Friends, Roman's, countrymen....lend me your ears (and eyes)! This is a long post, but you can do it.

I joined Reddit quite recently and have been surprised to find dating subs here. Mainly I signed up to look at silly shit, but I thought I'd take a jump at posting my own because dating sites are cold, cruel places. Read on!

So, I'm 40 years old, and live in the south east UK, in a small coastal town, 90 mins from London. Kinda young looking for my age, slim, bright and sociable character, with a wry sense of humor and sense of the absurd.....but something is missing in my life: a special girl.

Here is some more general gubbins about me: 5ft 8. Brown hair that goes a bit blonde in sunny weather. I'm one of the few men left in Britain with no beard and no tattoos!Glasses, but do wear contacts often. Laid back. Self employed with a job I like. 3 years single. No children (don't mind if you do - unless they have pretentious names, in which case go away.)

INTERESTS AND LIKES: Cooking and eating out. Being social in general. Independent cinema and good blockbusters. Podcasts. Walking. Roast dinners on a Sunday. Interesting conversation. Riding my bike in the countryside. Nature. Discovering good wine and craft beers. Darts, football, boxing, cricket (more into watching these days than playing!) Horse racing - I'd love to actually go to the races one day. Helping people - it really does make you feel good. Alternative ideas and lifestyles. Growing tomatoes. Interested in the unexplained. Internet culture - I'm a bit geeky.

BAD STUFF: Probably don't want children. Too many people on Earth as it is, without letting my weird spawn into the wild. A bit scatty. Dark rings under my eyes. Feel totally DONE with politics. Easily distracted. My nose is a bit big. I drive, but cannot stand it. [I won't be road tripping anywhere, unless you do the driving]. I avoid watching TV too much; it's depressing. I can be a bit too direct/honest.

The crap part I hate saying: Sorry, but I'm not into plus size women or anyone too tall. I'm not a bulky guy; I just feel dumb.

Other stuff:

Being single is fine, but boring. I'm looking for a fun person to hang out with and get out in the open air. Too many of my social occasions end up in the pub (nice as that is, but it would be good to do other stuff too).

I do not like selfishness, rudeness, arrogance or snobbery.

I love to laugh and make people smile.

Progressive thinker. Would find it hard to date a deeply Conservative person.

I find people and their obsession with social media baffling. I used to do it a lot, but saw the light a few years ago. In moderation it's OK, handy for keeping in touch with people I guess, but it drives depression and isolation much of the time. I can't stand to be with someone who has their phone up in their grill all the time. Live for yourself, not a social network

Have an irrational fear of cotton wool and wrinkly, shrivelled up bath hands. I also despise walnuts because they taste like wood.

I don't believe in separating everyone into either being a dog or cat person. It's ok to be both!

I work to live, not live to work.

photos available on request.

ONE MORE THING: If you are local to me, and just fancy being friends, then do say hello too. You can never enough mates. I've met some cool people internet dating, maybe I will here too.