...and forever in a wild flower. To hold infinity in the palm of your hand and eternity in an hour" William Blake

Do you have such a willing suspension of disbelief as are expressed by these two poems above and below?

"All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity. But the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dream with open eyes to make it possible." ~Thomas E Lawrence~

Please read my ENTIRE profile. Yes, my profile is on the longer side, but that's because this is about quality, not quantity. I am a hopeful romantic, not a hopeless one. I seek the same in my partner. I have changed my status to dating from long term. Though I am still open and desire to find someone with whom to build something more lasting, I am not looking to "leap" into it either. Let's start as friends, learn each other and build from there.

I have read many profiles and I find I seek the same things that I see many women post. I seek my spark, my "one", the lady who takes my breath away and whose breath I take as well. I'd rather live 3 lifetimes until I find the right one then settle for 3 minutes with someone who simply fits the bill of the moment. A few things first...

1) If you don't have pictures (recent, face and full body) posted please be prepared to send some. Come on people, if we decide to meet I will be meeting all of you, not just your head or some weirdly cropped picture of your eye, lol.

2) Lets begin as friends with thoughts of a potential relationship somewhere down the road. Just because I am looking for a potential relationship in the future, does not mean if meet that we are suddenly "dating".

3) If you have an aversion to a strong, confident, good looking, passionate, established professional man who loves his career, is very goal oriented and is very active and devoted to his kids and makes them a priority, we probably aren't going to get along well.

4) If you are looking for a hook up, a one night stand or a sugar daddy, again, we are not going to be a good match. There are plenty of other fish in the shallower end of that dating sea...go find them.

Now a bit about myself. I am a single father of 3 amazing teens. I've been a single dad for 14 years with full custody for the last 8 years. I am a working professional and business owner (for 15 years) as well as a devoted family man and now a physical education and health teacher (into my second year). I am also an aspiring writer and a coach (varsity basketball and baseball...hence the picture in the uniform, no it's not a costume or a fetish, lol). Working with children was always a passion for me. It was coaching children my own and others) that inspired me to return to school and earn my teaching degree. Now as a teacher I have the unique and awesome joy and responsibility of helping shape young minds who will hopefully one day make our world a better place.

I am eclectic in taste both in music as well as in my activities/interests. I am open minded, open hearted, adventurous, and caring. I am a man who is a unique mix of integrity and irreverence, erudition and silence, and I know when to be the pilot and when to be the passenger as it were. I am of capable amazing feets of play for plays sake and equally as able to sit silently and enjoy the simply beauty of a sunset or sunrise. I have a very nurturing heart and soul, or so I have been told. Laughter and light heartedness is essential in my day to day life (hey, I get paid to play with kids all day, laughter is a must! ;o) I am comfortable in my own skin, I can dress up or down. I cook, clean and even sew from time to time when there is a need, though I am certainly in need of more thimbles ;o) I love all kinds of music (some more than others, but I love the blues and rock, both old and new) and I love to dance, though my left and right feet don't always play well together :o).

I am an earth child by nature, (and no that does not mean that I am an earth munching tree hugging druid...not to disparage any earth munchers, tree huggers or druids out there ;o) though I have no issue traveling in the more posh and cultured circles in the world. I even know which spoon or fork to use for which dishes. I equally love going barefoot and I love being outside. I can play in the mud as easily as fit into a black tie affair, though I have to admit, the mud is more fun :oD Being active whether it's hiking with a friend, playing with the kids, swimming or just walking under the sun or the moon or the stars with someone I care for is always a pleasure. I love the beach as equally as the mountains and where I am or what I am doing is less important than with whom I am sharing. I also love the quieter pursuits of going to a museum, seeing a play or a concert or simply sitting in a book store, snuggled up on a big plush chair drinking a cup of coffee (decafe if it is too late in the day) and reading a book with the person for whom I care.

As a health and p.e. teacher and coach I stay very active and fit. I don't ask my players or students to do anything I wouldn't do. Hey I even ran the mile with my 3rd graders when we did our presidents fitness challenge this fall :o). And that philosophy of not asking others to do things I wouldn't do carries over into my parenting as well as my relationships. I believe in leading by example not "do as I say, not as I do". I also recognize my strengths as well as my weaknesses and have no issue stepping aside and allowing someone more capable to handle a task that is beyond me. I even have no problem stopping and asking for directions when I get lost...good thing I don't often get lost, ;o) I live by the golden rule and I always say that I don't just want to be around for my kids when I am 70, but also when they are. I know, that will make me nearly a hundred, but hey, a man can dream

The first date should be light and simple. Perhaps a cup of coffee, tea or even just water, or a walk in the park, or a hike in the woods, near a river or by a lake or simply going to the museum where it is quiet and cozy so we can talk, share, and get to know one another in a light and easy way. If this or anything in my profile sounds of interest to you, please drop me a note and let us see where it leads. Also, where distance is concerned, due to my life and schedule, keeping it to within 30 or so miles from where I live would be my ideal. Not that further can't work, I have just found that when you get close to someone who is an hour or more away the travel can be an issue if it is not mutually agreed that the travel burden should be shared. Thanks for reading my profile and good luck in your search! :o)