I think it's important to laugh every day, both at the small things in life and the large things. I like to cuddle and think kissing solves problem. The group of people I call "family" is small, but I love them very much. I ask random, yet adorable, questions and am ridiculously curious. I'm up for almost anything (everything from movies and events to ice skating and hiking). I love to travel. I also love to leave the windows open so it's really cold inside, just so that I can cuddle up under warm blankets.

Also, I collect quotations because sometimes I think they can explain what I'm feeling better than I can. I will quote a wide range of things, from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" to Proust, Einstein, and Carnegie. However, my personality is such that if I mis-quote it and realize it, I'm forced to look up the correct quote and commit it to memory. I hate mis-quoting people because changing a few words can change the nature of the quote.

Currently, I'm living near DC and have a great job working in mental health care administration. I'm passionate about my job and love the organization with whom I work. I get to work with a wonderful group of people who are equally passionate about serving this need. I'm very lucky to have found such a perfect fit.

I'm really good at grammar and spelling, math (algebra, especially!), planning things and events, making people laugh, organizing, finding my way around (literally) and overusing ellipses and parentheses in informal writing. I tend to be one of many tangents.

I've also been told, in no particular order, that I a) make an excellent hostess (the southern girl in me loves to feed people!), b) can choose quotes/songs that fit almost any situation and elicit a particular emotion and c) offer wise/sage advice on a variety of life issues given my relatively young age.

I'm also apparently really good at recognizing the quotes and references in people's profiles (as in, "you'll be a great fit for me if you can tell me where this quote/obscure reference is from".)

The first thing people notice about me when they first meet me is my smile. Other than that, I'm fairly kinetic, I laugh often, and despite my friendly exterior, I'm relatively introverted.

Some particulars:

Books: I love reading books that are so engaging that I stay up all night to finish them. I also love children's books. My favorite book is The Giver, but I also like Harry Potter, The Twilight Saga, The Da Vinci Code, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, The Moon and Sixpence, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Picture of Dorian Gray, My Many Colored Days, and I Knew You Could.

Movies: Almost All Romantic Comedies, Harry Potter, Pirates of the Caribbean, Disney Movies, Old Cartoons from the 1980's, The Goonies, Star Wars, Christmas Movies, Annie, Kissing Jessica Stein, Artsy/Independent Films, Old Movies, Musicals

TV Shows: Fringe, Dollhouse, Lie to Me, 30 Rock, The Tudors, Weeds, My Boys, Gossip Girl, House, Psych, Bones, Monk, Law and Order: SVU, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Music: It's hard to say, because I have very varied taste. But I love music and am usually listening to it or have a song running through my head. I often use music as a metaphor for my life and what I'm feeling/thinking at the moment. I make playlists based on my mood, and I listen to songs on repeat. My musical tastes are quite varied and I often listen to music or watch movies just to elicit a specific emotion.

Food: As far as food is concerned, I'm a "vegetarian" and I use quotes because I occasionally cheat and when I do, it's usually with bacon or country ham. I do very much enjoy ethnic food though (Thai, Indian, Etc.) and have a passion for Ghanaian Peanut Butter Soup.

1) My family and close friends (including my two cats!)
2) A good book (escapism.)
3) My laptop and other electronics.
4) Good music (another form of escapism.)
5) A passport ('cause sometimes you just have to get away.)
6) Why "6" things? But, with that said, occasional glimpses of the White House and the Washington Monument (or other "touristy" wonders, were I to live in a different city.)

Everything. My mind is constantly "on" and I'm always planning, thinking, analyzing and daydreaming. There are too many things in this world I want to do and not enough time for me to do them all.

Curled up with a book or a movie, possibly playing games, eating take-out from an exciting restaurant, and talking to/hanging out with people I love, usually in small groups.

I still sleep with a stuffed bear.

. . . Well, to be honest, you probably shouldn't right now 'cause I'm seeing someone and it wouldn't really be appropriate to correspond with you. However, if you did want to message me, and aren't going to now, I'm really very flattered, so thanks!

I'm funny, intelligent, pretty adorable and exceptionally quirky; I tend to like people who come across as intelligent, sarcastic and easy to talk to (it helps if you can make me laugh!). I also tend to like people of the nerdy and geeky variety.