CURRENT MISSION

Being the best me that I can possibly be!

ABOUT ME

My friends would say that I was warm, friendly, giving of my time and attention, fun to hang out with, and able to hold a decent conversation. I'd say that I'm a bit of an introvert, but love finding out about other people's experiences and world views. I'm non-judgmental and very accepting of others as we journey through this world together.

PHILOSOPHY

It's hard to live in the moment, but that's the only time that we can actually experience. The past is gone and the future will never be exactly how we envision it. Focus on the present and wring every bit of joy from it that you can.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I heard about Couch Surfing in the spring of 2009. Since then, I've hosted, guested, and hung out with surfers. They've almost uniformly been really cool.

Interests

Photography. I love hikes through urban, rural, or wilderness settings to take pictures of everything from grand vistas to fallen leaves or rusty locks. Although I grew up in Tennessee, I never spent much time in Chattanooga so I get to explore my new location and learn about the fascinating history of the area.

Food. I really enjoy trying new things. In the South, a lot of that is fried, so I like the new fusion cuisines where chefs are blending tastes and techniques from around the world. I can make a good omelette and like to stretch my limits every now and then. I also enjoy trying things that I've never had before. Even if it's not to my taste, it's still a new experience.

• photography
• dining
• coffee
• drinking
• hiking
• history
• good conversation
• good people
• good beer
• hash house harriers

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies: The Big Lebowksi, The Fifth Element, Zulu, Blues Brothers, Labyrinth, Lord of the Rings trilogy, Groundhog Day, Shawshank Redemption ...

Music: Oingo Boingo, Devo, Black Flag, Great Big Sea, Death Cab for Cutie, Post Modern Jukebox, Ray Lamontagne, Blue Mother Tupelo, Tame Impala, Emilie Autumn, Matisyahu...

Books: Way too many to list - Mostly science fiction, like Lois McMaster Buujold's Vorkosigan series, but also engaging historical non-fiction (like Bill Bryson, Henry Petroski, etc,) and autobiographies.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

* Walked up on a whitetail deer fawn laying in the grass of my brother's house in Northeast Tennessee. Took some photos and backed away.
* Spent several cold nights with friends chasing the Northern Lights in Alaska. We'd watch the lights dance across the sky - clouds of green, ribbons of emerald, and flashes of purple and white.
* Sitting on the porch of a girlfriend's cabin, drinking coffee, and watching the sunlight climb down the face of Denali, lighting the mountain in a ruby alpenglow.

Teach, Learn, Share

My passion is photography. I rediscovered the joy that looking at the world through a lens can bring me. It has helped me to see the beauty in the world around me and share that beauty with others. I enjoy taking surfers to see the sights where I live, walking through downtown Chattanooga, or driving up Lookout Mountain to show them Point Park and the grand vistas.

What I Can Share with Hosts

This all depends on the trip and where I'm going. On a trip through Canada, I took uniquely Southern (American) foods - Moon pies, Dr. Enuf, watermelon rind pickles, etc. I almost always have my camera and I freely share the photos that I take, hopefully with a new perspective on a host's familiar place .

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States

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