I am an openly gay man, part-time naturist, atheist, pacifist, polyamorous, adult child of an alcoholic.  I play trombone a little, draw a little, crochet a little, knit a little, cook a little, write a little, and wish I was better at all of it. I like drawing and once dreamed of being a comic book artist or professional illustrator. Instead, I became a civil servant in 1998 and will remain one until I retire (hopefully in 2026.)

I have lived in upstate NY for most of my life. However, I lived in Phoenix AZ with my family from age 1 to age 10.  I will likely live in the Northeast the rest of my life, even though I hate the winters here, because I like the liberal leaning and the seasons.

I have been with my husband since 1997, married since 1999, legally recognized as married in NY since 2006, and Federally recognized since 2013.

I’ve been a comic book reader and collector since the age of 5; I have over 10,000 print comics. I switched to digital comics in 2018 because I ran out of space to store them. I have added about 1800 digital comics to my collection since then.

I love animals. I have had pet mice, fish, cats, rabbits, and ferrets.  I currently live with 1 dog that I adore, Harvey Milk, (Chihuahua/Dachshund mix.) I’ve had to have two dogs euthanized and it is the worst loss I have ever experienced.

A few years ago, my love for Giraffes went into overdrive and I now collect them with a passion. My house is decorated in giraffe imagery and figurines, and I have a giraffe-themed guest room with over a hundred stuffed giraffes and another hundred figurines. Seeing a live giraffe (which I’ve been fortunate to do multiple times) still fills me with excitement and awe.

I am not a healthy guy.  While I have a variety of health issues (and more than my fair share, if you ask me) I primarily struggle with  Crohn’s disease & Gastroparesis.  Additionally, I am Gluten Intolerant. I have had surgery 8 times, 6 of which were to correct severe digestive problems.

I obviously support LGBTQI+ equality.  I believe black lives matter. I am pro-choice. I believe religious freedom includes freedom from religion. I support non-binary self identification and actualization. I believe manners, civility, and decency matter.

I love red wine and cocktails.  My favorite cocktail is the Cosmopolitan.

My favorite superhero is Green Lantern. (All of them, for those in the know.)

I have no idea how I’ve survived life this long, both because of my health and my discomfort at being an adult. It scares the living hell out of me that I have a job and drive and own a home and pay bills and am married and I still feel like a 10 year old pretending to be an adult and trying to do the right thing…and failing miserably most of the time.