Helloing!
I'm Cody, and I'm about 6'3, blue eyes, dark brown hair, 250lb that I carry well with a big frame (down from 290 in just a few months, hell yeah), and I'd jokingly call myself your stereotypical average white man by appearance. While I don't hold any personality tests or traits as a rule of absolute, I've found my combination of INFJ 1w2 154, Aries Sun, Gemini Moon, Leo Rising to be so accurate together it honestly scares me but amuses me all the same, so feel free to dig into that for a thorough scaffolding of my person. Now, I'm gonna yap a lot but have no interest in wasting anyone's time, especially yours, so allow me to rip the band-aid off first. If you can see past it to want to see more and don't mind some reading, I already appreciate you.
My Self-Aware Red Flags and What I'm Doing About Them:
- I'm currently in a stage of restructuring my life, and am not living on my own nor driving at the moment. This is a major priority for me and I'm actively pushing myself out of it through promotions at my job and better managing my finances. My intent is to be totally independent early/mid next year without accruing any debts, and if I meet someone before that freedom, I've no desire to pull you physically or financially into my situation. They're my burdens, not your problem to solve.
- I have dental issues that I know can really put people off, but afaik, they're only cosmetic thanks to good hygiene. They're related to childhood trauma and nothing more. My life has simply never allowed me the financial freedom to do something about it. That will begin to change either during or after becoming independent as a non-negotiable for myself for both long term health and confidence.
- For various reasons, I suffer from long-term memory recollection issues. That's not to say I don't remember things. I can recall details of things going back to when I was an infant. But these memories become time capsules after a time, opened only by something directly related to and involving its contents. To many, especially those not entirely safe in their emotions or ability to communicate, this is a deal breaker as it may be frustrating when I don't immediately remember something. I've spent the last few months building habits that help reinforce and train my memory, as well as just being better about writing things down, though I will never be 'normal'.
Still Here? Awesome. Here's Some More About Me:
I'm a very private, closely guarded person to those outside of my heart, avoiding nearly all social media and crowded places. I have little interest in casual small talk, and no interest in maintaining shallow friendships. That's not to say I'm antisocial. I have no problems talking with people, making friends or getting to know someone, and I often find people are drawn to me even if I may not want them to be. But my life needs meaning and depth that has a standard I will only ever apply to myself, making basic relationships difficult to tolerate or reach out, which can put people off. So what does someone like that enjoy?
I'll always identify as a gamer at heart, with different genres claiming different eras of my life. Everything from CoD, to WoW, to Minecraft. I enjoy challenging myself, exploring, and when able, leading. Gaming is taking a bit of a backseat lately though as I focus on myself and having better habits, so here's some other hobbies as well as those I'll gladly explore someday with someone at my side:
- I enjoy writing, primarily with fantasy or sci-fi themes and romantic/erotic plot points that don't subtract from the story. Usually short stories, but I've been developing a book series for the better part of 16 years that I can struggle to really focus on and put on paper.
- I love to read, typically along the same themes as my writing like The Expanse, or ACOTAR for some popular examples, but I'm also into psychology (more on that soon) and very open-minded into other genres. Slowly building myself a personal library as I prefer physical books when able.
- Despite spending most of my time at home or work, I adore being out in nature, and I'm looking forward to travelling around with someone and sightseeing wherever our passion takes us. Crater Lake is a definite bucket list spot, along with Switzerland. Yes, the entire country.
- TV/Movies are always there when you need them, and there isn't much I won't watch, but unless I'm binging a show for the hell of it, I'd rather put my time elsewhere when I'm alone. If you don't like Supernatural, you'll never understand my perfectly acceptable crush on Jensen Ackles as a straight man.
- Music. Music is eternal and necessary, and I listen to so many different forms from groups like Bad Omens or Linkin Park, to KPop, to oldies from the 40s-90s (Thank you GTA, Guitar Hero and Fallout for that). I'd like to build a vinyl collection someday. They're like books to me, but for music. Authentic.
- Fitness and wellbeing. I'm no gym rat nor will I ever be, and this has always been a sporadic part of my life that I'm now trying to really tighten the reins on with a focus for exercising in the comfort of my place or walking in nature. I don't care to have a home gym, but have slowly built a personal toolkit when affordable.
- I'm a solid, albeit amateur cook who likes to experiment when I'm not learning how to bake. Focusing on my health lately has me really wanting to spend more time in the kitchen, and I'm going to get into some food prepping soon! I don't do spicy though. I'm a seasoned white boy from south Florida, but spicy ain't it for me.
- Hobbies I intend to revisit: Drawing, painting, photography, archery, and guitar/music theory.
- Hobbies for the future: Gardening, metalworking/workshopping. I like working with my hands and knowing I made something of worth beyond my own thoughts.
If you got this far and think "Man, this guy is too much.".. Yeah, you're right. I enjoy it that way though, and I don't mind saying what's on my mind in a blunt, honest or thorough fashion. Sometimes people think it's all fake, or that they can handle it, tolerate it, and ultimately burn out, so this is largely to avoid all of the above before it can even be an issue. Regardless, I find true purpose in helping people achieve their goals, improve themselves, make their day a little easier, or simply offering a moment to vent their issues whether they want my thoughts or not. My current line of work doesn't allow for much of that being a retail meat cutter, but it's stable income, and I am very, very good at what I do, so it's security for the foreseeable future and opportunity to move into management, which I am.
