25 Random Things About Me

This is copied from my facebook account:

1. I hate chain letters, pyramid schemes and such
2. but I like memes
3. Which is why I'm breaking the rule on this meme and not tagging anyone (you're supposed to tag 25 people).
4. I play guitar
5. I speak German fluently
6. I speak Esperanto good enough to communicate.
7. I'm actively learning Chinese on my own (ni hao!) using a book I bought in Shanghai.
8. I'm semi-actively learning Farsi (Persian) - I have a teacher
9. I've learned a bit (minimum: alphabet, numbers) about a lot of languages, including Ukrainian, Japanese, Arabic, Hebrew, Greek, Latin, French, Spanish, ...
10. I started learning these languages before seeing an article, where scientists say that learning a new language when you are older adds about 2 years to your life. :-)
11. I have a tendency to stay up way too late - this tends to reduce life expectancy.
12. I write programs I want in my non-existent spare time
13. Though I read a lot, I am not a fast reader.
14. I currently have no TV, and haven't had one for most of my life. It's a choice.
15. I call family (in the U.S.) pretty much every Sunday, sometimes talking for hours.
16. I am taking Jiu Jitsu (yellow/white belt) - except my health keeps getting in the way (currently nursing a probable broken toe)
17. I found out it can be fun to read and give constructive criticism to beginning authors, like my sister.
18. My office is pretty much the messiest place I know right now (I can see several defunct computers, monitors and printers right now)
19. I once wrote an astrology program and a numerology program, though I do not believe in either (I got paid for it).
20. I don't really believe in Tarot either, but I do readings, and they tend to be frighteningly accurate. :-(
21. I used to drink way too much beer in college - until I stopped drinking altogether.
22. I almost always carry a pen in my shirt collar (you can see the clip under my beard in my profile photo)
23. I carry my watch on my right hand, even though I'm right handed.
24. I wear my wedding ring on my right hand - a German tradition that most Germans don't follow any more: most wear it left like they see in American movies now.
25. I have two copies of a water color painting of the river and city where I live, one hanging in my office, one at home, painted by a good friend I haven't seen in a over a decade.