Favorite Personal Ads
"Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but looking outward together
in the same direction" -- Antonie De Saint-Exupery
1 -- Grad student in Search of a Life
I am an incorrigible back-seat driver (even on motorcycles). Enough comments
have been made regarding this to convince me. Those who have told me know who
they are, and I let it be known that I am scarred by their observation! My
confidence is tragic, but my intuition magic. And a sense of humor is not
unlike a life vest keeping me afloat in the torrent sea that is this neurotic
world. That and a great microbrew or a cup of Peet's coffee. My favorite
color is black on most days, grey on others, yet never blue. I would rather
be studying than working (I miss my under-grad days at UC Berkeley but I am
enjoying my time at San Francisco State). I would rather be drinking than
eating. I am a hopeless romantic and would rather be listening than talking.
Those of you who have an insatiable and ravenous heart know what it's like. I
have learned that I am a fool when it comes to matters of the heart. That is
a good thing to learn earlier rather than later. I know that life is a series
of moments connected to each other, and all we really have is that moment.
The interesting thing is that our moments are entirely different, for while
you read this I am seeing a million beautiful yet different shades of grey
and white in the buildings I pass on the road (or I'm studying, of course!).
All of this combined with bi-hourly fits of laughter and the hope of a
perfect moment when we first shake hands (and actually feel the electricity)
makes me believe that things are going to be okay. I yearn to share my
moments.
Dylan lyrics: Most of the time you're halfway content. Most of the time you
know exactly where you went. You don't cheat on yourself; you don't run and
hide. You don't hide from your feelings that are buried inside. You don't
compromise and you don't pretend. You don't even care if you see her
again...most of the time. So, right now you are strong enough to tow the line
and ready to be a friend, a lover, a confidant, an equal. You are willing to
take things at a comfortable pace. You are intelligent, educated, althletic,
funny, and adventurous (or at least can fake it well!) You are honest and
ready to be yourself in the presence of a potential date, friend, girlfriend,
etc. You appreciate beauty. You can tolerate ambiguity. You live in the
here-and-now and look forward to a bright future...preferably with me in it.
2 -- Surrounded by barbarians?
I believe that certain people who have everything to hope and
everything to fear from one another will always be irresistably drawn
together, if they are lucky enough to cross paths. So where are you
hiding?!?! Maybe it is because I am always, in some capacity, no
matter what I am doing, thinking about you a little bit. I know full
well that these things cannot be planned, and that the more I focus my
energies on it, the more elusive it becomes, just by it's very nature.
Ok, that's kind of an amazing and intriguing aspect of life, true, but
it makes it difficult to find someone who actually inhabits the same
universe as I. I do enjoy sadness or yearning sometimes (for intimacy,
for the future, the past), as it can help to bring me back to that
more surreal, experiential, and sensual side of existance that comes
in through the senses and is processed by the heart rather than the
mind. This is sometimes necessary as I lose contact with that from
time to time (especially if I have been studying too much and have
gone cross-eyed from staring at paper, hour after hour). Of course,
being happy is also very nice. I feel that everything one does should
reflect beauty and grace if possible. It should have some elemant of
your heart invested into it. I know that it is often futile to attempt
to prolong experiences that are transient in their nature, yet I am
not interested in passively letting life happen to me either. I would
love to be constantly filled with desire, but I'm not sure I could
endure it really. Sometimes when walking somewhere, I may stop,
listen, look around, smell the air, maybe touch something near me with
my fingertips, and just experience where I am for a moment. When I do
this, I experience something beautiful, as the world becomes swolen
with life around me that was not so apparent a moment earlier.
You will tell me things I don't expect to hear. You actually
understand what I'm talking about when I ramble on about beauty and
passion and how often arbitrary things things touch my heart. You are
compelled, as I, to attempt to share the things you have learned and
discoved, that have aided your soul it its evolution. The sandesses
you have seen or felt in your life have opened your heart, yet helped
you to grow more resilient at the same time. Your mind is active and
curious and capable of linear, accurate thought as well as a semingly
dissasociated persuit of some rich and sensual or funny and
entertaining stream of consciousness.
