What do you do for a living?

Write my 35-year-old weekly opinion column at BrattonOnline.com and host my weekly radio show University Grapevine Tuesdays 7:30–8:30pm at KZSC 88.1 FM.

What would you be doing if you weren't doing that?

The exact same thing, only in New York City.

What do you do in your free time?

Same stuff I write and broadcast about: films, opera, local history, local politics and meditate!!!

What brought you to Santa Cruz?

The resemblance to old Berkeley, plus the wild influences of the University and the Boardwalk on the local lifestyle.

What's your favorite street?

Without a doubt, Pacific Avenue.

Name a pet peeve.

Open-pipe motorcycles on Pacific and developers' greed and disrespect of our environment.

Secret star crush?

Tilda Swinton.

What are you reading?

W.S. Merwin's The Book of Fables.

What's the most important thing you've learned in the last three years?

That our land and water in Santa Cruz have never been more threatened.

Recent personal food trend?

Ben & Jerry's Super New York Chunk Ice Cream, plus fresh oysters for 50 cents at Save Mart.

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