Open to venturing into the wild blue yonder (or, you know, a great local dive... whatev) w/ someone in possession of a well-developed mind and sense of self... who pushes their own boundaries, questions their assumptions, and is capable of challenging their bias to see the world from varying points of view. I'm a huge fan of directness and living life w/ passion. I'd love to share creative energy, explore ideas and seek out new experiences w/ someone who adds value to my life and I to theirs. I judge people by their empathy, integrity, how they treat others, and whether their words line up w/ their actions. I like to challenge and be challenged (respectfully, of course). Agreeing on everything is not a requirement as long as there's enough common ground to keep a connection going. Fellow musicians and creatives are always a plus. I give as good as I get. Anyone not into animals, music or whose level of passion for life can be summed up as "Mehhh"- I automatically assume is an android. What I'm NOT looking for is my "other half." I'm not a half. I think the Jerry Maguire "You complete me" trope is tired and dysfunctional. The only worthwhile relationships are those with two whole people coming together, not trying to "complete" one another. Complement, yes. Complete, NO. I do what I love for a living and I'm great at it. It will always be a top priority in my life, as will travel and my endless pursuit to learn all the things. I get bored w/ stagnation- including people that aren't interested in furthering their own growth. Also... it's fine that we're all grownups and everything, but I'm still a little pissed I can't be a mermaid, have a pet unicorn, and set things on fire w/ my mind. So you know, if a small part of you still thinks you should've been Batman, I'm not judging. To the people that have earned their way into my life, I am generous, loyal, and non-judgmental. But take that for granted and you won't get a second chance. I'm not a fan of small talk. I like conversations you can sink your teeth into. If you can't remember when you last had an original thought or picked up a book, we aren't a match. I'm an ambivert (yes that's a real word)- often energized and alive in the company of others, but I value my alone time just as much. I have a very dry sense of humor and can be really goofy if the right buttons get pushed. A little bit of silliness and unbridled enthusiasm keeps us from getting too bogged down in the world's woes, non? I've never felt like I "have" to be in a relationship... but I will entertain the idea for the right person that adds the right elements to my life. And let's see who notices this: if you haven't read my profile, don't bother messaging me. BTW new friends, fellow musicians, and activity partners are cool too- I'm open to making serendipitous connections w/ people that aren't based on dating. Oh, and I get along great w/ kids of all ages. I'm always down for exploring new places and ideas. If the music is great, however, I may stop listening to you LOL. What can I say, musicians gonna be musicians... Comfy atmosphere and great food goes a long way toward fostering good experiences w/ new people. I follow a vegetarian diet 99.99% of the time and don't drink/smoke, but I'm not out to change anyone else's life choices. I don't care how much money you make, what you drive (unless it's stolen or a white panel van) or what you do for a living- but I have strong ideological differences w/ a lot of military and government personnel. A couple of caveats... (*gasp!* Trigger Warning!) Not to neg anyone out, but to weed out the weak uhhhh I mean save us all time, I don't have aaaany patience for men who can't handle their own emotions or deal w/ disagreements like an adult, because I'm not the Toddler Whisperer. Ditto for PUAs, narcissists and other shenanigans. Men only into me for my looks are a dime a dozen- if I wanted that I'd go to a bar. If you paid attention to my profile, you'd notice I'm anything but basic. Ergo, if you want to approach me, it needs to be for more reasons than my pics. Side note, if you too think trigger warnings are bull****, we'll probably get along- at least as friends. Last caveat: I've never seen an unsolicited d**k pic I didn't laugh at w/ all my friends, then post all over social media w/ the guy's name and face- so consider yourself warned LMAO. Apple even makes an emoji for those now. I'd sure love for someone to explain the logic in men's minds when they do that-- by which I mean, how severe of a head injury you have to have before that starts seeming like a good idea. Moving on. I prefer corresponding a bit to get a sense of a person before meeting. Nothing personal, but time is valuable, and I wanna know there's a good reason before allocating some of mine your way. Obviously, chemistry matters, but it doesn't make a damn bit of difference if I don't like what you're about first. Sooo... effort wins points, laziness gets ignored. Ergo, if the entirety of your profile is height-body type-"I'll tell you later," ummm no you won't cuz I already clicked off your page. If we do correspond/meet and I'm not feelin' it, I'll let you know- since I think ghosting is for cowards and people that don't know how to use their words. Well, this has been a kick. All in all I'm pretty easy to get along w/ if I find someone interesting, and I won't fake it if I don't. Perhaps we'll talk. If you read all this and still think we might like each other, drop a line. Whoever you are, "have fun storming the castle!!" (-The Princess Bride)