GEEKERY  
ADVENTURE  
CONTEMPLATION  

about

ajbc

I'm a graduate student in Computer Science at Princeton, a heterodox Mormon, and would like to one day live on a few acres of land. I think about and enjoy lots of things, and never have enough time in the day.

If you read this regularly or know me in person, you'll know that I'm an all-around geek who cares about design and occasionally has mild compulsive tendencies.  I'm a paragon of domesticity gone terribly awry and am prone to philosophical wrongheadedness.  I also like to turn off my electronics and go outside for prolonged periods of time.  And I'm pedantic.

I grew up in Southern California then went to undergrad at Swarthmore College, which sits outside of Philadelphia.  NWC (or N in older posts) is my husband (m. 2010) and we love to travel and otherwise be adventurous.  We met in the Bay Area, where I worked for a few years, and now live in New Jersey, which I'm enjoying much more than I anticipated.


absonant

I wanted a one word url, and am fond of the letter "a"; I went with the archaic absonant meaning dissonant, discordant, or unreasonable. I like to play devil's advocate and I can't sing in tune to save my life, so it seemed like a good fit.

Also, I giggle maniacally (yes, like an evil mouse) when people read it as abstinent.

There are three main categories on this blog: geekery, adventure, and contemplation.  I've tried to organize these into subcategories too, but it's a work in progress.


audience

Mostly I write for my own sake: to clarify my thoughts, keep a record of my experiences, and hone my writing skills. That said, I anticipate a sparse and varied audience of friends and family keeping up with my life, academics or professionals trying to get a brief sense of who I am, members of the Mormon blogging community, and random strangers. Welcome to all!


appearance

The absonant icon contains a nighthawk, a bird that flies erratically and has one of the least melodious birdcalls I've ever heard.  These attributes make it incredibly endearing to me, since if I were a bird, I would have both those characteristics.


associations

I only speak for myself, but sometimes I use devices like constructing an imaginary person with a differing opinion. In the context of this website, I have never represented any institutions for which I have worked or volunteered, nor do I represent any institutions with which I am currently associated. My opinions will varyingly coincide with or diverge from their official stances.


advertisements

I think sidebar ads are ugly, and I'm not interested in being paid to write about products. In September 2013, I started including ads subtly in my posts by linking to Amazon pages, but only if I'd be willing to link to Amazon without my associate id (i.e., without any payment).  The way it works is that if you go to Amazon via one of my links and buy something that "qualifies" (whatever that means), I get a referral fee. Seems fair to me. Revenue is small; it pretty much covers domain registration.


Questions or comments?

Contact me at absonant at gmail dot com.