CURRENT MISSION

Deeply involved in environmental activism in West Virginia, while tending my garden, feeding my head, building my house and spending time in wonderful nearby Charleston for my cultural enrichment.

ABOUT ME

What! That bum? Seriously (somewhat) they would say "when the hell is he gonna settle down?" Has he ever had a job? How does he do it? He's old now, isn't he?
Actually, been self-employed all my life mostly as a freelance photographer. Found peace and simple living in the hills of West Virginia 35 years ago. Work only when necessary, leaving time for gardening, watching good movies, catching live music and traveling. My wife Terry is an LPN and we are virtually on the same rich path.

PHILOSOPHY

I feel like our lives on this rock are a miracle of sorts. I mean, what are the chances....? So, to make the most of it, I want to be sure that each day contributes to the betterment of our existence in some way, big or small. We're all in this together.
No one is free until all people are free.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Haven't had nearly enough time to participate in CS, but things are opening up a bit now and hope to host and visit much more in the near future.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Have couchsurfed in France and Portland, Oregon. Wonderful folks in both places.

Interests

Great images. Good writing. Spend a major portion of my time working on a retrospective on fifty years of my photography. Yearn to travel more in Europe and Central America to pursue my photography, my first love.

• writing
• photography
• gardening
• movies
• traveling
• music
• live music
• freelancing
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

Favorite movies: The Commitments, Stand Up Guys, City Island, Second Hand Lions, The Usual Suspects
Music: Bruce Springsteen, David Byrne, Tom Petty, John Fogerty, almost any reggae music!
Books: Anything by Tom Robbins, John Steinbeck, John Updike, Edward Abbey plus "The Stand" by Stephen King.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Sitting in a hot tub in West Virginia after a full moon sweat watching the aurora borealis.
Standing on the steps of the Jefferson Memorial with other countrymen, listening on portable radios to the shots being fired in salute to JFK's burial, then hearing the echo of the shots coming across the Potomac.
Holding my son for the first time, wondering how he could weigh so little.

Teach, Learn, Share

My specialties at this point are community organizing, gardening, photography, carpentry and living small. I would love to learn more about how to jump-start needy people into more satisfying, productive lives.

What I Can Share with Hosts

A warm, comfortable home in a small valley, plenty of trails and dirt roads to bike and hike, good vibes and a willingness to share and learn.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Canada, France, Jamaica, New Zealand, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States

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