Hmmm....lapsed pagan. Slight Buddhist leanings. Cartoon nut. Geek of many flavors. Book collection that out-weighs me many times over. Ecstatic to have a yard to garden in again. And a fireplace for when the weather gets cold. Big kid who is quite content to stay that way. Rather substantial independent streak though. Lived through enough of life's ups & downs to know that you're best off being able to count on yourself first & foremost.

Translation - I try to do most of my own basic home maintenance incl. electrical, plumbing and the like. Only freak out about bugs when I find them so close to my face my eyes cross - yes, it's happened, and those promptly went flying across the room at high speed. Am just enough of a country girl to know how to handle a gun, a chainsaw for firewood & drive a pick-up truck (that does include a stick). And yes, I do enjoy going fishing on occasion. I also love getting my hands dirty out in the garden - though apparently I look pretty good with a manicure. ;)

However - I also love spoiling myself with a massage & pedicure. I've developed quite a taste for the steak & shrimp on the hibachi at Miyako and the kamo soba out at Tachibana as well - have to be in the right mood for sushi. Love getting dressed up, just don't have much occasion these days. Really miss the BB King Blues Fest out at the Horse Park. Am looking forward to the Wines in the Vines concerts out at the local vineyards this summer. Keep meaning to hit the Gallery Hops in Lexington, just feel silly going by myself.

So...I'm a tomboy whose girly side has expensive tastes, but I've never been one to really get stuck in a rut anyway. *chuckles*

Latest critter count: 4 dogs - Fearghas (Aussie cattle dog mix), Hephaestion (Husky/Lab mix), Remus (Husky/Shepherd/Collie/Wolf or Malamute mix - which depends upon who you ask) & Olympias (pure bred German Shepherd that I hope to train up as a cadaver dog) then 5 cats (Freya, Jeanie, Electra, Cassander & Petrocles) and 2 tanks full of fish - two oscars & a pleco in one & then 9 African cichlids and a pleco in the other. Yes, it's a menagerie around here. Thank you. :) Still holding off on the birds or reptiles for a while longer though. And trying REALLY hard to resist adopting a horse.

Like many out there, was just recently let go from my job. I'd spent a year and a half as a research assistant (a.k.a. lab flunky) for a small biotech lab in Lexington. All things considered though (short of the lack of money) it works out well. I'd been planning a move to the Louisville area soon anyway.

Transferring to U of L for this fall (2009) to continue a major in biology with a cellular/physiology focus and a minor in forensic anthropology. Hoping to go on to Indianapolis Univ. for my Masters in physical/biological anthropology & then UT Knoxville for my PhD in forensic anthropology. Yes, I'm a geek. *laugh*

For this fall (also 2009) I'm interning out at the KY Horse Park, working with retired race horses. Technically I'm the farm magement intern, so I'm doing more with the budget, landscaping, driving the tractor & mower around... But I still get to scritch on our babies from time to time. No where near experienced of a rider yet to want to be on a thoroughbred though.

Also slowly trying to save up money to buy a junked motorcycle to rebuild from the ground up. I refuse to get stuck on the side of the highway because of something as simple as a loose wire or some such, and what better way to learn than to (re)build it yourself?

And I've recently become engaged to a wonderful man from New Zealand, Dr.Curiosity. It's going to be a long engagement seeing as how he's back home, wrapping up his PhD & I've just started back to college. But after nearly 10 years as online friends, I think we'll be okay. :)

We're also in the VERY early brainstorming stages of considering buying a small (10 acre or so) farm some time after he comes here to stay. Though I've also looked at renting one around Louisville or southern Indiana when I head up to U of L for school.

Cooking (one of my fav. hobbies), people watching, finding yet MORE subjects to learn about (turn me loose on PubMed & look out!), making silly noises at random moments (hazard of being raised on a steady diet of Looney Tunes, Three Stooges & Monty Python), landscape photography, and finding myself in conversations with complete strangers while I'm out running errands.

And, if you'll pardon the moment of seriousness, walking away from something when I've decided that it's necessary. I was raised to pick my battles.

Now that my hair's been cut, I really couldn't tell ya. The hips that could body check a plow horse? *laugh* Maybe that I'm actually paying attention to what's going on around me. That seems to surprise quite a few folks. That I'm a complete goofball? Other than that.... Actually quite a few folks here lately seem to be having real trouble believing I'm 32. Keep guessing I'm in my early 20s at most. So I guess something with that.

I wouldn't even know where to begin. Though my Amazon lists (things I'm interested in but just haven't gotten around to buying yet) and my (very incomplete) LibraryThing list (things I've bought and most likely read by now) might be a decent enough start.

Food wise, strangely enough, I enjoy cooking more than I enjoy eating. But when it does come to food, I'm a total hedonist. Italian grinder from Mancino's with extra meat & cheese. 14 oz. ribeye from Texas Roadhouse with cheese & mushrooms and the green beans and mashed potatoes on the side - and their rolls! Num! Quail & almond rice from Petra. When I do my canning, I use the old recipes with just fruit & sugar...LOTS of sugar. Packaged pectin! Feh! And none of this diet crap. Artificial sweeteners close up my throat anyway & most diet foods are disgusting, overpriced and not half as good for you as they claim.

I'd even rather have *good* coffee (Jamaica Blue Mountain if I can get it or DoughDaddy's blend from my favorite doughnut shop when I go out) with real cream & real sugar. Thank you. And can I just say I was SO happy to see the Mtn Dew Throwback come out? Yay real sugar! Less cornsyrup in my diet was a wonderful thing and the memories of childhood the flavor brought back weren't half bad either.

Intellectual stimulation, cuddly friends, my Where the Wild Things Are hoodie (or if it's in the wash I'll settle for my Dropkick Murphys or EKU one), my sense of honor, my sense of humor & my curiosity.

And I'll admit, I'm very attached to my fur monsters. Here lately I don't tend to do too well without a pretty serious decongestant either. Yay allergies & weather changes!

What repairs I need to make on the house next or project I might be able to start on. When I'll get to see DrCuriosity again.

Other than that...it could be almost anything. Go check out the Amazon & LibraryThing lists, then the interests on my LJ profile (link in my journal) and you'll see that I'm not kidding. :)

Trying to catch up on homework or housework, curled up with the dogs to watch a movie or read, going out if the mood strikes me... *shrugs*

DrCuriosity and I are polyamorus. Ergo my being listed as "available" vs. "single". So yes, he knows I still have a listing, and his still having one as well. We don't do flings. We only see each other IRL once a year right now.

You're capable of both really talking to me and not lying to me. Otherwise, don't waste your time or mine.

You can carry on an intelligent conversation, are reasonably aware of the world around you and have a wicked sense of humor.

You grasp the possible reasons that I might choose the user name "Infinite Shades of Grey".