Let's see, I'm a 24 year old medical student living in Chicago.  Reading some of the profiles on here, I wonder if my experience of life differs so drastically from that of a typical guy my age?  For one thing, it's no challenge for me to find the silver lining in even the darkest of clouds.  I'm optimistic and genuinely happy (by choice more than an intrinsic predispositi​on to it), but I'm also able to acknowledge the bittersweet nature of human existence in the world.  I'm not sure whether I'm an idealist or realist, though.  On the one hand I'm capable of objectively seeing the world as it is... on the other, I also see many possible ways in which the people, events, and societies in the world could potentially change for the better (or worse).

Despite the lack of levity above, I tend to be a light-hearte​d, easy going guy who has a tendency to think- a lot.  I can hold my own in a conversation​ over coffee but enjoy traditional snail-mail letter writing even more.  I'm always looking for opportunitie​s to consider subjects, current events, or problems from a different perspective,​ so maybe you could help?

A little more about me: My sense of humor revolves mainly around witty repartee and sarcasm (but never at the expense of someone else).  My life is guided by a strong sense of values-both ethical and humanistic in nature: my family and friends hold a great significance​ in my life!  I can be an "intense"​ guy; I am constantly striving to be a better person and when it comes to pursuing my goals, I don't give up.  Nor do I ever give up on my friends.  (Period).

A similarly open-minded & sincere pen-pal FRIEND (snail-mail preferred).   Please be passionate about SOMETHING in life & have a sense of humor!  

Ideally, I'd like to find 2-3 pen pals who are interested in snail mail letter writing or e-mailing about real topics (not just small talk), but I'll just wait and see what happens... 

Please know that I have a really busy social and work schedule during the week, so please don't take personal offense if it takes me a few days to reply.

Also, i am trying to learn Chinese (Putonghua),​ so if you think you can help, 我可以幫助教講英文...​ (謝謝)!

By the way, something I'm not seeking here is a romantic relationship​...  so if that's what you're after, sorry but it's not going to happen.

Late night conversation​s with friends over coffee
Humor
Music
Bassoon
Hiking
Skiing
Running
Racquet sports (tennis & racquetball)​
Biographies
Economics
Philosophy
Science
Religion
Medicine
Psychology
Art
Modern architecture​/ industrial design
Cooking
Travel
Languages
Popping battles
Break dance
Happenstance​ &
Living in the moment!

Things I collect:
Fortune cookie fortunes
Postcards

Rachmaninov'​s piano concertos 2, 3, and preludes
Brahms German Requiem and symphonies
Schumann's chorus works
Puccini's operas
Dvořák (especially symph no. 9 mvt. 2
Sibelius (Swan of Tuonela or Finlandia)
Grieg's pretty good too... (notice a theme, anyone?)
Miles Davis
Ella Fitzgerald
John Coltraine
Duke Ellington
Elis Regina
Jao Gilberto
The Beatles
Pink Floyd
Santana
Journey
Queen
Chicago
Bob Dylan
Billy Joel
Ani DiFranco
Buena Vista Social Club
Cesaria Evora
Sigur Rós
Múm
& of course... deutsche Trinklieder!​

Mostly foreign films or classics of the "action"​ genre.   my movie tastes are ecclectic. The first 20 that came to mind are (in no particular order):

1. Indiana Jones (Raiders of the Lost Ark)
2. Gladiator
3. The Matrix
4. The Godfather
5. X-men
6. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
7. House of Flying Daggers
8. Lola Rennt
9. Proof
10. Star Wars (Return of the Jedi)
11. Ghost in the Shell
12. THX 1138 (& similarly weird dystopian movies in general)
13. The Manchurian Candidate
14. The Bourne Identity/Sup​remacy/Ultim​atum
15.  Spring Summer Fall Winter Spring
16.  The Fountain
17.  City of God
18.  Saving Private Ryan
19.  Dr. Strangelove
20.  Kill Bill V2 > V1.

i don't own a tv... I used to enjoy watching the Simpsons, Family Guy, ER, Scrubs, Whose Line is it Anyway, Mr. Bean, British comedy in general, Heroes, and Deutsche Welle Nachrichten but then cable exceeded my monthly budget, so off it went.

(Far too many to list)... here are a handful of my preferred authors: Asimov, Herbert, Berlin, Orwell, Heinlein, Rand (fiction), Tolkien

"Everyt​hing has been figured out, except how to live."
J-P Sartre

"The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time."  - B. Russell.

“Never give in, never give in, never; never; never; never - in nothing, great or small, large or petty - never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense” W. Churchill

"Love is all, it gives all, and it takes all."  - S Kierkegaard

(In Hard times) “If this is a blessing, it is certainly very well disguised.”-​ W. Churchill

“We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.” - Buddha

"Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music!"​ - Sergei Rachmaninov
"The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education."​ - A. Einstein

“Do not lose hold of your dreams or asprirations​. For if you do, you may still exist but you have ceased to live.”-HD Thoreau

“Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens.” - CG Jung

"When words fail, music speaks."​ - HC Andersen