I thought it’d be fun to start off my self-summary by compiling a list of traits that others use to describe me. People who know me often say that I’m analytical, compassionate, easygoing, humorous, intelligent, kind, knowledgeable, and unique. (Thanks, mom!) People who don’t know me generally fail to provide me with any adjectives other than ones relating to my immediate physical appearance and the fact that I must be a little strange for asking them to describe me. Oh well. I guess that's what happens when you randomly ask strangers such questions in inappropriate settings . . .

I enjoy laughing a lot, and I don't take myself very seriously. I can be serious about some things, but I am generally not afraid to make a fool of myself. This is good, because I often accomplish doing just that.

Activities that I enjoy: attending lectures, exercising, going on adventures, hiking, inappropriately showing up at famous intellectuals' offices and discussing their works, listening to music, making alphabetized lists, reading, talking, thinking, walking, and watching movies.

Here is a list of some traits that I'm not fond of in others:
- Superficiality
Okay, so that's not really a list--or it's the smallest non-trivial list, since it consists of only one item--but I figure it's important to draw attention to it. If there's one thing that I dislike in others, it's that.

Anyway, please drop me a note if . . . You want to? If you don't want to, I won't be offended. Hell, I won't even know, unless you message me simply to inform me of your lack of desire to message me. But that would be weird . . .

Presently, I'm a philosophy graduate student who earns a living through teaching college courses as an instructor/teaching assistant. My professional goal is to become a professor, and to teach people how to reason well and to hold "good" perspectives. I resolve to make the world a better place, through giving students one "A" at a time.

writing horrible profiles on dating websites, evidently.

I'm in really good shape, I'm kind of short and young looking, and I tend to surprise people when I open my mouth.

Most of my favorite books come in the form of dense, philosophical texts. I especially enjoy texts in radical philosophy and socio-political theory--particularly, perspectives that are unsettling to most, but that (at least) get one to think about issues in new ways. I also like the works of some authors like Sylvia Plath, and George Orwell.

I enjoy movies, but mostly comedies, dramas, non-fiction, and well-done thrillers. I like television, as well, but I haven't really spent a lot of time cataloging my favorite shows. I like Arrested Development, Breaking Bad, and The Simpsons. I don't usually watch television, though.

My tastes in music are pretty eclectic: I mostly like women singing and playing pianos--for example, Regina Spektor, Tori Amos--but I can tolerate hip hop (if, and only if, it has meaningful lyrics). Leonard Cohen is sort of awesome. I like Heart and Fleetwood Mac--esp. Stevie Nicks. I have a special place in my heart for some 1980's music, notwithstanding the common, exuberant superficiality of most of it. Some 1990's music is fine--like No Doubt. I like classical music, too.

I like all kinds of food. My favorites are Lebanese and sushi. I always enjoy trying new things, and I will eat pretty much anything that's edible.

(1) Adventure
(2) Books
(3) Food
(4) Fun
(5) Relationships
(6) Thoughts

(a) how to improve myself and my relationships with others;
(b) issues of injustice and oppression--economic, racial, and sexual domination, gender inequality, and so on;
(c) sundry issues in philosophy (mostly because I'm a grad student in this field and I'm terribly, terribly interested in a lot of things);
(d) physics and mathematics (I was a triple major as an undergraduate, but fell short of completing the physics and math majors by two physics labs and one math course);
(e) where my socks go. They seem to disappear spontaneously.

During the school year: Studying, preparing for the classes I'm teaching, or grading papers. I will go out with some friends, when we're not too busy.

During the summer: Hanging out with friends and family, reading, drinking, walking, talking.

I have answered ridiculously private questions in the "questions" section of my profile. I refer you there.

I seem interesting, you want to hang out, you are a feminist (I love feminists), you are not superficial, you need help on writing a philosophy paper (lol), whatever. I'm pretty easy to get along with, and I enjoy communicating with people.