CURRENT MISSION

Focusing on the here, on the now, on the gift called "the present".

ABOUT ME

Please CONSULT my ONLINE CALENDAR (see link below) before asking if I can host you!
http://tinyurl.com/ingmars-availability

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I'm a science nerd who tries to hide his geekiness behind lots of non-geeky activities. I live with a Siberian tiger (http://www.couchsurfing.org/people/opel_tigra25/).

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I appear in a recent feature about Couchsurfing broadcast on RTVE. http://youtu.be/pt2XtO4uqm4

And more advertising: If you like running, check out our running group in Barcelona.
http://www.meetup.com/Barcelona-casual-road-runners/

This running group was also on RTVE. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cJpT2sZOpI

I enjoy hosting people and will host you if I have time (... CHECK MY CALENDAR) and if you personalize your couch request (... refer to something in my profile so that I know that you actually read it). However, I most enjoy unusual people who do not only use CS to save money and who somehow "leave" something inspiring or thought provoking with me.

Some people who stay with me consider it to be appropriate to bring a small present. I'd honestly prefer if you do not bring anything. If you still feel obliged to bring something (and I really, really hope you don't), then please don't bring beer (which I don't drink - though I like wine and cocktails) or meat (which I don't eat). In fact, I'd prefer if you bring the following: An inspirational story!

It can be a true story that happened to you, something you read or an interesting scientific fact or a logic riddle or something else. Anything that is "non-standard" and will help me to remember you by, even after hosting many people on CS and HC. :-)

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I work during the week and go to bed no later than 23h30. Though you'll have your own key I'm probably not the best host if you want to party and get drunk. Sorry.

PHILOSOPHY

I love to learn and to be "surprised", i.e. be wrong about things I thought I knew.

I'm always very eager to discuss questions concerning consciousness with others. There is not a day where I don't wonder what this "I" is that's currently wondering what it is.

Generally, I love to be "inspired" by creativity and out-of-the-box original thinking.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I host people whenever I can and I also try to get other people to join CS. Oh, and I throw CS dinner parties. :-)

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I've hosted a fair amount of people (see references) both on CS and on HC (Hospitality Club). Combined well over 300 people. I've also used these two services about 30 times myself.

One of my funniest experiences was actually with HC
when a visitor asked me at 3am (... I had just come back from salsa dancing and he and his girl-friend from some other club ...) while the two of us were brushing our teeth, whether I could give him a condom. - When it comes to animals kept in zoos one commonly says that if they mate, then they're happy, and so the zoo is doing a good job. Therefore, I took it as an implicit sign that the couple felt "at home" at my (old) place.

[And, yes, he got what he asked for ... and I had a separate room, in case you're wondering.]

Interests

I'm honestly interested in my work (= research in computer science). Hobby-wise, I enjoy doing long distance triathlon (... including the triple ironman distance ...), salsa (intermediate) and, recently, tango dancing (mostly still beginner), and all kinds of "cultural things" (museums and exhibitions and that kind of stuff).

I also like to practice my French and now my Spanish and to read "inspiring books", mostly scientific ones.

• animals
• books
• dancing
• salsa dancing
• tango
• bachata
• wine
• beer
• cocktails
• triathlon
• running
• partying
• drinking
• clubbing
• boxing
• computer science
• logic
• mathematics
• neuroscience
• psychology
• science

Music, Movies, and Books

Music I like, such as salsa or e-tango, is too "intense" for me to listen to, unless I'm dancing to it. I never listen to music in the background because I couldn't concentrate on anything else - my body wouldn't let me (... unless I really don't like the music ... but then why would I listen to it?).

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I exist. I think. These facts I already find amazingly amazing.

I've looked up and seen the starry sky. I've looked around and seen life. I've looked in the world of ideas and seen eternal mathematical truth.

I cannot imagine more amazing things to do or see.

Teach, Learn, Share

I'd be very happy to teach you some basic salsa, merengue and bachata steps. I'm not an expert though but for the basics it's certainly enough.

I'd also love to share a bit of my fascination for mathematics and computer science and, e.g., try to explain how web search engines work (and try to fix any concrete computer problems, if I can).

I would love to learn anything you might know about the human mind and psychology/neuroscience.

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