My mistake - here in the states, the term “bush” isn’t used in the geographical sense as much as in the sexual sense. If it’s acceptable in your neck of the woods, by all means leave it in.
George W Coochie?
Personally, I’d never respond to somebody that listed specific music tastes. I like music as much as the next guy, but some people are way too into music. Don’t get me wrong. I like music and my girlfriend likes music, but she is a bit of a music snob. I don’t care to discuss music with her too much because while we share many tastes, she likes to put down those that she doesn’t like. I think if she had posted specific tastes in movies and music and had put others down, I wouldn’t have ever responded to her. (We met on myspace) That would have been a mistake on her part, and my part as well I guess, because even with that, we click well.
I love intelligent women, and typically I do not get intimidated by those smarter than me, but your whole profile intimidates the hell out of me. Not so much because you are intelligent, but you come across as one of those that lord their intellectual superiority about with words and “tastes.” Like the aforementioned music store clerk. Not saying you are that type, but your profile just comes across in that vein very strongly.
Not all Nerds put others down and not all Nerds are exclusionary.
Excellent point. araminty, I haven’t encountered you on the boards very much, but when I do you strike me as open, fun, and likeable. I always enjoy reading your posts, and I always think that the guy that gets to date you will be very lucky indeed. That doesn’t come across in your profile.
So which is the real you? That’s what you need to sell.
Strongly disagree on this point. Strongly. Even though I don’t believe I ever used “nerd” or “geek” in my online profile, I would search for girls based on those keywords alone. Anyone who is a nerd and proud enough to be one to say so in their profile is fine by me.
Otherwise, I agree with most of your comments.
That’s your profile right there. Should get you a hundred potential dates in the first couple of days. Then you can take your pick. 
Actually, I’m only half-joking, sadly enough.
blush Thanks.
I’m soulsearching today, and I guess I’m a bit defensive about internet dating, which is coming across in the tone of my profile. I spose my word choice can be improved - I changed “pretensions” to “ambitions”, for example.
I’m very interested in the variance of opinions I’ve got from you all. Also a bit taken aback that some of you assumed I was male and/or gay! Straight girls drink beer too! 
My town is pretty small (100K) which is the main reason I chose this particular site - just had to go with one of the big ones to get a reasonable pool. I was happy with OKCupid when I lived in Melbourne, but there’s very few locals listed.
No, just “the idiot”. So my only real use for the word “bush” is sexual, which is not to imply that the idiot is in any way sexual. Yuck.
A personal ad is an advertisement to find companionship. Advertisement should clearly state what the thing (or in thie case girl) being advertised is, what’s good about it, and why the target market should want it.
You say you “like nerds.” What are “nerds”? Is there even a commonly accepted definition for that term, and are you sure everyone else is using the definition you’re thinking of? “Nerd” to me means “someone who suffers from a profound, socially crippling lack of interpersonal skills.” When I think of nerds, I think of people who don’t know how to dress and maybe don’t wash their hair and have no friends; there’s no positive connotation to that word at all. (“Geek,” on the other hand, has a connotation of intelligence and technical skill.) Do you lack social skills? It doesn’t seem like it - you seem too smart and personable for that to be true. And even if you did, I would’t suggest that it’s a characteristic you’d want to advertise. So why risk giving that impression?
Remember, your ad isn 't about what YOU think, it’s about what the other person will think. Phrases and word choices that sound positive, fun or attractive when you write them will not be interpreted the same way by the reader.
If you’re going to use Internet personals (and I heartily, heartily endorse them; they absolutely do work - I met my wife this way, my best friend met his wife this way, and I know of many other examples) you have to bear in mind that the guys who read your ad will have read many other ads, even if it’s their first day on the Web site. They will quickly learn to filter what they’re seeing and reading. You learn, pretty quickly, how to interpret Personaladese:
- “Looking for Mr./Mrs. Perfect” - Bitch/Asshole
- “I want someone who will make me laugh” - Boring
- “I love candlelight dinners and long walks on the beach” - Idiot
- “No mind games!” - Plays mind games
- Unusually emphatic insistence on a need for honesty, openess, etc. - Paranoid
- “My friends think I’m pretty” - Ugly
- No picture - Amazingly ugly
- Any assertion of a character trait that is simply common to all decent human beings such as “honest,” “generous,” “nice,” should be taken to mean the person is in fact dishonest, miserly, nasty, etc.
- Assertions that the poster has really obscure tastes in music, cinema, books, etc., are usually horseshit.
Anywa, the thing about “I’m a nerd” is that anyone who would like that would already be impressed by the fact that your profile is written in correctly spelled, structured and punctuated English, and has relatively intelligent content. That alone will stand out - your ad as written in the OP would be in the top two or three percent of all ads in terms of non-stupidty. So to your target market you’ve already established your girl-with-brains credentials; you don’t need to say you’re a “Nerd,” (again, whatever the hell that means) and thus can avoid turning off someone who - like me, a reasonably smart guy who likes smart girls - would take that as being bad.
It’s your ad, of course.
And INCLUDE A PICTURE! It cannot be emphasized enough.
I don’t know much about online personals specifically, but just as a general critique: It comes off like you’re trying way too hard to project how quirky and offbeat you are. Quirky and offbeat are good things! But you don’t need to shoehorn five jokes, puns, and geek references into every single sentence. Ease up a little. You seem like a really cool person, let it come through more naturally!