Hlaurie, 68

Found this site after reading the article "Caring for your Introvert" (The Atlantic). I am intellectually inclined, but my Brooklyn lower middle class upbringing, early social network has highly attuned, pragmatic mom has kept me pretty down to earth. Am working on completing my doctorate in special education - hope to be done by the end of Fall. Progressively minded, strive to live a healthy (but not fanatic) lifestyle, enjoy nature, cycling, walking, the beach, traveling, photography, films, pbs, npr - guilty pleasures = Desparate Housewives/People magazine. Enjoy fine dining but also simple, fresh food; I've never been married, but come with a wonderful but somewhat possessive 40 lb adorable mutt.
He can be won over, and is a pre-requisite to any long term relationship.
Am very independent. I think I have lots of affection to offer so long as I am given adequate amounts of space and time. Still not sure how much that is!
My appearance - I don't look much older or younger than my age; plenty here to put your arms around but am not encumbered by my size (approximately comparable to Rosie O'Donnell); sometimes I think I'm like that woman on Seinfeld, who can look really good but in another light not so much.

Am looking for an intelligent, humanistic man to bring out my sense of fun, engage in mutual appreciation of the struggle to do good and enjoy life with integrity and compassion.