Having been blind since birth, I naturally judge others first and foremost by their inner qualities. I don't care what you look like on the outside. Kindness, compassion for others, a good sense of humour, patience and an even temper are things I appreciate in others and personally aspire to. I have a keen sense of justice and treasure friends and family. My friends say I'm a good listener, patient and am a very ethical person who is often honest to a fault. I take my time judging people starting with the assumption that they deserve equal trust and respect and are at least as capable as I am. I'm a firm believer in Christianity but approach it without the fundamentalist nonsense and prejudice which can often accompany strong belief. Christians are not immune from stupidity and we don't have a monopoly on good in the world. I'm a strong advocate for the equality of women and anti-racist. I've profited quite a lot in life from living in a diverse country and value people's different perspectives on things.

My favorite movies include Stranger Than Fiction, the Lord of the Rings trillogy, Gladiator, Star Trek II and Viii, The Bone Collector, The Ultimate Gift, Batman Begins, Seven, and Crimson Tide. I like movies with substance and story. Robert J. Sawyer, Lary Niven, Raymond Feist and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle are some of my favorite authors. My BA degree is in English literature with a minor in Philosophy. In short, I read and think about things quite a lot. I like documentaries and often tune in to the History Channel, A&E, Discovery Channel and CBC. I also try to keep up with current events. TV series I've enjoyed include my all-time favorite Babylon 5, the short but excellent series Roar, Robin of Sherwood, and occasionally, CSI to go over a few. I also have a large collection of modern audio dramas. A wide asortment of podcasts, BBC and CBC radio shows round out my wonderful world of audio nicely. As much as I want to explore more of the sighted world with you, I also hope you can value the rich world of thought and sound that I have discovered.

A life well lived is one which is balanced between the nee to help others and the need to enjoy one's own good fortune. What I've lost in opportunities for earning income I've gained in time to truly reflect upon things and come to terms with my core values. I know how to be content with what I have and never spend more than I can afford to repay immediately. I have a work ethic and keep myself busy doing what good I can. I've created and published an online magazine, written a guide to computers and the Internet for blind people, helped many people with computer problems, have worked on an autobiographical book, and begun a second attempt at creating an accessible game among other projects. Given a microwave, an indoor electric grill and an oven which are accessible, I'm quite capable of cooking. As long as cleaning supplies can be destinguished without sight, I'm also able to keep a place clean. Making equipment and supplies accessible to me often merely requires attaching Braille labels. Accessibility isn't rocket science. Grocery shopping is something I've typically done online. If you're looking for somebody who is loyal, willing to cook and clean, compassionate, kind, positive, thoughtful, and not hung up on money or appearances, I'm your man. I'll stick with you through thick and thin. Having a marriage fail taught me a great deal about myself and of the need for taking time to build a steady foundation for lasting love. If you're after the huge house, secure income and fancy car, I'm not the one for you. It's that simple.

I have good mobility skills in terms of moving around safely. However, navigation is a weakness. Routes to get places take me a long time to learn. Being born prematurely, I was given too much oxygen in order to keep me alive. This destroyed my retinas and also damaged the part of my brain related to spacial intelligence. I'm an extravert who is forced by this circumstance to live a more intraverted life as a single person. Given this, I would like to find someone who doesn't mind doing the driving and/or travelling with me particularly to new places. If we settle down somewhere permanently, I can learn how to get around an area over time. I use my cane while being guided and will notice curbs, steps, etc for myself. If you get me there and back, I'll try pretty much anything as long as it's moral and legal. Things I’d like to do with people would include attending festivals and events, going to interesting places, attending plays, sailing or boating, seeing movies, socializing in pubs or coffee houses, volunteering, going for walks and so-forth. I don’t much fancy places where the noise level is such that you can’t have a decent conversation. I’m a deep thinker and enjoy talking with people.

I'd very much like to find somebody who will help me live a more active and less solitary life. There are a lot of experiences which would be impractical for me to do alone but which I would love to participate in with someone I fully trusted. More active things I've done in the past include swimming, sailing, skating, downhill skiing and horse riding. I'm far from being Olympic material and don't aspire to be. However, I'm happy to try physical activities. Food is something I very much enjoy and plan to continue doing so.

The ideal woman for me would share a lot of my values of kindness, patience, a sense of humour, etc. She would be down-to-earth and not overly driven by appearances. I don't mind if she doesn't necessarily like all of my friends. However, they've earned their place in my life while the rest of the world wouldn't give me the time of day. I reserve the right to invite them over and spend time with them. Building a new life together shouldn't be about destroying what's gone before.

Don't worry about offending me. Unless you go out of your way to insult me directly, you can count on my not being offended by questions about blindness or anything else. Don't worry about how you phraze things either. I say "I see", "Now look! this is simple!" or "I watched the last Star Trek film.", etc. I like people to relax around me. To learn a whole lot more about me, check out my blog on
www.michaelfeir.blogspot.com:

I always use my real name, Michael Feir.

For a first date, it's important that we be able to converse and get to know each other. I would be open to many options such as going for coffee or a meal, a walk somewhere quiet, or trying something completely new to me. I'm certainly open to your ideas. I've offered to be the designated driver on many occasions. Strangely enough, nobody has ever taken me up on it. Get me there and back safely and I'm up for pretty much anything morally justifiable.