Everything is coming up grad school! (Again). I have a BA in Biology and an MFA in poetry already, the PhD will complete the set - because that's how it works, right?

I have a beard that I have finally managed to tame.

I've done cancer research (breast cancer - didn't like the animal experimentation and repetition) and work in software/IT for now. There are things I love about school and things I love about work, hence bouncing back and forth. I love learning and hope to never stop. I love words. One of the best parts of being in school is having that OED access

I like pretty much everything about Madison, other than the length of winter and ridiculous temperatures and quantities of snow that accompany it. My plan is to take the summer off and get outdoors at least a few hours every day.

I prefer going out with friends but will go by myself in a pinch if I'm feeling stir crazy. Friendships and other people are deeply important to me. I generally give new people the benefit of the doubt.

If you like guys who ignore you, are self-absorbed, or really care about the "chase," I'm not your man. If you want someone is upfront and forthright, maybe there's potential

I think it's a waste (and boring) to go on dates where you put nothing on the line. Likewise, why lie about your feelings or intentions? That's pointless and a waste of time. At this point, I'd like to meet someone who knows what they're doing in life and with relationships. I have no interest being mislead or getting tangled up in someone else's shit. And for god sakes, you should at least be able to have *fun* on a date, unless the other person is a total nutter or you have nothing in common.

As I recently said to someone else, I've started to think of this less as online dating and more as online communicating maybe followed by hanging out. I've found it's a better use of my time, energy, and emotion to think of it that way. I'm not opposed to meeting someone awesome, in fact, I'd welcome it. But, in the meantime, I'd rather just do the me thing - and when the day comes that someone could add to that, that would be splendid.

I've traveled pretty widely in the US and think regionalism is idiotic (provincial, even?) Country, suburbs, city - they all have their pluses and minuses. That said, I don't picture myself settling down in a big city.

I've traveled internationally, as well, mostly to Europe and Asia. There are definitely places I'd like to go - Portugal, Italy, Greece, New Zealand, back to China, Vietnam and Korea - but it's not a defining part of my life. I'm just as interested, if not more interested, in exploring the US, going to national parks, driving on local highways, going hiking, walking through cities and small towns and seeing what they have to offer.

I love to laugh, make other people laugh, say lewd and inappropriate things, use hilarious curses, make up bad puns. My sense of humor doesn't mesh with everyone, I definitely need people in my life who appreciate it. There are few feelings better than laughing so hard your stomach hurts.

Time alone is very important to me. I like to have some quiet to read and reflect, an hour or two of space for myself every day, especially after waking up and before going to sleep.

I enjoy reading and usually have 3-7 books next to me in bed at any given time. I also enjoy being outdoors, seeing new places, and any kind of cooperative/competitive game (board games, cards, video games, whatever). Most of all, I like being around good people who make me laugh and think.

I do smile, even if I don't have pics up that show it.

learning what I want to do and how to do it

Listening. Reading. Academic discussions. Eating. People watching. Drinking whiskey on the rocks. Being insightful. Showering. Language. Boggle. Growing facial hair. Playing. Potty and barf humor. Despising dubbed anime.

My laugh.

In the day to day, I enjoy good science fiction (yes, it does exist), the occasional mystery, reading the news, and poetry, now that I've finally recovered from my post grad school angst.

Some of my favorites include: The Left Hand of Darkness, The Dispossessed, Walden, Paradise Lost, Shakespeare's plays, poetry by Neruda, Rilke, or Zbigniew Herbert, The Iliad, Agamemnon, Catch-22, books by Kurt Vonnegut, Dashiell Hammett, Lois McMaster Bujold, Gene Wolfe, and Ursula K. LeGuin.

I fucking love cartoons. The Venture Bros, Simpsons, South Park, Home Movies, ATHF. Make me laugh, please!

I like video games - things with style, substance, some kind of co-operative or multiplayer experience.

As for food, anything spicy. I'm fairly open minded, but I start to get turned off when it comes to identifiable organ meats, insects, and other more off the wall invertebrates (snails, sea horses, etc.)

To be honest, if I had hunt for the meat on my table, I would probably become a vegetarian.

1) evenings in late summer 2) a diverse group of good friends 3) spicy food 4) fresh air - seriously, I have my windows open and one or more fans running year round 5) intellectual stimulation 6) an appreciation of art and beauty

How to make my life what I want it to be. Decisions and attitudes. Going back to school. Stuff.

Out with friends or at the Plaza, preferably both.

I'm creeped out by people who say they dislike children in their profiles.

I also can't see myself seriously dating anyone who didn't want children, since starting a family is important to me.

You're a cute nerd, educated, interested in equality, and different without being contrived or unhealthily neurotic. Your "six things" aren't totally generic. You're not unkind or self-absorbed. You're secretly sexy - girls who show half their boobs in public may be eye-catching, but it's not what I'm looking for. Affection, intimacy and expressive sexuality are things that are very important to me, but they're for the person I'm with, and that's what I look for in return.

You're looking to balance being your own person and having your own interests with sharing with your partner - whether that would be being active and getting outdoors, exploring new restaurants or new places, jokes, ideas, thoughts, aspirations, or a game of boggle.

A good vocabulary, spelling, grammar, and complex/compound sentences are super sexy. I'm a writer, people!

ps - bonus points for dimples!