Militarylady, 34

I am a full time student, working towards my PhD in psychology. Because I am a full time student, I don't have a lot of free time, so someone that is understanding of the constraints on my time, and feels comfortable with not being in constant contact.
I am half Filipino, and come from a very large family. Family is very important to me.
I have a black lab mix, and she's like my baby. I am definitely more of a dog person than a cat person.
I am looking for someone that I can just sit and talk to, but also feel comfortable getting dressed up and going out with at the same time.
I like to go out and explore new places, but just staying in and vegging out is ok on occasion too.
I am working on myself, physically and emotionally. I've lost quite a bit of weight so far, and I've got a bit more to go before I'll be satisfied. I am working on where I want to be in life, and I deserve someone that's willing to do the same.
The biggest turn off for me would be someone that's constantly complaining about their situation, but not willing to do anything to improve or change it.
I'm at a place in my life where I know what I want, and I'm not afraid to go after it.
At first, I will admit that I sometimes come off as either very shy, or kinda mean. Once I'm used to someone though, I come out of my shell. I can get very loud, and I can also be very sweet. I'm also very protective of the ones I love.