My life progression: Doogie Howser (math version)->MIT engineer ->Peace Corps volunteer->world traveler->investment banker. It makes for a weird mix: an eco-friendly/anti-materialistic banker who likes to help people, make up math problems for himself, get very scientific about line-drying clothes, and use his vacation to travel to countries with low GDPs.

We'd get along well if you can make me laugh, make me think, are both spontaneous and responsible, are up for exploring, and would be all smiles in a Third World bus station as we get on bus to metaphorical (or even literal) Timbuktu. Well, probably not literal Timbuktu for at least the foreseeable future.

It would also be great if you knew why Timbuktu probably isn't going to be happening soon.

[Edit: Timbuktu might be back in play. Because of the French. Go figure.]

Do you think this is funny? I do. http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/04/alot-is-better-than-you-at-everything.html

Oh, and while I would like a drama-free relationship, there's a little something about this that resonates with me: http://xkcd.com/433/.

Either traveling the world or trying to create a completely non-Houston life smack dab in the middle of Houston. Both of these involve a lot of traveling on two feet or two wheels. I have a four-wheeled vehicle, but I hardly ever drive it.

I like Houston, but I miss living in the beautiful chaos of the Developing World. So, when I am in Houston, I take a lot of trips to New Orleans. It's a good substitute.

Math, being comfortable in awkward situations, scouting out and orienting myself in a new place.

Eye color, either a striking blue that I came by naturally or a striking red because they are bloodshot from not enough sleep.

Books: Midnight's Children; Catch-22; Lonesome Dove; Lolita (though his vocabulary makes me feel small); 100 Years of Solitude; Don Quijote.

Movies: Shawshank Redemption; Amadeus; The Natural; Hoosiers; V for Vendetta; Lone Star; Paris, Texas; Fletch; When Harry Met Sally; City of God; Chungking Express; Fan Chan (Thai movie); and Tarantino movies.

Music: All genres from all artists not named Lee Greenwood, But for specifics, I like 1990s US rock (Red Hot Chilipeppers, Jane's Addiction, Nirvana, Pearl Jam), 1970s country (Johnny Cash, George Jones, Merle Haggard), 1960s Cambodian Rock (Pan Ron, Ros Sereysothea), 1970s Brazilian music, Nina Simone, the 17 different covers of Mr. Bojangles that I have, Bluegrass music, Gillian Welch and most of the others from the O Brother Where Art Thou? soundtrack.

Food: Thai. I could eat it for every meal, thrice daily, as I did for about 9 years. I also know all the best Thai restaurants in Houston.

The six things I could never do without
1. Spice (both as seasoning and as metaphor)
2. Travel/exploration
3. Long bike rides (exercise + time to think)
4. Walking to work
5. Fresh fruit
6. Excel macros

In general: How everything in the world fits together, how modern society is dominated by markets, why people do what they do, how to avoid complacency, future explorations on my scootercycle, and math problems I make up for myself or find somewhere like #2 on this comic http://xkcd.com/135/. [If you run about 32 degrees to the horizontal you can stay alive for about 3 seconds before the velociraptors converge on you.]

Specifically while on OK Cupid: why OKC thinks I am such a good match with bisexuals (must be the open-mindedness), aesthetic choices people make, why 90% of girls in Houston have pictures of themselves in their cars, what a weird fucking enterprise this shopping for humans online is.

Probably having a girly drink at happy hour. Can't help it, I like how they taste.

My first date in high school was with someone who went on to become a fairly famous porn star.

Also, I wish I had a different username. This one seemed good when I signed up--very Googleable, interesting, and personally meaningful--but I sort of wish I had a name like "Mycatsbreathsmellslikecatfood". Seems like a better choice in retrospect.

When you travel you use everything you pack and never wish that you had brought something that you didn't, i.e. you have achieved packing nirvana.