The below was written as a dating profile; funny that, a dating profile on OKCupid. However, the real reason I'm here is to touch base with friends I already know, answer those sometimes interesting, and sometimes incredibly asinine matching questions, and feed my quiz addiction. I've conceded that while I don't quite live in the middle of nowhere, you can see the sign post from here, and it would be easier to find a Unicorn than a smart, cute, single woman willing to venture out here. So I rarely initiate a conversation with someone I don't know already. From here, everyone is an LDR. Besides, dates may come and go, but quiz scores last forever. ;)

(However, if you're remotely interested, I have even more written at a webpage listed in my "Private Things" block.)

I relocated to the Glasgow area (May/07). I don't need to be in a large city, but I appreciate the resources available being near a large city; too bad Glasgow doesn't fit that description. The place I still call home, and where I've spent the better portion of my life is the Seattle area of Washington State. Someday I'd like to go back, but I'm unsure when that may happen. On the plus side, Glasgow now has a great place to eat, Durum's, so I miss Seattle just a wee tiny bit less.

You can pull this out of the stats of my profile, but I'm a non-smoker. I have a full (trimmed) beard, and red hair. I have tattoos, though you wouldn't see them unless I knew you. I do not self identify as a Christian, or with any other organized religion. I will happily respect your spiritual convictions, and expect the same courtesy. I'm not particularly interested in converting anyone, or in being converted. I think personal spiritual choice should be honored, even in Utah. Hopefully these aren't deal breakers for you.

I read Ms. Manners for fun, along with lots of other authors. I spent a summer living at a nudist camp in Washington State, and I used to make a living riding on a nuclear submarine, after that I rode on a hydrographic survey vessel for a while. My sense of humor can be odd at times, though not at the expense of someone else. I've been known to skinny-dip at out of the way hot springs, and private west coast hot tubs. I enjoy affection, both in private and in public. If you're not able to walk down the street holding hands, or able to receive a kiss at a street corner, we're probably not a good match.

I rarely eat meat, but its more a flavor thing. I promise not to launch into a monologue about Bovine Growth Hormone, and other assorted chemical disasters in processed foods. If you want steak tartar, more power to you, just don't expect me to ask to share a bite. I do enjoy fish once in a while, especially on those very rare occasions when Copper River salmon is available. I enjoy doing outdoor things; camping, hiking and the like. My big summer vacation is a couple of weeks working on staff at Burningman, in the NW Nevada desert; art, fire, music, fire, dance, fire, and 40,000 other people.

I'm still in 'auto' mode, but I'm learning outdoor d-SLR photography, and I've enjoyed geocaching. I own my own tuxedo, and like getting dressed up for concerts, or plays, or even candlelight dinner on the lanai.

I can be a great friend, and an inspired lover. I enjoy the company of women, and I know how to actually listen instead of just letting words flow by. I used to get lots of practice giving and getting massages. I still have a professional table, but the last couple of years its gotten more dust than practice. I like exploring my environment through touch and taste.

Some of my favorite things, in no particular order, are freckles, dark chocolate, and the curve of a woman's backside.

I currently have three goals; have satisfaction from my employment, be inspired by my surroundings, have a steady female companion/partner/peer--more than a fling, but at this point, less than a bride. The first two are tied to my employer, and are already accomplished. Hopefully this profile will be able to help with the third one.

So that's my basic dating profile. I don't think its too scary, but I'm not the beholder. It would be nice to find someone who encompasses most of my interests, and I would encompass her major ones. I'm not talking clones, or Stepford Wives here, just significant common interests. In my thirties, I thought that would be easy. I'd enjoy having someone to try new restaurants with, someone to go swimming with, someone to go target shooting with, someone to go to Burningman with, someone to wake up next to, someone to get all hot and sweaty with. So far, she's been quite elusive, but thanks to a tip I've started reading, and applying Efficient Love, a program developed by Robert Goodman. I'm more hopeful now than I've been in a while, even if I do live within sight of the middle of nowhere.

