Here's the profile I have posted at the three sex-specific matchmaking sites mentioned previously:

I'm self-employed in the creative professions, established, financially secure, own a condo in a quiet neighborhood. This airy, spacious apartment includes an extremely private roof garden that's perfect for erotic play in the warm months.

My avocations include reading; going to museums, art galleries, movies; listening to music (just about anything, the stranger the better); a bit of digital photography; and some writing -- I publish an online journal you can find at Plunce.com. My friends rave about my cooking. When I'm not on the job, I consider my life project to be creative hedonism.

Physically, I'm fit, wiry, handsome, and have no major vices. I'm tough-minded, tender-hearted, experienced, funny, inventive, enormously patient, a good listener. People say they like to hear me talk, so apparently I'm entertaining, but I don't let that go to my head in conversation, because I love to find out what others have to say.

Divorced long ago and presently unattached. I've been a dom for about 25 years, largely because the women drawn to me during those years have invariably been subs. Clearly they were reading something in me that I hadn't recognized. As they made their needs and desires clear I rose to the occasion, so to speak, allowing those aspects of myself to develop and flourish.

Ideal Person: Looking for that special submissive female with whom to find long-term erotic/emotional fulfillment and forge a permanent bond: a lover/muse and possible model/collaborator/traveling companion. You are: inquisitive, imaginative, romantic, smart as a whip (and ready for one) — articulate, petite, slender, passionate, uninhibited (or looking to shed your inhibitions), playful, a shameless hedonist, in urgent need of a firm guiding hand.

I'm not part of the the public bdsm scene. So far I've pursued my pleasures, and those of my lovers, in more private settings, just one on one. Much of what I practice has been taught to me by the women who've shared my life and my fantasies. I'm adept and patient with novices, so don't worry about any lack of experience.

Plusses: arts and literary interests; free to travel; John Norman/Anne Rice devotee; additional identities; massage skills; adept at breakfast in bed. If your romantic/erotic life has you feeling confined and frustrated, even fit to be tied, let me help you broaden your horizons.

LTR [long-term relationship] is my goal; that includes living and/or traveling together. But many of us with extensive professional involvements simply can't fit ourselves into other people's lives in that way on a daily basis. So I'm flexible about those aspects of all this.

And here's the profile of my new correspondent:

Now that I'm in my forties, I'mm looking at what I have — and what I don't have yet. I do specialized consultancy from my home office, and earn good money at it. I have a few good friends, but I'm not as social as other people I know. Yet I don't want to live alone; I need someone in my life, the right guy, the love of my life.

I consider myself an honest and understanding person, good sense of humor, open-minded. I grew up around books, so I love reading, all kind of books. Sometimes I think I read too much . . .

Other interests: Music, cooking, traveling, biking, riding horses, hiking and climbing, swimming and diving in the blue sea . . . Now and then I like dressing up and going out for a party or dance, but most of the time I enjoy the simple life at home, in t-shirt and blue jeans, reading and writing on my computer, looking after my plants and pets . . .

I divorced my ex-husband 10 years ago, have a 20-year-old daughter away at college. Specifics: 5'3", 110 lbs., dark brown eyes and hair; exercise regularly, power-walk half an hour every day if I can, keep myself in good shape.

No vices — and I think it's time for me to develop some. Smoking and drinking and gambling don't interest me, so that leaves . . . sex. I have very strong sexual energy, think about sex a lot, but except in the early years of my marriage I have never had a really satisfying sex life. (Hard for a single mom to make that happen). So, even though I'm starting late, I'd like to get that going.

I tried the newspaper personals, but found that they didn't include enough information. That's true of some of the profiles in online sites, but at least you get a lot of room to write about yourself. Plus photos, so you can see what the person looks like. I decided to try this site because one of my girlfriends told me about it. I like the fact that you can see what a man wants and expects and enjoys sexually — that's very important.

I haven't posted a lot of specifics of that nature because I don't really know yet what I prefer sexually, beyond the basics. But there's all kinds of things I've read about or seen in movies that I'd love to try, at least once.

Ideal Person: You need to become my best friend, mature and intelligent, honest and humorful, understanding and trustworthy.

I have always preferred mature men over younger ones, whether as friends or lovers. I'm attracted to their intelligence and their thoughts; they understand that inner beauty is more important than what's outside. I'd especially like it if you're a lot older than me; that's one of my dreams. I want to feel like a little kitten, huddling up against an old dog, watching the sunset together . . .

I'm looking for life-long love and marriage; no games, please.

Seems like a most promising match, no? Next: Our first email exchange.

More to come . . .