I look forward to meeting new people – I’m very social, and always on the lookout for new conversation partners and people to teach me cool new tricks. So, if you’re one of the folks that would interest me (read the “Your Should Message Me If” section), I would love to hear from you.

I love “middle-of-nowhere” destinations – the breathtaking beauty of a wild sunset or the freedom of knowing you’re far away from all the clutter inseparable from the modern world. Siberia, Death Valley, St. Elias Range, Weminuche, Red Centre…

All this is made possible by travel - I have tried hard to have been to more countries than I am years old, and so far I am succeeding. While my international voyaging has been severely curtailed by a “regular” job in the USA, this year brought a trip to 6 countries (3 new ones), and I’m hoping for Spain if at all possible this coming year.

I have a fondness for trips to the mountains - whether it be aspen viewing from a car window, hiking in RMNP or up Chief Mountain, backpacking through the Buffalo Peaks wilderness, camping up near Red Feather Lakes, or laughing it up over cosmos with my rellies in Salida.

I enjoy thoughtful conversations at unique coffee houses, scrumptious brunches accompanied by a mimosa (or two), and a great glass of pino grigio. I only use my tv to watch movies (and even that on rare occasion), I enjoy wordsmithing with a Scrabble board, and my vodka chasers are usually pickles, honey or bread (all you have to do is sniff it!).

Though I love the snow and freezing temperatures and all the adventures that can be had in winter, I’m learning to enjoy the summer and can proudly assert that despite numerous hot days last year, I did NOT melt.

In short, loving it.

Though I spend most of my days rooted behind a computer screen, basking in its post-industrial glow, I have the privilege of helping to internationalize Boulder and create bridges between peoples of different countries. Sounds idealistic, but that’s the goal. It doesn’t hurt that I have awesome co-workers and a boss that can’t be beat.

Mon dieu, bozhe moi, and dio mio I spend as much time as possible practicing foreign languages. You’ll find me regularly at a bar with a pint of beer, a coffee shop with a cup of tea, or someone’s home with a glass of wine trying on Russian, French or Spanish grammar, syntax, and vocabulary.

I’m trying to learn to like summer. I believe in self-improvement and I am currently dedicated to learning to like fish in addition to summer. So, if you know of a great way to beat the heat or cook up scaly water animals, let me know. I even have friends tricky enough to drag me out to sushi, and *gasp* sashimi.

I’m also at the beginning of a Master’s program this fall. Full-time work, going to the gym, languages, friends, family, volunteer – might as well add a little studying too. Oh yeah, and dating…Hmmm….

Languages – I love the way a different language will bring out a different aspect of my personality– the way some concepts are crystal clear in English, but baffling in another language. Climbing mountains slowly – I’ve always wondered why people rush to end a day in the beauty of high-altitude tundra. Making jokes with my extended family (we all have the same martini-dry humor). Travelling – I must admit, there’s something thrilling about being outside your comfort level. Diplomacy – there are many versions of the truth, and verity is somewhere between all of them. Making banana bread and authentic Italian pasta sauce. Drinking coffee.

Apparently, I’m also good at throwing parties. Great times are had. I’ve been told I need to institute a cover charge.

Well, I would love to say its my winning personality and warm sense of humor, but I don't have a warm sense of humor. Acerbic is probably the best adjective, followed by sardonic. A friend recently described it as deadpan.

However, the FIRST thing you'd notice is probably my long hair and killer smile.

Books: The Fountainhead, A Wrinkle in Time, Winnie the Pooh, We (by Zamyatin), The Mists of Avalon, Bill Bryson in various forms, Ishmael, Stones from the River. I love Roald Dahl and Madeline L’Engle.

Movies: I loved The Usual Suspects, Fight Club, Beyond the Sea and Office Space (especially the opening credits). The Princess Bride. Stardust. Monty Python and the Matrix (er, two separate films – not one about a computer generated world of medieval knights and kings that fight against oppression with a pair of coconut shells…) Terminator II. Dangerous Liaisons with Glenn Close. You’ll find it’s not hard to convince me to come home and curl up with a blanket and a Netflix.

Music: Deep Purple, Queen, Aerosmith, Rachmaninov, Bebel Giberto, Prokofief, Mozart, Grebenchikov (Akvarium), American anti-war songs from the 60's, Big Band (Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, etc.), early Miles Davis, Zemfira, DDT, Abba to name a few. I also like Oleg Medved'ev (Oleg that is -- not the President of Russia) and Leonid Andrulaitis -- if you know of either, or the Grushin Festival, be sure to drop me a line.

Foods: Pineapple, berries, artichokes, sourdough pancakes, that purple pasta I had once in Padova, asparagus, chocolate, ice cream, brownies for my birthday and tvorog, port.

I can do without anything, but aside from the ho-hum air and H2O -

1) My twice-weekly foreign language conversation hours, where I let peculiar words and exotic phrases bring out a different side in me; 2) People who understand when I speak "Renglish" -- "So, I was waiting for the tramvai, and there was this babushka with all these sumki . . .”; 3) Good friends - I like people that are emotionally mature, cognizant of their weaknesses and strengths, not afraid of intimacy, considerate and loyal; 4) Whiskey sours and sourdough pancakes – both family recipes made with healthy doses of dry humor; 5) Sleep – that most rejuvenating of all activities; 6) Mountains – whether flatirons dusted with snow, trails littered with autumn leaves, or 14ers rising above the valley floors

How on earth I can cram all the countries I haven't seen into 12 days of holiday a year. . . The cultural adjustment curve – the transcending of borders and the dichotomies of biculturalism. The plurality of social paradigms and xenophobes’ insistence on singularity in thought. Psychology, sociology, anthropology (essentially, just pick an “ology”), linguistics, education…

A what Friday night?

Happy Hours seem to be par for the course lately – I’m loving all Boulder has to offer. I can sometimes be found hanging out a friend’s playing Scrabble, cajoling my friends into riding a mechanical bull, or practicing my poker face. Occasionally, I watch films. Enjoying a dinner party – on a date – heading up to the mountains.

Many kids have invisible friends. I had an invisible tribe of Indians (so I called them then) that came and rescued me from the horrors of naptime. There were 200 or so (sometimes only 50 or a hundred could make it) and they'd come thundering up to my window across the prairie on horseback and take me away. Ah, good old times.

I'm looking for interesting friends and a unique guy. If you call yourself “typical”, find yourself riding a mountain bike or hiking up Sanitas toting a dog, mention what makes you different.

Things I like in guys:

1) You love ellipses, dashes, periods and commas (oh – and semi-colons, maybe a colon or two); 2) You think conversations in front of fires can be just as exhilarating as a walk in the snow; 3) You want to teach me something new (and you’re a patient teacher); 4) You’re open-minded and full of good stories to tell; 5) You want to travel – even if you can only get away on the weekends. 6) You enjoy having good conversations over tea, coffee, or port. 7) You might think it goes without saying, but evidently it doesn't: sex. I like good sex. If you like it fun, funky, and with flair - we might get along.

Good profile? Great match? Awesome date!

1) Trip to Glenwood Springs on the train; 2) Motorcycle ride up some canyon; 3) Sharing the reading of books we have been published in; 4) Reciting foreign poetry over a glass of chardonnay; 4) Heading off to hike to a lake or glacier; 5) Going to the symphony in Denver; 6) A surprise trip somewhere; 7) Taking advantage of tickets to a Broncos-Raiders game (at Mile-Hi).

Deal breakers?
I don’t have kids, and don’t see myself going down that path.