CURRENT MISSION

To admit that I know nothing and then to learn something

ABOUT ME

I am a whimsical creature, a good listener, and a friendly face. I am very glad to be here on this earth and am ultimately quite an optimist. I have studied philosophy, am comfortable in my beliefs, but I remain incredibly open-minded and get along with just about everyone. I love writing (as I write this here) and do not self-edit too much (although I will likely continue to expand on this for a long time to come).

PHILOSOPHY

Firstly, the big bang happened. Every particle was propelled outwards in one fashion or another, and over time, everything that is/was/ever will be was put into the path of creation. Our existence is just a complex series of actions based on those original particles. In fact, everything that we are made of existed at the very beginning of the universe! Amazing, I know. That's the short and short of it and what the following beliefs are founded upon.

The meaning of life is quite simple. I believe that we have absolutely no control over anything. This is to say that there is no free will at all, and that we're all destined and determined to end up wherever we are supposed to end up. And I thank the glorious universe for that.

There's two ways to read what I wrote, and most people have a lot of trouble seeing just how freeing that statement truly is. So let's start with how it's usually perceived.

"If there's no free will, and everything is just going to happen the way it's supposed to happen, then what's to stop me from sitting on my couch and doing nothing with my life...because whatever is supposed to happen will happen, right?"

Well, if you sit on your couch for the rest of your life, then that's what was meant to happen. So stop yourself for a second and reflect whether or not that's what you actually want to happen. And then you make the choice to get up.

"But if there's no free will, how do I get to make a choice?"

Good question (muahahaha, Socrates...). In place of genuine free will, we have the illusion of free will. This illusion is so incredibly well constructed that we'll absolutely never know that we're not in control of ourselves. It is a flawless computer program that never glitches. So if you want something in life and you go out and take hold of it, that was meant to be. If you don't, then that was meant to be.

"So let me get this straight. We're not actually in control of anything, but we have the illusion that we are in control of everything?"

Correct.

"And whatever we do is exactly what was supposed to happen anyways? So...I have complete freedom to do anything I want in my life, and ultimately, it will have been what was supposed to happen, whether it was good or bad?"

Absolutely. The greatest thing you can do in life is to try and fail. It will help you to better gauge what success really is. It will also help you try harder to live your life without regrets, for there really is a purpose to everything we do, no matter how insignificant feeling.

Whether or not free will actually exists, we will never know either way, so just pretend like it does (or that we have the illusion that it does and seems incredibly realistic) and do exactly what you want to do. Don't let anything get in your way...And your biggest obstacle will always be yourself, so don't forget, you'll more likely regret the things you don't do than the things you do. The only person that can make you into the person you want to be is you. And be happy, we can do whatever the hell we want! We're well off, educated and have unlimited potential! Now get off your ass and go make yourself happy.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Tossing my share in the hat was the first step. Telling the community who I am will be the second. Opening myself up to meeting all of you, perhaps contributing my photography/working on art projects, showing a non-native Montrealer around a few good spots, hopefully having a few couches extended to me.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Soooooooooooooooo good. You guys (see: references) are amazing!

Interests

Photography, poker, art, museums, good food, good coffee/tea, new experiences, trials and failures, philosophy, learning, reading, music.

• arts
• writing
• fashion
• photography
• dining
• cooking
• coffee
• coach
• reading
• poker
• music

Music, Movies, and Books

True Romance, Donnie Darko, Pulp Fiction, Resevoir Dogs, A Clockwork Orange, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Bully, Jesus Christ: Vampire Hunter, Lost Highway

Add N to (X), Air, Aphex Twin, The Avalanches, Animal Collective, Beta Band, The Books, Bright Eyes, Broadcast, Built To Spill, Belle & Sebastian, Chemical Brothers, Death Cab for Cutie, The Decemberists, DJ Shadow, Death From Above 1979, Daft Punk, Explosions in the Sky, Elliott Smith, Godspeed You Black Emperor!, Gorillaz, Ivy, Ladytron, Modest Mouse, Menomena, M83, Morcheeba, The Magnetic Fields, Neutral Milk Hotel, Nine Inch Nails, Radiohead, Simon and Garfunkel, The Smashing Pumpkins, Sigur Ros, Stars, The Unicorns, Vive La Fete

I am a Strange Loop, The Desire to be a Man, The Prophet, The Alchemist, The Hatchet, Freakonomics, George's Marvelous Medicine

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Learned how to think openly, critically, and work through problems in a way that makes me happy. I cannot recommend strongly enough a string of philosophy classes.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can definitely help someone interested in learning how to be a better photographer. Also, a few post-editing tips. I am also a poker coach, so poker knowledge can also be offered. Not to mention, I have a degree in marketing, if you have a product or service, I can offer you a critically objective perspective on what you might consider doing with it.

I want to learn how to cook/bake more things.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, United States, Venezuela

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada

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