderful conversation . . . and the next day (i.e., one day too late), I bought an Italian-English dictionary.

• writing
• books
• tv
• sailing
• science
• software

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

For no readily apparent reason, I set the Guinness World Record for Longest Continuous Drum Roll (7 hr., 5 min.) in 1975. (You won’t find it in the Book; the Guinness people decided it was kind of dopey, as records go. And you may well agree.) Take my word for it: you are very glad indeed not to have been there.

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