But it's not my end goal. I'll stick with it long enough to build my 401k alongside my savings, network myself, and secure a simple but rewarding mid-life, yet I'll also be putting myself back in school to eventually achieve a career swap over to psychotherapy, ideally beginning within the next few years with the goal of being licensed before I'm 45. That will mean a lot of solitude from time to time in an already homebody-styled, quiet life. At least, quiet on the outside looking in. Ultimately, every path I now tread in life will be to lead a simple but very fulfilling life alongside someone to the very end together. I don't need the fancy car, massive house, or rooms full of priceless collectibles. I'd love a small, cozy place that I can walk through and cherish as ours, to be able to see my love in every facet.
So I'm not interested in playing mind games, or half-hearted commitment, and given my current situation, I'm in no rush but still want to put myself out there. I neither smoke nor drink but casually used to, and I'm very much leaning into not having children with the state of the world as a politically far left leaning, spiritually agnostic realist. However, if the red strands of fate have other plans there, I'm not one to shirk responsibility and love, nor do I even view the choice as mine, but that of my love. My choice is not to try for it beforehand. My labor of love is to support and serve either way. And I do live to serve (mostly), so I'll move onto who I'm really looking for.
Home Is Where The Heart Is, and She Has a Name.
These last years of my life have taught me many things, but above all else, it's that I need someone to love, to give my all. I can live in loneliness, but to feel alive, someone must hold my heart, and I need to know how they feel about it. I'm hoping to find someone that not only shares in my dreams and shares their own with me, possibly most of my hobbies, but also someone who loves making people feel seen and understood. Someone who understands their emotions alongside their thoughts, is open to talking honestly and with kindness, and prefers meaningful conversations over office water cooler chatter, plus solving arguments with comfort and teamwork instead of malicious spatter. I value praise and warmth over toxic controlling behaviors.
We're all human, and people make mistakes. With every mistake, I find a lesson, and I don't need someone to remind me of the problem, but rather to put their hands in mine and figure out what's best for us or to sit beside me while I figure my own issues out while not being afraid to tell me they may need a little space for their own frustrations. Being a massively affectionate, intimate person in every way when I love someone, I'm looking for transparency and constant communication in our relationship, whether vocal or physical. You're not simply my best friend in this life, or a beautiful soul, but also my innermost peace and purpose.
I need someone who understands that while I can't give them the world around us, I would do anything to make one of our own together even just to see them smile at me every morning. While I'd prefer someone who has their own independence, their own goals and hobbies they like to do on their own time, they would capture my focus the moment they walk in the room. Therein lies my desire to share in their passions and joy, to hold them through darker days, and to make sure they lay beside me every night knowing what it is to be content, relaxed, happy. I'm just a Gosling looking for my McAdams, though everyone has boundaries, needs respect, and everything I'm looking for is a two-way street.
I'm never going to ask you to do something I wouldn't, do something that I know would make you uncomfortable without your consent, or try to change you as a person. Those are promises that need to be not only mutual, but part of you, and part of us for someone to mesh deeply with me. Someone that checks all of those boxes will find that I have a hunger to see them reach highs they didn't know they could, to succeed in being their best self. No matter my own stress or time, a day won't go by without them knowing they're loved, admired, and appreciated. If you've made it this far thinking it could be you, please don't underestimate that last bit. Wherever you think that bar is in your head, I will raise it, because that's who I am. My soul will ache to nurture and pursue yours.
Some Important Extras That Don't Need Novels:
I'm not opposed to LDR, but unlikely to leave my locale for familial, professional and medical reasons.
I have two cats that I adopted. Both neutered, usually-behaved males. I will meow at them.
I've been diagnosed with ADHD, and while I'm medicated and going to therapy, I don't want this to define my person or my life. It can always be worse.
I'm not a materialistic person, but lean into the interests of my love whenever possible. That, with everything else I've said, essentially makes me a build-a-bear, golden retriever simp and I'm proud of it. You'll know without a single doubt that I'm your biggest fan.
I don't have OCD (that I know of) but enjoy being organized and clean. Don't let that make you believe I couldn't love you on the messy days or think that I won't have some of my own.
I habitually dress casual or office casual, and don't have a single tattoo or piercing, yet I enjoy seeing different aesthetics and trying new things. A canvas waiting for his painter. Wanna play dress up? Remember the two-way street. Call it reverse strip poker.. after playing actual strip poker.
Physically speaking, I don't have a specific type in women. Short, tall. Skinny, chubby. Skin color, hair color. I fall in love with the soul and heart before the body. I genuinely believe most women are beautiful, largely due to a fixated admiration on the female form as an everchanging temple of art. Even considered being a nude photographer once, but influencer culture is a plague I prefer to stay vaccinated for. It's the spirit that makes someone ugly. Still, I have the caveat of wanting to reinforce a casually healthy lifestyle, so I'm not looking to introduce someone who may be stuck in their bad habits into my life, because habits are contagious when around them enough (Okay, this one needed a small novel. A postcard. Oops.)
Age wise, I'm unbothered by decent age gaps as long as we have mutual ground to relate to each other on, which I've given quite a bit to be taken in here. Being closer in age would feel naturally comfortable though, as I'm in it for the long ride through life when I find my person.
You're Still Here??? You're either patient or stubborn, and I'm both.
Teasing aside, if you really did read through all of that and can imagine building and sharing a future together, I would love to hear from you. Tell me a bit about yourself, what you're up to that has your attention lately. We have plenty of time.
Edit: Fixed a typo, but also see a lot of "This is AI" concern from people in other posts. Not here. I'll genuinely send you a novel of thought for the hell of it. You'll never question exactly what's on my mind. <3