I'm laid-back, level-headed, compassionate, patient, and gentle. "Chill", as the kids say. Actually, they probably don't say that anymore. One of the most touching compliments I've received was on an anonymous teaching evaluation where a ninth grader went out of his way to say I deserved "an A+ for kindness".

I have all your basic geek hobbies, and am especially fond of playing games with my friends. I'm passionate about science and rationality, but that doesn't mean I don't go for silly or cute; in fact, some of my favorite movies and books are basically children's entertainment. They're just as beautiful as anything made for grownups. I also seem to have a 12 year old girl living in part of my brain because I still enjoy teen soaps and I get really excited when characters finally get together.

I'm trying to learn how to be more aggressive, but it's difficult for me because I can't stand the idea of becoming overbearing or pushy. So, I don't always get what I want as a result. I'm generally satisfied and happy with my life anyway, but sometimes it would be nice to have a little dissatisfaction to drive me to accomplish more.

I am supportive, sarcastic, and geeky

I've been in graduate school for a long time -- first in astronomy, then in physics, and now in education. After years of spinning my wheels on research I didn't care about, I finally decided to quit my PhD program and get certified to teach high school science. Teaching has been my only professional goal for as long as I've had one. I've just finished student teaching and am now looking for a job.

Analysis and organization. Math. Writing. Mediating conflicts. Mario Kart. Sarcasm.

A lot of people seem to really like my beard.

At a deeper level, though: I'm extremely even-tempered and often quiet, so I can come across as staid or even emotionless. Despite appearances, I'm not emotionally distant or especially "serious". Once people get used to my demeanor, they realize I'm pretty light-hearted. I just tend to deadpan my jokes. (Apparently I'm awesome at it.) If you ever can't tell what I'm thinking, ask me, and I will be happy to tell you. I prefer directness to guessing anyway.

Books: City. Frankenstein. Dinotopia. Guns, Germs, and Steel. Lord of the Rings. The Velveteen Rabbit.

Movies: Contact. Edward Scissorhands. Lord of the Rings. Lost Skeleton of Cadavra. V for Vendetta. Anything by Hayao Miyazaki, Nausicaa and Totoro probably being my favorites of his. Also anything by Pixar.

Music: My favorite rock/pop artists are Indigo Girls, Sting, and R.E.M. But I basically like any slightly folky stuff with guitars. I also like some electronic / dance music. On a day to day basis I mostly listen to instrumental music like film scores. (Vocals distract me more from whatever else I'm doing.) Oh, and I like musicals too! Really, I'll listen to pretty much anything and find something I like in it, but most of my favorites fall into the categories above.

Foods: Pizza. Burgers and fries. Mac and cheese. Hot dogs. Cream soda. I have a vast and varied Kit Kat collection with many flavors from many nations. Lastly, I am of the belief that there is no such thing as "too much garlic". Italian is easily my favorite cuisine.

Television: Anything by Joss Whedon. Lost. Gilmore Girls. Samurai Jack. Daily Show and Colbert Report. Battlestar Galactica. The Office. Transformers. Glee. And probably the greatest television series ever made, My So-Called Life.

I am also incredibly fond of the radio (and now also TV) series, This American Life.

More like, "six things I hate to do without":

Self-determination.
Rain and/or snow.
At least a few good friends.
Two or three hours of leisure time per day.
Frequent, prolonged snuggling.
Macaroni and cheese with chopped-up hot dogs.

If your 'six things' read like Maslow's hierarchy of needs, your list is boring and misses the point.

Geeky stuff like comic books and animation. Rationality. How to do stuff in clever and/or efficient ways.

Also, sex.

At home with friends over to play games, or out at the movies. Perhaps merely reading comics or catching up on the week's TiVo recordings. Nothing too "exciting", but it's what I enjoy.

I don't like to "party" as most people seem to mean it (getting drunk, shouting "wooooooo!" a lot, wearing lampshades as headgear, etc.).

Left to my own devices I end up staying in by default, so a woman who is more restless or adventurous than I am would be appreciated.

Thanks to spending my youth pining for women instead of pursuing them, I've only really started dating in the last few years and have had only one significant relationship. I'm serious about finding love, but I'm inexperienced. Not surprisingly, I harbor some embarrassment and insecurities about that.

...we are made for each other. Or, if you simply think you might like me. That's okay too. It's nice to meet people.

Note: If a few rounds of messages make it seem like we might potentially like each other, I don't consider it a waste of time to meet for a light date even if we don't end up liking each other enough to do it again. A drawn-out, three week correspondence where we take turns writing every day or two is actually more stressful to me than a date would be. So... if I ask about meeting and you think it's a little too soon, just say so. I'll understand. My asking only means that I like you well enough, based on writing, to give it a shot in person, not that I've become convinced you're my soulmate.