• name: Alexa Sharp, but surprise me with something else
  
• birthplace: Ottawa, Canada
  
• birthday: August 30, 1978
  
• family: a ma, a pa, and a sis. lots of cousins.
  
• school: going for a Bachelors of Mathematics at the University of Waterloo, double major in Computer Science and C&O (Combinatorics and Optimization)
  
• interests: running, tennis, pnano, music, reading, travelling, running ; )
  
• appearance stuff: 5'5", 115 lbs. Variable hair colour, constant eye colour (although I can't decide what it is), & I can usually be found making faces at small children.
  
• aspirations: Yeah, whatever.
  
• living locations: Ottawa, Canada. Jakarta, Indonesia. Waterloo, Ontario. Tokyo, Japan (Journal of Japan: click here)
  

history

I guess I'll start off with a little bit o' history. I was born and raised in Ottawa (Canada, nitwit!) basically until Gr.9. Not much went on there... I could mention some nitty gritty things, but I imagine you don't really care about that part of my life. Anyway, in Gr.10 things get interesting. My family and I moved to Jakarta, Indonesia, where I lived for 3 years. I went to high school at Jakarta International School (JIS) for those 3 years, and that's where I graduated. Although I didn't really *enjoy* my first year there (adjustment things), by the time I left I *loved* it. Look at those asterisks just flying around! Anyway. So when I graduated, I moved to Waterloo, Canada to go to the University of Waterloo. My parents still live in Jakarta, although with all the trouble 'round those parts, they're looking at moving. Of course, that's what they always say...

academics

Ok, academics! As I mentioned before, I go the University of Waterloo, where I am aiming for a Bachelor of Mathematics with a double major (gasp!) in Computer Science and C&O (Combinatorics and Optimization). What does this mean? Well, that means that I'm taking Math, which is really fun (yeah, I'm serious!! It's fun!!). I do a *lot* of computer stuff, and a lot of math stuff -- a fair balance. So far I've been a student for just over 3 years (started in '95), but I'm only actually finished 2 years of classes... that's because I'm in the Co-op program, which means that I study for 4 months, then work for 4 months, then study for 4 months, then work for 4 months, yada yada you get the point. Well, that's what a Co-op student is *supposed* to do, actually... but if you do the math (are you in math? Well, maybe I'll do it for you) you'll realize that even with this half-half stuff, I should be more than half-way through my classes. Ah-ha, you got me on that one. That's because I took an extended work term of a year in Tokyo Japan, working for Seiko Epson. Neat. I got back last May.. check out my Japan journal which I wrote every day while I was there. Some people like it. The other people, well, they don't talk to me ; )

So back to the academics thing. I'm now back from Japan and have done a bit more school, and a bit more work (at Sybase in Waterloo). From the looks of things, I probably won't graduate for quite awhile.. maybe December 2000, or even May 2001. Well, I'm in no hurry. After that, who knows? I've been looking at Master's Programs in C&O, and I think I may like to do some teaching at the university level. But I really want to travel. Choices choices. I guess I have time to think about it.

Anyways, that's enough about academics... who really wants to talk about that anyways? Let me tell you what I like to do in my spare time.

I love sports. I guess now I can appreciate how my parents made my sister and I miss Saturday morning cartoons EVERY WEEK (*gasp*) for tennis, swimming, skiing, gymnastics, diving, soccer, whatever lessons. I've always been OK at sports.. not the best, but not so bad. Since Gr 8 I've been on my school's soccer, swimming, tennis, volleyball, softball, and cross-country teams, with the emphasis on tennis at that point, I guess. That was my 'main' sport throughout my childhood right up until Gr 12, when suddenly... I started to run. And that was the end of tennis baby! I mean, I still play tennis (hey, I just played yesterday!), but I definitely run much much more often. Please, let me babble:

Running. Aaah, what a *wonderful* sport! I started running "seriously" when I was 16, and the newest member to JIS's cross-country team. My friend Daphne was the one who got me out, and I was quite sceptical. But as I trained, I found that I could actually *run*. Like, it was fun! And I could really really improve! And I could challenge my limits more than I ever had before. I had no pressure because I hadn't any expectations of becoming any good. So I was just out for the fun of it. And now, well, I still run for the fun of it. I run every day, in fact. For the last 3 years I've been running about 12 kms a day, 6 or 7 days a week. Rain or shine, sleet or snow, alone or with company, +35C or -35C. I don't like excuses , and I don't like semi-commitment. So I run. And ooooo, it's great (did I mention that?).

So, I've actually been running the occasional race, usually something between 5 and 15 kms. I ran a half-marathon last May (May '98) in Toronto with Jon (most frequent and most wonderful running companion, although sometimes he runs too fast, dammit!), and we intend on running a marathon next May. A MARATHON! I'm excited. As a matter of fact, I've already started training. If you're curious about my training schedule, check it out here. Maybe I'll put up my race times sometime, if I can find them...

I've been playing the piano since I was 4 - or was it 3? - and I like that a lot. I'm working on my Gr.9 Royal Conservatory on and off, but lately it's been more off than on. I've recently taken up the guitar (well, 2 years ago), and even more recently, the harmonica. I like to sing, but I pretty much suck. Well, that's not quite true, you see, when I'm singing by myself I'm not that bad. I mean, the shower is a *wonderful* amplifier! But it seems that I get really nervous when performing in front of other people (anybody!), and so I get really quiet and shaky and... uggggh...

If you're still tuned in... guess what? I love listening to music! Ok, most people like music, so let me be more specific. I like a wide variety, although my tastes *are* becoming more selective as I grow older, it seems. I think my number one type of music is probably alternative, with good classic 80's a close second. Then there's punk (the real stuff baby), jazz (ohhhyeah!), and classical. I like some gospel stuff (not that I'm religious!)... the ones with lots of choir singing. I'm not really a big fan of rap, or of the Backstreet Boys, Spice Girls, Robyn, or stuff like that. Here... see what I like..

• The Tragically Hip
• Our Lady Peace
• Hayden
• Sloan
• The Dave Matthews Band
• Bad Religion
• Rancid
• Counting Crows
• Natalie Merchant
• Madonna (the old stuff)
• Tracy Chapman
• Indigo Girls

and there are more. I'm pretty open to music...

Travel. I love to travel. I suppose I was always exposed to the concept of travelling, as my dad's profession requires him to go all over the place for lengths of time. I've been to a very many places... a lot of the travelling was based out of Jakarta (where we used to live), and Tokyo (where I used to live). I've seen a bit of Europe, and a bit of the Caribbean. I've even seen some of Australia (and I liked!). I love learning about different cultures, and I like learning foreign languages. It's something that interests me greatly, and has influenced the way I live. My guess is that I'll live abroad for some extended period of time sometime after I graduate.

And Finally (with a capital 'f') I like to read. Often I don't have enough time to read, but I still like it anyways! I read different kinds of books... sometimes I feel like something challenging to read, such as Godel, Escher, Bach. At other times, I want a good Patricia Cornwell to keep me up late at night. I've read about philosophy, economics, history, China, Japan, investing, math, and more. I find it relaxing, and it's better than vegging out in front of the TV.

So for now I have no more to say. Well, at least I wouldn't want to exhaust the previously unsuspecting visitor. Thanks for readin'!