My friends describe me as kind, caring and funny. Hopefully so. I do know I enjoy meeting people from all walks of life and that my humor is a gentle teasing which, unlike sarcasm, has no sharp edge.

Funny. Because teasing incurs the risk of stepping on hidden toes, I favor absurdist humor (e.g., The Far Side). Off-the-wall comments are the safest way to avoid hurt feelings. Yes, it has resulted in some embarassments but, fortunately, I am not one to mull over every stupid thing I have said or done. Rather, I apologize and move on, taking my butterfly with me.

Easy going. You will find me easy to talk to because my laid-back, non-judgemental nature puts people, even complete strangers, at ease. Do you remember that guy -- the man sitting next to you on the flight into Reagan National -- with whom you visited for a half hour and then confided "I've never told anyone this before but..."? Well, that was me. If I recall correctly, you started that conversation, asking what was in my little bamboo cage.

Touchy-feely. I believe I am sensuous. One reason is that I am sensitive to color combinations and have strong color preferences. When trying to catch my butterfly, for example, I chased only yellow ones. But this is not to say that I actually caught one. What happened was that, after I had stopped running and turned my attention to other things, a yellow one came to rest on my shoulder. Another reason, absent the Thoreau allusion, is that I like shoulder massages as well as contact sports. I also am quick to enjoy scents and flavors but, due to allergies, not fragrances. And music is an important part of my life despite my having ordinary tastes: musicals, soft rock (e.g., Coldplay's "Viva la Vita"), disco, new age, and "cross-over jazz" (i.e., jazz with a melody, which is to say I really don't like most jazz).

Trim and fit. Above, "athletic" really means "trim and fit," an option not available for profiles. I walk several miles a day, keeping my weight at 170. I also go dancing (preferably, disco) at every opportunity. One reason for the walking is getting exercise. Another is to avoid driving in congested city traffic, which is why I don't have a car. Because I live downtown within a few blocks of shops and restaurants, walking and the subway give me ready access to most of what DC has to offer.

Artistic. After teaching at two universities, I moved here 30 years ago for analytical work which I plan to continue doing for several more years. Although successful at it, I find that my true passion is graphic arts. Over the past seven years, I taught myself Dreamweaver, PhotoShop, and Adobe Flash for use in webpage design, my avocation. Overall, then, I am a happy man. Of course, this is due not to graphic arts but, rather, to having had good parents.

In search of. So I am looking for a woman with whom I can connect. On a physical level, this means she is touchy-feely, enjoying physical closeness. On a spiritual level, this means she is accepting of a Christian man who has not gone to church in decades. On a social level, this means she enjoys a wide variety of people and communicates well. And, on an emotional level, this means she is reasonably happy. (It took me 16 years, all the while unwilling to accept the plain truth, to realize I cannot make an unhappy person happy.) Of course, such a woman will love my butterfly (see tease alert above) and want it set free. So I left the cage door open last week.

One option is coffee in a quiet cafe. Another is meeting at the Butterfly Pavilion in Natural History. I will be easy to find -- the only man with yellow butterflies. Indeed, if you find me attractive, you may arrive with butterflies too.