I'm currently learning how to live on land, since I've spent much of the past 3 years away on various salty adventures. I just moved to an awesome spot on Lake Merritt and I'm having one hell of a good time settling in. :)

I'm also working on getting more sea time. I have almost enough days to get my Captain's License, and once I have that and feel ready (another year or two) I am going to join the Coast Guard. I love the responsibility and pride that comes with doing something difficult and worthwhile, and I am at my best when in charge of a group of people. Being a badass/authority in the eyes of the public isn't bad either!

I will stay a coastie for at least 4 or 5 years until they'll pay for almost all of my education, at which point I'll decide whether to study something maritime and possibly retire at 38, or pursue higher education in something related to either biology or social/evolutionary psychology. I'm setting myself up to have many doors open when I have to make the big decisions as I don't feel like 18 is the time that I should be deciding what to do with the ENTIRE rest of my life. :P

I have this dream/desire of moving to Denmark and either working in their Naval program (which is much more about national/public safety than any warlike bullshit) or doing research in my chosen field. Look into it, I bet you'll find that Denmark's cultural beliefs and policies are pretty fucking great!

Being non-judgmental, caring about other people's life stories, being laid back, understanding systems, talking to strangers who I'll never meet again, avoiding conflict, being spunky, pleasing my partner, cooking delicious noms, smiling easily, singing (I think so?), planning well, being responsible (mostly), being very loving and affectionate, making a mean White Russian, and I should probably mention sailing if it isn't already obvious. ;]

Things I'm bad at:

Being angry, being on time, getting to bed early, respecting religious people, predicting relationships, acting as if things are important when I don't believe they are, and being confident before meeting someone I'm interested in.

People say I'm very approachable, and strangers will frequently start conversations out of the blue. I smile easily and am very friendly, polite, and genuinely interested (if a little shy) in what people have to say.

I won't directly confront people I don't know well if they're telling me something that I know to be inaccurate, because the vast majority of the time they're not going to be convinced. I'd rather learn about someone else's viewpoint than waste my time and energy on someone I won't ever see again. However, if I deem it necessary or if the subject is something I care a lot about (gender issues for one), I am not at all afraid to state my mind. I am very stubborn when I want to be.

I can have a very snarky, politically incorrect sense of humor and way of orienting, and some of my beliefs can be insensitive or even downright ruthless. If anything, I am comfortable embodying conflicting viewpoints and ways of living. When you are no longer a stranger in my mind I am very straight up, confident, and verging on radically honest.

People
A well stocked kitchen
Animals
Affection
The knowledge and open-mindedness that the internet enables (/r/ anyone?)
Sailing offshore, where you can't see land <3

In one area of my life I feel amazing, beautiful, interesting, strong, and very damn proud of what I do. But when I get back to shore I still feel inadequate about doing what 'normal' people do. I know this is BS, but I still sometimes wonder if I can pass.

Also, I think snuggling is the greatest pastime ever, and I feel grumpy and deficient without it. Feel like feeding my addiction? ^.^