My name is Asher. I like to climb trees and according to motivational speaker JBOT "I'm Number One!"

A good time is the greatest achievement possible in any endeavor and everything else is trivial.

The outdoors and trekking makes me happy. I am extremely liberal about almost everything. If you have problems with gay marriage, immigrants, legal abortions, evolution, and socialized medicine or for some reason want to carry a gun, I'm probably not the one for you.

I am a bit of an intellectual who places great value on mental health and having a robust state of mind. I have more to say about pesticides and public health, the evisceration of our school system, and ways to fix things in general. However, these are opinions rather than driving forces in my life for I have no causes other than my own nefarious goals.

I was Time Magazine's "Man of the Year" back in 2006, but have since graduated. Life is not hard. Often I go out to dance and have a good time or go down to the Globe Coffee Lounge and drink way too much coffee.

Kayaking, room service, afternoon naps, white cheddar popcorn, and taking candy from babies are all activities that I enjoy. I'm like Robin Hood: I steal the candy and give it to the homeless.

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Traveling, mostly (33 countries visited, 180 to go, 33 to return too), and, in general, just having a good time.

Over the past few years I have been slowly carving out a career in cleverness. I have a web development company and also import handmade, fair trade fine arts, clothing, and accessories. My programmers live in Nepal, so I often stay up late to communicate with them.

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Backpacking. Business. Scrabble.(Hit me up on facebook if you want to play.) Expressing myself with words. Card games such as Spades or Pinochle. I love em.

Photography as well it seems. While I have no ambitions to be a professional photographer, my friends with gallery space have asked for my pictures so they can sell them. This has happened enough that I am spending some time to collect and edit photos to be printed and displayed.

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My dazzling good looks, my stellar intellect, and, of course, my genuine humility.

Terry Pratchett is awesome. Quantumly awesome. Other than that I pick up whatever I find in used bookshops, usually from the non-fiction or fantasy isle with the exception of Christopher Moore who is simply hilarious. I also have a 50lbs atlas which makes me happy and Dr. Suess will always hold a special place in my heart.

I enjoy the great stand-up comedians such as George Carlin, Doug Stanhope, and Lewis Black.

I very much enjoy science-fiction and animated films. Starship Troopers is still the best movie of all time although I throughly enjoyed District 9 as well. I like the Hong-Kong cinema, comedy, and thought-ridden films like "Primer".

I generally download large music collections with all sorts of music possible and play them on random with emphasis on world music and pop. The artists I single out are mostly punk rock, hip-hop, and country. Currently I am on a world folk music binge, safari music and the like. Check out Putumayo to learn more.

The best food is homemade: the only way to indefinitely know what ingredients are used is to cook it oneself. I do not trust restaurants to buy organic, locally grown produce, but I do enjoy going out. My integrity stays home on $1 Sushi night at Hooks.

If I can catch it, I will eat it. Vegetarianism, while admirable, is strictly limited to people who have no intention of leaving first world countries. This is because not eating one of six chickens a family has that they slaughter right in front of you in honor of you visiting them from a far off place is just downright disrespectful. So man up vegetarians, meat is what we eat.

That being said, most of the dishes I cook are comprised of light, non-competitive flavors and usually are entirely made up of fresh vegetables and legumes. Salads are a must and come in many different varieties. This is because I have an Israeli palate. I always make my own dressings and marinades for delicious chicken and beef. I like to make my own hummus, shakshuka, and a variety of other middle-eastern dishes. Additionally, beer is liquid bread. It's good for you.

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There really isn't much I couldn't do without. I am an adaptable person.

After two weeks without human interaction I go a little crazy though. I willingly put myself through that at vipassana meditation seminar and again in India where I spent too long in an area where people did not speak English. Therefore, the top of the list will have to be "conversation". Were I to live as a hermit though, meditation and routine would eventually take the place of conversation and I would end up a philosopher. Not a bad way to go.

1) Scientific research paraphrased in lingo that I can read and understand.

2) Sleaze, rowdiness, illegal downloads, mistakes.

3) Being naked (specifically when at home or in the water).

4) Waterfalls with precipices to jump off of. The higher the better. Mountains for camping, hiking and trekking.

5) Ohana. This means family and friends whom you consider family.

6) Intellectual bickering. Philosophical, political, socioeconomic, and often drunken debates.

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Business. My state of mind. Politics. Physics. And the ultimate question: Should I do my next major backpacking trip in South/Central America or should I go to China/Mongolia/Kyrgyzstan/Russia.

Other things I think about:
The federal government as a whole is largely disregarding mental health as a health issue and that returning veterans in particular are being marooned.

Food is the single most justifiable expense there is. One of the greatest risks to public health is pesticides and other foodbourne chemicals. That being said, I still buy mostly conventionally grown produce. Simply knowing better isn't enough it seems. If the price is similar, I will go with organic.

I spend hours following links in Wikipedia, soaking it up like a sponge.

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Out and about. Drinking. Dancing. Camping.

There are so many awesome things to do around here. I like going to the beach at night for night swimming or simply jumping the fence at a luxury hotel after the bar's closed and using their swimming pool or hot tub. Sometimes I just take walks; downtown has lots of art and activities.

I usually go to First Friday, couchsurfing events, interesting concerts, art walks, etc.

Taking a vacation.

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Sometimes when I am alone in my home I blast awesome music and dance like a maniac naked.

If you like or would like to travel for long periods of time (6 months or more).

If you are playful, childlike, and whimsical rather than serious.

If you have difficulty understanding the word "Impossible".

And if you are often told that your mind is in the gutter.

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