Nobody likes writing these, do they? For most of us, bragging about how awesome we are is against our natures, but here goes.

I'm smart, well-read, considerate, and punctual - a bit geeky, definitely, but also well-rounded, I think. I'm adventurous, generous, loyal to friends, beloved by animals.

I can cook, I keep in touch with friends and family, and I don't have a criminal record. I have references. I have a dry sense of humor that not everyone appreciates, but those who do seem to agree that I can be funny. At times. Not right now, evidently.

I love Seattle, and I love going out to visit new restaurants, bars, museums, etc. I like walking around the city as well as getting out of town for hiking. I'm not much of a party-person, and most evenings I'm at home reading or watching DVDs. I also like strategy board games and video games but only in moderation. I'm not a big gamer.

I enjoy photography, and sometimes I go sailing, bowling, fencing, or climbing, but only very casually - I'm not incredibly sporty or outdoorsy. I like to travel, too, of course (who doesn't?), when I have time (who does?). I haven't been skiing in years, but I plan to try snowboarding this year.

I'm a lawyer. I work with low-income folks, mostly. I have a background in social justice. I used be a private investigator, and long ago I ran a bookstore. I even taught at the UW for a short time. Life is a journey. I'm working on moving my career away from practicing law in the ordinary sense to full-time writing over the next couple of years.

That's the career side, anyway. It doesn't keep me as busy as it sounds, really.

I'm not "really good", but I am at least an adequate cook. I feel a little odd about taking credit when things turn out well - all I really contributed was my ability to shop and follow instructions. But I'll take it.

Does anyone know the answer to this? It's like a zen koan.

Big yes to all of the above. I'm a huge movie buff and an avid reader. If you read or see movies at all, we will have something to talk about. A few favorite authors are Raymond Chandler, George Orwell, Tolstoy, Stephen Ambrose, Michael Chabon, Philip Pullman, Evelyn Waugh, Simon Winchester, Peter Hopkirk, John Buchan, PG Wodehouse...so, so many more. And for films, anything by Miyazaki, David Lean, Kurosawa, Wes Anderson, Peter Greenaway, Joss Whedon, Hitchcock, Del Toro, Coen Bros., Christopher Nolan, many more. I also read some comics and graphic novels: Fables, Y: The Last Man, Atomic Robo, and others.

I love all kinds of food, and I am always open to trying new things. (If you have a favorite restaurant in Seattle, I'd love to hear about it!)

Oh, and music. I also like music.

Shows - it's interesting that some people interpret this to mean tv shows and others to mean live music shows. It's one of those "there are two kinds of people in the world" things. I don't go out for live music often, but I go to the Bushwick Book Club most months (http://thebushwickbookclubseattle.com/).

I watch tv sparingly, but some favorites include Life on Mars, Twin Peaks, Dead Like Me, Cowboy Bebop, Rome, 30 Rock, Arrested Development, Firefly, Veronica Mars, and Black Books.

A book to read.

Five more books....

Okay, besides that...NPR, a handkerchief, maybe netflix, and possibly a trained monkey (and/or robot) to take care of any other needs that may arise.

Maybe not typical exactly, but I often seem to find myself scrambling to find someone to come out with me to use up an about-to-expire groupon that I purchased impulsively. This happens often enough that I've been forced to declare a moratorium on purchasing new ones.

I'm increasingly self-conscious about this profile. I've rewritten this entire thing dozens of times. I feel like eventually, by process of elimination, I'll get it right.

If you've read all the way down to here, then you may as well just go ahead and drop me a line.

Also, please be able to write and spell (more or less) correctly.

One more thing: I constantly forget to close my browser tabs, so OKC thinks I'm always online. I'm really not.