When I was younger, I was all about chasing and dating pretty girls and developed a stupidly high looks filter that automatically screens out 80-90% of the women I meet. (Yeah. - I know I'm shallow.) Of the remaining 10-20%, a good majority has emotional baggage I'd rather not deal with. I would also want to be with someone who has above average emotional and academic intelligence. Let's say this is 2 standard deviations above the norm. Assuming 5 million women in NYC, 2 million in my age bracket, that leaves around 2 million x 0.1 (for women whom I would actually be attracted to) x 0.025 (for someone who does not represent a dead-end as far as potential relationship)…That leaves around 5000 women.

Not bad, you say. But there is another problem with cute girls: they are so accustomed to attention from men that many have either coasted through life either based on their looks alone or are too self-conscious about it. As far as a long-term relationship is concerned, I also need someone with a strong enough a personality to hold her own, someone who is not
afraid to tell me when I'm being an ass or stare me down when necessary.

From anecdotal experience, that screens out another 95%. Leaving us with 5000 x 0.05 = 250

There is also an issue of compatibility. While I
find some differences very stimulating, there are
incompatibilities that can't simply be glossed over. On a more gestalt level, "chemistry" is even more elusive. So assuming that I'm compatible with 50% and 25% reciprocates my interest--the competition is tough!--that leaves

250 x 0.5 x 0.25

So...

30 out of 5 million in NYC.

And you thought it was hard to find a needle in the haystack.

still figuring it out

scrabble

music: dirty projector, bowie, grizzly bear, woods, lykke li, camera obscura
books: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, A heartbreaking work of staggering genius, year of magical thinking
food: beef taco and grilled mexican corn from that truck on bedford ave, cheddar grit from little giant, katz's pastrami sandwich

camera, coffee, books, music, iphone, jeans

bacon

you:
-look good in 5 dollars t-shirt and 500 dollars dress
-are in a band
-make things
-make things happen
-have good taste in music
-write

Bonus points if you also despise the following:
-Bush. Republicans.
-Guys with too much hair products
-Invasion of the LES by the B&T crowd
-people who walk too slow
-popped collar, esp if the polo is pink
-Double-decker buses with tourists
-Kings of Leon. And the good people who think that Kings of Leon is "alternative"