Hello! I moved to St. Paul in July, and thought this might be a good way to meet new people! I'm a musician, so I am pretty creative, and into trying all kinds of things. Aside from music, I love to read, write, cook, swim, travel, watch movies, do "cultural things" and just hang out. I'm smart, funny, honest, independent, and would love to meet someone similar!

Like anyone else, I have my quirks! I am absolutely addicted to lip balm, and have been known to leave class to buy more if I can't find any in my bag! My car has a name, I take a water bottle everywhere I go, and I can't stand coffee. I own tons of books, and will read just about anything in print, especially if I am supposed to be writing a paper for class!

I am a "curvy girl," so if you are not into larger women, I am not the one for you! Yes I am larger, but very well proportioned. I prefer "voluptuous" or "curvy" to "BBW" ;)

I am taking a break from my doctoral program to spend some time in the "real world." Nine years of school without a break is a bit much, don't you think?

I am heading to MN to spend a year or two working with AmeriCorps (basically the PeaceCorps, but in the US.) I will be working with a literacy foundation writing grants and fundraising, etc. I am excited to be doing something I am passionate about, and also to be returning to a great area. I lived here about 10 years ago and absolutely loved it, so I am thrilled to be coming back.

Music. Reading. Writing. Cooking. Listening. Caring. General trivia. Teaching. Writing papers at the last minute.

My smile. My curly hair. The fact that I am slightly scatter-brained.

Books: Oh, wow... too many to list! Well, I tend to read lots of classics (Austen, Shakespeare, Dickens, all the Brontes, Wharton, James, D.H. Lawrence, etc.) but like more modern stuff too (Virginia Woolf, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, John Irving, Kate Atkinson, Tracy Chevalier, Isabelle Allende, to name a few). I also have a slightly guilty love for Harry Potter! I read some historical fiction now and again, and some non-fiction and poetry when the mood strikes.

Movies: Well, I really like foreign movies (Amelie, anything by Pedro Aldomovar, Y Tu Mama Tambien, A Very Long Engagement, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, etc.), but also have a love for really "girly" movies at the right moment (When Harry Met Sally, The Princess Bride, Mean Girls, Enchanted, Beauty and the Beast). I have a decent collection of the Disney movies of my childhood, which I like to watch when I am sick, and lots of musicals, and some comedy. I don't tend to like "Hollywood Blockbusters" or anything that is too slapstick or just plain dumb. The Coen Brothers crack me up, and when I saw Little Miss Sunshine, I about fell off the couch laughing! So, I guess I prefer my comedy a little outside of the box.

TV: Gossip Girl (quite possible the best guilty-pleasure show EVER!) Gilmore Girls, Ally McBeal, Felicity, Sex in the City, Big Love, Weeds, Top Chef, America's Next Top Model (don't judge- you know it's fierce!), Project Runway, Ugly Betty, Brothers and Sisters... yeah, I need to cancel the cable!

Music: I have pretty eclectic tastes... I listen to a ton of classical, both for school and because I like it. I generally prefer anything Beethoven and later. Outside of that, I can get a little lazy, and fully admit to listening to whatever's on the radio, except maybe country and rap. I do really like bluegrass, and Nickel Creek and Alison Krauss are some of my favorite stuff out there. Let's see... Tori Amos, Rachael Yamagata, Lucinda Williams, Feist, Lisa Loeb, Liz Phair, Regina Spektor, Ben Folds... this is getting long! I'll stop.

Food: I like to cook, but don't do it as often as I like due to general busyness, and also, it's not as fun to just cook for yourself! I love Italian, Indian, Thai, Chinese, anything with cheese, veggies (really!) and eat a lot of yogurt for some reason! I am kind of a wimp about spicy food, though.

Books. Music. Lip balm. My kitties (Pip and Pickwick). Fluffy pillows. Fluffy clouds. Water (both to drink and to look at- it relaxes me). Bubble baths on Friday night. My wonderful friends- the ones who stick with me no matter what. My nieces (so cute!). Eggs. Hugs. My laptop (it's cute and red). Knowledge and learning. The occasional rainy day and snowstorm (I am excited to be moving back to the land of snow!). Right, that's more than 6... oh well.

All the things I should be doing!

Ideally, something low-key, like hanging out with a few friends, or hopefully soon, snuggling on the couch with a special someone! I prefer to do anything higher-voltage on Saturday night, but I am flexible.

You think I'm gonna fall for that?!?

You like fun, smart, sarcastic, curvy, rather sassy girls!