I've decided it's time to rewrite this profile; the facts haven't changed substantially in the two weeks since I wrote the original but perhaps I can improve the way in which they are presented... For those who don't want to read all of this, there is a very brief summary in the final paragraph!

Like everyone else, I am a flawed individual but I feel that my attributes greatly outweigh my shortcomings; I am still striving to improve myself butI have learned to live with my imperfections while at the same time recognising that they exist. Certainly, as I have matured I've become more tolerant, not only of others but also of myself.

I realise that the purpose of putting a profile on a dating site is to sell one's self, but I believe that making myself look more wonderful than I am would only lead to disappointment; deception is always temporary and honesty is a virtue I prize above all else, so I would like to make this profile as honest as possible. Having said all that, I think that I have more to offer than almost all of the single men I meet and I would be honoured to have myself as a friend if I were someone else.

I am a caring and kind person with an empathetic nature; people tend to trust what I have to say when I'm asked for advice and I think I've learned when it's better to refrain from offering advice (something I was perhaps a little too quick to do when I was younger). I've made my fair share of mistakes bur for the most part I have learned from them and become a better person. I have gathered a great deal of life experience and hope that I have managed to use the less pleasant of these in a positive manner.

I'm not a particularly materialistic person but I do seem to have amassed a great deal of "stuff"; I admit that I am something of a hoarder but I do use most of what surrounds me. I'm currently in the process of de-cluttering my life, which involved a recent trip to the local recycling centre with an estate car full of electrical items which had been stored in a cupboard awaiting repair, despite the fact that they had all been replaced! Money to me is a means to an end and I don't consider myself wealthy or even comfortable, but I do manage to live well enough; I would be happy as long as I could pay my bills and put food on the table but I seem able (most of the time) to find enough for the occasional luxury.

Everyone has their own definition and measure of success: I have yet to make my first million, but I have managed to enjoy life and live it more or less to the full (I could always do more, given the opportunity) without causing harm or impediment to others. I've managed to avoid a life of crime or substantial debt while at the same time being able to offer assistance to those who have needed it from time to time and I have made far more friends than I have enemies; to some, this may not make me appear successful but I've lived my life (mostly) the way I would want to do, which I think makes me successful according to my values.

I have a realistic yet optimistic outlook on life; I don't believe that everything is wonderful or spend the day with a grin on my face (I'm often told that I look depressed, usually when I'm thinking about something), but I do look for advantages rather than disadvantages. Whenever things are not going as well as I would like, I strive to make things better; when things are going well, I manage to enjoy it whilst at the same time recognising that things can be better still! I have the occasional period of inactivity, but, more often than not, I don't wait for life to happen to me, I prefer to make things happen. I don't know the origin of the adage "life is what happens to others while you're making plans" but it has a ring of truth to it, so I make my plans while I'm living (is that multi-tasking?).

I have varied interests and would have even more if there were more time: I don't routinely visit art galleries or museums, for example, but on those occasions on which I have done (I admit that I did so more regularly when I lived in London) I have enjoyed it thoroughly. My passion is music and my one regret in life is that I have no artistic talent at all, especially for playing an instrument; I do enjoy watching others with talent though and love gigs, especially festivals when time and money permit. I would love to spend the entire summer touring music festivals (as I have done in the past) but I do make sure that my annual "pilgrimage" to Glastonbury is a fixture on the calendar. It's a while since I have been to the theatre or cinema but these are among the other things I enjoy, as well as watching sport (I used to play quite a lot) although with regard to the latter, I am not one of those who is obsessed by televised sport. I also enjoy life's simpler pleasures, like walking or driving through the scenic countryside, as well as cooking. I am fascinated by many things and if there is something about which I know little, I usually find that I enjoy discovering more.

Socially, I am far too shy for my own good, but I do love socialising and meeting new people, I'm just not very good at initiating contact. Some people would consider me aloof at first, but those who take the time to look beyond the reticence and negative body language usually find that it's worth the effort; I may be a little introverted at first, but once I'm comfortable in somebody's company (I'm far more confident in small groups than large ones and one-to-one I'm rarely shy at all), I am capable of both intelligent and not-so-intelligent conversation. I have a well-developed sense of humour, although I can be too dry for some and have a sarcastic edge at times.

For someone who doesn't like to talk about himself, I seem to have written quite a lot so far; henceforth, I shall try to be brief! I live my life according to my own values and beliefs, which include respecting and honouring other people until they do something undeserving of such respect. I tend to trust people (not blindly or completely) from the outset rather than waiting for them to earn my trust; I look for the good in others rather than the bad. I don't take myself or life too seriously, except when necessary. I'm loyal, honest and honourable but have a tendency to be something of a loner at times; I enjoy the company of others but am also comfortable in my own company, something which I recognise that coupled with my shyness can lead to my avoiding social situations too often.

