public function get_profile_fields($field = null, $default = null)
	{
		// collect all meta data
		$profile_fields = array();

		foreach ($this->user->metadata as $metadata)
		{
			if (empty($field))
			{
				$profile_fields[$metadata->key] = $metadata->value;
			}
			elseif ($field == $metadata->key)
			{
				return $metadata->value;
			}
		}

		// return the connected data
		return empty($profile_fields) ? $default : $profile_fields;
	}