Born in upstate NY, studied English and Linguistics as an undergrad, Middle Eastern Studies as a grad student. I'm an ex-Catholic non-shopping agnostic, nothing against religion, and I like looking at old religious stuff. I live in Ramallah and have lived in various areas of Jerusalem and the West Bank over the last 5 years. I frequently visit Jerusalem and am interested in meeting people who live there. I speak Arabic at work and in daily life, used to be a lot better at Hebrew. I enjoy writing fiction, like everyone else on the internet. I enjoy reading even more. I enjoy solitary exercise (bike, elliptical runner), movie reviews for movies I may never see, and collecting guesses about where I'm from based on my funny accent and just how I break my broken Arabic. I also like walking.

I work at a Palestinian non-profit which assists abused women and children. I hope to continue working in the non-profit and human rights sector for awhile, and to stay in this region as long as possible. However, I’m no misty-eyed idealist, nor do I think I will change the world in a week by my mere dazzling presence, or necessarily at all.

writing, procrastinating, language (I hope).

I asked my good friend what she first noticed, and she said the color of my nail polish. This was a most unhelpful answer.

Reading is second to breathing for me, whether it’s internet silliness about people who think they are elves, Al-Quds Newspaper, or a good novel (my first love). Recently have been reading a lot of Margaret Atwood and getting into Joyce Carol Oates again. Writers I like include but are by no means at all limited to Atwood, Kate Atkinson, Stephen King, Gregory Maguire, Oates, Salman Rushdie, Toni Morrison. Am probably the latest person in the Western world to the whole Harry Potter party, but the series was a good distraction during an uncertain period this winter. Am now attempting to read it in Arabic translation, for the I'm-sure-useful new vocabulary (and the hilarious transliterations). I'm not sure if that makes me more or less dorky.

Musicians I’ve listened to a lot recently include but are not limited to Nick Cave, the Clash, the Decemberists.

I don’t know every writer or musician out there, claim no superspecial fan or genre expert status. And I’m open to seeing, hearing, reading new stuff.

My favorite websites include Language Log, TV Tropes, Snopes, Cracked.com, and Portal of Evil (at any rate, I mourn its demise).

Consumptionwise, I like caffeine, seafood, sushi, steak, salads, tofu, Palestinian food (tabouleh, maqluba, Arabic salad, mujadara), nachos, veggie pizza, Israeli breakfast, omelets, Indian food (saag paneer), dark chocolate, vanilla anything, dry red wine, whiskey, soda water, mango juice, ginger ale, and of course beer.

When I have a TV I mainly watch crime stuff and other shows about the travails of the gainfully employed (Law and Order, NCIS, House, etc). Movies I recall especially enjoying off the top of my head include things by Tarantino, things by the Coen brothers, a few things by Todd Solondz, and I'm not really a movie buff so please do not quiz me.

Frankly, am not sure what I think about answering these kinds of questions, because different music and books and movies do different things for me at different times, and I don't think you can form a coherent or accurate idea about me from this information. Still, it's easier than "What are you doing with your life?", isn't it?

Internet, caffeine, my own room, hot water, books, my friends.

time wasted, youth misspent, my third-life (as in not quite quarter-, not yet mid-) crisis, what I really ought to be doing with my 3am instead of surfing the internet for information on those who believe they are married to anime characters on the astral plane, how I should get on it and learn French, my student loans, whether my pet corn snake is too hot or too cold.

either painting the town red or sequestered in my room.

I use men's deoderant. I'm synaesthetic (I see letters, numbers, and sounds, as having color, texture, and sometimes taste). I occasionally like watching Youtube videos of music from the 90's and getting all nostalgic. I'm really fond of Fruit Rollups.

You are NOT:
...older than me by more than 5 years at the absolute most. I want someone who is more or less at my level in terms of life experience, not someone much older or much younger.
...looking only for women younger than yourself. This makes you seem like you might be an insecure, controlling piece of work.
...an avowed Muslim or Catholic (or other flavor of Christian, or religious Jew, or Mormon, etc) who lists "casual sex" as one of the things he's after. I'm not religious at all myself, but I am also not turned on by hypocrisy, and I'm not interested in being someone's dirty little secret.
...in Jordan or Bangladesh or Australia or Qatar or Korea--or anywhere other than near Ramallah or Jerusalem, really. Tel Aviv, maybe, but it takes me a good 3.5 hours to get there.
...someone who only looks at women's pics and hasn't bothered to read my profile or my answers to the questions. I bothered making a profile and answering all those questions because I'm here to find a man who is compatible with me personality-wise (in addition, of course, to mutual physical attraction). If I just wanted someone who liked the way I looked, I'd go to a bar, or, I dunno, to the laundromat (I've been hit on at a laundromat once or twice, go figure). I will note that I am surely not the only person on OK Cupid who takes this approach. This is important to bear in mind when sending anyone messages. (End Public Service Announcement)
...someone who really wants kids and is looking for the motherly type. My scant capacity to nurture is probably going to be entirely expended on my new pet corn snake.
...someone who thinks all women lie, and thus will discount whatever I am saying now, have said above, or will say in the future, anyway.

You ARE:
...a curious, smart, personable guy who likes what he's read so far and is looking for a (potentially long-term and exclusive) companion for fun, stupid jokes, conversation, sex, perhaps reading books together, travelling if we have the money and time, mutually complaining about our daily annoyances, and having each other's back. Also, I tend toward liking slim, clean-shaven guys with dark eyes and hair, but don't let it stop you from messaging me if you don't fit that exact description.