Although I have my own beliefs and values, I don't consider myself overly intransigent and I am always open to new ideas and opinions; I enjoy intellectual argument (I don't consider myself particulary intellectual, but I am intelligent enough to have that capacity) as long as the other party / parties are not overly dogmatic and we can all agree to disagree when no definitive answer can be found. I am an atheist but respect all religions and recognise the importance of faith in the lives of some; I recognise the importance of religious texts (whether it be the Christian bible or another work pertaining to a different religion) in establishing a social framework and a sense of order, but I have coveted too many of my neighbours' oxen to pretend that I live by the ten commandments (I'm pretty good at the not killing, not stealing and not committing adultery though). Politically, I am left of centre but have abandoned my aim of turning the UK into a communist state, having realised that the ideal is far more attractive than the practical reality; I'm not entirely sure whether I'm a right-wing socialist or a left-wing capitalist but I do believe that some degree of redistribution of wealth makes for a better world. I'm also something of an environmentalist, although I would rather hug people than trees! If I were born a few years earlier, I would probably have been a hippy-type person, although since most of these are now accountants, it's probably a good thing that I wasn't. I do believe that society is still recovering from the culture of self-interest which was fostered in the 1980s and that a sense of community needs to be re-established; I believe that we all have a responsibility to help each other.

I am a vegetarian, although I'm not fanatical about it; it's a personal choice (for various reasons) and I would not try to convert others. I will even go as far as cooking meat for others on occasion! I'm not a gambler, or a drinker (I enjoy a drink - sometimes to excess - on occasion but don't feel the need to get drunk every Friday night) but I do have a smoking habit. I'm not always the easiest person to live with but I am generally easy-going and relaxed, capable of compromise if I have to be! I will admit to being a complex person (I think most of us are if we look deep enough) but also believe that I am reasonably easy to understand.

Physically, I am in very good shape although I'm not the sort of person to spend time in the gymnasium; I don't take exercise for it's own sake, but I do walk whenever it isn't necessary to use the car and for pleasure. I've been somewhat fortunate in avoiding major illness or injury during my time on the planet and I think that I am in better health and more energetic than most people my age. I wasn't blessed with the most handsome of features but I did manage to avoid most of the branches when I fell out of the ugly tree!

In terms of relationships, I get along with just about anybody; I have no airs or graces, nor an inflated sense of self-importance. I do prefer the company of people who are sufficiently intelligent to hold a conversation but find that many people (especially those who have little academic bent) are more intelligent than they believe; knowledge and intelligence are not the same thing and the latter can be channeled in many directions. I would like to find new friends through this site, whether it be someone with whom to share the occasional drink, or a person with whom to discuss life and the universe until dawn.

In terms of a romantic encounter, I would be looking for someone to share my life as well as my bed; I have - apparently - an unusually high sex drive, so I would be looking for someone who enjoys the physical side of relationships, preferably open-minded and adventurous. I do have a tendency to take the Dominant role sexually but only to an extent which is consensual, of course. In the past, I have been involved in various kinds of relationship, including swinging, D/s, open relationships and polyamory but have always remained faithful as defined by the terms of the relationship; although the sexual side of a relationship is important to me, it is only part of a partnership which mutual respect, companionship, happiness and love (whatever that is!) are also among the aims.

In short, I am a caring, empathetic and free-thinking individual, solvent, independent and in excellent health, who is highly (over?) sexed, doesn't take himself or life too seriously and enjoys stimulating conversation; I'm intelligent, loyal, value friendship and believe in the goodness of humanity. I enjoy life, have a positive outlook and a keen sense of community.

I am impassioned, empathetic, and assertive

I have just resumed working on my first novel; I began this some eighteen months ago, but work and life got in the way so it got shelved for a while. I don't know how far I shall manage to progress before something else gets in the way, but it's a way of doing something positive with the time I'm spending alone.

I'm also trying to expand my library of music and film; I'm not much of a cinema-goer but I've managed to record about 900 films from the television to DVD. I've been asking my younger friends (these days they all seem to be younger!) to suggest bands with which I might not be familiar, as well as acquiring recordings of those acts I had enjoyed at festivals but of which I had not previously had recordings. Recently, I have been introduced to the music of +44, Audioslave, 30 Seconds to Mars and 3 Doors Down among others and while I don't feel the emotional connection which the music with which I have had a longer relationship engenders, I am gratified that there still exists a great deal of talent, passion and innovation among the latest generation of musicians.

I'd love to say that I'm really good at sex, but doesn't everyone? Actually, I don't believe that anyone is inherently "good in bed" as compatibility is more important than individual skill, but I believe that I'm sufficiently experienced to have an advantage in satisfying someone. I can no longer say that I'm good at sports, since I don't play anymore, but I've had my moments. I think that I'm a good driver and a better-than-average cook, other than that I have no outstanding skills other than sudoku and crosswords!

I'm good at not being noticed! I'm very shy, so usually it's not noticing me because I'm quiet that brings me to people's attention; it used to be my hair (it was waist-length) but I shaved it off for charity just before I turned 40, so now I guess it's my bald head (when I do shave it, I have been known to let it grow back a little).

