CURRENT MISSION

Exploring the human-environment interface

ABOUT ME

Some people know me as a grad student whose research bridges theoretical ecology and postmodern anthropology. I spend much of my time telling computers what to do, reading, writing, thinking, juggling, teaching, unicycling, working in the woods, doing card tricks, firedancing, cooking, drinking, and relating to people. I'd like to relate to you.

PHILOSOPHY

Describing my personal philosophy is shooting at a moving target. This is a conversation better had in person. I can say, however, that neither you nor I are thinking hard enough about what we're doing with our lives.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I joined Couchsurfing right before dropping out of college and living close to the bone for a while. This community was a vibrant thread in my life for four or five years. I'm doing other things now, but maybe one day I'll get back to surfing or hosting.

Interests

everything. seriously. If I act like I'm not interested in something, it's a passing state and that thing will probably be engrossing and engaging later in my life. I prioritize what I spend my time pursuing, because I'm not omnipotent, but it's a constant act of sacrifice to choose only a couple amazing things out of a universe of amazing options.

• writing
• environment
• cooking
• walking
• drinking
• reading
• traveling
• juggling
• hiking
• hunting
• boxing
• anthropology
• ecology
• teaching

Music, Movies, and Books

Yes, please!

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Played my role in a community. Communities are amazing. Doing my part to protect hundreds of employees with a bargained contract, doing the dishes on my day in a large cooperative house, taking time out of my day to help someone who is woven into my world and needs help.

(I liked this box better when it was one amazing thing I've *seen* or done. It felt much less like bragging and much more like sharing the wonder of the world.)

Teach, Learn, Share

Learning to unicycle is very much like learning how to walk, or learning your first language. You likely accomplished both of those things very young, at an early developmental stage. You are now older and different biologically, which means you don't have the advantage of youth in acquiring this skill, but you have the advantage of explicit communication: A teacher can tell you things in a language you understand, and you can use that feedback to improve.

The body mechanics are nearly the same as walking, too. When the pedals (the part that your foot steps on) are the same height off the ground, the cranks (the arms that go from the middle of the wheel out to the pedals) are horizontal and this is the position of maximum control over the wheel. Oppositely, when one pedal is directly above the other (cranks vertical) you have the least control--pushing on the bottom bedal does nothing and pushing on the top may accelerate the wheel hard in the wrong direction. By moving in steps (powering through the weak spot with cranks vertical, catching yourself and getting ready with cranks horizontal) you are riding.

To take a step, you must first fall forward. Don't worry, you do this too in the act of walking, but since you have much more ground area over which to put your center of balance (the entire area between all the outside edges of both of your feet) you don't notice the same as when you have a wheel with up to 2" square of ground contact beneath you. Just let gravity pull you forward, and start stepping. You are riding a unicycle!

What I Can Share with Hosts

Skills
- Computer (first steps to programming, statistical analysis, basic HTML/CSS)
- Circus (unicycling, juggling, poi, stilting, basic partner acrobatics)

Chores
- Household (dishes, floors)
- Yardwork (anything with a shovel or a chainsaw)

Leisure
- Almost always up for a hike
- I've got a few good stories to tell over drinks

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, Germany, Mexico, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States

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