I believe I am an independent and intelligent individual. Some have described me as intense, but I like to think of myself as more of a knowledge junkie. I love learning new information in all its various forms. I enjoy getting out of my comfort zone and exploring new cultures and world destinations. My most recent travels have been to Germany, Greece and Ireland. I have a strong sense of self and believe it is important to reflect upon oneself to grow mentally, physically and emotionally. I am always trying to push boundaries to grow as a person and understand the world around me. I favor having a few close friends than many acquaintances, but think it is important to meet new people and understand perspectives outside my own.

Photography and writing are two of my hobbies and in my spare time I enjoy working on short stories and taking photographs.

Staying active is important to me. I have a hard time being cooped up. I'm fortunate to be able to walk to work (my co-workers think it's odd that I brave snowstorms, thunderstorms and extreme heat to do this and like it!) I go to the gym regularly and on my days off spend a decent amount of time exploring the city by bike or foot.

Currently, I work as a Resource Specialist for a corporate law firm where I assist with legal projects.

I occasionally freelance edit and tutor students in English.

I volunteer once a week as a classroom assistant for Operation Breakthrough.

Sharing random knowledge with people that care to listen, discovering patterns, making connections between various forms of information, taking pictures of the world around me, writing and knowing grammar rules! I like to think I'm a good cook and enjoy baking and trying out new recipes. I enjoy cleaning and organizing...perhaps a bit too much sometimes.

Most people tend to notice my curly hair, or my smile...or at least this is what they tell me; however, sometimes I think they notice nothing, because I just said something unusual and they are contemplating what to think of it.

Fiction: there are just too many to name. I have a library at home! A few of my favorites are:

-100 Years of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
-All Aunt Hagar's Children and The Known World (Edward P. Jones)
-Interpreter of Maladies (Jhumpa Lahiri)
-The Bridge of San Luis Rey (Thornton Wilder)
-East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
-The Unbearable Lightness of Being (Milan Kundera)
-Tender is the Night (F. Scott Fitzgerald)
-The Age of Grief (Jane Smiley)
-Winesburg Ohio (Sherwood Anderson)
-The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand Disclaimer: I have other reasons for putting this book on my list besides her philosophy.)
-A Farewell to Arms (Ernest Hemingway)

This list could go on and on and on as I usually have a currently reading pile of about 3 books including at least one non-fiction book. Some latest nonfiction reads include:
-The Information, the History, the Theory, the Flood (James Gleick)
-Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea
-Crossing Mandelbaum (Kai Bird.)
-The Nuclear Express: A Political History of The Bomb and It's Proliferation
-People Who Eat Darkness: The True Story of a Young Woman Who Vanished from the Streets of Tokyo--and the Evil That Swallowed Her Up

I love documentaries and am really good at finding ones about unusual/obscure subject matter. I have a fondness for foreign films and have been trying to catch up on the classics.

Television Shows:
-Boardwalk Empire
-Breaking Bad
-Californication
-Weeds
-Homeland
-Mad Men

My list is getting too long, but there are more, so ask if you want to know!

I love many different types of music and musicians. Jazz (Miles Davis always finds its way onto my playlists), hip-hop, Afrobeat, Latin (Danay Suarez), classical (recently Kayhan Kalhor and The Kronos Quartet.) My music preferences are always evolving.

Food: I love to try new foods! I also enjoy culinary adventures in my kitchen.

My cats (Oliver and Ona), decent whiskey and the rest will all depend on circumstance.

Traveling, food, life, love, music, history, my own personal history, time, space, the future.

I work Saturdays, so usually I am reading a book, writing, or doing something laid back. Although, I'll deprive myself of sleep for an exciting adventure if one should arise.

You feel like you can keep up! Or you at least want to attempt the challenge of trying!!