Who am I? Well, here's the short version of the story: http://songza.com/~jj4czn.

I'm a musician. I'm a teacher. I'm a student. Sometimes, I'm a businessman. Physically, I'm not exactly a waif, but I'm no marshmallow, either. I work hard and I play hard. I strive to enjoy myself in everything I do and I have a large social circle. I actually enjoy public speaking. I make people laugh. I'm confident in most settings, but I'm _not_ an ass. I'm very aware of my surroundings. I constantly seek out opportunities to grow. Reading is not a hobby, it's a necessity. I realize that most education in life happens outside of the classroom. I've spent a lot of time getting an education, both inside and outside of the classroom. The path to get here has never been an easy one, but it's made me who I am. I seem to find myself having life-altering experiences every couple of years or so. I'll be worried if that trend ever stops.

The most recent stop on the fantastic voyage was a fairly local one. I've started work at Western as a Graduate Teaching Assistant, and have been through "the Crucible." I'll tell you about it sometime, if you're interested. The adventure just prior to this involved a six-month trip to Ethiopia. I saw things. I learned things. It was good. I love living life!

I'm looking to find someone who has a mind that is as beautiful as the rest of her. Someone who has experienced some tough times in life, but who has come out of it loving the person she has become. I'm losing hope that the internet is the place to go for such a thing. Care to prove me wrong?

How about a musical analogy? Counterpoint- relationship between two or more melodies that are independent in contour and rhythm, and interdependent in harmony. The addition of counterpoint creates harmonic complexity, aesthetic interest, and a fullness of sound that is otherwise absent. Major bonus points if you are a musician or an artist-type, though neither one is an absolute requirement. Racists, homophobes, and generally ignorant people need *not* apply.

Someday I want to be the old grandfather sitting around with a bunch of munchkins, and have one of them say to the other: "Grandpa is kinda weird, but he has the COOLEST stories!" I'm off to a good start.





"More and more as I am here and see what life really is, I understand that it is not when or how you die but how and if you truly lived". Dr. Jerri Fitzgerald

"If it's a broken part, replace it. A broken arm, then brace it. A broken heart, then face it. And hold your own, know your name, and go your own way." Jason Mraz (I'll be glad to sing this one to you if you ask nicely.:)

"Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity."
- Charles Mingus


"Talent likes talent, creative likes creative and genius likes genius. And to settle for anything less is to set yourself up for boredom." - Dave LaChappelle

"The only voice you must trust is the one that speaks to you out of silence." - James Jordan

"Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to remain silent."
- Victor Hugo

"In Blues We Trust" - anon (tattooed on my arm)

"Man, if you have to ask what it (Jazz) is, you'll never know" - Louis Armstrong (also tattooed)

"He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would fully suffice."
- Albert Einstein

"When people believe in boundaries, they become part of them." - Don Cherry

I am not too picky. I definitely prefer something where we can talk and get to know each other. My favorite idea involves a picnic basket , Italian cheeses, fresh homemade bread , and a decent bottle of wine . Of course... this does involve being outside, and it is Michigan, after all.