3 -- I SAID 27-35! and I meant it
I can't BELIEVE I'm really doing this! I guess this is what happens
when you work as a welder-fabricator for 9 months (think
"Flashdance")--and are surrounded by men you would never EVER want to
go out with. Recently, I decided to go back to my first love, design,
to make my living (I ought to put that pricey education to work at
some point.) So, what am I like? Nerdy in my pursuit of knowledge,
mischievous, curious, sarcastic, kind-hearted, honest to a fault,
considerate, empathetic, loquacious when I'm up, reticent when I'm
down, with a wide variety of interests both ordinary and eccentric. I
can't survive without spending time alone on a regular basis, which is
why I have my own place; my only roommates are 2 furry housepets with
groovy personalities. However, I also value having a small group of
very close friends. I try to keep myself healthy with a reasonable
amount of mental hygeine and exercise--running, skating, hiking,
skiing, yoga, dancing...anything outdoors--no gym bunny here. I'm
comfortable sipping pinot at 42 Degrees in the city, or drinking a
bottle of beer at a dive bar and shooting pool (you will probably beat
me, if that strokes your ego.) Externally, I'm very feminine, but I'm
a tomboy at heart--I'll go trapshooting with you if that's what floats
your boat. What else?...After many years of working too hard, I have
realized that people are more important to me than my resume. I am a
recovering perfectionist, finally approaching something near balance
in life. I need someone who embraces the kooky artist in me--someone
who is not freaked out when I create windowscreen pants or moving
steel beds. Hopefully, you are equally kooky and passionate about what
you do. [P.S. - most likely moving to the city (S.F.) ]
Curious, aren'cha? Well, you're still reading... You all say you're
"easy-going, fit, high on life, love to try new things," blah blah
blah. Okay boys, it's time to be original. What makes you tick?
Intrigue me. What am I looking for? Well, it so happens that I know a
lot about what I don't like, but hey, if I start lising all that
stuff, I might come across sounding pessimistic. God forbid, the glass
should EVER be half empty! No really, I would say the guy I'm looking
for is: honest, warm, loyal, MISCHIEVOUS (not milquetoast), creative,
highly intelligent (this is not necessarily synonymous with formal
education), sensitive, humble, mysterious (but not inaccessible),
curious, KIND (to me and others), truly empathetic, reasonably
fit--but doesn't live in the gym or flaunt his body, considerate,
witty, unselfish, not threatened by my overdose of education at a
couple of rather snotty universities (my sense of self is independent
of their reputations), not threatened by the fact that I own more
tools than you do (!!!--that's right, me fix it when it be broke), and
focused more on personal growth than on fitting in (if you smash beer
cans on your forehead, you may now click "return to profiles.")
Ideally, you are also: honest, real, honest, real, honest,
real...good-lookin' with a brain to match your lovely face (no vain
supermodels, please), totally together with A FEW SCREWS LOOSE, have
at least some interest in the arts/design (you don't have to be an
artist/designer), and finally, for cryin' out loud - PASSIONATE ABOUT
WHAT YOU DO! BTW, I do have a fetish for a nice head o' hair (color
creatively tampered with is fine) and a certain smart-ass-iness, but
neither of these are required to get my personal woodstove burning. If
ever I find my soulmate (if, indeed, one exists) he will be my best
bud.
4 -- Non-profit girl
A quality that I have spent a lot of energy on and really appreciate
about myself is that I am as authentic with others as I am with
myself, what you see is what you get, this was no easy task, with this
comes cute quirks and a lot of playfulness. I value someone who isn t
afraid to be who they are and who knows anything less is not as
fullfilling. I have recently completed my masters in counseling
psychology and am currently a director of a local homeless
shelter. When someone really gets to know me, they might be surprised
to find that my extroverted energies love to recharge by nesting in
with a partner at home, ordering take out, and watching a movie with
candle light--creating moment are precious and dear to me. I am mature
but not flashy, complex but simple, strong yet gentle, playful and
responsible, tender yet bold, and romantic at heart.
