About me... I live a fairly rigorous life and try to stay intellectually and physically active. I'm generally hopeful and optimistic, despite the "slings and arrows of outrageous (mis)fortune." Although I'm advancing in years, I still feel young and vigorous, even with recent battles with severe tendinitis and even more severe bouts with cynicism. Annoyingly enough, I can't shake my natural tendency towards romanticism; one would think that past three years of breathing in the sweet Jersey air would have killed anything, but no! I remain a reluctant optimist and pragmatic romantic in spite of and never because of life's peaks and valleys.

And I'm looking for someone who's cool, smart, attractive, healthy, fun...

I teach high school here in NJ. I'm fairly active, a runner-biker-hiker, into music, books, conversation, breathing, road trips to nowhere. It's difficult to stay pure and upbeat in a world that's increasingly corrupt, self-absorbed, and materialistic...but hey, I'm trying, stubbornly so even. As Patterson Hood sings, "I'm tryin' to stay focused on the righteous path."

Pacing the floor when I'm crazy about someone. I'm really only interested in falling hard for someone, and I do that oh so well.

Enduring beyond the limits of endurance.

Finding a silver lining for every cloud...or a cloud for every silver lining, given the circumstance.

Filling out stoopid profile information forms to try to make myself look funnier and better than I am in real life.

I can be reserved initially...and after a little while, you might wish I had remained so.

My self-deprecating sense of humor. Hey, it's nothing personal...

Books--I like "big ones." I don't have a favorite, but some memorable reads include Les Miserables, War and Peace, and Infinite Jest. Lately I've been reading lots of non-fiction, particularly about human prehistory. Thank you, homo ergaster, for all you did for us.

Movies--Again, I don't have a fave but I was a film minor as an undergrad and was exposed to the French Nouvelle Vague and Italian Neo-Realists, both of which movements greatly influenced my sensibilities. I'm also a big fan of the American film renaissance of the late 60s and early 70s...you know, the one that was essentially killed by Star Wars. One excellent film I recently saw was Sexybeast. (No, it's not a porno.)

Music--I'm absolutely convinced that the Replacements are the greatest American R-and-R band ever. I like my music sloppy, smart, stoopid, and soulful.

Food--Anything yummy. I'll try anything once.

why I can't think of six things I could never do without.

I'm a full-time single dad of a sweet little non-conformist 13-year-old smarty-pants daughter and future author-artist. It's cool; you wouldn't be dating her. But I would hope that you might meet her at some point--that would be a good sign for our potential relationship!

you're drunk and mad with passion.