Hey there!

My name is Mike. I spent a few years traveling, and I've been planted in Seattle for the last 2.5 years. I worked as a life-coach and podcaster for a few years, and let all that go a few months ago. My current life-chapter is all about learning and making art. I'm taking classes at the local university on LGBT studies. I'm volunteering in hospice. And I'm opening up my creativity out the wazoo (writing philosophy, erotic fiction, improv comedy, drag.)

I live in an intentional-community in Seattle with 8 other folks that I helped create. It's a living experiment where we're building a culture around transparent connection, freedom of expression, transformation, and community impact. I love living in community - it provides endless connection, challenges, and holds up mirrors to my many blindspots.

I enjoy putting together groups of people. I regularly meet with a small dance group to explore play, power-dynamics, and sweetness. I also regularly meet with a small men's group where we give each other brutally honest feedback and deep support in our journeys into purpose.

I'm insatiably curious, and a thread of self-discovery weaves all of my life-ventures together.

Right now I make my money as a nude model and working at a sex-shop. I'm sitting at the edge of two life-trajectories- one is on the mainstream, and the other is one is off it. The former would be becoming a therapist, the ladder would be becoming a sexual-healer. I'm far more interested in the ladder, and find myself impassioned to help others work through their sexual trauma and find their passion and life-force. However, after my last entrepreneurial ventures I'm wary to embark on a path with such little financial certainty. Anywho, that's why I'm learning, creating, and incubating right now - I don't want to rush the big-decision process.

I'm sex-positive. I find gender to be complex and not-straightforward. I think social justice is important. I love dancing.

A few other interests of mine -- meditation, journaling, psychedelics, rap, chess, tantra, bdsm, basketball, tennis, archetypes, nature.

I've never been to Vegas but I am going for a few days before visiting my grandpa in CA. I'm going to LV to see a woman who is helping me develop my confidence. And, well, I'm damn curious what Vegas is like!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I'd love to meet folks who are open-minded. Honestly, that's all I care about. Doesn't matter if you're white collar or blue collar, straight or queer, whatever. I'm curious to hear others' stories and am always happy to share mine.

Interests

Shootin' the shit.

Real conversation about what we actually feel, believe, experience.

Creative play. Like dance, song, improv.

Good natured competition. Chess, boardgames, sports.

Movement. Dance, lifting weights, running, walking. Any type of movement.

• singing
• meditation
• chess
• blogging
• podcasts
• hiking
• basketball
• tennis
• friendship
• buddhism
• exploring
• tantra
• adventuring
• ping pong
• bdsm
• psychedelics
• boardgames
• journaling
• ecstatic dance
• life coaching
• contact improv
• marijuana
• freestyle rapping
• pondering

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: Recently I've been digging Grimes, Glitch Mob, Lady Gaga, and Johnny Cash.

Movies: I like the Before Sunrise series. I rewatched the Dark Knight a few days ago - man! it's brilliant.

Books: Boy, I love reading. I usually read non-fiction, but I can sink my teeth into a good novel. Some recent books that impacted me: You Failed Us by Azure Savage (about racism in the Seattle education system). The Long Hard Road out of Hell by Marilyn Manson (his memoir. It was a crazy read!). Sacred Contracts by Caroline Myss (this was a spiritual zinger and helped develop my worldview a lot). The Warrior Ethos by Stephen Pressfield (this helped me connect with the warrior archetype more deeply).

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I like meditation retreats a lot. I've done about 60 days of silent meditation retreats in the past few years. And about 8 days in absolute sensory deprivation.

Teach, Learn, Share

Learn: Your story, your passions, your curiosities. I like riffing with other people on their inquiries.

Share: I like to go deep in conversation. I like to dance and can teach some contact improv basics. I study intimacy and am happy to drop into deep shared experience if you're game for it.

Teach: I have some experience in building an intentional community and in facilitating group experiences I'm happy to share about.

What I Can Share with Hosts

If you're working through anything in your life, I'd be super happy to hold space and lend an ear for however long.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, China, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, England, France, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy, Nicaragua, Spain, Taiwan

Countries I’ve Lived In

Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Spain, United States