5'9", 145 lbs., dark blond hair, blue eyes. Organ donor. No corrective lenses required.

I like to smile and laugh, make bad puns and parrot Internet memes. Generally polite, respectful and kind. Occasionally misanthropic. I love to cook and make lists of things. I'm an occasional hiker and cyclist, and I'd like to do more of both. I had a small garden for several years--more of a hobby than a food source. I became discouraged and stopped maintaining it after it was destroyed by deer, then flooded several times and finally crushed by trees (no joke). I'll try again in a new location in '13, probably in containers.

In 2011 I had lots of opportunities to travel--went to St. Thomas/St. John in the spring, lower Michigan and Las Vegas in summer, Orlando in late fall. My family is one of those "Disney families" and I visit Walt Disney World every year or two. Europe, Australia and Hawaiʻi are on my bucket list. Wanna go? I dream of thru-hiking the Triple Crown.

I'm not really the type that likes to lounge around, or gamble or shop. I prefer a museum, concert, theater production, hike/bike/drive to a scenic vista or dive bar any day. I generally do not enjoy watching or discussing professional sports or motor sports. I'm not a fan of tattoos. I wouldn't classify myself as a beer snob, but I will always choose a microbrew when available (after consulting Barnivore), and I like to expose myself to something new whenever possible. I love to dine al fresco.

I'm a programmer. I enjoy the work--I've always been attracted to solving problems. I plan to retire early (on track for 47) and enjoy a low-consumption lifestyle. I would really love to start a second career doing something that directly benefits the environment, but I'm not sure what that will be yet. I have no plans to return to college at the moment, but that might be an option later in life. I've always enjoyed learning, but oddly, I found the university environment too distracting and barrier-filled to really focus on my interests.

nothing. Specialization is for insects. I am, however, really terrible at some things, like sports and swimming.

I'm quiet among strangers, but have been more willing to open up, the older I get. Also, I try to choose words thoughtfully when speaking, to impart richer meaning, imply subtly, tie in prior conversations or allude to some facet of popular sub-culture.

Last read: Reamde. William Gibson and Neal Stephenson are my favorite authors. And I like 20th century fiction you might find on a college reading list.

I decided to try a vegan diet after seeing Forks Over Knives in July 2011. It's going well so far, but it's much more difficult to find vegan menu options when eating out. So, I am cooking more, and that is a good thing. I'm a decent cook and enjoy making a variety of regional styles (Thai, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Greek, Mid Eastern, Spanish, Italian, Mexican, etc.). I especially like to make things that one would normally buy, rather than prepare at home, like bread, sauerkraut, bbq sauce, mustard, kimchi, etc. I guess it's my sense of frugality and self-sufficiency showing through.

As for film, I have a large collection and enjoy many genres, but science fiction and dystopian fantasy top the list. My favorite directors are Steven Spielberg, Stanley Kubrick, John Carpenter and David Cronenberg. I also enjoy horrible B-movies, especially when riffed on MST3K.

I occasionally enjoy classic television and some modern shows. Most of what I watch comes from my local library system--I have not had cable television since 2006. Some of my favorites include Star Trek, Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, Coupling, IT Crowd, Two Pints, Red Dwarf, M*A*S*H, Lost, Game of Thrones and Walking Dead.

Obviously, we can all survive without everything but the bare essentials, so I'll answer this as "The six things I most appreciate having in my life"

1) People I love (family, friends)
2) The good fortune to be born in the United States
3) My intelligence
4) The Internet (man's greatest invention)
5) Will to persevere
6) Hope for the future

Vegan food porn, the future, the fate of human civilization, how to reduce my carbon footprint, how to secure my financial future ethically, what I'm going to eat tomorrow, did I leave the garage door open, why am I still alone?

At home, cooking something. Occasionally I go out to dinner with friends. I have few obligations, so I can pretty much do whatever I want, when I want to do it--no need to wait for Friday.

I have been involved in Internet dating off and on since 2000, and I can tell you that it has been a complete and dismal failure, from my perspective. I've gone on a handful of dates and done a variety of activities, but whatever your ideal "first date" is, one requirement is that there must be mutual attraction in order for it to be enjoyable. Otherwise, you end up spending half the time attempting to devise an early exit scheme that doesn't make you seem like a jerk or hurt your date's feelings. For that reason, I'm a fan of meeting up for some short, time-boxed event like lunch during the work week.

...you should probably just message me in any case. There are a few traits in a potential partner that are musts or deal-breakers for me, but you'll have to message me to find out what they are. Do not be intimidated by my political, spiritual, dietary or reproductive choices--they are based on a mixture of logic and morals, but I am not going to try to "convert" you. For the record, my goal is to establish a permanent, monogamous relationship.

If you live outside of my reasonable dating radius, I'm still happy to chat if we have much in common. Full disclosure: I'm rooted in Northeast Ohio for the foreseeable future.