Hello there! I grew up here in the Upstate, but after college, I went to grad school in St. Louis, where I lived for two years. At the time, I was working on a PhD to become a college history professor, but I realized that I wanted to soak up the joys of teaching without bothering myself with all of the pesky research that was almost literally sucking the life out of me. Basically, I decided to make a small career sacrifice in order to pursue happiness in other areas of life, so I'm now back in SC and currently working towards my high school teaching certificate (I'll be a social studies teacher, and later, an English teacher as well). I'm usually pretty relaxed and love to be silly, but I am very serious about my career and incredibly passionate about politics and issues that I care about. I love to volunteer and I adore working with kids and teenagers. If you've never volunteered for anything or don't really have causes and issues that motivate you to give your time and money, we will not get along. Meeting new people is always fun, especially since I grew up here and my South Carolina friends tend to be people I've known since grade school. Travel is very important to me and I plan to do as much of it in the future as I can possibly afford. I love camping, a good road trip, and experiencing a city one diner at a time.

Going back to school to finish my teaching certificate. I'm looking forward to a career as a high school history and English teacher. I'm also volunteering, having fun, and just generally attempting to make the most of my twenties. So far, they've been good years, although not without moments of anguish and aimlessness. Onwards and upwards, though.

Reading, writing, Scrabble, teaching, learning, dancing badly, cooking, laughing at other people's jokes, playing with my Labradoodle

I'm sure it's different for pretty much everyone, but I've been told that my smile and my laugh are memorable.

Television: Anything Monty Python, most British comedy, Arrested Development, Angel, Monk, Psych, Downton Abbey, Battlestar Galactica, How I Met Your Mother, Glee, Grey's Anatomy, Bones, CSI, Law and Order reruns, Discovery Channel stuff, documentaries on social/environmental issues, Mad Men, etc...

Books: I am and always have been a literary junkie, so there are WAY too many favorite books to list here, but I like most of the canon "classics" (Jane Austen, Dickens, the Bronte sisters, Bram Stoker, etc), but I'm also interested in contemporary fiction and some more obscure kinds of things. Huge Harry Potter fan, loved Hunger Games, was weirdly addicted to the horrific phenomenon that was Twilight, and once succumbed to a Nicolas Sparks novel, but in general, I'm not a pop fiction or chick-lit kind of girl. I love historical non-fiction, as well as most non-fiction in general, but I'm a sucker for a good novel with great characters. The best book I've read so far this year was Alan Hollinghurst's "The Line of Beauty." The subject matter isn't exactly for everyone (AIDS crisis in 80's British gay community), but his prose was absolutely gorgeous and the story was so deep and touching. It's an amazing novel. I love to talk about books, so just ask.

Food: Is it going to bite back at me? No, you say? Ok, then I'll try it... Some favorites are Chinese takeout, Zaxby's, Mexican food, chili, any kind of fruit, most seafood, sweet potatoes, fried squash and fried okra. I love cooking, but following recipes is tedious for me (I'm just learning to do that properly), so my favorite dishes are those I manage to create as I move about my kitchen in a haze of reckless experimentation.

Music: Eagles, Madonna, Heart, Micheal Jackson, and (shameface) Taylor Swift...also many, many more. Very eclectic and somewhat passive music tastes.

1. My family
2. Intelligent conversation
3. Pets (my Labradoodle Maddie, my tabby cat Gus, and a few fish)
4. Books or access to a library
5. Corrective lenses (I'm blind as a bat without them)
6. Food that isn't boring

I've got a major case of ADD. There are many answers to this question. Ask and you shall be told.

Probably out with friends, but I'm equally happy at home with a movie, some good company, and some ice cream. I'm also incredibly close to my family and spend a good bit of time with them as well.

That I'm a very private person

You actually read the profile and didn't just look at the pictures.

You have a college degree. I certainly do not believe that everyone in the world must go to college in order to be successful, but I worked hard for my degrees, so I really do prefer to date men who have at least finished a Bachelor's. And no, that wasn't an invitation for corny jokes to the tune of "I don't have a BA, but I'm full of BS." Get it on paper, guys. I want a man who's bonafide. Major bonus points for naming that movie reference in your first email.