Working on being and becoming, as Myrna Loy once said. I transferred back to Glasgow, MT for a promotion to my dream job, well, a dream job until I can make a lateral transfer into the recreation sector (retire).

I'm working on continuing to gain skill in my occupation. I'm able to make money at doing something I enjoy, working for an agency that I feel right about working for.

I'm also continuing on with being the best me, that I can be. I can't really expect anyone else to think I'm a wonderful guy, if I don't already think that myself, now can I? With the exception of companionship and cellular regeneration, there isn't an aspect of my life that isn't improving.

I've been going to Burningman since 1999, and have been working on the Gate and Perimeter staff (not Greeters) for several years. I don't think I'm fixated on Burningman, but I can attribute the demise of several relationships to 'burning issues'.

I'm also adapting to enjoying a solitary life. I would not say its my preference, but its what the Universe has put on my plate for now, so I need to do what I can to enjoy the flavor, and gain from the experience, while still being open to any new flavors the Universe sends my way.

I'm an intp, I'm really good at seeing the big picture, and creative problem solving. I'm also quite good at listening (rather than just hearing) along with a couple of hidden talents. Some of the things I have listed for interests on my LiveJournal account are; alphonse mucha, andromeda, anime, art, avacados, babylon5, bad puns, black rock, bliss, body art, body piercing, buddhism, buffy, burning man, camping, catan, celts, chakras, changing rooms, cheesecake, chocolate, co-sleeping, comedy, communication, compassion, computers, connection, consensuality, creativity, cuddling, curiousness, driving, earthships, enya, eros, erotica, eroticism, esctasy, fantasy, farscape, filk, flirting, foreplay, forests, freckles, friends, friendship, frontsight, fun, gaia consort, garlic, heinlein, hentai, holding hands, hometime, honesty, honor, hot springs, hot tubs, hugs, human sexuality, humor, integrity, intelligence, jazz, john william waterhouse, jung, kilts, kissing, labyrinths, laughing, laurell k. hamilton, learning, linux, living, lnt, lorenna mckennit, love, lust, massage, mead, meditating, meditation, midori, mountains, movies, ms. manners, mucha, mythology, napping, networking, open minds, openmindedness, oral sex, outdoors, passion, penguins, pilates, playa, playing, puns, rangers, raspberries, redheads, reflexology, relationships, road trips, romance, sacred sex, sapiosexuality, sci-fi, seattle, sensuality, serenity, settlers of catan, sexuality, simplicity, skinny dipping, smiles, snickers, snogging, snuggling, spider robinson, spirituality, stained glass, starfarers of catan, sunrises, sunsets, tantra, taoism, tasting, tasty bites, tattoos, tea, the desert, trading spaces, travel, trees, unix, utilikilts, what not to wear, wilderness, wisdom, wit, women, yoga. I'm not necessarily "really good" at them all, but I am interested.

That I've already been there for a while. It's that "I" intp thing; quiet, reserved, listening, observing. With people I don't know, I am definitely not a limelight sort of fellow. With people that I know, I'm generally complimented on my smile and humor.

In general, too many to list. ;)

Books So far as technical material goes, Marcel Gagne, and Eric S. Raymond are favorites. For entertainment, I enjoy David Weber's Honor Harrington series. Space opera at its best. Spider Robinson and Robert Heinlein are also favorites. I have far more books than bookshelves though, on a wide variety of subjects.

Movies My purchased dvd collection is about 9 feet long if you set them together. If they weren't favorites, I probably wouldn't have bought them. However, I really like The Thin Man series with William Powell and Myrna Loy. Almost any film with Cary Grant or Maureen O'Hara, Bringing Up Baby is good, along with McClintock or The Quiet Man. Not very PC though. I enjoy Hayao Miyazaki's work, like Spirited Away or My Neighbor Totoro. I like action adventure, like the Sean Connery or Pierce Brosnan 007 films. I enjoy romantic comedy like 10 Things I Hate About You, or An Ideal Husband. Chocolat was wonderful. If you'd like to see a reasonably complete inventory, you can find it here. I gave up watching television in 2005, but not enjoying movies.

