This is my first time on a dating site ... quite daunting isn't it?

I'm *very* British, although a dual national, and I just moved to Colorado Springs having spent the past couple years in the Caribbean. I'm 47, but I feel young and with four years of sailing my boat around the Atlantic, I'm no couch potato.

I was married for 23 years but I was widowed young. I have a 19 year old daughter living in Oregon at university. I adore her and we are best friends.

I have great self confidence and I enjoy the company of others. At the same time I'm loyal. You won't find me to be judgmental or shallow and you will sense that I am open minded about learning new things in every aspect of my life. I believe in sharing life, the ups and downs, and I hope to find someone for a long term relationship. That, though, starts with sharing some fun dates.

I'm polite, humorous, and very relaxed with people from all walks of life. I love conversation. I can just as happily hang about in jeans and T-shirts as put on a tuxedo and attend a formal function.

I try to live every day to the full, & I thrive in the energy of positive people. I love to laugh, to let my hair down, do something spontaneous - whatever it takes to make life interesting..

I have always had a keen interest in new things. For example, I have travelled for pleasure to 40 countries, because travel is an education in itself.

Don't worry, though, I do like to slow down and relax. I promised myself the condo would have a fireplace because cold Winter evenings demand that pleasure.

With a lifetime of sailing around Europe, the USA and the Caribbean, and a fulfilling career in corporate business start-ups (mostly IT), I'm now concentrating on exploring those things which have always interested me but for which I never quite had the time. These include: photography, playing the guitar, writing] (I have one book published), learning foreign languages (this year I learned Spanish).

There are so many things I'd like to do, such as going on an extended motorbike tour, skydiving, learning to ski and to take a ride in a hot air balloon.

But, heck I'm NOT a couch potato and some of the pastimes I've enjoyed over the years include kayaking, climbing, parachuting, sailing, horseback riding, SCUBA, fishing, camping, hunting, target shooting and much more. I am more of a do-er than a spectator, so I rarely watch sports on television. If I do, it's rugby or gymnastics. I do enjoy football but it's very much take-it-or-leave-it.

Oh, yes, I work too.

Horseback riding, it's been a lifelong passion and as I had quite formal training in the UK, I am not ashamed to say I'm pretty good!

I've done a lot of professional writing, too (newspapers and magazines) and I have had one book published. As a commercial photographer too, I'd very much like to develop these skills in the future (accidental pun, sorry).

Four years ago I composed and recorded a couple songs (one romantic, the other clearly pop) and they both received national airplay in the United Kingdom. It wasn't me singing, though, because my voice is a disaster.

Blackjack. I'm really good at the game. Usually.

Coming up with ideas for things to do together. Surprises.

My eyes, so I've been told, and I have a friendly smile, but beyond the physical, I think I hold a good conversation.

If it's in the morning, then it's the two HUGE mugs of espresso strength coffee!

The four physical things I enjoy most!

Music: I'm trying to re-learn to play the guitar after a break of several years. Music is my passion, and was even my very first word!

Genres: Rock, Blues, female Jazz singers, Indie, New Wave, Classical. I just can't handle endless Country and I thoroughly dislike Rap. You can see from some of the bands below, that I welcome new music into my life.

Some of the bands I'm listening to these days include:
- The Dresden Dolls
- The Stone Temple Pilots
- Vienna Teng
- Norah Jones
- Dire Straits
- Mark Knopfler
- Pink Floyd
- Bob Marley
- The White Stripes
... and I adore the music of Bach, especially his sonatas and partitas for violin.

Books / reading: I do confess to being a bookworm and I love second-hand bookshops. I can't put down a good book. Here are a few of my more recognizable favorites:

- The Time Traveler's Wife (Audrey Niffenegger)
- A Winter's Tale (Mark Helprin)
- Perfume (Patrick Suskind)
- Goodbye to All That (Robert Graves)
- The Boat Who Wouldn’t Float (Farley Mowat)
- Bridget Jones' Diary (one of the funniest I have ever read)

Movies: I hardly watch any television (hooked on HOUSE, though), but I really enjoy movies. I've enjoyed every movie with Hugh Grant, Rene Zwelwigger, Clint Eastwood. I can't handle terror flicks too well, but I'm thoroughly content with almost any other genre, yes, even chick flicks.

Some of my all-time favorites though, include:

- Kill Bill / anything by Tarentino
- The Devil Wears Prada
- Where Eagles Dare
- Notting Hill
- Bridget Jones' Diary
- It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World
- The Great Race
- Full Metal Jacket
- Apollo 13
- Sleeping Dictionary

Food: Yes! Yes! Yes! At home or at a restaurant. Formal or casual. BBQ or formal dinner party. Picnic or banquet. Sharing dinner with close friends, though, that's when food comes alive.

Likes include:

- Anything spicy
- Indian, Thai, Mexican, Italian, Chinese, American, Indonesian .. I love it all.
- A traditional English breakfast of bacon, eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms, toast + marmalade ... (this is making me hungry!)
- BBQ, even if it's snowing or pouring with rain.
- Seafood ... I adore it.

... and I love fine wines with a dinner (or micro-brewery beer).

(but where is it possible to find a good Indian restaurant?)

1. Loving companionship with lot's of laughter
2. The arts (books, music, theater and more) (is this cheating?)
3. Music, whether recorded or live (& the noise I make myself with my guitars).
4. Come on, do I have to spell this one out?
5. Friends! (isn't this a little obvious?)
6. My computer (it's a MAC so I have an excuse)
7*. Sheepskin slippers (it's cold here in Colorado)
8*. Extra strong / large mugs of coffee in the mornings.

(Shuffle the order according to the time of day)

* (do you really want a conformist?)

... decorating my new condo ... finding the right places to meet you ... my daughter ... the future .... what's for dinner? ... what's going to happen next on HOUSE? ... who is going to reply to these endless scriblings?

Of course, if we were together I would be wondering what we can do together. You might want to play cards, such as rummy, or games such as Scrabble or backgammon, or perhaps we'd look for a new venue to hear some live music? How about Netflix? Do we have some friends to invite over for an impromptu party?

Wow! Being new to Colorado Springs I've been overwhelmed with choices! However I'm going to a comedy gig at the Pikes Peak Center, I really like Benny's Bar on Colorado Avenue, I'm frequently at the Blue Star restaurant ... but heck I've only been here four weeks!

Seriously, I'm happy with bars, restaurants, helping prepare a home cooked meal, listening to a live band or concert, going out to see a movie or watching a movie at home. I'm not a night club person but I am very comfortable in a friendly 'locals' bar.

It's also wonderful to go to some dark place and watch the night sky.

I have size 13 feet.

Okay, so I'm not exactly revealing much on here. I think we should meet up and share private things, don't you? Isn't that part of the fun of discovering a new relationship? It can't all boil done to computer based lists or, (ugh!) email.

I'm open and honest, so if that appeals, please get in touch. Do you believe in yourself? That's all that matters! I'm 47 and I feel 30. Age is simply not important.

SO LET'S MEET

(email sucks: if we're interested in meeting let's share phone numbers and meet! It could be at a nice coffee shop or to go for a walk somewhere, but email is not what life's all about)

(PS. I live in a lovely condo on West Cheyenne Road, just off downtown Colorado Springs)