I am goofy and happy and energetic most of the time. I teach high school (special ed math). I'm a musician and a music-lover, though my enjoyment of music is almost entirely aesthetic and not analytical. I love spontaneous outings and new friendships and hiking and getting lost (though I don't get lost while hiking, and when I "get lost" it's generally on purpose and is easy to recover from). I really enjoy being around and/or talking to other people almost all of the time, as long as I can occasionally escape into the woods or into an instrument and recharge that way. I talk to strangers a lot (much to the chagrin of my girlfriend... sorry dear...) and I climb trees. I'm sad that I don't get to be around animals more (I used to be spoiled rotten because I worked in a zoo), but I've alleviated some of this problem by obtaining two cats who think they are dogs.

I walk people bigger and stronger than me to their cars at night, because I'm far bigger than I actually am; some people call this bantam rooster syndrome, but I call it self-confidence. I'm little and kind of wiry and usually have a hard time holding still. But, if I am in the right mood, I can sit for hours and focus on the minute details of making something. We call this ADD with a tendency to hyperfocus... lol. I'm far from perfect, but I do love who I am. I enjoy people who're comfortable with themselves, or at least working on it. I am impressed by people who are consistently positive and realistic at the same time.

I'm 24... but I don't usually act my age. I'm told that I act/think a lot older when I'm at work or school or when people need advice or help. However, when I'm not dressed in a suit I look a lot younger than I am. My students' parents get very confused when they see me dressed down, and sometimes won't believe that I'm a teacher until I show them my badge. I haven't lost touch with my inner child. I play with her when I don't have any particular responsibilities to attend to. It's very easy to be mistaken for a 14-year-old boy when you're high up a tree, barefoot, in cargo shorts and a baggy t-shirt. It's even easier since I chopped off my hair.

I'm not really looking for anything much on here... it's more for procrastination than anything else. I don't have all that much time to do stuff, and I'm in a monogamous relationship. But I'm not closed off to new people... new friendships are always a nice addition to life, particularly if they're the sporadic-email-communication sort of new friendships.

I'm working in special education. Eventually I will take over the education system. Following that I'll take over the world.

I camp, hike, and visit home (Ohio) when I can. I read, play music, and build/sew/otherwise create things compulsively, and to on directionless bike rides. I volunteer with my local queer youth alliance, which is lots of fun.

My general belief is that life isn't wasted as long as you're making some kind of positive contribution to something or someone. For the moment, I'm good to go, and I don't feel like I'm wasting my time.

I'm good at playing music, although I've never really written any. I play piano well, violin really well when I'm not out of practice, and I've taught myself guitar over the past couple of years. And I sing all right. I've played with a lot of different types of visualart, and I'm generally good with whatever medium strikes my fancy at the time. My entire family has a habit of making useful or fun stuff out of whatever is lying around, and that is one of my favorite hobbies. It's an extremely useful hobby while camping, moving into new places, and trying to teach geometry to kids with no spatial awareness.

I'm also good at reading people. I tend to be good at making them smile also... I think both of these just come with being observant.

People tend to first notice that I have a LOT of energy, that I'm intelligent and that I've got it together... more so than is generally expected for someone my age.

This is true except if they happen to meet me while I'm hiking, because then the first thing they notice is usually that I move like Gollum when I climb, because I love scaling things but am really cautious about it and tend to hug surfaces with my entire body. This form of movement is a little creepy looking unless you know me, then it's just funny.

I struggle choosing favorites.

As for books, I read most things happily. I read about special ed and educational equality a lot. I enjoy well-written historical fiction books like The Red Tent, and some of the more serious/thoughtful literature (God of Small Things, Kite Runner, etc.). But, because I think too much as a general rule, it's more relaxing for me to read goofy stuff... mysteries, mind-teasers, science fiction, whatever. I've got a soft spot for Terry Pratchet.

Movies... you name the genre, I pretty much like it. Again, as long as it's well-done. Or funny. Or has a good story. Or good action shots. Or yes, I'll admit, if it has a really cute girl in the lead role that doesn't hurt. Whatever, I pretty much like movies (although I hardly ever manage to sit through one unless I'm also doing something else).

Music... I like girls with guitars and/or attitudes--Ani DiFranco, Alix Olson, Andrea Gibson, Doria Roberts, Ellis, Indigo Girls, and Tegan and Sara, to name a few. I like truly talented/quirky musicians of all sorts-- Soul Miner's Daughter, Norah Jones, the Distillers, Vienna Teng, Aesop Rock, Imogen Heap, etc. And of course I adore the music that some of my incredible and talented friends write and play. Generally, I guess I like well-written music that I can play and/or sing along with. My attention span for just listening to it is not always so great.

I like food. Absolute favorites include home-made meringue cookies with chocolate chips in them, matar paneer, spring rolls, spaghetti and meat balls, corn on the cob, large piles of vegetables, and things cooked over and/or in a campfire.

intellectual stimulation, interpersonal connections, music, nature, new hobbies, laughter

I spend a LOT of time reflecting on my own thoughts and actions and their possible effects. Metacognition is both a great friend and tool and a horrible, horrible nemesis, as it sometimes distracts me from other things. I also spend a lot of time thinking about interpersonal relationships. And about how karma works.

On a lot of Fridays I'm at the drop-in center for the youth alliance. If not, I'm probably at home ready to pass out from exhaustion like the old fart teacher I'm becoming. However, if I do happen to be around people, my extroversion supercharges me and I'm probably bouncing around like a loon entertaining the people around me with my sleep-deprived hyperactive uninhibited chatter.

*shrug*

You should message me if you want to, and you're not creepy. And preferably have something interesting to say.