I'm passionate about living life to the fullest and getting the most out of every single day. None of us are guaranteed tomorrow so we shouldn't waste any time worrying about things out of our control. I cherish new experiences and constantly thirst for more knowledge because learning should be a life-long endeavor. You can always grow and be better than you were yesterday. Complacency breeds mediocrity and I’ve never been the type to waste away in a cubicle.

I grew up in the United States and have lived in Detroit, San Diego and Las Vegas. I travel semi-frequently and try to soak in as much culture as I can. Friends mean the world to me and I appreciate the relationships we’ve developed over the years. I’m fairly laid back and don’t take myself too seriously. While I work and live in a corporate environment, I maintain my sanity by trying to laugh at myself and the things around me. Life is meant to be enjoyed through the experiences we share with others, not by the profitability of a new marketing initiative or expected ROI from a transition to new technology platform.

I have a tendency to think and live outside the box. Adults make things too complicated. The path less traveled is the sometimes the more interesting journey. Karma is a ***** and I try to treat others better than they would treat myself. Contributing positively to society and being a good global citizen are important to me because there are enough people in the world that only look out for themselves.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I found out about couchsurfing after traveling through Europe during the summer of 2014 using Airbnb. While all of my hosts were gracious and hospitable, most were unable to devote much time for cultural exchange. I had a great time meeting up with locals during my SE Asia trip in Feb/March. Experiencing countries through the eyes of locals provides a much deeper appreciation of the culture and history.

Aside from enjoying the local cuisine, visiting landmarks and canvassing the entire city, I also had the opportunity to work on my documentary. In a nustshell, it looks at how people develop their opinions based off of their personal experiences and access to information. We all have our own biases that influence the decisions we make on a daily basis. Being cognizant of those predispositions allows us to look at things with an open mind. My hope is to tell a story that educates the viewer about our cultural backgrounds and show how our opposing viewpoints are merely the reflections of where we lie in the broader social spectrum. Promoting tolerance and acceptance of others who are different than ourselves is one of the main objectives.

Interests

Live music (I've been to over 600 concerts), road tripping around the US, eating amazing food, visiting landmarks and traveling the world, shopping, basketball, hiking, poker, meeting unique people, technology, science, religion, politics, random philosophical chats at 3am talking about anything/everything.

Music, Movies, and Books

Too many to list, but here's a sampling.

Music: Coldplay, Sara Bareilles, Ed Sheeran, Run River North, Emm Gryner, Jewel, Tool, Imagine Dragons, Muse, Ingrid Michaelson, Dave Matthews, Shiga Lin, Corrs, Drake, Chris Brown, Dixie Chicks, Sugarland, David Guetta, Calvin Harris, Switchfoot, Keane, Melissa Polinar, independent musicians

Movies: Fight Club, Matrix, Glengarry Glen Ross, Shawshank Redemption, 12 Angry Men, Raid Redemption, Office Space, Big Trouble in Little China, Seven, Boyz in the Hood, City of God, Crash, Usual Suspects, LA Confidential, Saving Amy, Heat, Untouchables, Blackfish, Surviving Progress, Capitalism: A Love Story, Park Avenue, Gladiator, This is the End, Departed, Pulp Fiction, American Beauty, Like Crazy

Books: Outliers, Half the Sky, The Little Prince, Triumph of the City, Delivering Happiness, From Good to Great, Tribal Leadership

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Nothing I would necessarily classify as amazing, but I've had some cool experiences. Seeing over 600 live concerts, watching the sunrise in Maui on Haleakala, riding a donkey up Taal volcano in the Philippines, visiting Stonehenge, cuddling a tiger and having waterfights with elephants.

Teach, Learn, Share

I am an open book and am willing to share my knowledge about anything I've mentioned above. The only exception would probably be personal legal advice. My advice on that would be to get your own attorney. :-)

Countries I’ve Visited

Cambodia, Canada, China, France, Macao, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Philippines, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States