CURRENT MISSION

...

PHILOSOPHY

"We had averaged roughly five knots, which is about the speed you back into the garage, or toil uphill on a bicycle slowly. Now you might well consider this and conclude that such a journey is a waste of time, and on the surface of things you might be right. It's an expensive form of travel, too; during five days at sea we had probably consumed enough whiskey, Mars bars, tea, canned food, and diesel to buy each of us a flight. And most of the time we were rather wet and cold... and during the first twenty-four hours almost everyone was stricken by seasickness.

It is undoubtedly a madness. And yet I remember reading in Antoine de Saint-Exupery's "Wind, Sand and Stars" of how the author once told a Bedouin camel driver that in his flying machine he could do in two hours the journey that would take a camel caravan ten days. The Bedouin pensively scratched his aquiline nose, and then looked deep into the aviator's eyes. "Why," he asked quietly,"would a person want to do that?"

I'm with the Bedouin every time here. I'd plump any day for exploring the beauty that the world has to offer. I know people who have never slept a night beneath the stars. In fact, there are probably people who have never climbed a hill, nor swum in a river or a lake. It's time they did."

-- Chris Stewart, from "Three Ways to Capsize a Boat"

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Host when I can. hung out a lot with CSers in Costa Rica, but the Richmond community is not quite as active. Have met some cool folks here, hope to do more with them now that i live in the Fan again...

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Have hosted a bunch of people last year in CR, otherwise just hanging out. Have only surfed myself a little bit, but always had good luck/friendly hosts. Seems to attract some pretty cool, laid-back people. I have met a lot of interesting folks, and hope to keep doing so.

Interests

travel (obviously), reading, music, movies, all kinds of pop culture junk. College Basketball (Go Heels!)

• culture
• writing
• beauty
• dining
• flying
• boating
• movies
• reading
• traveling
• music
• hiking
• basketball

Music, Movies, and Books

Music:

My favorite band nowadays is Wilco. All-time: Zeppelin.

Girl Talk-- best CD of 2008. i really like Pattern is Movement (weird but worth it). Ryan Adams, Jack Johnson, Donovan Frankenreiter, Neil Young, Jane's Addiction, Radiohead-- OK Computer is definitely a desert island CD for me. Beck. Jeff Buckley- Grace also goes with me to the island.

promising newer stuff: minus the bear, The Hold Steady, the Fratellis, Arctic Monkeys, Amy Winehouse, the Killers, The Black Keys, and Amos Lee, lots more.

Was once a bit of a deadhead-- saw them 8 times before Jerry died, also saw jerry band a few times, bob once, ratdog once. Never got into phish or widespread or anything that was ever labelled "the next grateful dead".

Like some jazz, mostly old stuff because I know very little of the new-- Cannonball Adderley is probably my favorite-- Mercy, Mercy, Mercy is just a fabulous album. Also Miles, of course, and (much more recently) Grant Green. From Miles, the natural progression to funk-- I love James Brown and all related music (Maceo, the JBs, Parliament, etc etc).

Like some rap, but mostly old stuff like the old Beasties (through Paul's Boutique), Public Enemy, tons of cheesey 80s crap, up to and including the Humpty Dance. Also the best unknown rap band of all time, and a sweet live show always, the 2 Skinnee J's. Just got the latest Q-Tip CD, and like it.

Will happily go see just about any music live, too. Love the National here in Richmond for shows.

Books:
I am always reading something: just finished Best American Travel Writing 2008-- awesome series of books.

Now reading a political satire by Christopher Buckley.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

solo hike to the glacial lake above Gimmelwald, Switzerland.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

Costa Rica, Germany, United States

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