Let me be upfront before anything else -- my picture in color (with the Mexican skeleton painting) is from about 4 or 5 years ago. My hair on the sides has grown a bit more grey (see most recent photo, extreme close-up, 2008 -- otherwise look virtually the same). My B&W pictures are almost 8 and 9 years old respectively. Just so you know, and more importantly to be honest, I am really 56 but set my birthdate to get below the 55 cut-off restriction some members have (I am frequently told I look and act as if I'm in my mid-to-late 40s, not mid-50s -- you be the judge).

I am a writer primarily but also teach part time one day a week in San Francisco (this may turn into 2 days a week in 2010). I recently left a job as head film programmer at a prominent film repertory theater in LA (after 10 1/2 years). I have had 2 books published (1 non-fiction film-related, 1 poetry/lyrics collection). Am currently working on 2 novels and am on verge of having another collection of my writing published in the Fall. I have also been a singer/songwriter on over 20 albums since 1980 (music is now on the back burner with me). I am hoping to expand my teaching and writing career over the next year. I'm an obsessive film buff, I read a lot (both fiction and non-fiction).

I love equally to eat out with friends or cook at home and like all kinds of food, especially Japanese, Italian, Mexican and just plain American steak, salad and potatoes. Despite the last bit, just so you're aware, if you're a vegetarian that's fine. Also, although I no longer drink, I don't mind if you do (as long as you're not a complete lush!)

I am warm, affectionate. I am looking for someone who is intelligent, enjoys conversation, is also affectionate, likes to be physically close, is sexy and fairly uninhibited. I love to go on long walks for my main exercise. Definitely believe in staying fit and doing my cardio, but I'm one of those rare guys who does not follow sports. Regards popular culture, I cannot abide mediocrity and I despise 99% of episodic TV (although I have been known to watch Family Guy and Robot Chicken -- yeah,I have a sick sense of humor). Politically I lean to the left. I was raised Catholic but am not religious -- though I am agnostic, I am a very spiritual person.

I love all kinds of music, including vintage punk rock, classic rock from 60s-70s, classic jazz from the 50s and early 60s (Miles Davis, etc), old-school country (Patsy Cline, Hank Williams)as opposed to new school country post-1975 (which I detest), and some classical music as well. I love blues and 60s R&B. But I hate most music from last 10 or 15 years.

I can sometimes be in a melancholic mood but am cheered up easily by friends (or a loving mate -- p.s. just so you know, this is not something I expect a mate to have to do). My longest previous relationship lasted 2 months shy of 8 years and just ended in May of 2009. I am starting to date again -- I want to have fun and not take things too seriously, but am ultimately looking for a long-term relationship (one in which both partners do not have to use their intuition to communicate, a relationship in which both are comfortable discussing differences). I am romantic -- some people may have a hard time seeing that side of me until they get to know me because I can occasionally be shy, quiet and reticent in expressing my emotions till I get to know someone better. I have a giving nature.

Something which I would like to do more of is dancing with a partner (I haven't done it for years -- talking about old-fashioned dancing cheek-to-cheek like they do in film noir).

One more important thing about myself I forgot -- I am not a flake. I am very dependable and follow through on what I say I am going to do. I do not leave friends, work colleagues and especially my mate in the lurch for any reason.

Going out to some place relatively quiet, calm and tastefully lit (in other words somewhat romantic) where we don't have to shout to talk to each other. No pressure should be priority -- getting to know each other to see if there is enough in common to get together again.