CURRENT MISSION

For the Summer of 2008, because of the great reader's of my blogsite, I am driving and working my way across America. isweatbutter's Blog Across America Tour 2008!

ABOUT ME

i'm just a guy in my mid-20's that's making a trek across the u.s. this summer to find out where i was meant to be. i've had my ideas over the years, but none have worked out so much. i used to live, what i used to call, a 'high maintenance' life, but i've been through some things in my personal life that have caused me to change my tune. now, i'm a fairly simple living person, with minimum posessions to hold me back, and a spirit full of adventure.

PHILOSOPHY

one of my life goals has always been to visit all 50
states before i die. i've had a little map since i was in high school, and have been coloring in the states for years. but when will i have the time to traverse them all? what better time than now? no wife, no kids, no job... as for this trek across america... i realized that i haven't been taking advantage of opportunities as they present themselves, no matter how small. so i decided that it was time to change myself. and i mean really change. i completely quit smoking 3 weeks ago. cold turkey. haven't had a single cigarette since march 11. i love waking up in the morning and being able to breathe. it's an awesome feeling. sure i want one often, but when i do, i hop on my bike and sprint down the street. halfway back i remember why i DON'T need a cigarette. i have no rent payment, no job, i'm broke, gas is expensive and it takes a lot of time to drive cross country. the way i see it, i've got nothing to lose leaving here for a while. i'm setting up short term jobs across the country, working to fill up the gas tank, before i move on to the next state. i'll stay with friends where i can, fellow couchsurfers at others. and lord knows, the only thing i do have plenty of right now is time. it's an adventure that i am looking forward to more than anything else in my life before... i'm going to write about it the whole way... you know my adventures and misadventures. it should be fun. for the most part, i'll be on my own, it'll give me plenty of time to think about my life, where its going and where i really want to be. maybe i was meant to be a nomad. but who knows? so now, i'm ready to work my way to the west coast and back, searching for the perfect cup of coffee and a few great meals. after all, food is still my life.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

i have heard nothing but great things about this project from friends that have used it for wuite some time. this is my first opportunity to travel the way i've always wanted to, in a less planned, fancy-free manner. i've always opened up my door for travelers before, but have never been part of a community such as this before, and i am very much looking forward to becoming an active memeber in this community!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

like i've said, i'm done much 'couchsurfing' in the past, only it wasn't through this site. i've traveled the new jersey coastline during the summer and 'surfed' couches the whole way through. i enjoy meeting and learning about new people, which is why i choose to travel this way.

Interests

i dig good tunes and live music that still sounds musical. i relish in thought provoking art and photography that i can hang on my walls. wine & blogging. www.isweatbutter.com, perfect cups of coffee & cabernet. capturing intense photos of images that we see everyday, drinking small batch wines and beers with those worthwhile. until recently, scruffy beards were a big part of my life. ipods. gummy worms & mangoes. chapstick & nag champa incense. being happy, getting dirty and laughing. long discussions about life in general with people who can appreciate the real me. sunrises on the beach and sunsets anywhere. sand and snow. i guess these are things that explain who i am. not all of me, but a layer or two...

• arts
• photography
• coloring
• dining
• cooking
• wine
• beer
• coffee
• sprinting
• drinking
• traveling
• blogging
• music
• live music
• cycling
• beaches

Music, Movies, and Books

there isn't enough space on this site for me to talk about all of the music that i appreciate. i literally listen to EVERYTHING from folk classics like carole king, james taylor, cat stevens and harry chapin; to modern day classics like justin timberlake, maroon 5 and madonna. when asked what kind of music do you listen to, my answer used to be: "anything but country & classical." however, recently i have been adding quite a bit of country to my ipod. maybe it's not the old classics that true country fans adore, but the old crow medicine show, lady antebellum and the clark family experience have really opened my eyes to a form of music that i never previously enjoyed. (classical, for the record, is still a tough listen for me.) as far as movies, i have a very short attention span when it comes to sitting on the couch for 2 hours straight. i do have some favorites, 'cool hand luke' immediately comes to mind. and recently i saw the movie 'stop loss' in the theatre, and highly recommend that every American watch that movie. books, books, books. anthony bourdain is my all-time favorite author. fiction & non-fiction, his writing is outstanding. i love reading books that cross the culinary world with others such as televison, mystery and real-life drama. i'm currently reading george orwell's 'down and out in paris and london.'

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

on a trip to arches national park in utah a few years back, my father, my sister and i hiked some 12 miles to see 'delicate arch.' i remembering complaining and moaning the whole way there, you know, the 'are we there yet' syndrome. after that day, i promised i would never complain about a trek again. and since i had that epiphany, the trip has always been such an important part of the destination. delicate arch is the most beautiful site i have ever seen in my life. it doesn't matter how many continents or countries i travel, i compare every experience to the overwhelming feeling that i had that day at delicate arch. the view, the lack of sound, the lack of people and the instant feeling of gratification as we lay beneath the beatiful arch to take it all in and enjoy a nap with nature.

Teach, Learn, Share

i've worked most of my life in the restaurant industry, and love to teach others to cook. i also enjoy the social aspect of cooking with new friends- learning & teaching each other about food, wine and life. food brings us all together, and regardless of preferences, it's a huge part of all of our lives. i enjoy sharing that with others. as far as learning, i would love to learn more about where our food comes from. where fresh ingredients and handmade products REALLY come from. the people, the land and the process that goes into making a great meal.

Countries I’ve Visited

France, Italy, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States