What is the one thing you do well that no one knows about?
When I was younger, I took several years of drum lessons and really seemed to excel at it. However, over time, I lost interest. My mother eventually sold my drum set, but occasionally I will see some group on TV and can’t help but to wonder how my life would have been different if I had run off to California to start my band (“The Clashing Plaids” – even had a preppy 80’s gimmick all planned out) to rock out for a couple years. Other than that, I am convinced that I have a hidden talent that I haven’t discovered yet. The trick is figuring out what that is!
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What is the first web site you go to when you go online?
There are so many to choose from these days and it really depends on my mood. For news, I go to MSN, CNN or Drudge Report. For sports, I check out Yahoo! Sports, UMTerps.com and D3Football.com, where I closely monitor Widener’s (my alma mater) chances to bring home the Stagg Bowl (yes, that’s the real name) championship – a Division III powerhouse, for sure. For politics, favorites include RealClearPolitics.com, Politico, Red State, Roll Call, National Journal and Wonkette. Music sites include KUT.org (Austin) and Coverville.com.
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When and why did you first go online?
My dad subscribed to Compuserve at his office and I dabbled in some of the early text-based adventure games in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Then, during my senior year in college in 1991, I vividly remember corresponding via email the first time with a buddy of mine from high school. He attended Vanderbilt in Nashville, and I was at Widener U in Chester, Pa. just outside of Philly. It was a web based interface with text boxes and plain, 12-pt Courier as the only font option – but I thought it was pretty cool and, as a poor college student, I was happy to save on stamps! We finally got a PC at home and I discovered Mosaic/Netscape Navigator. Shortly thereafter, I joined AOL to check out the Motley Fool, which was quite disappointing because I was expecting to find a comedy site.
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Has anyone told you your name reminds them of Count Almasy in “The English Patient”?
In fact, they have. Some even referred to me as “The Count” after the movie came out. I assumed it was because of my striking and uncanny resemblance to Ralph Fiennes (or the Sesame Street character) but, alas, it was the name. In all seriousness, evidently the movie is based on a true story and there is some debate within my family as to whether he is an ancestor. The original Hungarian surname, “Almassy” or “Almasy” is pronounced “All-Mah-Shee” and when translated, means apple farm or apple picker – the source of yet more unfortunate nicknames. Kids can be so cruel. However, the apple business must have been a good investment. Those visiting Kétpó, Hungary today can find respite at the luxurious Almásy Castle Hotel.
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Why are you joining a PR agency? Who are your acquaintances who do PR? Do you like them?
I have always been fascinated with the way a message or brand is communicated and consumed. The intersection between reality, perception and perspective poses challenges that often don’t have easy answers. As I embarked upon my next endeavor, I wanted to work in a field where I had the freedom to apply creative and innovative solutions to achieve a desired result and it seemed like public relations was a natural fit. I have several acquaintances in PR, and since I am in a small, political town, I like them all! Although, some more than others.
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Do you have a Second Life avatar? Does it look like you?
No, haven’t ventured into Second Life yet. Still attempting to figure out how to manage everything in my first life. However, if I do join up, my avatar probably would look a little like me. From what I understand, there are some pretty scary characters out there and I would assume it’s tough to excel in a virtual business when you look like a floating, purple alien blob.