What I love:

I love to play guitar & to sing.
-I'm not that great, but I love it. I rarely go a day without picking up my guitar.

I love training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
-This is a huge part of my life, and really part of my identity. Been at it for over 11 years so far, and intend to do it till the day I die. I have just moved to Modesto from Sacramento to start my dream job of teaching Jiu-Jitsu! I'm super excited about the whole thing!

I love watching movies.
-I follow directors, and my favorites are the Coen Brothers, David Fincher, Martin Scoresesse, Frank Capra, and Sergio Leone. If you want me to fall in love with you tell me a movie that each of the above directors have made that you have seen and liked... doesn't take much, I know.

I love listening to music.
-Blues is my favorite genre, but I also love the folksy hippyish modern stuff. Ben Harper, Jack Johnson, Buddy Guy, Stevie Ray Vaughan, [John Butler Trio, Pete Murray, Brett Dennen, Albert King, Gov't Mule, John Mayer Trio (more so the Trio than his other stuff), Bill Whithers,etc.

I love art, making it, and admiring it.
-I draw, more doodle, and enjoy looking at the art of others. Not snobbish about my art tastes, just want a work to be meaningful to me.

I love teaching.
-Most of my working life has been teaching swimming to people of all ages. Now I have just begun a new chapter in my life teaching the martial art I love. Jiu-Jitsu!

I love learning. I love figuring it out on my own.

I love talking about what people are passionate about.
-I love hearing about what other people love, or even hate. If there is passion in it, I love being there to discuss it with them.

I love my friends dearly. I love my family.

I love it when a stranger smiles at me.
-I'm a sucker for a pretty smile... really.

I love it beyond belief when someone I care about smiles at me.
-I love it when I feel loved by someone I care about.

I love the mountains. I love the coast. I love star gazing. I love swimming in the river.

I love peace.
-Clubs are cool on those rare special occasions, but I prefer the quiet coffee shop, or living room get together.

I love time alone. I love time spent one on one with someone I like.

I love working, and playing with children.
-I taught swimming to kids for ever, and love it. With my nieces and nephew, and my young cousins I always am a hit. I've been called a kids magnet.

I love feeling that I have made a difference in someone's life.

I am compassionate, introspective, and understanding

What I want:

I want a companion, a best friend, someone who I can talk to about anything.
-I want a lover, of course, but more so I need someone who will be there for me no matter what, as I will be for them.

I want someone who is comfortable with who I am right now, and doesn't need me to be more.
-I'm taking a different path with my life, and that might mean that I will never have the material things. I'm okay with that. I need someone who will also be okay with that. I know I'm severely limiting my chances here, but I need to be honest. I'm not looking for someone to take care of me, just someone to stand beside me and cheer me on. I can give the same back.

I want to be with someone who is active, and in shape.
-This doesn't mean that you have to have the perfect athletic body (though to be honest I definitely can appreciate that), but the truth is you really should have something physical that you spend time with, especially seeing that I will be training on average 8-14 hours a week in my Jiu-Jitsu class.

I want someone who is emotionally supportive, and positive.
-As I said before, someone to cheer me on in all my endeavors, as I will cheer on and support them in theirs.

I want someone who enjoys singer/song writer types, and enjoys guitar.
-I play, so they better like listening, and if they play an instrument of their own and sing, that is definitely a plus!

Just for the fun of it:
So I thought I'd list out what I see as my "ideal" or "dream" woman. Honestly, I don't believe that she exists, but figure this is like playing the lottery... maybe! LOL

She's average to tall for a woman.
-I'm thinking mid 5 feet area and up to as tall, or even slightly taller than me (I'm 6'2"). Obviously I don't stay with that, I have for a short (excuse the pun) time dated a girl that was (and most likely still is) 4'10".

She trains in Jiu-Jitsu.
-I'm sorry, but I think it would be amazing to have a partner who shares my love of the sport. Too bad there are so few women in Jiu-Jitsu. :(

She's in great shape.
-If she's serious about her Jiu-Jitsu training she probably is in great shape.

She's easy going, and has an easy smile.

She's an introvert.
-I know introverts aren't suppose to match well together... or maybe it's just that both are too shy to actually talk to each other, but really, being a quiet fade into the background type, I've had a special place in my heart for others. All my relationships have been with extroverts, though.

She loves movies as much as I do, and understands them both aestheticly, and literarily (is that a word?).
-If you can figure out what that means you get bonus points! I'm not sure if I hadn't written it I would understand that sentence.

She's fiercely loyal, and kind, and loving in her relationships.

She knows how to be silly with children, but stern when she needs to be.

She doesn't drink alcohol, or smoke cigarettes.
-I don't smoke pot, but I tend to get on well with those who do, so if she happened to enjoy that on occasion, it wouldn't bother me at all.

She loves the water.
-I was a life guard/swim instructor... what can I say?

She would rather have a few friends over to hang out and BBQ than go out to a club.
-Though going to a club occasionally is alright.

Anyway, as I said I don't expect to find that girl, so don't feel like you have to fit into any of those categories to message me.

I just began working my dream job teaching Jiu-Jitsu at my own school! Yey!!!

I'm really good at teaching the things I know. I'm one of the most patient people you'll ever meet.

I'm also good with kids, and have been called a kids magnet.

I'm the strong, silent type. LOL I'm an introvert, so I seem quiet at first. Some may interpret that as being aloof, stuck up, or anti-social, but that's not really it, it just takes a bit to get to know me.

I love the Blues!!! Stevie Ray Vaughan, Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton (when he's bluesy), Albert King, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Lou Ann Barton, Sue Foley, and Ronnie Earl. I also love Ben Harper, the John Butler Trio, Jack Johnson, and anyone who can write meaningful lyrics and play guitar and sing those lyrics.

As I said before, I love Movies. Coen Brothers, Sergio Leone, Kubrick, and Fincher are some favorites I can think of off hand. If you don't know the director of your favorite movies you really should look them up.

I'm also and avid reader (and perhaps writer someday). I love classic Historical Fiction, usually referred to as Historical Romance. This does not mean the same as what we know today as Romance novels, these are the classic adventure books. My favorites include classics by my favorite Alexandre Dumas, like the Three Musketeers, Twenty Years After, The Knight of Maison_Rogue, The Count of Monte Cristo, and The Viscomt de Braggelone. I also love some of the Rafeal Sabatini books, and stuff by Samuel Shellebarger and Stanley Weyman. I do enjoy other escapist fiction, especially Stephen King, and some Fantasy (fantasy more than sci-fi).

*Jiu-Jitsu
*Friends
*Good books
*My guitar
*Good music to listen to
*Love

Writing a book. Not many people write the kinds of stories I like to read anymore, so I'd like to write them.

Wow, I don't know. As of right now, nothing. I just moved to Modesto and don't really know anyone yet.

I cry everytime I see It's a Wonderful Life. That movie strikes a cord in me that seems to be in touch with one of my deepest fears. The fear that no matter how good a person is, and how selfless they are, that they could still be screwed over in life.

*You judge a person by the content of his character, and not material wealth.
*You want a friend, or love who has the ability to be unconditionally supportive.
*You want someone who will love you as you are, and because of who you are.
*You just want to chat (I am open to IM conversations, but please actually say something. If you just say "hi" and respond with close ended statements I will try, I promise, but only for so long).