I'm tall and substantial, physically and otherwise. Artistic, sensitive, silly, and loving. I practice yoga and eat vegetables and chocolate. Not exclusively, and usually not together.

I'm a 7th grade Special Ed teacher in a Chicago Public School. I spent my 20s as an actor, singer, writer, arts administrator, waitress, barista, figure model, assistant, after school teacher, early childhood music teacher, yoga instructor and temp, and now I'm in the middle of the first year of my first ever full time job. So! My life has changed quite a bit over the past year. It's a huge challenge, but it's awesome. I'm working really hard and I'm really happy to be doing something important every day. Just trying to get better at it.

My friend Rebecca asked me for help drafting a letter of condolence the other day. "You're good at this sort of thing," she said. Who knew?
"Some people have a way with words. Some people...not have way." - Steve Martin

I'm strong, so I'm good at opening jars and moving heavy objects for my friends. Don't worry, boys. I still need your help (she said, batting her eyelashes) Some of you will likely be disappointed to hear that no, I will not beat the shit out of you. Sorry.

I can be a bit of a social butterfly, so I'll say that I'm good at working a room.

People: I love your hair! Do you get that a lot??
Me: Yes, thanks!

People: How tall are you???
Me: 6'1!
People: Wow!
Me: Yeah!

For the record, this sort of attention does not bother me.

Books: History Of Love, The Hunger Games, Anna Karenina, Principles of Uncertainty, No One Belongs Here More Than You, The Girl in the Flammable Skirt (titular line!), The Metamorphosis

Movies: Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride, Amelie, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Edward Scissorhands, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Fight Club, Pan's Labyrinth, Singin' in the Rain

Shows: The Wire, Breaking Bad, Parenthood, Six Feet Under, Parks and Rec, Arrested Development, Dexter, My So Called Life.

Music: I like a lot of sad, moody music. Elliott Smith, Bon Iver, Fiona Apple, The National, Tracy Chapman...
Also not sad music: Stevie Wonder, James Taylor, Carole King, Ella Fitzgerald, Adele, Hall and Oates, Regina Spektor, The Beatles

Food: I'm not big on meat (the kind you masticate and digest), but I'm not a vegetarian. You won't see me order a steak, but I will take a bit of yours and chew it for approximately 5 minutes with a confusing look on my face. I like to eat beans and veggies. I LOVE cheese and bread, but I try to limit my intake. I also have a sweet tooth. Or maybe a few. It's true. I haven't met a cuisine I didn't like.

Nature (water, trees, fresh air)
Loved ones
Something to work towards
A different perspective

That's all I got for now.

How to achieve balance in my life, and the many avenues through which it can be pursued.
How we are all so different and so much the same, and how confusing that can be.

Eating something, doing something, then going to bed.

I've developed a ritual of listening to This American Life on Saturday mornings while I clean my apartment, before tackling prep work for the following week. I love it. Don't tell anyone, it's private ;)

You're interesting, kind, thoughtful (as in, full of thoughts) attractive and funny. You're not afraid of feelings.

You're also not afraid of or intimidated by big, sexy, smart, funny, driven women. I don't mean to sound full of myself, but I need a partner who's into that sort of thing - I know that it's not everyone's cup of tea.

And finally, you're ready for a relationship. I'm 30 now, and I'm done messing around. Doesn't mean I'm trying to get married tomorrow, but I've been meeting guys who are "emotionally unavailable" or whatever, and I'm not into it. That's right. I need your emotions to be available. Do me a favor? If you decide to message me, tell me what your favorite place in Chicago is or what your favorite movie is, or both. I need an indicator that the people I'm getting messages from have actually read my profile. Thanks. :)