Who I am:
My name is Matthew Brewer, and I live in a hollow tree... wait, that's a children's book.

I am a happy, outdoorsy, straight forward, 100% blunt, 100% honest, hopeless romantic, layed back, energetic, bouncy, adventurous, always interested, fairly charismatic, kinky, "nice guy" who gets along with most people. That is, I'm a sociable computer nerd who would rather be outdoors (any season, any place, the more remote and the less gear the better). I grew up on a small homestead in western Massachusetts as the child of two academic hippies. I like to be able to do anything and everything with a reasonable level of competence. I'm always ready to go on a hike, and happy to pack for a weekend trip in half an hour.

FYI: my ID here is a reference to the mapping of multilinear functions into GF2, which is just the coolest way to prove the Vazirani XOR lemma (a major reason cryptography works). I started using it as an ID some time ago. I'm not that obsessed with math, but I am a huge nerd :-).

Who you are:
You're athletic, love the outdoors, and maybe can beat me in an activity or two. You enjoy long walks on the beach (and by long I mean many miles a day for multiple days :P). A night under the stars is more exciting to you than a night in a fancy hotel. To you, trails are suggestions, not necessities.

You're weird, quirky, a nerd, or something similar. Your friends describe you as *interesting* and you're pretty sure it's a compliment, but not entirely - but your comfortable with that. Your adventurous and maybe a bit impulsive. You're no pushover, and like to be at least an equal with your partner, if not a bit more dominant. You're silly, sometimes a bit childish, and like to laugh.

You trust your instincts, but prefer hard data. You like to talk about esoteric topics. You like to understand the world around you, how things work, how people tick, and how to do things. You believe life is about doing things, and making things happen.

For more about me check out my website and my outdoors blog , shared with my best friend Jess.

Working, adventuring, and looking for ways to do more of the later

(Again, if you really want to know, look at the blog ;D )

It all depends on your standards. The better you are at something, the worse you realize you are. I'm trying to not give to obtuse answers so:

Giving extremely obtuse answers
backrubs
most physical activities (especially outdoorsy woodsy stuff)
being overly analytical
music (singing/guitar)

Most people I meet at some point describe be as "Earthy Crunchy". Somehow basically everyone uses exactly those same words.

I'm bad at having opinions on art. I love art, but I can't choose. I guess if I had to pick I'd say music (oh wait, that wasn't the question was it?).

I'm a bit of a musician, and I appreciate almost all styles of music. How people list 2 styles of music, 5 artists, or 10 books is beyond me - not wrong to me, I just don't see how they do it. So I'm going to make some terribly obnoxious generalizations instead.

I like:
- Music with a tune and something interesting (lyrics, harmonies, textures, doesn't matter)
- Movies that are good at whatever they do, even if that's being a bad movie
- Good food. I'm not a picky eater, but good food is awesome.
- Good sci-fi/fantasy novels, or books on anything interesting

I have trouble not taking things literally:
Water, air, forests, music, I'm working on learning to live without anything else but friends are pretty key.

I'm interested in living minimally, and learning to live in the woods unsupported, so that is the list.
I couldn't live without music and forests, I'd die of sadness.

For a less literal list:
problems to solve, places and things to explore, a romantic slightly toppy friend to share it with.

That is of course what I want, not what I need. I've been living without the third long enough. I can do without it, I just don't want to.

Basically anything and everything. I'm most interested in things which are practically useful or illuminating with respect to the physical (or formal) universe, or the human condition. E.G. What some pop star is wearing is fascinating only with respect to its larger ramifications. Today I had conversations involving James Johnson, Lincoln, Escher, Godel, Bach, The Bangles, Erdos, small electronic devices, operating systems, locking semantics, python, making bows, making twine, plants, climbing, bikes, ultimate, neuroscience, sociopolitical organization of technological breakthroughs, sex, shoes, relationships, aging, slavery, how a car works, you know... stuff!

Okay, yeah. I also think about sex and kink a lot. Yup, I am indeed human. I'm not just talking about fantasies though.

If possible: disappearing on one adventure or another (probably cooking dinner over a wood-fire a few miles hike in somewhere in the Sierras).
When not adventuring: organizing an adventure, playing music, club dancing, or hanging out with friends (probably gaming or just conversing).

I will honestly answer any question you are willing to ask. The *most* private thing I can think of probably isn't of interest.

You feel like it! Seriously, If you're in the Bay Area, ping me if you want to meet for any purpose (unless it involves intentional damage to my person, possessions, or psyche in a way that I would not otherwise enjoy). Especially for any activity outdoors, or making things, or any of the 15 billion interests I have listed on my site (I.E. damned near anything). Online friends are okay, but definitely less interesting.

FYI: I'm back in a relationship with an awesome person, so not interested in dating, ignore what's below:

Dating:
After wasting a couple of people's time I feel kind of bad. As a computer scientist I can't help but optimize, and I hate wasting other people's time or energy. So if these apply to you I'm not interested in dating you, sorry (I am still interested in being friends though).
- You smoke: I'm asthmatic and I like breathing
- You have kids: I actually really like kids. But I have no intention of being that responsible that soon. I intend to put myself in situations that it would be unfair to drag kids into. Maybe that'll change some day, I don't know yet.
- You are poly and intend to stay that way: I'm not poly and emotionally not strong enough to deal with a partner who is.
- You are not and never will be interested in a long hike or similar: this is what I do for fun and I want to be able to share it.
- You are primarily a sub when playing: So am I :).