I think of myself as relatively laid back and easy going, typically a decent conversationalist. I feel that I excel at interpreting social dynamics and in turn strive to make those around me comfortable with my presence, although I do have my opinions and I tend to share em' if I feel you're open to some good-natured banter. I love to laugh and don't often resist the opportunity to make a pun or quip, not always a knee slapper but not for lack of trying ;)

I ditched automobiles a couple years ago and do my best to ride my bike everywhere I go, averaging a couple hundred miles a month. That includes riding to the nearest place to find pick-up soccer. I'm no Zlatan, but soccer is easily my favorite pastime. I feel like soccer transcends social and cultural barriers more so than any other sport. Regardless of where I'm playing, it's normal for there to be representatives of 5 or more different countries and that's real refreshing for me. I love learning first hand about other people's customs and cultures and soccer has become my preferred method for this.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Looking to get the inside scoop when I'm travelling but most of all I enjoy meeting new people and making new friends and memories.

Interests

-Bicycles: particularly steel frames with fancy lugs and pretty paint jobs.
-Football(soccer): particularly Seattle Sounders and Tottenham Hotspur
-Beer: particularly craft beer, sours and imports
-Live Music: particularly Seattle Venues: Tractor Tavern, Neptune, Barboza, etc.
-New Dishes: I'll try anything and I'm constantly trying to broaden my horizons when it comes to food

• dining
• beer
• walking
• traveling
• cars
• painting
• music
• live music
• cycling
• sports
• soccer

Music, Movies, and Books

Music:
-Alt/Indie: Animal Collective, Radiohead, Tame Impala, Joanna Newsom
-Blues/Classic Rock: Anything from Leadbelly to Thin Lizzy
-Hip Hop/Rap: DOOM, Dilla, Chance the Rapper, EARTHGANG
-Folk: Gillian Welch, Moondoggies, Fleet Foxes, CSNY, Laura Veirs
-Irish Traditional Music: Luke Kelly, Clancy Brothers, Dubliners, Pogues

Books:
-Fiction: Ken Kesey, George Orwell, John Steinbeck, James Joyce, Kurt Vonnegut, JD Salinger, Cormac McCarthy, Chaim Potok, Pearl S. Buck
-Non-Fiction: Dave Eggers, Joe Sacco, Kurt Eichenwald, Michela Wrong, Jon Ronson, CS Lewis, Simon Winchester

Film:
-Directors: Coen Brothers, Wes Anderson, Guy Ritchie, Tarantino, Darren Aronofsky, Woody Allen, Roman Polanski
-Actors: Daniel Day Lewis, Tom Hardy, Wagner Moura, Daniel Bruhl, Idris Elba, Colin Farrell, Christopher Waltz, Ewan McGregor, Brad Pitt

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I was 18 when my grandfather took us to Norway. We spent a few days in Oslo before heading Northwest by train, eventually arriving in beautiful Balestrand, a picturesque town tucked neatly away in a massive web of fjords and glaciers. We were catching the tail end of their summer and you could still see melting snow, the water falling down the mountainsides into the water below.

After walking around some we came across a dock where a handful of boarding school students were hanging out, taking turns jumping into the frigid water below. My mother suggested that I follow suit but I decided I was pretty comfortable in my sweatshirt and jeans.

After maybe ten minutes watching the kids jump and hit the water, instantly letting out a scream of equal parts joy and terror, I figured I'd regret not jumping in if I walked away warm and dry. So just before my family was ready to move on, I stripped to my undershorts, ran to the edge and did my very best interpretation of a swan dive.

Coldest water I'd ever felt but so very worth it, I emerged to the applause of my family with a giant smile pinned to my face. Afterwards I made friends with a number of the students. I told them to add me on Myspace, but they instructed me to ditch Myspace and join them on Facebook, I'd never even heard of it..

What I Can Share with Hosts

Laughter, libations and an all around good time! Some might notice that I've yet to really explore the world in the physical sense but please don't let that be a deal breaker. I've been all over the West Coast, from Skagway to Monterey Bay and everywhere in between. Anywhere I've yet to go I've certainly read about and I'd love to hear your travel stories so I can plan accordingly.

Other than that it'd be my pleasure to tune up your bicycle, or maybe help out around the house/yard with any small projects or what have you.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, Norway