My eyes attract comment, apparently they are strong eyes, whatever that means!

If I were to make a New Year's resolution, it would be to read more but somehow I never seem able to find / make the time; in the past, I have read and enjoyed the works of Sartre, Gide, Tolstoy, Solzhenitsin (read him? I can't even spell him), Dickins and others, but these were part of my formal education. In terms of recreational fiction, when I did read more the works of James Herbert and Stephen King held appeal, but also Orwell's 1984, Aldous Huxley's Brave New World and Douglas Adams' Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy are among the more memorable. I should like to make the effort to read more works of philosophy if I ever resume the habit.

I have never been the most avid fan of the cinema, but I have found myself more drawn to the medium of film in recent years, albeit that my choices have been limited by what is shown on television; in terms of genre, I find myself drawn to horror and comedy as the most immediate forms of entertainment, but also enjoy having my mind stretched and emotions challenged from time to time. About a year ago, I discovered Dogma and added it to a list of favourites which includes Citizen Kane, Cry Freedom, Schindler's List, the Lord of the Rings trilogy and more. I'm not a lover of French films with subtitles, partly because I understand enough French to get distracted from the subtitles by the actual dialogue (the translations never seem to be literal) and then lose the plot because I don't understand enough French to follow the film without the subtitles. Other films I have enjoyed include Silence Of The Lambs, Back To The Future, Jurassic Park, most Mel Brookes films and spoofs like Airplane, Scary Movie and Mars Attacks.

I have very eclectic musical tastes which stretch from opera to punk via hip-hop and soul; the music of my youth was mostly progressive rock, heavy metal and blues but largely thanks to meeting others with different tastes and through exposure at festivals, my tastes have broadened considerably and continue to do so; I was one of those who was excited to see that Jay-Z would be appearing at Glastonbury this year. My more-established favourites such as Rush, Pink Floyd, Yes, Genesis, Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath have been joined by Radiohead, Coldplay, Muse, Sam & Dave, Black Uhuru, Wu-Tang Clan, Nirvana, Nine Inch Nails, Youssou N'Dour and far too many to mention...

The only limitation on my taste in food is that I'm vegetarian; other than meat, I will try just about anything. I do like spicy (not necessarily hot) food and delicate flavouring; I seem to cook Mexican (or at least something more Mexican than anything else, since I tend to experiment in the kitchen and mix cuisines) more often than any other cuisine, probably because I'm addicted to jalapenos! I also enjoy Thai, Indian, Chinese, French, Italian and English (this list is not exhaustive) and seem to get through a lot of chilli, garlic, ginger and cinnamon as well as various herbs. I have an addiction to unpasteurised brie and I make wonderful coleslaw (nothing special, I just soak the cabbage in cider vinegar mixed with dijon mustard, garlic & herbs before being very generous with the mayonnaise!).

I could live without anything, but I guess that my car is probably the thing I would miss the most, my fridge and my cooker, plus this computer, my stereo (I have one in every room as well as MP3 players) and while I'm single I hate to admit it, but my television. Of course, the true answer is heart, brain, liver, lungs, blood and kidneys lol. Once upon a time, I would have said I could never do without sex, but I'm single so I've learned to deal with that one!

Among the things I can definitely live without would be bigotry, racial hatred, violence, cruelty, world hunger, disease, poverty and karaoke; these are all evil, especially the karaoke!

... whether it's healthy for the mind to spend so much time thinking! My mind is working constantly, but I could be thinking about anything - from the state of the world to what I'm going to have for dinner. Naturally, I do spend time thinking about sex (or should that be trying to remember) but it's one of many trains of thought I'm likely to have on any given day.

Here are some of my random thoughts:
Wny does nobody ever put off procrastinating?
Why is dyslexia so difficult to spell?
Shouldn't monosyllabic be a single-syllable word?

No wonder I can never sleep!

at work! I work nights, so that's an easy one!

If I admitted it here, it would hardly be private, would it? I have no secrets although it would be a little overpowering for most people were I to admit everything I've done in my life as soon as I meet them! Twice in my life, I've had live-in relationships with two bisexual women at the same time but as I said, I've never felt the need to keep that private although I didn't feel the need to take out full-page advertisements either. If there is anything anyone wants to know about me, all they need to do is ask (but be sure they want to know the answer!).

... you've managed to read this far without falling asleep, or (since that is highly unlikely), any of what you have read above leads you to the (probably erroneous) belief that I might be a person who could hold your interest. If you're looking to make a new friend who has a zest for life, a sense of humour, enjoys the beauty around him and within people, loves to learn about and is genuinely interested in people, has few preconceptions about the "type" of person he wishes to meet and who might just change your world ever so slightly, then I'll look forward to your message!

Those who are considering messaging for more than friendship should be looking for somebody with a great deal of sexual confidence and an assertive nature; you should be open-minded, adventurous and have a healthy appetite for the physical side of a relationship, as well as looking for a long-term commitment. Oh - and preferably female, at least more female than male (the gender-dysphorics and transsexuals will know what I mean by that)!