I'm quietly involved in quite a few things. By day I'm an educator. I sing in a barbershop quartet, play bluegrass and folk music, and am really getting into cycling. Most recently, I've begun doing some wood-work.

I love building things from scratch: benches, tables, etc. There's something methodical about taking something raw and turning it into something refined. I'd love to build a sailboat but that's down the road a bit.

I like to read and I enjoy having conversations with other people who like to read. I go hiking and camping....though not nearly as often as I'd like.

Politically speaking I'm pretty liberal on social issues, and moderately liberal on fiscal issues. I welcome all viewpoints but I know that not everyone else does so I thought I'd throw that out there.

I have low tolerance for cynicism and the phrase, "epic fail", gets on my nerves.

I think kindness and class are two qualities that go highly unnoticed these days. However, they are two qualities that I find highly attractive.

I enjoy Theatre.

Work takes up quite a bit of time. I'm currently in graduate school which keeps me pretty busy as well. That's really it for actual responsibilities though.

In terms of what I do in my free time, I enjoy quite a range of activities: biking, hiking, swimming, playing music, cooking, reading, writing, volunteering, watching movies, participating in community theater, barbershop quarteting, time with friends and family, camping, woodwork, carpentry, baseball, the list really does go on.

being available for discussion, interviews of all kinds, dialing into and helping with emotional turmoil, eating too late at night, finding problems to solve, causing problems to solve, and singing the harmony part to basically anything.

depends on the quality of the security camera. I'm absolutely kidding. I guess it depends on the situation, but I've been told on numerous occasions that I am very good at making people feel comfortable. I take that as an awesome compliment.

BOOKS: There are always the classics: To Kill a Mockingbird, Of Mice and Men, Animal Farm, The Metamorphesis, The Good Earth, Leaves of Grass, etc. Other favorites include: What is the What?, Boy's Life, EGO, Adrift, Into Thin Air, Endurance, Into the Wild, A Walk Across America, Coyote Blue, The Lust Lizard of Melonchally Cove, The Belgariad and The Mallorean, Reader's Digest's Treasury for Young Readers, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, The original Winnie the Pooh, The Mouse and the Motorcycle, and The Berenstein Bears books.

MOVIES: Mr. Holland's Opus, Pleasantville, There Will be Blood, Pete's Dragon, Little Miss Sunshine, Back to the Future, Danny Deckchair, Field of Dreams, Big Fish, Sideways, The Illusionist, Stranger Than Fiction, American Beauty, Cool Hand Luke, Rain Man, The Squid and the Whale, Spanglish, Imaginary Heroes, Little Big Man, Mary Poppins, Harvey, O Brother Where Art Thou, and many more.

MUSIC: I listen to a ton of folk music. This includes bluegrass, roots, irish/celtic, contemporary folk such as Richard Shindell or Lucy Kaplansky, and many others. A few of my favorite groups aside from the aforementioned are The Bills, Joe Crookston, The Mammals, Ellis Paul, We Were Pirates, Cry Cry Cry, The Seldom Scene, Schooner Fare, Iron and Wine, Jonathan Edwards, Peter Rowan, Michael Smith (not the Christian song writer though he's good too), Sam Bush, Buddy Miller, Sam Pacetti, Gabe Valla, The Small Potatoes, and many many more. Aside from folk I listen to some rock, punk, barbershop, showtunes, a small selection of rap, some country, and a few more that I'm sure slipped through the cracks.

FOOD: I'm trying to eat healthier these days. My diet right now is made up of a lot of fruits and veggies, plenty of pasta, not a lot of salt, etc.......But, if I had to be honest, I really love good nachos. Oh and I love Bebop-a-Rebop Rhubarb Pie (If you got that last reference you might be my soul-mate.)

The sense of hearing, something to look forward to, a capo, National Public Radio, four-part harmony, a challenge.

how to get pop-tarts out of the toaster without burning my fingers.

Playing music at the farmer's market, going out with friends, staying in with friends, catching a baseball game, leaving for a camping trip, or any number of other odd and interesting things.

is that being responsible is oddly exciting.

you like any of what you've read, think we might hit it off, or if you'd like to take part in the following social survey. (disclaimer....there is no right or wrong answer...it's just for fun)

....You're driving down this road in the middle of nowhere. You've got a two-seater car. It's pouring down rain and you pass this bus stop where you see three people huddled on a bench. This is the middle of nowhere so it could be hours before a bus arrives. Your car only has two seats, so you can't take everyone. You have to choose. The first person is an elderly woman who is getting sicker by the minute in this storm. She will most certainly die if she doesn't get out of the rain immediately. Sitting next to the old woman is a man who saved your life ten years ago. You haven't seen him since but this would be the perfect opportunity to pay him back for what he did for you. When you look at the third person, you know immediately you're looking at your soulmate...the person you've been waiting for your entire life. The rain continues to pour down and you're in a two-seater car. You can't put anyone in the trunk etc. What do you do?