I grew up in the Fort Worth area (Saginaw and also spent time in and around the Denton area). I spent eleven years in the Pacific Northwest (Seattle, WA and Portland, OR) where I had high tech career before taking time off to go back to school. I have returned to Texas to teach school and be closer to family.

I like being a mentor to young people, but I also need people in my life who have had similar life experiences to my own. My children are teenagers and I am on my second career. It's hard to find people my age who are at the same point in their life. However, age itself doesn't automatically equate to the number of life giving experiences a person has had.

Here are three things I really love finding:

1. Cooking. It just doesn't get any better than making a meal together...finding an ethnic or vegetarian cookbook and just going to town. I also enjoy eating out at non-chain restaurants and any place with unique and interesting atmosphere. I wish I could find a place with exquisite (yet not too expensive food), down to earth people, and great booths!

2. Traveling. I love to get out and travel the not-so-beaten path with someone...having a destination in mind...but coming up with alternate routes and stops along the way, making the whole thing an adventure. Where we go doesn't matter as much as whether we enjoy the process of getting there. If either the travel or the end point involves doing something physical, then even better...skiing, biking, hiking, camping...anything outside!!

3. Dreaming. I want someone who has their head just a touch too much in the clouds. Though I am a bit of a dreamer myself, I am more analytical. I want someone who would like a light touch of my grounding, while simultaneously lifting me up a few feet. In reality, this probably just means laying around reading, drinking coffee/wine, and discussing whatever comes to mind.

Teaching, mothering, writing, loving, longing, waiting, working, striving and making (people and things).

Many things I guess, but I am not really concerned about being good at anything anymore. I more concerned about being happy and content doing things I enjoy.

Smile, eyes...oh you mean deeper things...well then...my quirky intelligence of course!

I enjoy any book that makes me think about the construct of society and how we humans react to and struggle within it. As far as fiction goes, Herbert's Dune Series, Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged and Fountain, Vonnegan's Slaughterhouse Five, and Salinger's Glass Family stories are those that jump out at me most. I still want to read many of the Russian and English classics as well.

Acoustic/folk is probably my favorite but as much for its lyrics as the music itself. I also like classical. I can groove to pop music for its ability to have mass appeal (and I also dislike it sometimes for the same reason). I am getting a bit more into jazz. Open mic events where people play their own stuff or covers are my favorite way to listen to music these days.

I like all ethnic (and speciciality food) I have tried, including Indian, Thai, Japanese, Korean, Middle Eastern, Greek, Mexican, English, and Italian.

My kids
My best friends
My family
Meaningful employment
Freedom to explore life in my own way
Love

How to balance the vastly different parts of me.

I was sure tempted to put this update in "the most private thing I'm willing to admit here" section. My Friday's used to (and sometimes still do) consist of art exhibits and foreign films or live venues, like plays or music, but more often than not, I am just wiped out from the week.

A typical Friday these days would be getting a cup of coffee (and wishing there were still more independents left in town) while sitting around, or driving around, discussing life. Otherwise, I am on the couch early or vegging out online.

I guess it's good to have Saturdays.

Going from a corporate salary to a teaching one, while still providing for kiddos of my own, I've found the need to find adventure and fun close to home. I moved to (well, near) the city a year ago (away from the country/suburbia) and absolutely LOVE where I live, but I miss having people (friends and partners) to love while living here.

I treasure my apartment (even when it's messy) because it's old, and cozy, and perfect for sharing with a small group, but it's not enough. I need a mixed-gender, best-friend group with whom to "share" it. I want a partner with whom to do low-key things like bike riding around the hood, taking afternoon naps, and trips to the laundromat.

For any reason you think we would be compatible friends. Ideally this would also involve you living a reasonable driving distance from me (FTW area), you aren't a total recluse, and you are eccentric but not a social outcast. i.e. You are self aware enough to know when the people you choose to spend time with are bothered by your behavior and have the wherewithall to do something about it. It also means you want intimate rather than superficial frienships, even if they are more difficult to achieve/maintain.