Hiya! Thanks for taking the time to read my post, you wonderful person!

I've learned a lot of things as I've gotten older, and one lesson in particular that life keeps throwing my way is that finding good friends worth holding onto is hard! We're all so busy trying to balance work, family, self-care, hobbies, staying active, and the myriad of other priorities we choose to take on, that it can be pretty easy to let our friendships wither and fall to the wayside, which has always felt like such a shame. Think about it - just how often do you meet someone who's willing to invest the time to understand you as you really are? Someone who's just as interested in providing support as they are receiving it? Someone who seeks first to understand your mistakes, rather than judge you for them? Well, I say it's time for me to buck that trend and build some real, enduring friendships with some of you amazing people out there - after all, all we've got to do is find each other! 😁

So, who's this internet weirdo, and what does he want? Ideally I'd like to find some local friends in the Denver area to get to know and eventually hang out with! I'm certainly open to making connections with those further afield as well, especially if you'd like to hop on a game some time (more details on that below). As for me, I'm...

• 34, single (happily divorced) with no kids, unless you count my amazing doggo Max (pictures below)
• Extroverted, in that being with people tends to recharge my batteries, whether that's an evening out, or a quiet night at home.
• Pretty open-minded, empathetic, and progressive (though not militant about it)
• Enjoy all the usual nerdy hobbies: books, tv, movies, theater, tech; but I also like to branch out with things like cooking, woodworking, and hiking.
• Passionate about learning just about anything, especially physics and other STEM topics!
• A software engineer working remotely in the tech industry, which affords me a pretty flexible life.
• Living with some mental health issues, but who makes it to 35 without 'em? Therapy rocks; talk psychology and self-care to me, baby!
• Vaxxed and boosted, and so should you be!

Sound interesting? If so, why not hit me up and maybe we can try one of the following:

Hiking

I'd call myself an intermediate hiker, and I like to get out for one every weekend that weather, schedule, and health allow! My hikes are usually in the range of 8-12 miles and 1500-2500 ft elevation gain, but I'm happy to tone it down or push myself a bit to match your skill level!

D&D and Board Games

There's nothing quite like getting a bunch of fellow nerds together to share a few brews and board games! I enjoy all the usual suspects (Catan, Pandemic, Betrayal at House on the Hill, Carcassonne, etc.), but love learning new games as well! I'm also an experienced D&D 5E player and would love to find a local group to join!

Other adventures

Let's plan some adventures and get out there together! Do you like camping? Skiing? Rafting? Road trips to national parks? How about we finally check out that brewery or bar you've had your eye on, or the meetup group you've been too nervous to attend alone?

Getting baked

If adventures aren't your style, I'm fresh off a COVID-induced tolerance break, and would love to find some fellow ents to kick back and chill with!

Gaming

Like most basic bois around here, I love a good video game, especially if I can enjoy it with friends! I do most of my gaming on PC these days, but I'm also happy to hop on my switch or find something that supports crossplay! I'm not very competitive and seldom have the time to "git gud" at PvP, but that said I absolutely love anything that has co-op or team play (including PvP team play, as long as you don't expect a tryhard). Some of my recent favorites have been Factorio, Borderlands, Phasophobia, COD, Warzone, Minecraft, Overcooked, Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes - all sorts of stuff, really!

Polyamory and Kink

I consider myself to be polyamorous and am pretty kinky, and I'd love to meet some members of those local communities! I'm happy to share more about those aspects of myself privately, so feel free to ask if you're curious!

Finally, as a thank-you to anyone who's read this far, here's a few pictures of me so you know who you're talking to. Hope to hear from you!

Basically, my relationship with Max, so pretentious!

Down for a hike? Taken at the summit of Sugarloaf Mountain!

Bonus points if you can name the game my shirt's referencing!