I live with my 2 big dogs in an historic Austin neighborhood. Love the hood, love the dogs, but what I really need and want is love in my life. I'm looking for a long term relationship - maybe even kids, etc.

I'm a great cook - trained saucier. I'm well educated and very literate, but also very down to Earth. I'm honest. Mostly. I'm loyal to a fault. I'm quick to laugh. I wear my heart on my sleeve. Tricky tailoring, that.

I'm self employed. Have been forever. My work is kinda boring, if profitable. But I'm in the process of starting a new biz. A restaurant. More bar & grill, but that's not quite right, either. If it wasn't unique, I wouldn't do it.

I'm great with kids. Animals, too. I like the honesty. There's no mystery where one stands with kids and animals. People, OTOH...

Politically, I'm progressive. Your politics don't much matter to me, except in so far as they matter to you, but I just can't stand intollerant people. Oh, BTW, I'm funny as hell. Modest, too.

I've worked in and around creative fields - theatre, music, film, print - for most of my life. It's safe to say I have eclectic tastes that range across diverse genres and styles. It's safe to say I range across diverse genres and styles.

Even my friends are diverse. I have white friends, black friends, brown friends, yellow friends, atheist friends, pagan friends, religious friends... Heck, I have a bunch of deaf friends. Not Facebook friends. Real life friends.

Everyone is unique, but some are more unique than others. Odds are you've never met anyone quite like me. I can hold my own in any intellectual forum, but I can also be quite passionate. I can be fierce, especially protecting those I care about, but I'm also sensitive. I'm just a big ol' yang full o' yin, I guess.

Physically I'm something of a dichotomy, too. I'm not tall, but I'm big. Not fat big. Big shoulders. Broad chest. Naturally well muscled. Very large, strong hands with a gentle touch. I'm an ex athlete with exceptionally quick responses, excellent balance, exceptional hand-to-eye coordination and really bad knees.

I can be something of a handful, I guess. But I can also come in pretty handy in a pinch.

I hope that's enough for now. I don't much like trying to summarize who I am in a text box. So it goes. But if you're still interested, I'm happy to share more in one on one communications.

I can cook. I mean I can really cook. If I want to make an impression, my favorite first date is to cook dinner. I'll usually do something relatively simple - or something I can mostly do in advance - so I can spend time talking rather than cooking. Usually something on the grill.

We can share a candle-light dinner, a bottle of wine - or two - and lots conversation. Later, we can walk down the block for a crème brûlée or some gelato and a coffee - or an after dinner drink. After that, we play it by ear.

My 2nd fave 1st date is to meet at a romantic bar for a drink or a glass of wine, head out to a romantic restaurant for a lovely dinner someone else cooks - and cleans up after - and then to go to a show or maybe take in a movie. Making out like teenagers is always fun, too.