I'm kind of quiet except when I'm not. I love to go deep in conversation, listening and being listened to about things that matter to us and to the world. Not so good with small talk about the weather, or crowded parties unless I find someone to talk to in a corner.

[Note: I'm not always online here. I think my Android phone app makes it look like I am.]

I'm kind, warm, genuine, thoughtful, smart, and I guess I'd have to say kind of intense sometimes. I take ideas, emotional life, and imagination seriously. I take play and relaxation seriously, too, if that makes any sense. Emphasis on the relaxation, I'd say; I love doing fun things, but also need some time for doing nothing, or doing quiet things. I get rattled when my schedule gets too busy. I'm also funny and playful when I'm comfortable with someone.

I love music, live and recorded--mostly jazz, blues, folk, rock, and a little bit of classical, but I'm pretty ignorant about the latter. I love canoeing, hiking, and just sitting in the woods by the water, smelling the pine forest, watching the campfire. I love camping, but cabins and lodges are nice, too, and of course beds are easier on my back as I grow older. I also love visiting and walking around in interesting cities around the country and the world, people-watching, checking out the neighborhoods, the little restaurants and pubs.

I have an unusual relationship with religion. An unbeliever for as long as I can remember, and to this day, I have nonetheless somehow become a dedicated Friend (Quaker). I regularly attend a silent Friends meeting for worship in St. Paul, and the people of that community, along with my family, are at the center of my life. It's a peculiar, creedless religion, emphasizing direct spiritual experience and how we live and care for each other above doctrines or beliefs. I would never push it on anyone, but it's important to me. I'm Jewish by heritage, on my dad's side.

I'm a widower. My beloved wife of 21 years died recently -- in October 2012 -- but the greater part of the loss came years ago while she slipped into dementia, and we lost all intimacy together other than that of caregiving, the last two years with her in a nursing home. After those hard years of grieving I'm more ready to move on than one might assume. I am fully present to what and who might be next in my life, and ready to work for happiness. Caring about and being close to someone is a big part of happiness for me.

I've worked for state government, Explore Minnesota Tourism, for 25 years. I started out as a writer and editor, but I've moved more into the web development and database side of the Minnesota tourism business. Writing is still a big part of my identity--I'm a good writer and poet, but have kind of gotten out of that practice in recent years.

I own my home, mortgage paid off, in Minneapolis.

I have two daughters, 27 years old, who live away from home. One is thriving, the other is struggling. Both are very dear to me.

Attraction is mysterious and hard to predict. I look for shared values along with at least some common interests, but most of all I value a woman of warmth and kindness, and the ability to both express herself deeply and listen deeply.

Get in touch with me, and we can have coffee or a meal together, talk, and see if we want to do it again.

Hmm, I don't think of it that way. I think productivity is overrated, and quiet unproductive time is at least as necessary and rewarding as productive time. Naps are great, as are long walks that end the same place as they started. But yes, I have changed, and continue to change, so I guess I'm doing something with my life. Right now I'm working on happiness, which is what I'm doing here. Also working for a living and doing a lot of volunteer work for my Friends (Quaker) meeting.

Writing, thinking, conversation. Kissing, I think, though I've never been kissed by me, so I can't be sure.

I don't know...first thing is probably that I'm quiet and thoughtful looking. Then, that I'm kind, thoughtful, opinionated, sometimes bump into things.

Music of Mingus, Miles, Gillian Welch, Leo Kottke, The Pogues, Tom Waits, The Who, Rolling Stones. Poems of Garcia Lorca, Neruda. Novels of Philip Roth, Updike, Russell Banks, Toni Morrison. Movies of Scorsese, Altman, Coen Brothers. Almost every kind of food. If I had to pick one and only one ethnic food it would be Thai curry. But I don't have to pick one so I won't.

Other than food, water and shelter: Books, music, friends, affection, quiet time, woods & water. (Woods and water are one for me, so that's six things.)

Ambiguity and paradox. How life, the natural world, humanity, the world of thought, all these things, can be so disarmingly beautiful and so cold and terrifying at the same time.

Watching a movie. Would like to watch it with you, or do something else, or both!

I think I covered that already above. More later.

You find me interesting and appealing, and would like to ask questions or maybe meet.