I was born and raised in Indiana, and I've been here ever since. The area I grew up in is a nice little town, but it's more of a "married-and-raising-children" or "retiring" location - and I am neither of those.

I wasn't sure how to describe myself, so I asked a few of my closest friends to give me a few words that describe me - this is what they came up with:

artistic - brave - caring - clever - crazy - funny - goofy - kid-magnet - kind - lovable - madness (hahaha) - original - outgoing - quirky - sensitive - silly - smart - strong - sweet - talented - thoughtful

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I've recently discovered what is most important to me. Happiness is not having money, a big house, or all of the latest gadgets, so I'm basically giving away and selling off what belongings I have so I can declutter my life. My plan tends to make others see me as a bit mad, but I'm determined to see the world, explore all cultures, make new friends, and help as many people as I can :)

I think that staying with a host, rather than at a hotel or whatnot, gives you more opportunities - you get to see the area through their eyes, to learn directly from them, help them, and share things that you might not have experienced otherwise. I think it's a great way to learn new things and make new friends :)

Interests

I'm a cake decorator, but currently applying for a membership in my local carpenters union. I'm a jack of all trades, but master of none (and I'm willing to learn more) - I love art, archaic activities (like archery, hand-written letters, pottery, and weaving), cooking, culture, helping people, history, music, nature, writing, boxing...I guess I'm not really picky :)

• arts
• culture
• writing
• cooking
• meditation
• pottery
• music
• boxing
• archery
• history

Music, Movies, and Books

I like music in general, although there's not a lot of rap music I enjoy. IMF was the greatest music channel ever created, but unfortunately it is no longer.

There are too many movies to list, but a few things I typically watch on a slow Saturday night - Amelie , Breakfast Club, anything funny, lots of documentaries, and History Channel :)

You know, I used to read ALL the time! I only recently realized how long it's been since I've read, and I'm looking to start making it a regular thing again - my brain is thirsty! Some of my favorites are Walden & Civil Disobedience (I actually forgot to return this book to the school, and I've probably read it about 7 times hahaha), The Great Gatsby, If You Ask Me (Betty White is amazing), and Lord of the Flies. I'm always open to suggestions!

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

At this point, the most amazing thing I've done is drive 14 hours to visit my sister in North Carolina for a week - there's something about making a journey like that on your own, almost like a meditation :)

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States