I am looking for a man who has learned from his mistakes from past
relationships, and is ready to begin a tenderhearted journey getting
to know each other gradually over tea/coffee, dinner and meaningful
conversation. I value honesty, passion, dedication, individuality,
self-awareness, thoughtfullne ss, and integrity. I am looking for a
very unique man, who has it together and who has a deep sense of what
that means. I am looking for a man that my body will feel at home with
and my soul will remember.
5 -- Reminded of what it means to be a human being
I spend many days thinking, compelled as I am by my inner world -- a
world rich with meaningful quotes and theories under construction. Its
visions drive me, its ideals depress me, its questions make me pause
and wonder.... Its recommended methodology even colors my step with a
quirky gait. (Doesn't everyone "smile" by tilting their heads to the
side and turning a circle?) I absolutely love looking at things from
different angles, reflecting on what makes people tick, or marveling
at the beauty of language, the word "listen" being a long-time
favorite. That being said, I equally love fueling these inspirations
with life and living, being my own person, and exploring my own way of
being, injecting an abundance of warmth, vitality, humor, strangeness,
and youth into almost everything I do -- my having visions of what
might be possible in the interpersonal realm. But, in all of these
things and my exploration thereof, I am gripped by this persistent and
almost childlike yearning--even excitement--to share this world with
others, to nurture their souls in ways I have learned to nurture my
own, to laugh with them, to listen to them, and occasionally even to
be able to live again if only through the eyes of another.
You, more than almost any other person I know, remind me of what it
means to be a human being. You are emotional--in all ways. You
encourage me to stay present--and enjoy it. You teach me to own my
feelings--and use the word "I." You remind me to be understanding--as
others' faults are often mine. You enable me to see absurdities--even
in myself. You shower me with colorful notions--and inspire me to
wonder. You think for yourself--and constantly challenge me to be a
better *me*. You're one of the few people in the world both
passionate enough and resilient enough to accompany me on this
adventure some call life--to look absurd while speaking a broken
Russian or to endure exhaustion while biking through a mountain
pass--who is at the same time deeply interested in meaning and
metaphor, your noticing it everywhere around you. Not afraid to sit
and "do nothing," you are the rare person who can paint her world
with such complexity, poignance, and humor and still have me recognize
it as the same complex world I live in--honest as your portrait is
even to your own faults.
6 -- Artist/Musician Seeks Adventurer
I crave travel. My friends think I'm wild but I'll leave that up to you.
I've been all over the world and want a companion to stir up some
trouble. My ideal weekend is to go to an art museum and then talk about it
over coffee or a fine meal. I'm a painter and musician who can hold my own
playing classical, jazz, world, hip-hop, blues and rock. I work with children
because they make me see the world the way its supposed to be seen. I get
along with men and women well. I can go out in public without make-up and
feel comfortable, though I wear flowers in my hair on occasion. I enjoy
cooking quite a bit and can create multi-cultural meals with ease. I have a
weakness for avocados. People constantly comment on my smile. I want to
change the world and I believe one person can. I'm looking for someone who
will make me laugh through life, because, if you're looking at it right, it
is quite funny........
I love men who are fun and spontaneous. I like to be treated as an equal and
a friend. I like to converse and be surprised. If I met a guy and he talked
about money or power on the first date, he'd be out. I want someone who
thinks on a higher level than that. A musician/writer/artist would turn
me on. Wit and spark is important. Of all things, though, a man must
be passionate about life. A wise man once said, "...He who ain't
busy living is busy dieing...."
