CURRENT MISSION

To fight against isolation, one couch at a time!

ABOUT ME

My friends would say that I'm warm, welcoming, and quite outgoing. I'm usually one of the first to initiate with someone who might otherwise be considered an outcast in a group setting, or in other words, I don't typically carry any reservations when relating to people. I'm also appropriately and gracefully honest, but certainly not abrasive. By honest I don't just mean with others, but also with myself. I'm familiar with my weaknesses, and I don't ever try to pretend that I'm perfect. With that, I know that I'm a bit undisciplined, especially when it comes to school. I'm not terribly organized, and administrative duties are not my strength.

I'm a proponent of the idea that everyone has strengths and weaknesses, but regardless of what they are we all have something to uniquely offer.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I firmly believe that people are our greatest resource, and I forget that at some point every day. Sure, I could get a room at a hotel or something similar but frankly that avenue always gives me only the faintest whiff of community and misses the value in starting & building meaningful relationships with others. I don't want to throw money at something superficial. I want my life to be influenced and to influence the lives of others by a conversation I wouldn't have imagined having in the first place. If you can't tell, I'm not really into "touristy things" and would much rather hang-out on top of a nine-story parking garage in the midst of a thunderstorm. Just tell me where the real places are! :)

Interests

Currently, I'm in college studying graphic design. However, I would consider digital art or illustrations a hobby as well. I'm also into digital photography and image editing or processing. I've always been an artsy-fartsy type, and music also has a special place in my heart. I was trained on the piano a bit, I've taught myself some guitar, but most of the music I enjoy listening to or composing is electronic or synthetically produced (EDM, Ambient, Drum & Bass, etc.) In the future I would love to get into video as well, and maybe one day produce music videos similar to Arcade Fire's "The Suburbs" or "Afterlife".

• arts
• design
• graphic design
• photography
• illustrations
• music
• guitar
• piano
• rivers
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

Admittedly I don't book much :( but I am currently reading "The Power of Now" by Tolle. So far pretty interesting, and I'm doing my best to apply the ideas to my own life.

I'm a sucker for great CGI in movies and a superb soundtrack (Han Zimmer!). Despite it's terrible plot and everything else, Tron: Legacy fulfills both of these requirements and remains one of my favorites haha.

My musical preferences are quite transformative, but as I mentioned most of what I listen to and produce is electronic in nature. Anything I feel I can dance to is an automatic YES, and I've really been digging JAUZ and SNAILS lately.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

One of my favorite quotes was originally spoken by St. Augustine:

"Men go abroad to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motions of the stars, and they pass by themselves without wondering."

Now obviously there's nothing wrong with enjoying the former examples, and often I think we should. But I quote St. Augustine for this point: If I had to pick two or three moments that I will remember the rest of my life or left me awestruck, they would have to do with people, the complex question of identity, and the notion of internal "character" change.

Countries I’ve Visited

United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States