CURRENT MISSION

My current plan is to have no plan, which is of course according to my 5-year plan

ABOUT ME

Well, I am always changing. Odds are from the time you read this to the time we meet I will have evolved in some way/form. But basically, I enjoy exploring that which I have not yet explored, going deeper into the things with which I am already familiar, and learning all that I can during my short time on this planet.

I am from Southern California, but for now I am living in Albuquerque (just got here in Jan 2013). I work at a solar lab where we test solar panels and basically put them through a mini apocalypse; I really enjoy the hands-on work outdoors as well as the scientific work indoors.

I am still learning about Albuquerque so maybe we can explore it together a bit?

PHILOSOPHY

I try to trust in the process of life as much as i can. I try to encourage others to be who they are. I try to stay away from others who discourage me from reaching my goals. I try to do things that interest me and make me happy. I try to take care of myself so I can better take care of others.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I surfed a lot in Western Europe in 2009. I have since hosted a few Europeans and Norte Americanos here in the states and surfed a few couches here, too. I haven't used CS much in Latin America or Asia yet.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Overall, really good. Getting involved in CS helped me get out of my shell and see the world a bit.

Interests

Skateboarding, bike riding (commuting and longer treks), yoga, off-grid electrification using renewable resources, bansuri flute, techniques for living lightly on the Earth, DIY projects, photography, meditation, eating vegetarian food, interacting with and learning from others, thinking about life and occasionally documenting my thoughts in whatever notebook I have at the time.

• design
• photography
• diy
• dining
• vegetarian
• yoga
• working out
• meditation
• technology
• outdoor activities
• cycling
• skateboarding
• economics
• mathematics

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: It depends, but almost anything live is fun for me. Look me up on Spotify (Nicholas Riedel).

Movies: I watch mostly documentaries these days, but The Fountain, Groundhog Day, Harold and Mod, A Beautiful Mind and Good Will Hunting come to mind at the moment (in no particular order).

Some books that I've enjoyed reading: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Shantaram, 1984, Brave New World, Island, On the Road, We, Clockwork Orange, Fahrenheit 451, Catch 22, The Alchemist, Old Path White Clouds.

Actually... I really like reading. Here are more favorites: Breaking open the Head, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, Guns Germs and Steal, The Rum Diaries, The Wild Trees, Small is Beautiful, Cave in the Snow, The Cosmic Serpent, Food of the Gods, Inner Paths to Outer Space, The Tao of Physics, The Life of Milarepa, The Power of Now, most books by Chogyam Trungpa, certain Osho discourses, Remember be Here Now, Nonviolent Communication, and Radical Acceptance.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

This life is so beautiful and intricate, there are amazing things to see in every moment if you're open to them. I think most of the time I'm so preoccupied that I don't notice the more subtle joys...*le sigh*

However, some of the more pronounced joys I've experienced include scaling coastal cliffs and hanging out with 3-toed sloths in Costa Rica, listening to the Dalai Lama give teachings in India, riding on a cargo ship through the Amazon for 4 days and never leaving my hammock etc. etc. etc...

Teach, Learn, Share

I can help you with your math homework ( Calculus I and below :) ) Or if you want to talk about solar energy (technology, industry, economics) I'm open to that. We could even sit down and design a solar system for your house (provided that you have a house of course).

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, El Salvador, France, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, India, Italy, Jamaica, Mexico, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Nicaragua, United States

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