7 -- A little bit of spice and a whole lot of nice
It has taken me a long time to learn that being content is not really
living, but I think it is one of the my most important lessons. Life
is a series of memories and if you look back and nothing stands out
positive or negative chances are you aren't really living. I'm working
hard to make up for lost time and filling my days with the things I
most enjoy. I enjoy being outdoors, spending time with family,
friends, and my pets. I like seeing new and beautiful places and
trying new things. I believe that everyone you encounter touches your
life in some way. I hope that posting this ad provides me an
opportunity to meet people who might otherwise never cross my path.
I like high energy personalities, even if they lean towards
hyper-activity. I enjoy having in depth conversations balanced with
just the right amount of humor. I love men who can cook, as I prefer
being an assistant in the kitchen. I like a person who can be
completely casual most of the time, but doesn't feel out of place
dressing up upon occasion. I believe the simple things in life provide
so much more fulfillment than material things and I want to find
someone who feels the same.
8 -- Anachronist
Whom am I looking for? Some of the qualities I value in others are:
sincerity, authenticity, idealism, creativity, spontaneity, passion, being on
a quest for knowledge, innocence, prefering to read rather than watch TV,
wanting to explore the world, questioning anything, openmindedness...a person
who does not believe that happiness exists in a bottle of Prozac, and that
understands that it's OK to be sad sometimes, and not become complaisant with
a dull, stagnant, emotionally deprived existence. Existential angst is
experienced by most people to a degree. Certainly life was not meant to be
easy, what fun would that be? I enjoy searching for meaning in life with my
eyes wide-open and not as a passive bystander.
9 -- Passionate Idealist
I suppose since I only have 2000 characters, I will tell you the best
things about me. I am intelligent and tenderhearted. I care deeply
about my intellectual, moral, and social commitments. My belief system
is not a conventional morality but, rather, a network of values that I
have discovered through years of experience and contemplation. I am
passionate about ideas. I cannot seperate my emotions from my
professional rationality. The things and people I love, I love with my
whole heart. I am a person of extremes and the ride between them is
sometimes terrifying and sometimes exhilirating, but never boring. I
love to read - I'm a big fan of the Brontes, George Eliot,
D.H. Lawrence, Thomas Wolfe, Tolstoy, Kafka, well, there are too many
to name. I enjoy the outdoors - climbing trees and hiking.
I'm a bit of a rare breed and I think my "ideal match" would be a bit
of an odd ball as well. The most important thing is that I can learn
something from you and that there is something in your life about
which you are very passionate. I admire people who search for meaning,
even if they haven't found it.
10 -- part-time-pushover
I could ramble about how I like to exercise, cook, go rollerblading,
dance, hike, take trips, make art, but really, what does that tell you
about who I truly am? I'm a ex southern belle, very polite and always
thinking of others. I'm trying to be more selfish in a good way, and
take care of myself. I loose track of time in great conversations. I
like happy hour for more than the drinks. I like to walk to the local
farmers market on the weekends, and make yummy healthy food. I like
roadtrips with loud music and fast cars. I'm always exploring,
internally and externally. I love my friends, good parties, a nice
gestures for no reason. I like to listen to NPR on the weekends, and
enjoy the smaller pleasures of life. There's nothing better than a
close friend, but cute guys are always nice too.
Someone who understands that life is pretty boring if you don't take
time to appreciate the journey. I enjoy everyone I meet, even if the
connection isn't true love. Someone confident enough to stand behind
the words they write in their profile. You're challenged constantly by
your thoughts. You want to be around a real-thinking-live-breathing
female, who has opinions, feelings, real thoughts, and most
importantly, a flaw here and there - since truly thats what makes each
of us unique.
