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Hello,

A little about me…

I am interested in area studies, the interdisciplinary study of a geopolitical region or country. My specialties are in the Near East, Central Asia, South Asia, the Nordic countries, the Caucasus, the Sahel, the Horn of Africa, West Africa, and de facto states. Peace and conflict studies, geography, and international politics are the disciplines I am most interested in.

I raise tarantulas, centipedes, scorpions, and true spiders in captivity and collect insects for taxonomic purposes. Tarantulas in the subfamily Ornithoctoninae and centipedes in the order Scolopendromorpha are my favourites to raise in captivity and study. Wild arthropods I study in Canada are mostly pseudoscorpions, solitary wasps, Scutigeromorpha centipedes, and true flies.

I love books. My favourite books are encyclopedias and atlases, and I collect encyclopedias. Much of what I read is nonfiction, with my favourite books being written by Michael Scheuer, a former CIA intelligence analyst and Benazir Bhutto’s book that was released shortly after her assassination. Novels I like to read are historical and from a woman’s perspective - Mother of the Believers, The Jewel of Medina, The Sword of Medina, The Russian Concubine, A Thousand Splendid Suns, and Cleopatra’s Daughter are all among my favourites.

Analyzing and collecting maps is something I like to do. I have over 20 feet of world maps on my walls. Having looked at them so much I have memorized all the world’s capital cities, including those of prominent de facto states, and most of the world’s major landforms. Much of my time some days is spent with a fluorescent lighting and magnifying glasses analyzing maps as well as familiarizing myself with satellite imagery. In the future I may want to pursue a career in cartography.

Macrophotography is another hobby of mine. Much of what I photograph is for documentary purposes of arthropods, but I also like flowers and anything natural and small.

I used to compete competitively in chess and I am still an avid chess player now. 


I have a long history of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse and mental health issues in addition to Aspergers.

Should be enough for now.

Cheers,

Welcome to

Welcome

so sorry about your history of abuse. hope you're in a safe place now.

you seem really bright. that portends a successful future.

i, too, like non-fiction, but also like historical fiction. one good book inthat category is set during the biafran struggle for independence. it's "half of a yellow sun".

welcome to WP.

Welcome to WP from a fellow geographer!

Welcome.

Welkome to WP

Mick