Class clown and reflective soul

Federal job stability / free mind and spirit

I was one of the creative and bright kids in high school who spent most of his time daydreaming and looking out the window. Thankfully, adult life offers possibilities for those with curious minds and imaginations, and I've certainly sought out my share of experience and perspective.

I've been a big fan of travel most of my adult life and definitely seek unique experiences. I like to travel light and move quickly, and am usually successful in discovering things which seem to elude many others. I don't fear much when it comes to travel and it's a short list of places I wouldn't currently visit. While Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and Somalia are probably currently off the list, I'd go to Iran, west Africa, Mexico or the Palestinian territories in a heartbeat.

I'm a big fan of garage sales, pawn shops, Craigslist and thrift stores. I buy and sell guitars but also love other items I'll randomly discover, mostly vintage, and I enjoy the hands-on history lesson that comes via the scavenger hunt. I like traveling to new places and seeing their unique offerings, but the second-hand world is always part of my adventures. I've scored some wonderful items, met some highly interesting people and even gleaned some CRAZY stories in the mix.

I have an independent outlook and I place high value on intelligence, devotion and an open mind. I prize beauty, original thought, novel humor and the desire to grow. I live by these ideals, for the most part, and seek them in a woman.

I'm very devoted to people who prove themselves as friends, even moreso to a caring partner. I'm honest, speak as I believe and am pretty comfortable with playing the devil's advocate.

I believe in happiness and satisfaction above whatever else - life is short, and a genuine smile may be the most worthy of things. I'm creative but also well-grounded - an artistic person with a day job.

I'm buying a clean, low-mileage Honda Element soon and am planning on SWEET road trips into Canada (Banff, Glacier, etc), Idaho, Montana, Colorado, Utah and Oregon. I'm thinking of flying up to Alaska to see friends and possibly to Ohio, which is where I grew up and haven't seen in about three years.

My job involves advocacy work within the federal government and I regularly help people in dire straits, so there's some reward in it. I've traveled in 16 countries on 5 continents, including 47 of the United States.

I love travel, city and country life, Filipino martial arts, culture (museums, the arts, history, etc.), playing music, photography, trying new foods, reading classic literature, hiking, snowshoeing, physical fitness, bicycling, kayaking, etc.

Listening - an all too rare quality

Facetiousness and wry humor

Resourcefulness, discovery and surprise

Music and lyric composition, travel, cooking (I'm rusty), stating what I think, conversation with lots of different kinds of people, etc

depends on the person

Books: Mostly classic authors such as Mark Twain, Eugene O'neill, Jack London, Dorothy Parker, Aldous Huxley, Philip K. Dick, Hemingway, etc. One of my favorites is Somerset Maugham's Moon & Sixpence - damn, what a book.

Shows: The IT Crowd, Brass Eye, Breaking Bad, Moonshiners, Frontline, PBS Newshour, C-SPAN (seriously) and Book TV. Oh, I almost forgot about Hardcore Pawn, both Detroit and Chicago, maybe because I've been familiar with that side of life for 20+ years.

Movies: Lawrence of Arabia, Pee Wee's Big Adventure, District 9, Stanley Kubrick, Wall-E, Being There, The Cell, Werner Herzog, older Woody Allen. I love going to the Cinerama, Seattle is VERY lucky to have it.

Music:
- As long as it's well-done I like: Punk, Metal, Classical, Blues, Jazz, Country, Progressive / Art Rock, Electronic, Experimental, Ethnic / Traditional, Street Music, Bluegrass, etc.

Food:
- You name it, more or less
- Thai (especially Isaan), Japanese, American, Moroccan, Indian, Ethiopian, Latin (ceviche, beans and rice, Tijuana-style tacos)
- I've been known to eat EXTREMELY spicy things

Drink:
- STRONG straight coffee, either drip/Chemex/press or Americano, with cream
- Beer - I've slowed down but like most types
- Whisky - As with beer, I go more for quality than quantity. I don't sip whisky often but I drink it neat, and it's usually very good stuff (cask strength preferred).

#1) A really cool lady
#2) Mobility
#3) Independent thought
#4) honesty
#5) resourcefulness
#6) integrity

the current work-in-progress, whatever that is at any given point in time. For now, it's music.

Some Friday nights I do things, some I'm relaxing for the following day's events (open road bicycling, travel to the coast, etc.). I follow the flow.

nada

you want a man who mostly knows himself, and essentially lives by action and not empty words.