11 -- Are you playful and wise?
i work hard, i play hard... this is a little of how i love to play
and how i like to live... i love to dance: to trance, to salsa, to
swing, to the sweet 80's. i love to curl up on the couch with my dogs
and read. i love the touch of skin and love to give a good massage,
sensual, relaxing, therapeutic. i love talking to someone and
discovering that their mind flows all the time. i love when that mind
challenges my own. i love to learn and i love to help. i love to have
a day of silence, i love to party. i love to get out of my mind and
my life a few times a week and rock climb. i love strength of all
kinds and work hard for my own. i'm a bleeding heart liberal who has
had to accept that i can be intolerant of intolerance. i am sometimes
the loud, outgoing chick making everyone laugh. sometimes i'm the
quiet one sitting at the side, just watching. i am independent and
stubborn but it's amazing to find someone who makes me just want to
give in...
you are someone i am attracted to mentally and physically. when i am
with you, my mind and body are on... you are funny and wise. you are
strong... in character, in body, in personality.. you love what you do
and are amazing at it but there is more to you. your confidence is
sincere but not all encompassing and it doesn't stop you from
growing. you know how to play. you know how to care and not only for
people you love. you make me smile and you make me laugh. here's
hoping i'm not asking for too much...
12 -- Blonde with dog seeks expanded vocabulary
Okay, I'm doing this... I am a tallish, funny, energetic, quick
thinking person who loves variety, spontaneity, and laughing. I do
yoga and have been getting into hip hop; I also love Nick Drake,
Lucinda, Yo La Tengo, The Kinks, Sparklehorse, and more. I have pretty
eclectic tastes in almost everything -- I am a Gemini through and
through! I love to listen to This American Life, and I'm slightly
bookwormy though not as much even as I'd like to be. I kickbox and I
have partial custody of a one-eyed dog, who I love. I'm not allergic
to anything. Food with love in it is very important to me... I have
summers off, and this summer I'm going to read and box and have dinner
parties. I lived in NYC for five years, where I worked at a music
magazine for three years, and then a women's magazine for nine months
too long. I quit all that to get my master's and become a teacher -- I
taught for one fantastic year in Brooklyn before moving back down
south. I grew up in NC, but I don't really fit in with the southern
belle-sorority type of southernness...My friends are teachers,
writers, dancers, restaurant people, musicians, lawyers, vets, and
women's studies professors. I love smart, multi-faceted, funny, aware
people. With good teeth, a good handle on spelling, a better than
average vocabulary, and a lust for life!
You are not a darklordish, self-absorbed hater of humanity. You are
creative and thoughtful and fun loving. You've got style and opinions
and interests, and you like to talk to people and are at ease with
yourself. You might get the New York Times. You love to eat and you
wear cool shoes. You read. You don't sit around and mope and you don't
eat at chain restaurants. You'll drive far to eat bbq, you'll go to
see art, to see live music, you'll visit the historic home of a
socialist poet; you'd paint a picture of a pear or do a dance; you'd
go to the beach, to Vietnam, to the Rialto, and you'll stop your car
to move a turtle out of the road. You might drive a motorcycle. You
are well-read, you know what's going on in the world, and you can fix
things. Mostly, you are into being on this planet.
13
I´m looking for that special funny, happy, kind, considerate, self-assured,
honest, sincere, affectionate, romantic, motivated, imperfect man that
is just right for me. He makes me laugh and can laugh at himself as well. He
has his own endearing quirks and imperfections just as I have mine. He has
the incredible ability to care for and nurture just as he can be cared for
and nurtured. He knows what love is, knows himself and what he is looking
for. He is cautious and selective, however he knows how to move forward in a
loving, intimate and healthy relationship with the right person.It is likely
that he is successful by his own definition and strives to be his best at
whatever he does. He enjoys his work and is good at it but has balance in his
life and believes in nurturing his personal life as well as his professional
life.Physically, he is 5´10? or taller with a medium to large frame and
moderately athletic to medium body size. He smiles and has kind eyes. He
values his relationships with loved ones and friends. He knows how to be
alone just as well as he knows how to be with others and in a relationship.He
wants to build solid foundation with a special woman while nurturing a fun
and fulfilling relationship together as they move forward in life. He sees
himself in the future with a family and is both excited and amazed at the
idea.
