In a nutshell, I am too bourgeois for the hipsters, and too hip for the bourgeoisie. That basically means that I'm open-minded, but I've thought myself back into liking some of the conventions. I can't stomach the needy pretention of most scenesters, nor can I handle folks who don't have enough imagination to understand that not everything has to be done the way "they" (whoever that is) expect them to.

I guess I'd say about myself that I'm an average looking woman with an above-average mind and heart. Really, I'm uncommonly passionate and devoted once the initial shyness and skepticism is overcome, which is easily done by the right sort of ardent (but not creepy) man. I go by Elizabeth or Liz (I know, I didn't realize there'd be such exciting usernames) and would be thrilled, if what I describe resonates with you, if you would contact me and introduce yourself.

I've never been married (but would like to be), don't have any children (but do want some one day), and have worked hard to put myself on the path to a great career. In an ideal world, I'd find a partner with a similar history (and similar designs for the future).

Trying to be better, helping others who are also trying. Lately I've been feeling extremely passionate about my job (thank goodness, right?). I teach literature and writing to college kids. I love to challenge young minds to think more deeply and to appreciate art more fully. There's a skill in reading literature well, and in performing engaged critical analysis well, that translates beyond a student's major. Every once in a while it allows my students to lead better, fuller, more interesting lives. I feel like I have the sweetest gig in the world, telling people what I think about books, culture, and history and asking them to share what they think with me.

being up for anything in the right company, knowing what there is to do, diverting a conversation back to its philosophical roots, creating spontaneous adventures lacking clear objectives, answering honestly even when the situation isn't really calling for it, concocting crazy good cocktails, arranging a blow-your-mind cheese plate, and looking distracted whether or not I actually am.

genuine curiosity. It's so uncool, but I just can't help it.

I like books that challenge my sense of traditional storytelling that are doing so with purpose. (Woolf Wilde Beckett Nietzsche deBeauvoir to name a few)

I like movies that widen or deepen my understanding of what it means to be human. (indy, documentary, well-written and or/well-filmed flicks)

I like music that hits me first in the muscles. Rhythms that make me nod yes, lyrics that are gritty, haunting, clever, and true. (mainly old-school blues, and about 3/5ths of cd101 tunes)

I like food that feels crafted, like it's as much art as sustenance. (wine, cheese, coffee, ethnic-themed, home-cooked, whatever)

I guess I like to think of myself as the kind of person who could adapt to the absence of most things, but maybe that's because I can't do without my vanity about that?

LOVE--how to give it, how to get it, how to learn from it and enrich it, how to inspire with it, how to open up the possibilities for more of it in the lives of people I know and the lives of people I don't know, what it's like, how it's defined, how to infect my every action with it. When I'm thinking about politics, I'm thinking about love; when I'm writing about literary criticism, I'm thinking about love; when people are gossiping, I'm thinking about love. When I'm taking a walk or assembling groceries or swapping inane stories from the week with friends, love lah lah lah lah love. Philosophically, practically, idealistically, politically, revolutionarily, every which way, it's always about the maximization of love for me. And not always the mushy kind either, though I'm very fond of that strain, sometimes it's the hard decision kind, or the delightfully snarky kind, or the... well, you get the point.

Oh, and someone once told me that his grandmother loved cheetos so much, that even though she was an extremely quiet woman, she would never allow even one of hers to be eaten by anyone else without making a huge scene if there was an attempt made on her bag. I think about that sometimes too, and all the billion charming ways people manifest their humanity. (even if this particular one is kind of mean of her) These kinds of things often account for the lightness in my step or the seemingly unprompted grin. I have never once in my life been bored and don't fully understand people who say that they are. Then again, I'm often willfully obtuse about such matters.

My friend told me today (well, after today this will no longer be true) that he knows of no one else so always on the hunt for beauty--in people, objects, ideas, everything. It's true, I'm a beauty junkie in a deep, deep way. I'm deeply analytical and experience the world as a complicated place, but don't think that needs to get in the way of having a honed aesthetic sensibility.

Instigating hijinks, engineering silly adventures, asking questions requiring complicated answers and then actually listening to the answers. I like great conversation over good food, going to see local bands, backyard parties, sitting around swapping stories, playing tennis, ferreting out cool local Columbus activities like Wex events, art shows, restaurant happenings, walking around people watching or hashing something out. Less frequently (less than I'd like to be able to say honestly), I go hiking, travel, that kind of thing. When I'm by myself, I enjoy hanging out at my place reading, looking up something I'm wondering about, making art.

My friends sometimes enlist me as a ringer in backyard sports like jarts, bean bag, flip cup--you know, the Leisure Sports. I feel guilty about inflicting my weird and surprising prowess on poor unsuspecting corn hole enthusiasts, but I do it anyway from time to time.

Well, it depends on your objective. I tend to take on friends willy nilly (wow, are the ones I already have a rag-tag scraggely bunch of ne'er-do-wells). So if that's your aim, just message me for any old thing and we'll try to out-curmudgeon each other, talk about the state of the union, trade inside info about good things happening in C'bus, or just generally bull around about what interests we have in common.

For dating, though, in case I've sparked interest in that vein, message me if...

You're a man of strong character. I really like people who have a sense of what they're about, who know what they want more often than not, and who are willing to do what it takes to acheive their goals. That's not always easy, and few really earnest people actually think of themselves that way. And of course any real intimacy soon goes beyond that into sharing fears, flaws, and failures but still, ultimately, I want to be with someone who displays an openly good-hearted nature, who I can support, trust, and admire and who wants to do that for me too.

I just watched both my sisters get married, and while I'm so relieved that neither of my brothers-in-law are my spouse, they all found relationships that both challenge them to be better by complementing each others' strengths and weaknesses, and allow them to settle into themselves because they know someone will always have their backs. That I do envy, at least in so far as, ultimately, I want it for myself.

My ideal relationship is to be on a team with another person working together for bettering both our lives. I need someone who can do that earnestly and openly with me, who I can depend on. Initially though, I'm just looking for good people with whom I can go out and have some good conversation and fun as we get to know each other.

And, um, you know, if you want to too, that'd be good.

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It's unlikely I'll pursue relationships with men who:

self-describe as good listeners (It's a great quality, but I've never met one who says he is that actually is, though I've met plenty who are who don't think to mention it.) This often applies to people who say they are funny too, though not as consistently.

vote straight-ticket republican or don't vote (I'm registered independent and lean liberal, though I have a healthy dislike/mistrust of most politicians generally speaking. The republican leadership is out of control right now--I don't mind republican views on some issues, but how on earth can you vote for the people that have been running lately? It's important to me that you value responsibile citizenship by keeping reasonably informed--I'm happy to help--and exercising basic civic duties.)

don't ask women out for dates (I'm unlikely to email back and forth into perpetuity. Also, while hanging out is alright, every once in a while you need to man up and make a reservation.)

are undressed in their photos (I don't need to find a hook-up on the internet, and am not enticed by the idea of hooking up with men who do. When I want to see you shirtless, I'll let you know.)

I'll keep thinking... I'm sure there are others... I'm not particularly judgmental, there are just certain things I tend to by wary of.