First and foremost: I love a good conversation. From a young age with my family, telling great stories and sharing laughs was a big part of my life, and it still is. I'm from Tennessee originally, but have been up and down the East Coast for college and grad school and work. I love it here, though, and I'm enjoying my job a great deal. My latest adventure was buying a house, and I can't get over what a responsible homeowner I've become! Who knew you could care this much about flooring?

As I said before, music is a big passion. I play the mandolin (badly) and the drums (worse), but that doesn't stop me from trying, I love a good concert, and have been decidedly without a concert buddy since I got to town. I love to talk about music and there's not much in this world better than a great mix CD.

I've got a passion for baseball -- both as a sport and as a cultural phenomenon. There's an art and a flow to it that I love. I'm definitely a Tennessee fan, but that said, I am far from being an idiot about it. There's a lot more to life than UT athletics, but it's still a great way to spend a few Saturdays.

I love politics and current events. The nature of my job requires me to know what's going on every day, but more than that, I think you have to be aware of what's going on in the world around you to really make a difference. I'm very enthusiastic about being informed. More than politics, though, I love just soaking up knowledge.

What am I looking for in a match/date? More than anything, I'd love to meet a woman who is smart and passionate about life. Great friendship is the key to success in a relationship, so there has to be a click somewhere to make it work. I love travel, and that's an interest I hope I could share with a partner as well.

I've never been a huge dater, but I am looking for the chance to meet someone cool that I can share my time with and hopefully get to know well.

I am laid back, thoughtful, and a little bit quirky.

When it comes to work, I'm a member of the "kept media" -- I work in a PR office at a university as a science writer. I love writing, and I love science, so that ends up working out well, all things considered. The higher ed environment is a good thing. In my spare time, I'm really involved in politics, which is my other passion. I also make valiant yet unsuccessful efforts to play the mandolin, as noted above. Oh, and I'm a curler!

listening, writing, debating, singing, laughing, storytelling, hypnosis (yes, for real! feel free to ask me about it.), frisbee golf, curling, chivalry, pub trivia.

My smile and my laugh.

A) The Sound and the Fury (anything by Faulkner, for that matter); Marley and Me; God's Politics; Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail; A Brief History of the Universe

B) Caddyshack, Shawshank Redemption, Keeping the Faith, Anchorman, Dr. Strangelove, The Truman Show

C) Phish, Allman Brothers, Jupiter Coyote, Blue Man Group, Sam Bush, Dire Straits, Bruce Hornsby, Anything bluegrass, Nickel Creek.

D) Fried Oysters, Country Ham, Fried Okra, Fresh Fruit -- especially bananas, Sushi, Chinese, Morroccan (when I can get it!)

My family, music, baseball, good food, a newspaper, my friends

A lot of things... I often ponder life as a liberal Southern Baptist, for one thing.

pretty much exhausted, but trying to rally. Alternately, driving somewhere for a weekend road trip. I love a good road trip.

As much as I try to present myself as being intelligent, I am a sucker for dumb humor.

You're interested in talking to a relaxed, fun-loving person who has a quirky outlook and a passion to learn as much as he can.