14
Travel is a big part of my life, in my architecture career and for enjoyment.
My travels have taken me to the Middle East, South Pacific,
and Europe to see people and places differently. One of my most memorable
trips was designing a resort in the Fijian Islands. Architecture is not just
my career, it is also my passion. Spending time outdoors, whether it is
hiking, mountain biking, camping, or lying around in the sun is my getaway.
Rainy days are great for museums, a game of chess, or a good book. Nights are
spent over a leisurely dinner, dancing, or a movie. I enjoy yoga, relaxing in
a hot tub, and getting a therapeutic massage. I am interested in trying tango
and salsa dancing in the near future. Being new to the Bay Area, I would like
to get out and explore the Wine Country and Sierras.
I´m a morning person who likes to get up early and go for a walk in the mist
(with a cup of coffee). I am contemplative and like to gain
ideas in conversation for depth and meaning. I am a romantic who is searching
for beauty in life. I am passionate about learning new things and always
willing to try something different. My eyes sparkle with the sense of
adventure. I love the companionship of animals and the minds of children. I
grew up in a stable family with a brilliant father and a kind-hearted mother
who took my younger sister and myself to visit the world. I am focused,
determined, loving, honest, sensitive, optimistic, energetic, independent,
and happy.
15
A myriad of contrasts, my soul is not easily defined. I am cerebral and
analytical, while equally joyful and passionate. I enjoy artistic and
intrinsically enriching endeavors, as well as feats of athleticism and rugged
challenge. An intellectual at heart, I yearn for intense debate and
exploration of ideas. I remain ever in search of the fire that burns among
common minds and hearts, and the challenge that exists in the process of
discovery of those less familiar. I thrive on the exposure to new ideas and
means of thought, as they present greater challenges and opportunity for
growth. Sensitive and soulful, I am an endless romantic. I believe in the
power of chemistry among like-minded individuals, above all else. While it is
easy to identify with someone, it is far more intense to encounter a shared
connection that ignites one's true passion.
I have resolved to enjoy more of life and living, from this year forth. I am
in search of a partner to join in such endeavors. My ideal partner is not
defined by external components. Rather, he is ever evolving and seeks out new
opportunity for growth and joy. Personally, I seek a perfect balance of
social and inner growth. I often enjoy art, theater, film and all manner of
social exchange, though am equally content in quiet introspection. I am
similarly at home in a jazz club as I am in a gallery or sandy dune. After
many years as a city girl, I have developed a profound appreciation for
cultural diversity and the varied artistic benefits of living in the Bay
Area. A lifelong Californian and native to the Bay Area, I love the outdoors
with a passion that is unmatched by city life. I am in search of a partner to
join in the many opportunities for exploration and fun that abound.
16
I am a person who tries to enjoy life to the fullest while making time
to help others enjoy their lives as well. In Latin my name means
?advisor?. This is very fitting since I enjoy giving guidance to those
who may need direction in their lives. This is why I chose to be a
psychologist.I am very close to my family and friends. I believe they
are my most valuable possessions. I love relationship dynamics and
certainly enjoy being in a respectful and loving relationship
myself. I think I have a good sense of humor although it is a bit
sarcastic at times. All in good fun of course! I am very excited
about my career plans and have always been very ambitious and
goal-oriented.
I would like to meet someone with similar interests, someone who is
socially conscious and has healing instincts. I enjoy challenging
conversations regarding politics, world views, religions or spiritual
theories, art, literature, law, medicine, and, of course, mental
health. I am looking for someone who is well-traveled and
well-educated. Someone who appreciates the finer things in life.It is
important for someone to be very self-aware and able to understand his
faults and strengths. It is important that someone be very
family-oriented and aware of his cultural background.I am looking for
a warm-hearted, focused, highly motivated, caring citizen of the world
with a great sense of humor and style. I´m looking for someone I
admire.