Reading OK magazine, getting a fake tan (I'm the pale type and happy to be), watching Hollyoaks, talking without listening, or voting Tory.

I think you can tell a lot about a person from the things they're passionate about, so I think I'll start with some of my reasons to be cheerful . . .

I read a lot, particularly 20th century literature (Kurt Vonnegut, Graham Greene, Richard Yates, Hanuki Murakami, W.G. Sebald, Don Delillo, Philip Roth). I love the films of (amongst others) Woody Allen and Wim Wenders. Paris, Texas may well be the most beautiful film I have ever seen.

Music is the most important thing in my life besides the people in it. I'm into all kinds of alternative-type stuff ranging from quiet and introspective to noisier (Bonnie Prince Billy, Debussy, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Neutral Milk Hotel, Cocteau Twins, Modest Mouse, Boards of Canada, Sonic Youth, Yo La Tengo, Sigur Ros, Elliott Smith, Pavement . . .)

I live with friends and work as a librarian at a London art college. I can be a little bit shy and I like my own company, but I also love conversation and being with friends and laughing until it hurts. Other things I like . . red wine, going to gigs, secondhand book shops, graphic novels, photography, Reeses Pieces, pubs, sociology, drinking vast amounts of coffee, and wearing glasses when my contact lenses go all blurry. My sense of humour sits somewhere between darkness and silliness and so I love British comedy (The Day Today, Peep Show, Garth Marenghi's Darkplace). I also love watching mind-blowing and illuminating documentaries and a good American box set.

Things you definately won't catch me doing: Reading OK magazine, getting a fake tan (I'm the pale type and happy to be), watching Hollyoaks, talking without listening, or voting Tory.