Who are you?

As Lewis Carroll noted, "This was not an encouraging opening for a conversation"; and I must admit I am rather tempted to reply, rather shyly, "I-- I hardly know, sir, just at present." But I'm always curious about just who is writing the blogs I read; and anyway I suppose that politeness requires an introduction, if only a brief one, so here goes.

My name is Stephen Frug. I'm 34 years old. I live in Ithaca, New York with my wife Sara. My wife works as the editor of the web site of the Legal Information Institute. I am a graduate student in the history department of Cornell University, studying American History, particularly intellectual/cultural history of the twentieth century. In my spare time I write fiction -- mostly SF -- and, now, a blog.

I think that'll do for now. The rest, hopefully -- my interests, my views, my temperament -- you'll pick up as I go along.

Update, Five Years Later: My wife and I still live in Ithaca, and she still works for the LII. On December 21, 2008, we had a son, Joseph, who is now rapidly approaching two (screaming with delight and waving a stick). I've gotten my Ph.D., and have been teaching history at Hobart and William Smith up in Geneva, an hour's drive away. I've been devoting most of my spare-time writing energy to a lengthy graphic novel I've been illustrating (although not drawing) as well as writing, although I have every intention of doing more prose fiction (as well as more comics) once this current project is wrapped up. More on this latter, deus volent.

And somehow, mysteriously, I am no longer 34; indeed, I am now rapidly approaching forty (screaming with confusion and waving a stick).

And at this point you have more than enough information to make your own judgments about my interests, views & temperament -- just browse in the sidebar.