I love computer programming, writing music, bicycling, singing, going barefoot, roller skating, and tango dancing (though I'm not very good at the tango dancing yet). I play the viola in a local symphonic group. I used to be a juggler, but I've set that aside for a while to make more time in my life for friends. I'll return to it one day, probably when the weather warms up again.

I appreciate computer games, but I will never play them again. Life is too short, and computer games are too time-consuming. Exception: Rock Band. Board games and mind puzzles, now that's a different story. I will happily while away an afternoon playing board games with friends.

I'm shy, but I like to live a fast-paced life full of people and activities--difficult combination there. In an ideal world I would write music and computer programs all day and hang out with friends every night. Chores like laundry and bills would take care of themselves by magic. In the real world I write computer programs all day, write music occasionally, and hang out with friends nearly every night. Fortunately, I have a flexible work schedule, so chores happen during the day when no one's around to hang out with anyhow. I would say I'm pretty close to the ideal there.

I'm an extremely happy person by nature, a character trait that I feel very fortunate to have. The things that make me happiest are making music, making people happy, and spending time with my friends. I'm also a fan of learning, lounging in my hot tub, conversations about philosophy and life, and piles of friends cuddling on the couch.

My prize possession is my grand piano. That, and my house, my hot tub, and my projector screen in the basement. I don't own any of these things for my sake (ok, the house, sort of--I have to live somewhere). I own them for my friends. I have spent the last 2 or 3 years trying to build a household where friends are always welcome and always comfortable coming over.

If you visit me I will play you music, order take out food with you, and talk with you for hours. If you're really brave you will play the piano with me (musician or not) and I will love it. If I like you I will go on long walks with you, make you food (I'm a good but occasional cook), write music for you, and try to take pictures of you when you're not looking.

I write computer programs for a living. That will probably always be my career--I have been programming since I was 6 (really!), and I feel like it has always been part of my life.

A small part of me still wants to save the world, and that part of me is trying to save the world through computer progamming. But I've gotten more realistic as I've aged, and I've decided that my real goal in life is to spend time with my friends and enjoy myself. In the summer I like to ride my bike everywhere--it's not uncommon for me to ride 150 miles in a week. I like to go to parks and juggle. In the winter, I like to sit in my hot tub and look at the stars. I like to have people come over to my house for movie marathons.

I love to play the piano, and I'm damn good at it. Mostly I play music that I invent on the spot. But I'm classically trained too, and I enjoy playing Bach, Chopin, Beethoven, and especially Schumann. One of these days I want to learn some music by Liszt, but it's hard to squeeze in the time.

I've recently started a blog of my piano improvisations. You can find it here: http://maison-anomala.livejournal.com/

First they notice that I'm that crazy guy who doesn't wear shoes. Then they notice my laugh, which is shameless and full-bodied. Then they notice I'm friendly and caring.

Editors

• intp_zb

Books: Godel, Escher, Bach. The Little Prince. Most things by Terry Pratchett (for when I don't want to have to think). Improv Wisdom, by Patricia Ryan Madson. Haroun and the Sea of Stories, by Salman Rushdie. Eyeheart Everything, by Mykle Hansen.

Movies: Amelie. Magnolia. American Beauty. Galaxyquest. Jackie Brown. L.A. Story. The Matrix (but only the first one). Anything by Baz Luhrmann. Playing by Heart. Run Lola Run. O Brother Where Art Thou.

Classical music: Chopin, Schumann, Bach, and just about anything performed by the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. Everybody tells me I should love Handel, but I just don't care for his stuff.

Other music: Dave Matthews. Frou Frou. Jem. Nelly Furtado. Norah Jones. Pearl Jam. Red Hot Chili Peppers. Sarah McLachlan. The Eagles. U2. Weezer.

Other other music: I also love Sacred Harp singing, which is odd since it's heavy-handed religious music, and normally that sort of thing turns me off. But there's nothing like standing in the middle of a chorus of untrained-yet-very-competent singers, belting their lungs and hearts out to music written in the deep South 150 years ago.

Food: Thai food! Indian food! Mediterranean food! Ethiopian food! Vegan food! Om nom nom.

Food. Music. Friends. Hugs. Being outdoors. Mathematics.

Until recently my regular Friday activity was watching Fall of the House, a project put on by some local theater folk. It's an improvised soap opera with weekly episodes (much much better than television). But they just finished a season and won't be back until the summer, so I'm looking for another activity to replace it with. I'm thinking it will be either roller skating or tango dancing.

I wish I could find more opportunities to run around naked.

...If you'd like a hiking companion in the columbia river gorge.
...If you can put up with puns and occasionally even make them yourself.
...If you like people-watching in tea shops.
...If you like deconstructing the social dynamics of large groups of friends.
...If you'd like a bicycling companion in Portland.
...If it doesn't seem strange to you that someone's piano should be worth more than his car, and be better cared for.