If you actually read this I'll be impressed.

Used to frequent the muscle room on gay.com; unfortunately I've lost contact with the guys I chatted with there. This is the only site I chat on now. If I'm logged on here I'm usually willing to chat, but please have something to say. Not into sexual chat, cyber, or phone, and i"m not looking for a bf/partner or to hook up. I used to frequent the Intellectuals Room on this site, but unfortunately that room is pretty much dead now. If you pvt me and I don't respond it probably means I am away from the site (or from the computer). Please don't send a friend request if we have not chatted - it will be declined. My pic is really old; I should upload a more recent one and will get around to that eventually.

Would definitely like to have more friends, particularly local ones (I'm in Los Angeles).

Subjects I enjoy chatting about: politics (progressive democrat), history, travel, languages, books, ideas, current events/international relations. Things I don't enjoy chatting about: tv shows (don't watch except for occasional pbs show, and i don't have cable or satellite); movies (never go), popular music (only listen to radio in car, and have no idea who the popular singers/musicians are these days); sports (absolutely no interest); pets (don't have and don't particularly like).

Will occasionally send a compliment to someone who has a nice picture and/or profile; no response expected except maybe a thank you.

(Updated January 1 2026.)

Education: B.A. Economics and Russian, M.A. Russian Studies, J.D.

Employer: Now retired; previously did various jobs in legal field and computer programming/testing/tech writing. Lapsed lawyer.

College/University: Stanford (B.A./M.A.), UC Berkeley (J.D.)

Religion: Jewish. I don't practice the religion, but I identify strongly with the culture and traditions. 10 years of Jewish day school and my maternal grandfather was an orthodox rabbi, but it didn't take I guess.

Political Views: Progressive, democrat (by default - not particularly impressed by Democratic party generally)

Favorite Quotes: 'The best cure for belief in democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.' (Winston Churchill)

'A lie will go twice around the world while the truth is still tying its shoelaces.' (Many variations/attributions, often to Mark Twain)

'Tonight I feel like a million - but please, one at a time.' (Mae West)

'If the rich could hire other people to die for them, the poor would make a nice living.' (Yiddish saying)

'The cemeteries are full of indispensable men.' (Charles de Gaulle).

'You can't go back and change the beginning but you can start where you are and change the ending.' (attributed to C.S, Lewis, probably wrongly.)

Books: Mostly history/biography. Used to belong to a reading group at local gay center, but have a time confict now. The only books that have stayed with me from the group are 'The Heart's Invisible Furies' and 'In the Darkroom'. Have a list of about 200 books to read, will probably never get to most of them.

Movies: Haven't seen a movie in years, but might start going again.

Television: In the past watched only PBS, and now don't even watch that. Don't have cable or satellite, so the few things I watch I do on computer: Chicago Med for some interesting characters and plotlines; House (although his shtick gets wearing). Waste way too much time on youtube app, which has piqued my interest in some shows from the past. One series I did watch was 'The Marvelous Mrs Maisel.'

Music: Don't listen much, but I enjoy most genres except rap, country/western and jazz (instant headache) George Gershwin is my idol.

Games: Freecell, Spider Solitaire and Minesweeper (free on computer/web).

Interests: History, politics, biography. I am following the war in Ukraine closely. Foreign languages.

Activities: Used to work out religiously but fell out of the habit. Big mistake. After many years away from the gym, have starting working with a trainer and so far it's going well. Immediate goal was ability to get up off the floor unaided (DON'T GET OLD!), and now I can, although want to be able to do it more gracefully. Several years ago I tore a tendon in my foot (permanent injury) so that is somewhat limiting, but I do what I can. I've lost 2 inches on my waist and hope for more progress there, but I'm realistic about that at my age. I'll never have my 32" waist again (sob!) but just want to get as close as I can