CURRENT MISSION

To fight off the mundane.

ABOUT ME

I've done a bit of wondering around when and where I can.

In recent years I have started travelling mostly by bicycle - which I cannot recommend enough.

I'm a filmmaker to pay my way. I like life to be curious and intriguing as I get bored easy.

@jthegaston on the twitter.

PHILOSOPHY

Life can be boring and pretty awful sometimes, so we have to do everything we can to create meaning and interest and to put a smile on our faces. The mundane is the enemy. Adventures are out there, but you have to go looking.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Although I'm new to this site, I have a profile on WS (the Couchsurfing of cycle tourers) https://www.warmshowers.org/users/irish-jonathan where I have been hosting for ages. You can find reviews on there.

Interests

As a filmmaker, obviously film is an interest.

Cycling has become pretty important to me, mostly as a mode of transport.

I've always been interested in religions and religious people, and so I have studied Religious Studies and the Cognitive Science of Religion at University.

• film making
• traveling
• cycling
• religion
• science

Music, Movies, and Books

I love novels. There are many... At the moment I am reading Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts. It's got some interesting ideas.

There are too many movies too. I saw the new Godzilla movie there. It was great just because it looked phenomenal. It is about this lizard guy who doesn't fit in because he is just TOO BIG.

Music has evolved from folk, into electronic folk, into anything interesting. I love a lot of electronic music and also soundscapey stuff. Think Boards of Canada.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I saw a man beating a woman in a village in Kyrgyzstan. No one did anything. I was cycling through. I didn't do anything.

I know this is a bad amazing... maybe not what is inteded here. But it is just what jumped to mind.

Teach, Learn, Share

I love talking about religion, about beliefs, mindsets, delusions. I am always up for hearing people's own beliefs and the stories that have led people to holding them.

I guess I can teach a little bit of simple bicycle maintenance.

I can try to show people some film making and visual effects skills, however I doubt this is a task that could be done in a couple of days.