CURRENT MISSION

To swing my door open, welcome those with wide eyes and wanderlust, and share with everyone this beautiful city I call home.

ABOUT ME

HI!

If you have stopped here by chance, just wondering if you should visit Chicago...well please do it! Please! We have all that NY & LA is missing. I'm telling you, this city can change your life.

About me:
I take pride in being as open-minded, passionate and accommodating as possible. (At least I hope!) I love people who also share a passion for something they do, something they've done, or who they are.

I am in a position right now in my life that I've realized how much more I need to get out and see. This includes how many amazing people I can meet along the way. So far, through my travels abroad, I have come across some truly amazing individuals and places I never thought I would have had the chance to experience. I feel so fortunate for these things. It has been absolutely amazing and life-altering. I can't wait to carry on--with this incredible community and the trips I take down the road.

PHILOSOPHY

I enjoy taking care of myself. Physically, sure, but moreover inwardly. I love to surround myself with healthy-minded, loving people.

The connections I make (especially on CS) are very special and meaningful to me. The most valuable things that I have in this world are my incredible friends. This list spans the world over and makes me feel like the luckiest guy on this side of the Mississippi (the other side too!). To paraphrase my dear friend Jeanette Patrick, these people are the riches of my life. And I, therefore, feel extremely wealthy.

Music and inspired art & design mean the world to me. And in the event that I need some extra inspiration myself, I know that stepping outside, jumping on my bicycle or wandering around somewhere remotely foreign with a camera does the trick. I can often annihilate any given rut I may land in by realizing how lucky I am to be alive right now. That brings me generous thought-food, for sure. I have found throughout the years, particularly these last few, that my intuition is my best determinate concerning the decisions I make. How they affect me and the people around me are my main concerns. Unlike other sources of input, it has thus far not let me down.

I have a lot of work to do. I have a lot of self improvement ahead of me as well as a lot of energy reserved to help out a lot of people--one by one, case by case. And I cannot wait to see it all come to fruition. As much as I'd like to say I've figured myself out completely, I totally have not. Who has? And that is fine by me. Fortunately, a lot of mistakes and learning instances can be fun, too! And for all that has gone wrong, well, I can't regret what has happened. I can at least say I know which avenue to avoid in the future. For certain, in all of my skill sets and knowledge: all I can do is do.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

My goal is to be able to ask myself how I do not participate in CS.

With that, I have to say this community is one of the most important things I have ever been involved with. With each new person or group of people I host (We've had about 100 couchsurfers stay with us as of 7-04-10), it is becoming increasingly more clear that I have the tools I need here to meet the entire world. Whether the world comes to me or I venture into it.

I am convinced there is no better way to meet people and learn about places and cultures and different perspectives and so forth. I am confident life-long friendships can be established, enabling more people to connect, more ideas to be discussed and much more enlightenment spread round. I have already benefited in ways I cannot fully articulate from the visitors we have had the pleasure of hosting. I cannot wait to meet more amazing travelers coming through this wonderful city of mine!

As I keep meeting people from around the world and welcoming them into my home, I feel constantly well-traveled myself. How incredible is that? This community is absolutely priceless.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Well, I am happy to report that my CouchSurfing experience has changed my life. It is as simple as that.

I am astounded by the people I have met here. Again and again and again and again....

I am also really proud of the CS community here in Chicago. Every week I feel like I get to meet more and more amazing people right here at home. And I'm finding I become better and better friends with the ones I already know as the days move forward.

Interests

Anything that puts chills down my spine. I have found many of these to do just that. And if they haven't, they've surely led to events that have. Ready go:

traveling, late afternoon/early evenings, australians, cameras, street photography, photo editing & organization, electronic music, bourbon, interior/exterior architecture & design, many many forms of design, crafting, sunglasses, inspirational thinking, optimistic attitudes, 3.5x5" notecards, online social communities, my job at threadless, gadgets, cereal, high fidelity audio, infrastructure, aroma therapy, tagging my music library, live music, riding my bicycle, chicago, avoiding embarrassment, chandeliers, the scotto, san francisco, miniature things, drying racks, chips, furniture, dudes, dudettes, reusable shopping bags, conversions, BLUM animal hospital

Tell me about more things that I can love, please.

• animals
• arts
• architecture
• design
• photography
• dining
• shopping
• traveling
• socializing
• music
• live music
• electronic music
• geology

Music, Movies, and Books

Music (one of the top 3 most important things in my life)
...some current and classic obsessions:
Robyn, Klas Åhlund, Röyksopp, Jónsi, Matthew Dear, Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, Juana Molina, Atlas Sound, Seth Troxler, Björk, Rone, Osbourne, Aphex Twin, Kelis, Joanna Newsom

The list goes on! And on and on and on...
Most up to date concerning my musical adventures: http://www.last.fm/user/figlife/

Films: The Science of Sleep, American Beauty, Vanilla Sky, Winged Migration, Microcosmos, Interstella 5555, Pulp Fiction, The Shawshank Redemption, Amelie, Sin City, Baraka, The Qatsi Trilogy, On the Waterfront, Vertigo, Me Myself & Irene, Chicago, Office Space, Triplets of Belleville, House of Sand and Fog, 21 Grams, Hotel Rwanda, Cruel Intentions, Minority Report, October Sky, The Graduate, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Dirty Pretty Things

Books: currently intrigued by a man named osho

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

In Waitomo, New Zealand, I abseiled a 330 foot hole in the ground and then proceeded to venture into the cave that began at the bottom. I had no idea geology like that was at all possible/an option on this earth. I cannot describe what the experience did for me and how much I value it. It was absolutely inspirational.

While in Italy, my travel buddy and I hiked the trails that connect the 5 small towns of Cinque Terre. Despite the near 7 mile trek in flip-flop sandals, it was one of the most beautiful days we had in Europe and the experience was truly phenomenal.

Teach, Learn, Share

Love. Travel. And do not regret!

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Switzerland, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States

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