I can't believe February is half over already. And Valentine's Day may be fake and invented by Big Flower and their evil lobbyists, but it's a really good reason to post this again. Right?

So far, my luck here has been mixed. I made a few friends, and friends are awesome, but I am still still hoping to meet someone for a travel-buddy-and/or-relationshippy-kinda-sorta-thing. (Yes, that's a technical term.)

Me:

• I'm a functional nerd.
• I have my shit together.
• Not stupid (I took the tests).
• 6'3/190cm. 48 years old, medium-gray-ish hair, trimmed beard, brownish eyes, glasses.
• Pasty white German, living in Berlin.
• I work as a team leader for an IT company.
• I see the world in 2d (really).
• I don't smoke and I rarely drink (alcohol, you smartass).
• Atheist, but not really interested in making others see the error of their ways.
• Despite being German I do have a sense of humor. (I am such a rebel.)
• I am single. No kids and no ex-wives. I'd like to keep it that way.
• Vaccinated. Four times. Caught COVID despite all precautions. Survived it. I shall now be invincible. (Well, probably not, but my initial plan of being the last human on Earth not to catch COVID failed, so we'll call this "plan B".)

I started a new job a couple months ago, which keeps me very busy and very little spare time. It's gotten a little better.

I do keep up with TV shows a bit more than I used to, and I signed up for an online game of Dungeons & Dragons. Earlier this year, I took a voice acting class (and decided it wasn't for me, but it was fun while it lasted). I play some video games, but pretty casually at this point. I dabble in writing and drawing (not good at either).

After walking a bit less last summer, my iPhone informs me I my daily average is the highest since records began (2.5 years).

My cautious optimism for real vacations for 2022 was mostly misplaced, but I did go on two short trips. Never make your vacation plans without considering the ineptitude of the property management responsible for setting up construction work at your place.

I should probably add that, while I live in Berlin, I do not intend to stay there. (Or Germany, if I can help it.) No solid plans yet, but I figure I should mention that in case you're one of those "Berlin is the best city in the world why would you not like Berlin you monster" people.

You:

• Please have a brain or something you use for one.
• You can hold your end of a conversation.
• Speak decent English.
• Drama free.

That's more or less it. I mean, bonus points if you're tall, have an accent, and are not a pasty white German, but that really doesn't matter.

We probably won't get along if you're a political extremist on either end of the spectrum ("ACAB" or "MAGA", no thanks to both). I am just wondering what a European version of "MAGA" might be. (Other than MEGA. Duh.) Probably "Russia is being threatened by NATO" or some bullcrap like that, but that lacks a catchy acronym.

Conversation Starters:

• Most outlandish travel experience you can't quite believe actually happened to you.
• What will complicate 2023? Robot uprising? Alien invasion? Cats & dogs living together?
• Topic of the novel you never quite finished writing? Or the one novel someone really should write if only they weren't sitting on their lazy asses and doing silly things like working a day job with long, long hours.
• Space. The Final Frontier. Our next best hope, or best left untouched lest things man was not meant to know start stirring and go bump in the night when the stars are right?

Or feel free to ask me anything. Or tell me about your 2023 travel plans so I can totally steal your ideas. Or a random factoid that's no more than mildly interesting.

Please send a PM, not a chat request. I'll reply asap (a year on, I am still not logged in 24x7. Shocking, I know).