CURRENT MISSION

Simplify.

ABOUT ME

I'm a transplant from Ohio to the Pacific Northwest, ever looking to make friends and host some interesting passers-through! Lately I've been rediscovering my love of reading, storms, and automotive work. I live to travel, and in particular would like to return to Africa to explore and work.

PHILOSOPHY

Life is beautiful in its every form. While I admit that I'm slightly partial to the Homo sapiens sapiens gradually destroying this planet, I hope for a day when people will understand and believe with me that we are not so far removed from our animal (and plant) cousin-species here, and that this world as a whole lives as a single organism and will die as one as well.

I think that above any other lesson in my life, the one I most return to is "Get over yourself." I am constantly struggling to look past my own day-to-day needs and feelings and to think of myself as ONE of SIX BILLION (and that's just the human animals). I want to live with that reality in mind. Reduce, reuse, recycle of course, but mostly Reduce.

I know the only afterlife I will have will be the imprint my words and actions leave on those around me as I pass through life, and so I try to make them count.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Well,

a) I've listed my couches. Hosted a bunch of rad people. Ready to host some more! :)
b) I make the occasional meet-up (although not as often as I should), and am pretty much down for hanging out with anyone and doing anything, any night of the week.
c) I'm looking for ways to participate more. In Couchsurfing.org and in life in general.

Interests

Oh, the usual - politics, religion, social and economic equality for everyone. I think the environment is finally getting a little bit of the attention it deserves, and am glad for it, however late it may come. I find that I'm 'patriotic' when it comes to American values (freedom of speech and assembly, etc), but that this country can sometimes be a little alienating for a person who really thinks that the common good should come first in all things. That said, I'm hopeful. There's nothing like a little 'economic correction' to clarify our collective values for us.

• animals
• environment
• politics
• reading
• traveling
• drawing
• piano
• religion

Music, Movies, and Books

BOOKS I recommend Paolo Coelho's "The Alchemist". "The Ancestor's Tale" by Richard Dawkins. Right now I'm reading "1491" by Charles Mann.

MUSIC Currently on rotation: Cloud Cult, The Books, Baby Monster, The Avett Brothers, Clock Opera, Foster The People, Koushik, Aphex Twin, Four Tet, Antonio Carlos Jóbim, Squarepusher.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach you: How to do an emergency tracheotomy. Wait, is that gross? It's true! I can teach you how to change the brakes on your car. The Cyrillic alphabet, or how to play piano. How to cure "brain freeze". How to open one Mozambican Coke bottle using only another one. How to make a miniature elephant out of towels. How to find a vein and draw blood. How to cope with a dying parent (AKA How to give a really good hug). I can teach you the secret to doing all of the most disgusting, the most frightening, the most unbearable things that you will ever have to do. In one word. I swear. I'll do it right now, free of charge. Here it is:

Breathe.

Countries I’ve Visited

Haiti, Mexico, Mozambique, South Africa, United Kingdom, Venezuela

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States

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