In first grade I wanted to be an astronaut. In eighth, a police officer. For college applications I said scientist. After graduation, though, it was off to Asia for several years. I did hold down some real jobs, mostly in finance—for Boston's transit authority, for Japanese companies, eventually for Fidelity Investments. In between, travel. I've hitchhiked through northeast Asia, taken a freighter to Bora Bora, overlanded to Tibet, backpacked across Tasmania, and climbed Mt. Kinabalu on Borneo. I learned a little Indonesian, a little Mandarin and more than a little Japanese, then pretty much forgot it all. I've eaten bugs and raw horsemeat and too much dubious, brazier-grilled goat. I only got really sick twice. In my thirties all that ended. I bought my first car, finally met my wife, and went to MBA school. For a while I wore a lot of business casual. Then our daughter was born, and I've been at home ever since. She has a brother too, and now they're both teenagers. My wife still works, which is great because we need to eat and pay taxes and all that. We live outside Boston and go camping every summer. Oh, and I've published some novels.