I'm smart, funny, rather punny, caring and cuddly. I'm not quite a jack of all trades, but I like to do some different things and I'm pretty good at some of them. I'm not an extrovert, but I play one on TV. (No, not really TV. It's a metaphor. Work with me here a little.) I rely on intuition and empathy in dealing with people, which means I can't fake being comfortable with you. It also means I pick up on your enjoyment of things, so if you do too then I'll enjoy you enjoying my enjoying...et cetera, et cetera, ad nauseum...well, only an observer would add nauseum, we'd be too busy.

The woman I want to date has a brain and isn't afraid to use it; she enjoys my sense of humor even when it backfires; she enjoys touching and physical closeness. She likes to enjoy a comfortable relationship as it builds up, knows neither of us is in a race for the bedroom. She agrees that sex is about connection and intimacy and interaction, that it's something she shares rather than something she "gives up" or "puts out"...and she understands that wanting physical intimacy isn't the same as Wanting Just One Thing. She's a full partner in a relationship, ready to ask for what she wants or make a first move. She knows the importance of a little private time, and of caring deeply about close friends.

The woman I want to date is her own person, not always what I expect--she brings her own desires and attitudes into the relationship. She knows I'm not looking for long-term yet--but maybe long-term will happen anyway.

In the ideal world, long term I'd take delight in raising a family with someone special and a lot of good friends, move to Colorado or someplace with that kind of great outdoors, and use my professional skills for something nobler than "shareholder value". In the lame-o real world, family and friends are very important; alas, I'm an only child. I may always live around here, I may have to do an unfulfilling job in order to live a fulfilling life, but people and relationships are like gold to me.

Right now my chief hobby is photography, but I'm also learning to play keyboard (just a little) and brush up on my singing skills. I like to dance when I get the chance. There's something almost super-human about making music, something transcendent about letting go and moving with it. Too bad I can't do all of those at the same time. I also enjoy cooking, nothing fancy yet but I improve with every dish I make.

My musical tastes are eclectic...even if I don't like a style in general, a good piece makes its own exception. I have a lot of Depeche Mode, Tangerine Dream, Erasure, Def Leppard, Dead Can Dance, Enigma, Styx, Deep Forest, Evanescence...and of course Weird Al Yankovic. Since I'm a singer, vocal quality and lyrics are important to me. I love to sing along, or at least hum or whistle.

Somewhere for lunch or dinner would be good. Somewhere like Stir Crazy: we can chat in the bar for a few minutes (soft drinks or hard--and a chance to bail on the off chance we need it), the lighting and noise levels are reasonable, and you can get whatever you want (and nothing you don't) in your stir fry. But it doesn't have to be Asian food, it could certainly be Italian, somewhere with good burgers, etc. Or, if there's a special event where we could still get to know each other, that works too.