My life lately has been about my daughter and my bicycle. She's with me half the time so she's a significant part of my life (it was my choice - unlike too many dads, I fought to keep her in my life). Add coaching soccer to all the normal parenting things, well, it's a busy and fun journey. And I'm lucky to be able to structure my work to help me to be a better dad. When she's not with me I try to spend time training on my bicycle. At the end of June I rode my third three day, 250 mile charity ride. I finished an hour and a quarter faster than last year! It's been an incredible experience and I'm looking forward to doing it again next year. In addition, I'm riding up Mt. Washington on August 15. It is one of the hardest climbs a road cyclist can do. Oh, well. A cycling friend thinks I'm nuts. I suspect it will hurt. A lot. Sometimes pain controls us. Other times it helps define us. I know that when I finish the ride, the pain won't matter. The accomplishment will. Sure, it will hurt the next morning. But isn't that why ibuprofen exists?

Fine food, wine and great company. Looking for them at home, in a local restaurant, or a faraway place… What more could a person ask for? Perhaps these are experiences we can share together. I do have to admit that I have a hard time describing myself… I can smile most any time because I never forget that no matter how bad things may seem, they will soon be better. I’m the father of a 11 year old daughter.

About what I'm looking for... Someone who understands that the journey is often more important than the destination, who will get off the couch and try things, but also knows that sometimes trying things while on the couch works as well (a new wine, a cooked meal, a good DVD).

When I look back at my life I see two things. The closest friends I have had are all (and still are) women. And all of my failed relationships are also with women. I am trying to understand why the friendships last but the relationships don't. Perhaps it is time to find the way to do both at the same time and with the same person.

I've experienced both incredible joys and pain in my life. The joy, well that doesn't need explaining. The pain? I've learned a lot from it, how to be a better father, how to treat the people around me better, and, hopefully, how to make things work the next time around.

I was recently in Prague with my daughter. We take a trip each year. Past years were Paris and an Alaska cruise. We got a bit lost in Prague. After a bit of frustration I told her "if you don't occasionally get lost, how can you have an adventure?"

I love quotes. I feel a lot and, through the words of others, I can sometimes find a way to express those feelings.....

“There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why... I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?”
- Robert Francis Kennedy

"The only man who makes no mistakes is the man who never does anything."
- Theodore Roosevelt

Note: the pictures are all recent - the ones of me, anyway, the food ones are a few years old.

BTW, I have several pictures. If you don't? Please don't wink or email. Chemistry matters....

So.... I heard a new joke. How can you get a woman from match. com to stop contacting you? Send her your phone number.

I'm here to meet someone. I'm looking forward to having the last first date of my life. If you are here for an email correspondence? !

I get up. I go to work. In between I take care of my daughter on the days she is here. Sometimes I cook. I think a lot. Read some. Watch movies, both good and bad. Oh, and I coach soccer. My daughter's team. Agreeing to be the coach may have been one of the best decisions I've ever made. Not only to I get to be a dad, watch her grow, but I get to help her in another forum as well. And it's exciting knowing I'm teaching her fellow players important things about teamwork and life. They may not remember me in a few years, but what they are learning will last a lifetime.

I'm good at a lot of things. Being a dad. Getting my bicycle up really big hills and across long distances. Cooking. Picking the perfect wine. Oh, and I've found that I'm really good at doing nothing. When asked to do nothing? I rarely fail....

My eyes? Or that I look better than my pictures?

- Prague
- Paris
- Jack Kerouac
- Albert Camus
- The Princess Bride
- Casablanca
- Foie gras
- Wine, well, except that crap called white zinfandel

- my passport
- time with my daughter
- my bicycle and hills to challenge me
- a spirit that believes life is about showing up, that getting lost sometimes is part of the adventure
- a belief that this world can be a better place and a determination to help make it that way
- a believe that I'm teaching my daughter to do the same

I think the rest of this should give you an idea.....

Two flavors of typical. Week one, my daughter is with me. Dinner and plans for the weekend. Week two, who knows?

Why, when I see a pic on OKC with two women, I'm left thinking "wow, her friend is hot".

Life takes strange turns. Perhaps you think we'll take a few of the turns together.