Well, I was born and raised in NYC and still live in this fair city, which I think is less of a rarity than some people think, as I live with two native New Yorkers now. I have an hour commute to and from work, which allows me to read, do the NY Times crossword puzzle, nap a bit more or people watch for a good stretch of time on the subway while zoning out to music. My friends think I'm pretty outgoing and while I have been known to be a social butterfly, I do have my shy tendencies. Once I get to know you, I open up, become trusting and can also become a bit of a smartass. However, I would consider that to be a sign of affection. :)

Essentially, I'm here so I can meet friendly new people with whom I can explore and have fun adventures.

I enjoy going to concerts, catching a movie, relaxing in a park, seeing plays or musicals, dabbling in photography curling up at home to a good TV show or DVD, and exploring all this wonderful city has to offer. Just because I was born and raised in NYC doesn't mean that I can't stumble upon a new relaxing coffee shop with comfy couches, a cute little gift store, or an amazing Japanese restaurant. I am always open to learning new things, being challenged and thinking about a particular issue in a different way that I may not have considered before. I tend to have a sarcastic bent to my humor and wit and quite a bit of a geeky side, but hopefully you don't hold that against me.

I am quirky, compassionate, and amusing

For my job, I'm a social worker employed at a non-profit community organization and help folks (mostly seniors) deal with their various problems.

I typically have a camera in my hand, taking pictures wherever I go from concerts and roller derby bouts to parks and baseball games. It's a fun little hobby that I hope one day might be a nice paying gig on the side.

I go out to see live music quite a bit. And also contra dancing. They keep me happy.

Listening intensely to music, listening to people in general, improvising a meal, contra dancing, selling CDs for artists at concerts, hosting house concerts, quoting from The Princess Bride and The Simpsons, using made up curse words like frak, giving directions to tourists, navigating the subway system.

Hrmm...probably my glasses or my thick head of hair.

Let's go in reverse order..

I love way too much food, but if i had to choose favorites it would include sushi, Indian and Thai.

For music, I lean towards singer-songwriters with a folky-rock bent that most of you probably have not heard about (Dar Williams, Patty Larkin, The Weepies, Girlyman) but also love alternative, classical, 80s music, classic pop and a bunch of stuff in between. I grew up listening to a bunch of Billy Joel, REM and U2. The number of musicians that I like would be way too long to list, so I'll just leave it at that sampling and feel free to ask me if you want a more comprehensive list. Let's just say that I love going to concerts and am very passionate about the music I like.

My favorite movies include The Shawshank Redemption (robbed of the Oscar), The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars, Amélie, Little Miss Sunshine, Contact, most of the even numbered Star Trek movies, and most any Tim Burton movie (especially ones where he gets Johnny Depp to play dress up). I also tend to be a sucker for a decent romantic comedy or sci-fi/comic book action flick.

Hrmm..no option for the small screen? Well, I'll just stick that in here. I also tend to watch a decent amount of TV, with Fringe, Doctor Who, The Office, Chuck, 30 Rock, Weeds and How I Met Your Mother being my current scripted show favorites. I also can be seen watching some reality shows, mainly in the form of Project Runway, Top Chef, The Mole, So You Think You Can Dance and my personal favorite, The Amazing Race. I watch The Daily Show and The Colbert Report to get my daily dose of news. As with music and movies, this list can go on and on.

I can't really say I have many favorite books (does the Complete Calvin and Hobbes count?)...I mean I love to read when I have the time, but somehow it's harder for me to judge books then say TV shows, music, or movies. I just get so engrossed in what I read that it's just a happy form of escapism and delightfulness. I enjoyed reading the Harry Potter series, loved To Kill A Mockingbird, find Kurt Vonnegut amazing, and welled up a bit while reading The Joy Luck Club. I also have a thing for nonfiction cultural studies books.

Friends, mp3 player, my Canon 20D dSLR (yes I do my stereotype proud), the internet (I'm addicted, for better or worse), some form of backpack/messenger bag and a bottle of water.

Helping people, the inadequacies of the US health care system, why my hair gets so poofy 4-6 weeks after a haircut, what concert I'll be going to next and whether or not I'm going to shoot it, what I'm going to have for my next meal and the answer to life, the universe and everything.

Going to New Jersey or Long Island for a concert at a coffeehouse, contra dancing (though that is more of a Saturday thing), hanging out with friends at various places, catching up on TV that I missed in the past week, wondering what the heck really is a typical Friday night?

I can be quite the sentimental sap who typically cries during sad and/or touching moments in movies, shows and TV shows regardless of how many times I’ve seen them.

If you got through this long profile and want to know more about me and what makes me tick.

You enjoy having amusing conversations from time to time, are compassionate, have a hidden (or overt) geeky side, and/or want to tell me about the music/movie/book/restaurant that you love. I'm always looking to experience new things.