I am an explorer: I seek out new places, new people, and most of all, new ideas. Professionally, I'm working on a doctorate in physics, so whatever I'm up to, I'm doing it For Science.

I pride myself in communicating clearly, admitting when I'm wrong, and being crazy determined. I'm a great conversationalist, a decent cook, and a terrible dancer. I know how to start fires without matches and build death-ray lasers. I make ham sandwiches on Jewish rye bread and prepare beef curries.

I fight being consumed, body and soul, by grad school. In my free time, I practice music, teach middle-school kids, and read the Classics.

Like pretty much everyone in Colorado, I like hiking, camping, skiing, and so forth. I don't care for rock climbing, so substitute fencing instead.

In a more big-picture, long-term, kind of sense, I'm preparing for a career in academia. Teaching science and doing research is a great life. I'm a little shocked they pay me to do this stuff.

Explaining science in plain English.
Conversation. Both listening and talking.
Fixing what's broken.
Seeing all sides to an argument.
Building waterproof shelters from sticks and leaves.

I'm not a fan of this section: I think it pointless. A friend has made the clever observation that this should be read as "what movies can we watch together, what music can we listen to together, and what food can I cook you," however, I think none of this really matters a whit. In a truly happy relationship, what movies you watch together shouldn't make a difference. I've spent entire Sundays watching Ghosthunters with previous girlfriends: I didn't care about the TV show, it was about just being with her. The act of spending time with your partner should make the precise choice of entertainment practically irrelevant.

I suppose some people may use this as a measure of personality, but I bet you already have a pretty good idea of the kinds of things I like if you've read the rest of the profile. In any case, here we go:

In all media, I enjoy science fiction, particularly the classic authors like Asimov and Clarke.

Books: King Lear, Antigone, The Iliad, Pride and Prejudice, Lord of the Rings. Though my favorite book is non-fiction: Thucydides' The Peloponnesian War. It's life-changing-ly good.

Movies: A Man For All Seasons, Seven Samurai, The Empire Strikes Back, Lord of the Rings, Apollo 13, Little Miss Sunshine.

Shows: I don't regularly watch TV, but when I do, I watch Community and 30 Rock. Their impending cancellation is a sure portent of the demise of Western culture. Sic transit gloria mundi.

Music: All kinds but rap. If forced to pick one genre to listen to exclusively for the rest of my life, I'd pick Classical (well, Baroque, Classical, and early Romantic, for the pedantic). I'm particularly fond of Bach and Beethoven. Beethoven's Ninth Symphony may be the greatest artistic accomplishment of humanity thus far, and in aesthetic perfection it is rivaled only by King Lear and calculus. But I really do listen to everything: I've even got a Pandora station for Lady Gaga. Yeah, I know she's kind of weird and dresses like a Tim Burton character, but the woman can sing.

Food: Anything and everything except cheese. It's a great moral failing, I know. Even I don't understand how someone could hate it. Indian and Chinese foods are probably my favorites, though I've an inordinate fondness for Hungarian food as well.

Overlooking the biological necessities for life and things like friends and family, I'd have to pick:

1. Laptop.
2. The internet.
3. Harpsichord. (I include in this the tuner, hammer, and wordworking tools necessary to keep it functional)
4. Alarm clock. (I'm not exactly a morning person)
5. Car.
6. Library.

I think about space physics, contemplate the cultural origins of the Industrial Revolution, and wonder how astrologers responded to the demotion of Pluto.

Usually hanging out with friends, either at the movies, a restaurant, or playing board games and talking. Sometimes I go salsa dancing or attend the Boulder Symphony. Occasionally I'll stay home and read, practice music, or work on the ever-present task of harpsichord maintenance.

I am occasionally mistaken for Matt Damon. It's really weird; I've even been asked for an autograph. It's funny watching people try to act like they aren't really disappointed that they haven't actually encountered a big-name movie star on Pearl Street.

As you can likely tell from the pictures, I don't really look anything like him. I have no idea why this happens.

In terms of what I'm looking for, I'm not interested in one-night-stands and so forth, relationships are more my style.

I'm searching for a person, not a checklist of personality traits. That said, I especially value curiosity, passion, and kindness.