Many people have said to me "You are ..." over the years - these were the ones that stuck:

"... a glutton for punishment."
(a friend's mom)
"... ridiculous. Ridiculous but thoughtful."
(a girl in my department)
"... one of my 5 significant friends."
(one of MY 5 significant friends)
"... smarter than he thinks he is."
(an ex-professor)
"... MPV [motivated pole-vaulter], not to be confused with MVP."
(track-and-field coach)
_ _ _ *to date, this is my highest sports achievement.

My favorite birds are Atlantic puffins because they ride the updrafts, hunt like experts, and manage to be cute while they're doing it.
I'm a romantic pragmatist, so I believe in this site's potential almost as much as I expect its human fallibility (if you write back somewhat dependably and keep a date once you make it, you're aces in my book).
I'm at peace with being a hole-in-the-wall restaurant: it gives me time to perfect the dish I'm cooking.

I'm always up for a good conversation.

Learning, teaching, working out, socializing, playing with pitbulls, and writing (to keep myself sane).

I'm at UCSB working toward a PhD in education (language, literacy, and composition). But I spend weekends and summers in and around Torrance/PV, practicing martial arts and chasing shelter dogs. No better vacation.

Being friends with strangers.
Being stranger with friends.

(just got my student reviews back - so here are some 3rd-party descriptions):

"Unique and fun! So free and understanding, which is awesome."
" he wasn’t intimidating like other TA’s who really weren’t approachable"
"Josh is super enthusiastic. The time just flies by in section"
"I would like a hard copy of an outline"
... (That last one's just for me: I think it's a fair request.)

Books: The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, Dinosaur Tales, The Book of Werewolves, Advice for my Unborn Son, misc. poetry
Movies: Death at a Funeral, Willow, Mumford, Devil's Backbone
Shows: 30 Rock, Raising Hope, Arrested Development, Colbert
Music: Paul Simon, Fiona Apple, Macy Gray, Blues Traveler
Food: anything whose ingredients I can pronounce (Quinoa - fine. Butylated Hydroxyanisole - I'll pass.)

1) People (the best are inspirations; the worst are tests)
2) Dogs (their revelry is my philosophy)
3) Sunshine (tied with moonlight, but that's just the sun again)
4) Language (once you learn the game, it's hard not to play)
5) Oceans (for if I forget how to breathe)
6) Cellular senescence (having a Due Date reminds me to savor things)

How to say it better.

Atypical.

One of the following is not true:
A) I've never been drunk.
B) I'm an Aries/Boar/Emerald
C) I think I'm in love with a 2-year-old named Suzy; I'm so easy.
D) I've never kissed a girl.
E) I might someday again run naked in a public park on a warm night just to feel the moonlight.

If you can guess which one, or you don't care either way, you're my kind of gal.

You want to meet, you've got strong feet,
Your room is personal but somewhat neat,
Your phone's not your heroin, the groceries you carry in
Are healthier than 'ick,' you're make-up's not so thick
That it hides your real skin: you're prettier within.

(but if you're also lithe without ... that will draw me in, no doubt.)