Music I've managed to convert most of my music library to my hard drive, and I'm on the verge of needing a bigger drive. With regrets to my friends in the band, I think my most favorite music is Pearl Django a band from Tacoma Washington they are influenced by Jango Reinhart and Stefan Grapelli. Gypsy Jazz is music to make your heart sing, and your feet move. There's the wonderful Gaia Consort from Snohomish Washington. I have too many favorite celtic artists to list. My collection of music is another large and quite diverse collection. It does not include rap or hip-hop, and very little country western. I don't mind listening to country western, I just haven't been buying country western.

Food I like food I can taste, and I like to try dishes I've not had before (because they might be new favorites). Thai is heaven to my tastebuds. I also like Indian curry. So long as it doesn't have meat in it, I'll try it. I don't really like mushrooms or pickles though. My favorite comfort food is macaroni and cheese made with cream cheese, mixed vegetables, curry powder, and red peppers.

In my experience, there is a difference between love and sex. In that same light, I feel there is a difference between "living" and "surviving". In answering this, I'm going to go for "living'. Some of these things are not all that apparent in my current environment, but if I felt like I was really living, these six things would be essential to my life; beauty, texture, sensation, passion, love, dark chocolate.

I spend a lot of time thinking about personal development; where I am, where I want to be, what steps to take to merge the desire with the reality. Gloria Steinem once remarked that there are a lot more people trying to meet the perfect person than there are trying to be the perfect person. I'm striving toward the latter, at least within my own definition. No matter what I find at the end, the journey is its own reward.

I also spend a fair amount of time thinking about my 5-year plan. By 2012, I want to be prepared to become a gypsy. I'm making slow, consistent, deliberate steps to eliminate my debt, shed excess possessions, simplify my life, and my expectations. I spend more time evaluating any new 'stuff', before I acquire it; do I really need it, is this the most practical version of whatever 'stuff', etc. I've been thinking about what sort of vehicle I'll want for my "wagon", and researching the trials and tribulations of full-time RVing, as well as the joys. By the time 2012 rolls around, I may reevaluate, but at this point, I'm looking forward to several years spent discovering the North American continent-with or without human company. Worst case, I'm sure Sam, my dog, will enjoy going along for the ride. (smile)

Currently, it would most likely be reading something not technical, or computer related. I do a fair amount of that at work, home is for other options. Maybe watching something from my dvd or tape collection, I have no problem watching an enjoyable movie or documentary more than once. Perhaps answering quizzes or questions on OKCupid, or keeping up with friends on Live Journal. I could be listening to KMTT or KPLU on streaming audio, or something out of my own music collection. Typically though, on Friday night, it's probably something solitary. Good thing I enjoy my own company.

On a typical Tuesday or Thursday night, I'm in a yoga class.

How about three things:

Never marry anyone who isn't a friend to your excitements. (heard during a George Leonard lecture)

After reading and visiting MissMayflower's personal quest site, I created my own at AsYouWishQuest, and yes, it is a Princess Bride reference. If you think there may be a romantic interest, it has even more detail than here. However, if you think there's just a friendly interest, it could easily contain TMI (too much information).

I once made it completely to the end of 'rating' my quick-matches.

...the idea of a card carrying, gun toting, liberal democrat, tree-hugging environmentalist, semi-vegetarian, leather wearing, federally employed, tattooed, redheadded, social nudist, pantheistic, Burningman attending, computer geek doesn't give you the heebie-geebies, or stir up any unresolved 'issues'. I think I've included a diverse enough collection of hot-button issues to discourage the casual, and faint of heart, which is only to be expected from someone who is a member of the Sierra Club, the ACLU and the NRA.