About me:
- Man, straight, born 1999
- I live in Braunschweig at the moment but wanna move in a couple of years.
- 179 cm tall, lean, very active
- Relationship type: monogamy
- My website: https://ashuftw.com/
Career
- Currently doing my Master’s in Computational Science but will be switching to Environmental Engineering
- I’m interested in Direct Air Carbon Capture. Here’s how I ended up working on this topic + some thoughts on career planning.
- Impact: I definitely think it is a super important cause area. However, I’m most likely going to be a cog in the machine for a bit of time.
- Uncertainty: I have my work cut out for me, for a good year or so and there’s a slight panic over opportunity costs, but for now my goal is to focus and not get distracted.
- Wishful thinking / Storytelling: As I gain Career Capital in this field, I build up soft skills and learn about policy, the carbon economy etc. Eventually, I would transition into leadership, priorities research, carbon capture advocacy or think tank roles.
Hobbies and Interests
- Strength Training + Basketball: I love basketball and play for a local club. Over the last couple of years, I’ve been spending more time and getting better at it. The strength training I do is mainly to jump higher and help me play better.
- Biking: I bike everywhere and also volunteer at a bicycle workshop.
- Music: I like playing the guitar and occasionally like to sing along. Sometimes I get a nice tingly feeling when I sing.
- Meditating: I learnt how to meditate when I was 4 and have been meditating more or less regularly since. I’m not religious but I feel a close connection to Buddhism.
- Writing: I use writing as a tool to figure things out. I usually write when I have bouts of inspiration.
- Photography: I love taking pictures and recently got a camera that I take out on trips. I mostly don’t know what I’m doing but I find it to be very meditative.
- Alcohol and Drugs: I don’t drink or smoke but I want to try psychedelics in the future.
- Podcasts: I listen to podcasts way too much. It is the primary source of media I consume.
- People I like: Tyler Cowen, Dwarkesh Patel, Spencer Greenberg, Scott Young, Hank & John Green, Cara Lai, Sam Harris, Joseph Goldstein, Laura Deming, Cal Newport, Feynman, Alan de Botton
- Films: I’m a lowkey film buff. Some of my favourite films: Frances Ha, Boyhood, Before trilogy, Past lives, Paterson, Drive My Car.
- Other stuff I’m into: reading, bouldering, lindy hop, hiking, making videos (tried filming myself once)
Values, Outlook and other stuff
- Impact: I consider myself quite privileged and feel obligated to dedicate efforts to doing good. My values align quite a bit with the EA movement and want to pursue a career that does good. I’ve also taken the gwwc pledge.
- Veganism: I’ve been a vegetarian for most of my life but strictly so for the past 12 years. Last year I switched to being a vegan. I wish I had done this sooner.
- Ambition: I often have too many irons in the fire. But I allow myself to try things wholeheartedly. For now, it means that I suck at a lot of things and mediocre at some. I find that to be an okay tradeoff in the short term. However, I’ve noticed that recently things are starting to stick :)
- Kids: I want to have kids sometime in the not so distant future. Ideally more than one (open to discussion) as I think having siblings can be a beautiful thing. With the right partner, I feel like adoption could also be an option.
- Longevity: I am meticulous about my health and currently in the best shape of my life.
- I try not to identify with any group, movement or ideology. Attachment to a particular ideal is a trap of its own. So instead, I try to identify core values and live my life from there.
What our relationship could look like
Together we could build a partnership that
- Is mindful of impact: We are committed to making a positive impact and living ethically and support each other’s journey in figuring out what that actually means for each of us.
- Prioritizes Wellbeing: We encourage each other’s physical health journey through active lifestyles, cooking nourishing meals together, and mutual support during challenges.
- Grows continuously: We embrace change and are committed to improvement both as individuals and as a couple. (Something like this: Relationships are co-evolutionary loops.)
- Builds a loving family: We approach parenthood with intention and love. We would work as a team in creating an environment where the children thrive and grow into loving human beings.
- Communicates with depth: We put in effort to understand each other’s communication patterns and moods. We give each enough space but touch base regularly on important things. (kindaaa like this: Foundations Conversation: Month 3 Update - Money)
- Values authenticity over social pressures: We’d support each other in living authentically, even when that means going against conventional wisdom or facing social pushback. (example: Have an actually fun wedding)
Why you should date me
I’m pretty uncomplicated, centered and calm. I put effort in trying to make things special for others, especially the ordinary things. By nature I’m low-conflict and not very egoistic. I do have a dorky sense of humor, but balance it out being earnest when it matters. I’d be your hype man & consigliere. Together we could build a life filled with love, growth and good vibes.
Oh, and I can make a mean banana bread drops mic
“I want this one moment. It’s what I want in a relationship — which might explain why I’m single, ha. It’s hard to describe exactly. It’s that thing when you’re with someone, and you love them, and they know it… and they love you, and you know it.
But you’re at a party, and you’re both talking to other people, laughing and shining. And then, across the room, your eyes meet — not because you’re possessive, or because it’s purely sexual — but because that’s your person in this life.And it’s funny and sad, but only because life will end. It’s this secret world, right there in public, unnoticed — one that no one else sees.
It’s like how they say other dimensions exist all around us, but we can’t perceive them.
That’s what I want in a relationship. Or maybe just in life.
Love.
I sound stoned. I’m not stoned.
Thanks for dinner. Bye.”
Frances Ha, 2012