CURRENT MISSION

To boldly go where I have not gone before. . .

ABOUT ME

I'm generally a creative person that likes to observe and plan the world around me, an intensiveness typical of a Scorpio. I'm down-to-earth, but very curious about the variously distinct cultures of the world; it seems I always dabble in some foreign language for a time! I love photography and learning about new places. I'm generally not an extrovert, but can be, given the right person and mood. I'm not quite alternative, and not quite mainstream. I can enjoy a Saturday night either out dancing and mingling at a nightclub or else curling up with a good movie and a glass of wine at home.

PHILOSOPHY

"The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are." by Joseph Campbell. I really like this quote, have for a long time, because it's about personal freedom. Sometimes that's hard to achieve in certain societies, though, so I guess you could call it my goal.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I'm available to meet for a coffee/drink on the weekends.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I joined in December 2009. So far I've met a few people for coffee/drinks in Stockholm, Riga, and Saigon. I've surfed in Hanoi and Can Tho (Mekong Delta), Vietnam in March 2012.

Interests

architecture, design, ecofriendly design, sustainability, photography, infrared photography, painting, drawing, urban planning, travel, nature, cities, international culture, languages, maps, patterns, mythology, educational lectures, exhibits, museums, independent films, arete, aikido, dancing, running, cello, etc. I'm not very good at ice skating nor shooting pool, but I like both.

• culture
• architecture
• design
• photography
• dancing
• wine
• coffee
• running
• drinking
• movies
• traveling
• billiards
• painting
• drawing
• hunting
• cartography
• languages

Music, Movies, and Books

Leonard Cohen, REM, Rasputina, Massive Attack, Covenant, Portishead, Zoe Keating, Nick Cave, Depeche Mode, Radiohead, etc.

Lost in Translation, Amelie, In Bruges, The Return, Pi, The Fountain, Cashback, 500 Days of Summer, Donnie Darko, Eternal Sunshine on the Spotless Mind, Ink, La Vita e Bella, Rain Man, Vicki Cristina Barcelona, Lola Rennt, Wings of Desire, and my old standby Spaceballs.

Battlestar Galactica, Highlander, House, and Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Shot like a human torpedo in a Latvian Olympic bobsled at 103km/hr experiencing 3-4 g-forces. Lied down on my stomach to stare off the cliffs of Dun Aengus on Inish More. Sat on a porch in Sicily at sunset while smelling the fragrant trees and wildflowers. Stumbled upon accident into the Christmas pre-dawn mass at Aachen's great cathedral. Hiked throughout the vortex red rock regions of Sedona, Arizona and experienced true silence. Bathed elephants in a river with buckets of water at a sanctuary near the Chiang Mai region of Thailand.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can show you Chicago from an architectural/urban planning frame of mind and suggest a few places off the beaten path. I'm interested in learning most things, and we can share the idiosyncrasies about our cultures and languages.

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Vatican City State, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Russian Federation, United States