I've never been that comfortable or satisfied with being labeled or defined (or summarized!), like the way okcupid does. But I'm not sure if it's because I don't like the idea that I could be labeled or if maybe the labels are more accurate than I would prefer. I probably do come across as fairly conventional, normal and reliable, but below the surface, certainly not boring. I'm loyal, and I don't easily give up on people or quit things I've started. I'm honest and straightforward, and I try to do what's right while being tolerant and accepting of others. I'm fairly introverted, but I enjoy the company of good friends, which tend to be few in number but close. I'm not loud, but I can get my point across without raising my voice. Typically, I don't like to argue that much and don't thrive on conflict. I do enjoy a friendly debate, however. I'm fairly laid back and prefer to keep things casual. I don't think of myself as cool, at least not in the pop-culture, chase-the-latest-trend sort of way. However, that doesn't necessarily mean that I'm a hard-core geek, at least not too much of one, anyway! Artistic creativity is not my strong suit. I'm better at analysis. I'm a good writer, as long as I stick to non-fiction. Ask me to paint, and I may disappoint you. Ask me to explain a public policy point or a scientific theory, and I may impress you (or bore you, sadly, if you're not that interested in the details). I usually go for the full explanation rather than the sound-bite: NPR vs. USA Today factoids (although I'm surprisingly full of those, too). My sense of humor can vary from the juvenile to the very dark, but it typically tends toward the dry range. I can't tell a joke to save my life, but I can find humor where it's least expected (and occasionally, least appropriate). My favorite comedies are ones where it can take several beats for most people to get. I like comedians from Will Farrell to Lewis Black to Andy Kaufman. As far as religion is concerned, I describe myself as agnostic, but not in the strictest sense. When on occasion I do go to church, I attend a Unitarian Universalist church. It's a fairly liberal, generally non-theistic (at least for me) but spiritual religion. One of the things I like about the UU's is that they are active in social justice causes. Politically, I consider myself a centrist (or moderate, if you prefer). I'm politically active; I vote (Democratic), volunteer on campaigns (although it was easier before I started working) and read a lot about politics and public policy. I enjoy talking about politics--that's one of the times that the geek part of me begins to show.

I am progressive, educated, and easygoing

I make a living working as a bureaucrat in local government. I use spreadsheets and databases and push numbers around from morning to afternoon. Sometimes I write about what those numbers mean and why no one should mess with them. And I supervise a few people who do many of the same things. When I'm not working, I can often be found on a soccer field somewhere. I coach youth soccer and play a lot of pick-up soccer.

I'm actually good at all sorts of academic sorts of activities, and not just the functionally literate stuff, either. From history to math, I'm your man (although I did peak at Differential Equations; well, maybe peak is a bit charitable). I have an astounding collection of useless facts floating around my head that I'm able to tap into at unexpected and unpredictable moments. I'm a good soccer player, strictly amateur, however. I can organize a bookshelf like the Library of Congress. I'm pretty level-headed under stress, and I stand by my friends in a crisis.

I could say, "my smile," but I've noticed that other people tend to take me seriously and are willing to assume my credibility even when I don't think I know what the hell I'm doing. I look more competent than I feel at times.

I read a lot of both fiction and non-fiction. The non-fiction books can be about comparative religion, politics, science, or history. Here are some of the fiction authors that I have on my shelf: Asimov, Bradbury, Clarke, Eddings, Farmer, Herbert, Jordan, Kurtz, McCaffrey, Tolkien. If you recognize some of those authors, then you have a good idea about what sort of fiction I tend to reach for. Sure, I enjoy more conventional literature, but I mainly read those in school. Currently, I'm trying to catch up on some of the Great Books I missed, so don't diss me as uncultured for not mentioning The Grapes of Wrath as one of my favorites. I'll get there. I've become pickier about my movies, and to that end I try to find out how a movie was received before I decide to see it in a theater (metacritic.com rules!). Here are some that I like: 2001, Blade Runner, Bob Roberts, Donnie Darko, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Heathers, Lord of the Rings, Lost in Translation, Pulp Fiction, Rushmore, and Say Anything. It's not an exhaustive list, but I hope it's representative. I tend to like bands in the alternative (whatever that means)/modern rock genre, ska, rap (but I'm extremely selective--no thugs for me), as well as bands that bridge some of these categories. Here's a partial list of some of the more commonly known bands that I like: The Clash, Death Cab for Cutie, Peter Gabriel, Interpol, Midnight Oil, Nirvana, Police, Pixies, Radiohead, REM, and the Talking Heads. I like a lot of different kinds of food, including Chinese, Thai, Persian (kabobs!), Italian, Mexican, and American comfort food (think: any of the many cloned chain restaurants with crazy crap on the walls). I try to eat a healthy diet, so mostly I tend to avoid fast food. And I don't usually eat all that much meat, but sometimes I just can't pass up some greasy Chinese take-out, a big pizza, or some BBQ. I like to try new foods, but I don't really like sushi. Sure, it's trendy, but I haven't been able to get myself to like the texture of raw fish. Veggie sushi is ok, though.

I hate having to limit my priorities like this because there are more than six things that I could never do without. I'll skip the obvious ones like air and shelter. These are in no particular order. my friends (too many live far away) my cats (of whom I am happily guilty of anthropomorphizing) books (I've been told that I have too many. I say no such thing.) soccer (playing, coaching, and watching, it's a passion) Tivo (makes watching TV easy, sometimes too easy) NPR (not just the what, but also the why)

Here are some things that occupy my mind from time to time (and in no particular order of importance or frequency): my job (especially during the busy parts of the year) soccer (what my players need to work on, what I want to improve for my own game, and DC United and the US national team) women (for obvious reasons, but also I make friends easier with them) religion (I'm not necessarily referring to God, per se; I am fascinated by all religions. I've found that comparative religion is a way to understand myself and other people) public policy (I think more about ways to solve problems than I do about petty lusting for power, but political campaigns can be lots of fun) science (all sorts of science intrigues me, especially astronomy) fitness (I try to keep in shape) music (I can't easily explain what I like, but I know it when I hear it) food (although I can't eat as much as I used to without consequence)

It depends on whether it's Payday Friday. Heh. Actually, I like to spend it with friends, and the activity depends on the mood and the people involved. I'm not a binge drinker or a clubber, but I enjoy myself, just the same.

That I am quite possibly the world's worst dancer (think: David Brent from "The Office," the BBC version, although the NBC version is quite good).

You want some good conversation and are interested in finding out what might happen next. If you're looking for a bad boy, I'm not him; I'm much more interesting.