I enjoy a good challenge!

He chose an adventurous first date: rock climbing. This was one of his specialties but by no means one of mine! I dabbled in climbing as an undergrad--and by dabbled, I mean I went two or three times. Quite honestly, though, I forgot how difficult it was! As I stumbled amongst the "rock" holds, I remembered how humbling it is to be a novice at something. It was fabulous to be pushed to my limits for a change!

The experience was a welcomed challenge. He never allowed me to give up, but instead offered kind words of encouragement throughout the learning process. Still, I felt like an idiot! Despite the mismatch in climbing skills, we had a love of learning in common. Between climbs, we chatted about diverse topics--everything from the galaxy to literature, anatomy and physiology to cooking, and much more.

This is going to sound cocky--but I'm good at many things. I'll also be the first to say that there's always room for improvement. There are certainly many subjects and activities in which I'm very weak. But, I'm all about the self-enrichment! The down side of constant quest for knowledge is that there are few people out there who can hold my attention very long.

An amazing ex-boyfriend once described me as his "role model." It's flattering, of course, but what I really seek in a potential mate is an equal--someone with whom I can converse and learn about the multifaceted world. Lately, however, I haven't found many people like this. Sure, all the guys are well-versed in their particular areas of expertise (computer programming, finance, etc), but once the conversation navigates into their uncharted territories, they fall silent.

I want to be with someone who will enjoy being pushed to their limit, and hopefully who'll also be willing to push me (intellectually, athletically, etc). I've had conversations about the benefits and downsides of dating someone in the same field or with similar interests. I've come to the conclusion that, for me, as long as there is a potential for opening each others' minds, diverse interests can be an excellent aspect in any relationship.