Won't you please tell us something about yourself?

I'm a curmudgeon of the first order. I'm hard to handle, I'm easy to please. I'm contradictory and I'm consistent. Decidedly left-wing politically, opinionated and fairly well-read. Don't mess with me, I'm dangerous! I'm also the best friend you'll ever have. I like to wear Hawaiian shirts on Fridays.

Any significance to your capping handle?

Yes. I work at a company called Genentech, where there is Gen- and Genen-everything (Genen-checks, Genen-time, etc.). So Gen-Erik just seemed a natural fit for an everyday, nondescript worker bee like me, plugging away and collecting a paycheck. The name Generik was in use long before I knew which end of a computer you're supposed to pour the water out of.

How did you discover Caption This! and/or Inventing Situations?

A good friend alerted me to the existence of CT before MST had even moved to the SciFi Channel, and I joined up and started capping about two months after it first came online. Been a capper ever since, and a charter member of (and contributor to) Gerson's fabulous site since its inception.

When do you usually cap?

Not nearly often enough. Lately, my capping time has been late afternoon/early evening (Pacific time), and occasionally around 11 in the morning when I have an exceptionally slow day. Weekdays only, as I only have Internet access here at work.

Favorite sites on the internet (Other than CT/IS)?

The Brunching Shuttlecocks is one I like a lot. There are dozens of others.
Jesus of the Week 2002
The Commune
www.mnftiu.cc
And like that.

Favorite movie(s)/television show(s)?

Casablanca, To Have and Have Not, Key Largo, anything black and white and preferably with Humphrey Bogart in it. Really, anything in black and white. To Kill a Mockingbird. Double Indemnity. Frankenstein. Stuff like that. On TV I like The Sopranos and Six Feet Under and most of the HBO shows. I hate most regular network fare, and refuse to watch it.

If time and/or money weren't an object, what one thing would you do?

Travel, travel, travel. And buy Giants season tickets. And write.

Any words of advice you'd like to pass along?

When life gives you lemons, ask for a bottle of tequila and some salt.
Let a man sit beside your fire and he's warm for an evening. But douse him with gasoline and set him on fire, and he's warm for the rest of his life.
Lord, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and X-ray vision.
Work hard. Play hard. Avoid meetings.
Metaphors be with you.

Date added: 08/14/02