Sweetandlively, 41

I'm 25, athletic, and intellectually-inclined. I am a competitive runner and have been for 11 years. I compete at the semi-professional level, including track races, trail running, road racing, and marathon training. I also enjoy hiking and go to the gym once or twice a week for cross training. I read just about every day too. Books are part of my livelihood, and I couldn't live without them. I also am working on a book of my own and have a few other writing projects envisioned for the future.

I consider my worldview to be pretty balanced for the most part. I try to balance my pessimism over certain issues with a sense of humor and lightheartedness. I'm open to laughter and do it quite often, but I have a serious side. There's something to be said for yin and yang, both for your own perspectives and in terms of your relationships with others.

I'm the type of person who will always ask, "Why?" and not take an occurrence at face value. I ruminate and introspect. That's not to say I can't just relax and enjoy things, but I try to avoid superficiality and answer some of life's larger and deeper questions. I should mention that though I would label myself agnostic, I do have a spiritual side. I believe there is something to be said for having a spiritual essence, but I don't think you need organized religion to discover it.

I enjoy going to museums, the movies on occassion (though I usually resort to DVD), the occasional bar or night club, hanging out with my with friends, stand-up comedy, and concerts. Basically, I am willing to do anything that is live, outdoors, or cultural.

In the past few years, I've been to Philadelphia and other parts of PA, much of NJ, NYC, Colorado, upstate NY, Connecticut, Virginia, and Boston. I also went to Europe last year, the Dominican Republic this year, and travel to NYC and Long Island for work during the fall and spring. I hope to see Maine, Vermont, and California sometime soon and visit Boston again.