It's my passion for advocacy that makes me outspoken and my radical perspective that makes me an activist. Most people would consider me quite liberal, although sometimes I just plain disagree with everyone!

I love cultural activities. Some favorites include local music, theater, concerts, opera, orchestra and community events. I also enjoy water activities like swimming, sailing and skiing. I love to roller blade and ride my bike, and my favorite place to be is outside. My idea of an awesome vacation includes stargazing at the top of a mountain in the middle of nowhere.

I also love building things and figuring things out. I used my first table saw to build a tree-house (that was not actually in a tree) when I was eight, and from there I have gotten even more serious about my tools! I love to design, demolish, and build pretty much anything involving carpentry or any kind of ingenuity.

The nature of reality is such that it begs to remain at least somewhat of a mystery. Why not enjoy it? I am a very spiritual person (in the sense of veneration for the transcendent mystery and wonder of existence), but I also think that religion and spirituality are very personal (and not for everyone). I do not expect anyone to agree with or follow my belief system. And as much as I want to meet other spiritualists, I tend to be drawn to atheists more than anything.

I love outside the box. :)

I am bike-riding, fiery, and direct.

Advocacy

Riding my bike and learning how to use tools on it

Mastering the use of public transit (and memorizing bus schedules without meaning to)

Making music and art

Reusing and Recycling

Supporting workers' rights & labor organizing efforts

Volunteering at a local LGBTIQ community organization

Non-violent protests

charades, music, hunting down a yummy red wine in Paso Robles, spades, back rubs, helping kids fall asleep, understanding complicated legal texts, water skiing (admittedly a bit rusty since leaving Florida!), cooking, active listening, subverting the dominant paradigm

I can only make small talk for about 3 minutes before I break down and start talking about something of substance.

MUSIC: Soul, Jazz, Blues, Old standards, Folk (old and new), Bluegrass, Indie, Trip Hop, Downtempo, Roots, Chant, Airtap, World, Orchestral, Big Band, Concert Band, awesome harmonies, songs that tell stories, bassoon, jazz flute, mandolin, oboe, cello, any acoustic instrument made with wood and strings, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Erik Mongrain

There's so much more to this... I play bassoon and guitar, and I love to sing. Music has been a huge part of my life since I was a small child, and I couldn't live without it. I love a broad range of styles and instruments and the endless combinations of both.

AUTHORS: Emma Goldman, Noam Chomsky, Michael Albert, Oliver Sacks, Margaret Atwood, Alice Walker, Milan Kundera, Annie Dillard, Starhawk, Jeanette Winterson, Paulo Coelho, Salvador Dali, Toni Morrison, James Baldwin, Rumi, Foucault... and oh, how I could go on...

**And I stole this bit from a friend when I realized it applied to me as well: I love reading books relating to social justice, feminist theory, anarchism, capitalism, green living and design, global warming, and cultural studies. I'll also add to that: psychology, neuroscience, music, African-American literature, and history. :)

MOVIES: Dead Poet's Society, Snatch, Fight Club, The Remains of the Day, Shine, Into the Wild, Capote, Gia, Edward Scissorhands, The Matrix, Momento, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Motorcycle Diaries, Bad Education (La Mala Educación), Shortbus, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Silence of the Lambs, Encounter Point, Secretary, A Clockwork Orange, Hero, Super Size Me, Amélie, Young Frankenstein, Rosencrans & Guildenstern are Dead, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Film Noir, Foreign, Art House, Glam Rock, Documentary, Shockumentary

FOOD: Cooking at home with local organic produce and wild caught fish, Sushi, Thai, Indian, the Patina Group

PS- I like books magnitudes more than movies. I just happen to be able to summarize the books by category and author better than I can the movies.

my Bike
Passion
Ingenuity
Novelty
Learning
Connection

what inspires people to treat each other with kindness, other countries, nature, music, self-governed worker collectives, intimacy, family, politics, communication, psychology, community organizing, human rights, government, eating gluten-free, spirituality, gender roles and gender identity, polyamory, organic farming, friends, interpersonal relationships, art

watching live music, seeing a concert or at the theater, cooking dinner with delicious farmer's market veggies, drinking my favorite red wine, thinking about more ways to save the world

I'm too young to make any proclamations about the nature of life or existence, but it seems like meaningful interpersonal connections and relationships are pretty essential to my happiness. And I am willing to do a lot to develop, nurture and sustain those when I find them.

The most important thing I have ever learned from a relationship is that if I really mean to love a person, I should be patient and kind.

-You're interested in genuine connection.

-You are independent and wouldn't settle for anything less in a partner.

-You enjoy riding your bicycle.

-You think relationship styles other than monogamy can work.

-You aren't just looking for sex.

-You think being an active and informed member of society is important. *****I really mean this one!***** :)

-You want to take me to your local farmer's market or community meeting.