Hello there!

I'm a very new resident of Denver - moved from the east coast in September '09. I moved here for school not knowing anyone at all and never having visited, which has been alternately described by my friends as brave and completely insane - and both of those descriptions are probably somewhat accurate.

POF has provided me with very explicit instructions on what to do if I "want to be successful and not waste [my] time" so let's start with the items it suggests. After all, success is generally a good thing, and who wants to waste time on the internet? (OK, maybe that's not a fair question, because judging from the amount of time I spend online without being productive, you'd think *I* want to waste time on the internet... in many cases, that could be true, but hopefully not here.)

So, here we go with some hobbies. I'm going to make a list, because I like lists. But not so much that I'm going to list "making lists" as a hobby.

Curling - This is something I've only taken up recently (since moving to CO) but I am enjoying it a great deal. That's not to say I'm especially good at it (I'm not, yet), but even without having much skill in it, I'm having fun.

Chess - While there was a time in my life that I could honestly say I was good at chess, this is not that time. Between school and work I hadn't had the chance to play that much over the last few years, so I'm very rusty, but I've managed to get a couple games in since moving here, and I'm hoping to pick it back up again.

Poker - I miss playing poker (and other card games, but mostly poker). I played in a regular game back east that did an excellent job of straddling the line between being just a friendly game and a competitive one, and I think I miss that interaction with friends as much as the game itself. I was usually in charge of helping new players at the game learn the ropes (usually someone's boyfriend or girlfriend sitting in) and the new players often ended up doing better than I did. I'm not sure if that's a compliment to my teaching skills or a slight to my poker-playing skills... or both.

Watching Sports - I enjoy watching sports. On TV, my favorite sport to watch is football, particularly the NFL. I have, on occasion, spent an entire Sunday watching the NFL. My favorite sport to watch in person is probably baseball, and I am very much looking forward to checking out Coors Field next season. I've been to quite a few MLB parks, but this will be the first time I've lived in a city with a MLB team. I'm sure I'll enjoy it, but I do think I'll miss minor league baseball, too. Watching a good game in small minor league park on a warm summer night may be as close to heaven as you can get on Earth (think Field of Dreams). I also love the atmosphere of a good college basketball game, and have been fortunate enough to travel and see my favorite NCAA team in the NCAA tournament a couple of times.

Playing [Team] Sports - Basketball and softball are the two I probably enjoy most, though the two times I went to play basketball right after moving here I got gassed *very* quickly. I haven't gotten to play any softball out here yet, but I am looking forward to seeing if the altitude is a benefit there.

Bar Games - In a cruel twist of fate, I actually enjoy most bar games - darts, pool, trivia, etc. - quite a bit. This is only cruel because I don't really drink enough to enjoy going to bars. Also, and I fully expect native Coloradans to stop reading after this point, I don't drink beer. Because, as a rule, it tastes bad. And yes, I've probably tried whatever beer you think will be the exception to that rule (I have some persistent friends) and trust me, it isn't. Depending on circumstances, I'll probably try what you have in mind, but don't expect any great change of heart. Sorry.

OK, there were a few hobbies. I trust I've scared everyone away with the sheer length of this section, but just in case anyone is left, I'll move on to my goals & aspirations. This part is simple, straightforward, and yet still completely wide-open. I want to be happy. Fortunately for me, I'm able to appreciate many of the little things in life that are often overlooked, so the goal of being happy is easily attainable for me. That's not to say I'm a complete Pollyanna, but I do generally try to keep an even keel and a positive outlook on life. On a more practical level, I aspire to complete my formal education, earn my degrees, and perhaps work in a library. See? That was less painful than (or at least considerably shorter than) my hobbies section at least, right?

I'm unique, just like everyone else. I swear. One thing that seems to be very uncommon out here is that I'm not a skier or snowboarder, and it has quickly become apparent that I am a rarity in CO simply because of that. I've had problems with one of my knees in the past (tore my ACL & miniscus playing basketball) and the two times I've skied that knee was very angry with me afterwards, so I don't expect to be hitting the slopes anytime soon. I would, however, be more than willing to take a trip up to the mountains with someone and be in charge of having the hot cocoa ready for when you're done with the last run. :-)

My taste in music, like my taste in most things, is very varied. I grew up on "the oldies" - 50s and 60s primarily - so I definitely have a soft spot for them. I know many of the lyrics from this genre, which would be put to better use if I had a better singing voice. On the opposite end of the spectrum - actually, this brings up an interesting question: what is on the opposite end of the spectrum from oldies, rap or metal? Ultimately, either works in this case, since I tend to like them both, but of the two I probably like rap more - or, at least what was rap 10 years or so ago. Really though, I like a bit of everything and in my advancing years I've even come to tolerate - even appreciate? - some country.

Well, if you're still reading this, I'd like to apologize. In an effort to follow POF's advice and be successful and not waste my time, I'm afraid I've gone and written far too much and have now wasted your time instead. My sincerest apologies. If these heartfelt sentiments don't translate well on the computer screen, feel free to send me a strongly worded message and - if need be - I can try to make it up to you some other way (and I promise, I don't have a problem with comfortable silences in person, no matter how this profile comes off). :-)

I like to try new things, and one of the great things about moving to a new city is that almost everything about it will be new in some fashion. If you've got any fun suggestions (or are looking for company on your own adventures), I would love to hear from you. If something romantic develops from a friendship, that'd be great. If not, maybe we at least both make a new friend.