Ryan

Average white male, 50, postal worker, happily divorced in 2018 after a 20-year train-wreck of a marriage (that was my shot - never again), living in the Portland, Oregon (USA) area. I'm honest, sincere, wistful, nostalgic, defeated, loyal, melancholy, bitter, sad, semi passive-aggressive, pessimistic, regretful ... I am many things, often all at once, with varying percentages.

YES, the glass is half-EMPTY.

The ONLY reason I'm even bothering to remain on this planet with the rest of you fine people is because of my wonderful 21-year-old daughter (the true love of my life). Otherwise, I would've "deleted my account" a long time ago ...

And, not that it should matter, but I'll just come right out and say it - I'm an atheist. I won’t bore you to tears with a full de-conversion story about how I broke free from the yoke of childhood indoctrination except to say that yes, my research was thorough and sincere and that any pleas to any gods - at the absolute lowest points of my life - were met with deafening silence. Ask me why I don't believe in your particular god, and I'll ask you why you don't believe in "Amon Ra," the Egyptian Sun God ... our answers will be the same.

But, even if you're really religious, I'm sure we'll get along fine - I try hard to be respectful of other people's religious beliefs ... as long as they keep their religion out of schools and legislation.

If you’ll admit it, you and I are insignificant - just two of BILLIONS of humans on this planet, living the only life we KNOW we have. To me, religion in general ends up being so divisive - but all we really need to do is treat people well and try to live a good life without harming others, and that's all that matters, regardless of whether or not you think that there's something that happens "after" this ...

Would I ever attend a high school reunion? HELL NO ... I hope I never see any one of those people ever again in my life. High school (or Junior high, for that matter) was not a fun time - the last thing I need to try to do is pointlessly try to "reminisce" with people who either wouldn’t remember or wouldn’t care who I am ...

...and no, I don't have a "blog" or maintain a "Facebook Profile." In fact, the profile you are now reading is probably the lengthiest piece of information there is about me anywhere, let alone on the internet. And I'm no "Luddite" but I LIKE that.

There are a few blogs that are interesting, I'm sure, but for the most part, people just waste their time on them for no good reason other than self-validation, like, "Look, world ... I exist!". Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook ... I don't participate. My life is pretty 2-dimensional, and I would actually be amazed if anyone wanted to read about MY daily exploits.

(not to "dis" anyone who actually does maintain a blog, or if you're active on social media or whatever ... I'm just sayin' ... in MY case)

Music is my life ... it's helped me through many a hard time, and I can't imagine life without it. If YOU can, I'd rather not know you at all.

What music do I like? Oh, I could go onandonandon ... Tame Impala, Failure, Jon Brion, Sleigh Bells, Public Enemy, Neko Case, Living Colour, Pete Yorn, Elliott Smith, OMD, RHCP, Eels, Duran Duran, First Wave Hello, Astrud Gilberto, Anthrax, Jeff Lynne and ELO, Abba, Eisley, Midnight Oil, Beck, Lana Del Rey, Antonio Carlos Jobim, the Cardigans, Faith No More, Belly, Smashing Pumpkins, Olivia Newton-John, Brendan Benson, Delays, Dandy Warhols, Enya, Adiemus, Soundgarden, The Jayhawks, Robyn, Sia, Ken Andrews, Madonna, Nine Inch Nails, Shins, The Cult, Veruca Salt, Kool Keith, Bee Gees, DJ Z-Trip, DJ P, Prince, MF Doom, Keane, the Go-Go's, Keane, Coldplay, Slayer, Garbage, Mazzy Star, The Vines, etc ... and I'm ALWAYS up for a good "blend" (mashup, if you must call it that).

Better Off Dead, Back to the Future, Clerks, Pulp Fiction, Young Guns ... Cinderfella with Jerry Lewis ... most anything with Clint Eastwood, Mark Wahlberg, Brad Pitt and the like. I'm even into some older classics like "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" and "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" ...

I like comedy, but NOT a lot of "gross-out" humor (ie, the 40-Year-Old-Virgin? No thanks.) No horror movies, either ... depravity and blood and gore? No, thanks - my sense of empathy can’t handle it. I don't understand the type of people who enjoy that sort of thing.

I have a soft spot for Studio Ghibli anime ... I've watched almost all of them with my daughter and bought her the blu-rays ... we prefer English dubs because we both find it annoying to have to READ while you watch the show.

I LOVE being able to "binge-watch" shows on DVD ... like Dexter, Bosch, Game of Thrones, Southland, Sons Of Anarchy, It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, Justified, Veronica Mars, Yellowstone, Breaking Bad, Rescue Me, The Umbrella Academy, The Shield, Sopranos, Dead Like Me, Arrested Development, Kung Fu (with David Carradine), Animal Kingdom, Little House on the Prairie (still makes me cry EVERY time), Seinfeld, Downton Abbey (I will really miss that one) ...

I used to LOVE doing the "mix-CD" swaps on here ... since they banned them, I RARELY come around ... maybe once or twice a year, and that's enough to remind me why I don't use this site much anymore. I'm not that "crafty" yet I sometimes see a swap that looks fun and decide to participate.

HOWEVER ... if I sign up for your swap, do me a favor and don't "freak out" if I haven't signed in to the site during the previous week (I've dealt with some rude, brutish swap coordinators that think they have to run their swap like some sort of iron-fisted dictator) ... IF I SIGNED UP FOR YOUR SWAP, THAT MEANS I AM COMMITTED. Anyone that would suspect me of being a "flake" without 'just cause' is not only being unfair, but insulting, and that really PISSES ME OFF. I mean, it doesn't matter, but I am an ORIGINAL MEMBER of this site, and that should count for something. My word is bond ... and if that isn't good enough for you, then F.U. because I don't want to be in your stupid swap anyway.

That said ... if you’re an easy-going, COOL swap coordinator, you can depend on me!

I'm one of those people that doesn't have a real strong preference on most things ... I'm easygoing and not very demanding. Of course, nothing religious ... I am fascinated by miniature things ... like, little things that would go in a fancy dollhouse, etc. Unusual or really cool stickers are always nice ... and I'm always down for snacks! I really do like the swaps where people talk about their life ... email stuff. Getting to know other people can be fun. Then again, every time I go to Costco I want to bring a bat and start swingin' ... LOL