Hope springs eternal. Looking for someone to have a connection with, is it you?

Thought I'd lead with the spectrum comment. I was considered to have Asperger's when that was still a thing. I am the intelligent and articulate neurodiverse type, worked in academia for years. I feel I've worked hard to learn to read body language and not talk people to death about my interests, but I really have no data on how well I am doing, I have so few interactions with people. I feel I still miss a lot of social queues and I fear many women have been traumatized by aggressive men so I assume women would rather I leave them alone. I watch for queues they may want to talk but either miss them or, more likely, they just aren't there.

I work remotely as a physicist (really just a spread sheet reviewer) on a government contract, so I can live anywhere. But working from "home" makes it even harder to meet people. One of the characteristics of people on the spectrum that I share is that although we seem to function well on our own, even seem to be in our own world, we do crave friendship and being in groups and finding that special someone. I'd love to have someone to go to dinner with or go for coffee and discuss how we can revive disco, or what's the greatest band and why it's ABBA.

I am interested in astronomy, weird radio signals (check out whistlers!), beetles, bees, ants, cacti and orchids. I've been an IT guy before that was a thing and love computers and playing social video games like minecraft, final fantasy XIV and fallout 76, and lately Sky: children of the light. I am not interested in watching professional sports, but I do like uniforms and the sort of tribal, belonging-to-a-group feeling when you see someone with the same team apparel. I think it would be fun to have someone to watch games with if that's your thing.

I go to the gym and do stupid exercise things to stay in shape so I can walk and hike anywhere and be fit for my future partner. I start something like bodyweight or sprinting but then switch in six months. I am the last hackey sack player.

My pet peeves are barking dogs and people who chew with their mouth open.

I am a bit of a minimalist now, do a bit of meditation.

I have lived all over the US, the longest in the Niagara Falls area and Miami. I like to live in the desert, I am in El Paso a lot, I find trees somewhat oppressive and love a big open starry sky. I think I could live anywhere. Right now I am in Pittsburgh as that's where my grown kids moved and I am helping them out. I would like to travel, but think it would be a little pointless on my own, so much better with someone to share it with. I have moved so much I don't feel like anywhere is home. I would so like to settle down.

I am a little tired of the US and it's American exceptionalism, I would like to live in (or stay a long time in) another country. Right now Berlin, Orkney, Glasgow, Melbourne (Au), Tokyo, Stockholm and Toronto are on my radar. I grew up on the Canadian border and spent summers in Southern Ontario with relatives.

I love learning languages, not terribly good at it but I keep at German and Japanese and know a bit of Icelandic and Swedish and would love to learn Russian and Korean and Chinese although it scares me (infections!) I keep hoping to meet someone from another country and learning their language.

I love Star Trek, the matrix, Jurassic Park, anything by the Coen brothers or Wes Anderson. I love 70s, 80s music and current trashy EDM. I just started learning the electric guitar.

I like to think I'm funny. My kids are great and we have a lot of fun. In grade school and college I had friends I hung out with all the time but they have drifted away - or I have. I've tried garden clubs, hiking clubs, reading clubs, exercise and meditation classes - so hard to make friends as adults.

But, I know when it comes to finding a partner there an intangible 'spark' that has to be there. I married the only person I have dated, so I am very inexperienced. (I am long divorced). Probably the people I'd be compatible with are so few and far between I need to cast as wide a net as possible, so, the whole earth it is. Happy to chat over text or voice or video to get to know people - anything to find that rare person I'm looking for! I can send you a picture and my website of random garbage I am into) if you are interested. No pressure!

Thanks for taking the time reading this, good luck on your search!