Hello (your name), and welcome to my profile. It may not be as flashy as (other guys) but then again, I'm not them. If I may introduce myself, I am Ben, though most of my friends call me Big Ben. I am an unemployed actor picking up a few part time hours waiting tables and cooking for my families restaurant while I take a short vacation and plan my next occupational moves. I have been given suggestions to remove the part about my current employment, but I believe honesty is a rather important thing.

I recently relocated to Sarasota, this should be a good change.

In my free time I enjoy a plethora of activities including (but far from limited to) cooking, listening to an eclectic variety of music, various arts and crafts, and tinkering with electronics and computers. I attempt to maintain an active lifestyle and so far this year, despite the economic turmoil, have for the most part kept to my resolution of a healthier state of being.

Upon meeting me most people would agree that I am big (hence the nickname). Some people are known to make a better door than a window, I tend to be placed more into the wall category. Some friends refer to me as “Tall, Dark, and Scary.” Others substitute “Handsome” for the final adjective, I really don't have issue with either. Perhaps “Scarily Handsome”? I also am occasionally referred to as Fezzik... but I can't help being the biggest and the strongest, I don't even exercise. (Bonus points go to the ladies who know that quote.)

My favorite authors are Terry Goodkind, George R.R. Martin, Neil Gaiman, Terry Brooks, Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman, Anne McCaffrey, Mercedes Lackey, L.E. Modsett Jr., Douglas Adams, and J.R.R. Tolkien. Oh yes... Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, because a guy is allowed to pine over 200 year old romance novels so long as they are edited to include zombie infestations.

My favorite movies are a rather extensive list, so a few off the top of my head would be Dr. Horribles Sing Along Blog, the Boondock Saints, Stardust, the Princess Bride, the Hunt for Red October, October Sky, Mulan, Shrek, Office Space, Starship Troopers, the 10th Kingdom, Dune, Star Wars (original trilogy), Dark City, Highlander, the Lord of The Rings, the Last of the Mohican's, Kill Bill, 28 Days (or Weeks) Later, the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, Serenity, the Forbidden Kingdom, Unleashed, V for Vendetta, Spirited Away, Wallace and Gromit, Bukaroo Bonsai, Master and Commander, Invincible, Sweeney Todd, Corpse Bride, a Nightmare Before Christmas... Also just about any works by Mel Brooks, Monty Python, or the Marx Brothers. I think that's a pretty good representation.

I also greatly enjoy musical theater and see whatever shows I have the time and ability to see.

My musical tastes as previously mentioned are rather eclectic. Some of my favorite artists are Abney Park, Flogging Molly, Corrosion of Conformity, Black Label Society, Megadeth, Ozzy Osbourne, Bon Jovi, Beethoven, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Pantera, Enter the Haggis, and Voltaire.

I have spent several years in the past working as a cook for various establishments. Some of my favorite genres include Italian, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, French, Steakhouse, Irish, Greek and Mexican. If there is food involved I will try anything at least once. And I can almost guarantee that you will not find a restaurant that I will be unable to tolerate. With of course exception for health department standards.

If there would be anything more that you would wish to know, then by all means feel free to ask.

It's a very ancient saying,
But a true and honest thought,
That if you become a teacher,
By your pupils you'll be taught.

As a teacher I've been learning,
You'll forgive me if I boast,
And I've now become an expert,
On the subject I like most.

Getting to know you,
Getting to know all about you.
Getting to like you,
Getting to hope you like me.

Getting to know you,
Putting it my way, but nicely,
You are precisely,
My cup of tea.