I think I've spent too much time talking about myself in the past, so I'm rewriting this profile to talk a little about you.

You -- if you're a good fit for me -- are a guy, straight (though not in an overwhelming, aggressive sort of way) or bi, outdoorsy, active and FUN! You probably read books, visit with your parents, enjoy your family and make jokes that don't involve bodily functions. You DON'T like video games. You do like to do THINGS and STUFF, and you don't take life overly seriously. You tip well, you talk to strangers and you like animals. (You MUST like animals.) You're sweet, you're cute, you're not in debt (at least not cripplingly so), and you understand and appreciate a good drink, a fine meal and life outside your own little world. You have a job, but it doesn't define you (unless it's a super-cool job, like landing Curiosity or testing ice cream flavors). You're looking for a long-term relationship, and understand that for more superficial things, there are girls in bars just dying for free shots. You smile often and laugh a lot.

Me?

I'm a girl who's gotten too tired or old for free shots. (They were good in their time.)

I'm goofy, philosophical, funny (I think), hard-headed and soft-hearted (or was once). I'm an enthusiast about most things -- I either love them or hate them -- and I fear this scares some people off.

I am friendly to strangers, smile at kids (not sure if I want any), and I pet passing dogs. (I do want them.) I seldom ask if they're friendly -- I'm naive like that. I FEAR centipedes, but think dogs would be cute even if they had twice as many legs.

I get along with my family, and most of my friends, at this stage, are old friends. I avoid anger and arguments, and I generally consider myself low-maintenance. I hope to find all of the same. I've lived alone long enough, I can be demanding like that. I do not NEED to be in a relationship.

I like the outdoors, water, music, photography and traveling. I have gone hang-gliding (once) and para-gliding (once), and together those experiences comprise the best 30-or-so minutes of my life. I love the sound of tires hitting water, and nothing makes me happier than the crocuses in the spring. I regret that I've learned to speak only one language well and I cannot play music.

I like visiting places where things are nicely organized by name and category (greenhouses, aquariums, arboretums, museums, etc.) It's so nice that others are working so hard to bring order to the chaos that surrounds us.

My favorite thing in the world is bicycling, and I am so glad to live so close to the towpath. In the two years (is it four? five? I've lost track) I have lived here, I have fallen in love with Akron, and would probably be unwilling to move. Unless I find YOU. :)

Bike riding. Getting dumped (just twice this summer ... so far). Working. Visiting friends. Swimming. Considering/planning/putting off a general spring cleaning. Doing my fair share (I hope) to keep Republicans out of office.

Getting lost near my home. Getting distracted. Making excuses. Making change without a calculator. Wasting time. Forgetting unpleasant things at will. Finding ways to create adventure. Drawing a cartoon dog that looks just like Snoopy.

Most people tell me I'm goofy. I've never quite understood this (don't we all think that we're the normal ones?), but I suppose if enough people say it, it must be true. Also, everyone tells me I smile a lot. That part's weird to me, too -- mostly because I fancy myself the strange love child of Waldorf and Statler. Disturbing, but true.

There are a lot, but here's a few:

Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius. Portrait of Dorian Gray. Freedom. Team of Rivals. Kurt Vonnegut. John Irving.
For fun, every year on the day after Thanksgiving (what the kids call "Black Friday" now), I also re-read Creepy Susie. Nothing suits the holiday more.

Casablanca. Fargo. Milk (the movie, not the food). Finding Neverland. Pan's Labyrinth. The Artist.

REM. U2. Bruce Springsteen. Simon and Garfunkle. Singer-songwriters, in general.

And for food, the list is even longer:

Cherries. Pistachios. Ice cream. Sticky rice. Sushi. Spicy food. Dark beer. Seafood. Thai, Indian, Mexican, Afghani, anything non-American. (Squid and octopi are two of my favorite animals, as well as being two of my favorite foods. ... Is that pathological, or what?)

Oh, and I don't own a TV, and I really don't care what's on. My grandmother's told me her father used to say, "Why would I want to watch a box talk?" He probably had it right.

As others have pointed out, this is a stupid question, but I suppose it's meant to illuminate the things I value most:

Friends, family, nature, good conversation, a sense of humor, and a hot shower. ... And a bicycle, must not forget that.

Life and how to live it. What to do next. Where my keys are. How the hell I spent the last 33 years. ... And how to get home. Sometimes, I consider the bigger, existential questions, but I'm growing comfortable with the notion that there are no bigger answers, no perfect reasons. And that's OK, too.

wondering why I didn't make plans.

I cannot count how many men I've had to block on OKCupid, I've been here that long. When I went on TWO terrible first dates with the same person over the course of TWO years, I realized I had to do something just to keep things organized: Now, I just block everyone and anyone based on a loose set of parameters. Want to be blocked immediately? Just include ANYTHING in your profile that indicates that you're religious, superstitious, sexually desperate, closed-minded or homophobic. Flag-wavers, Christians, Republicans, nationalists and patriots need NOT apply. You WILL be blocked with no reply. ... Think the most important thing for me to know about you is your pecs or your income? Again, see above. That shit does NOT impress me. And, if you point out that I'm being closed-minded for saying so, I don't care, you'll be blocked as well. I've lived long enough to know what I want in this life.

you're a nice, funny (and FUN!) sort of average, non-polyamorous guy who enjoys conversation over beer or coffee, or -- MY FAVORITE! -- the walk and talk! Let me know if you have books to share, a hiking/biking trail to show off or a new restaurant you'd like to try. :)