Not sure Vax status matters anymore, but I stay current... I love all things flying, all things Photography (especially 3D/Stereogram), all things food and cooking, traveling, hiking, camping, espresso. Am a maker, builder, artist and scientist. Designed rings, gold-smithing(lost wax casting) and have made a few stained glass windows. Have my pilots license and built an airplane.

Lately getting more into wisdom traditions and nondual thought(like the zen or toa traditions).

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

The Camino was amazing! now traveling down to Houston and maybe all the way to Boca Chica to see spaceX's latest superheavy+starship first launch!

Sept-26--Oct 22, 2022: I just got my tickets to Portugal and am excited to do the El Camino de Santiago, starting in Porto. I can't wait!! I have been wanting do to this for a long time!

I love international travel! However, lately I am now driving across the US and Canada more often, camping and CS. I hope to work up to some sort of teardrop trailer to enable me to wander more independently soon. LOVE the people on CS -- they love life, live life richly and they give me hope for humanity. Although, I am sad about the new corporate ways CS have gone and the paid subscription model for it now and feel a bit betrayed... but what can you do.

Interests

• photography
• swing dancing
• cooking
• picnic
• flying
• drones
• hiking
• camping
• engineering
• budget travel
• travel
• 3d
• taking pictures
• stereograms

Music, Movies, and Books

Books: Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy; Gottman, The Relationship Cure; Ha, self-help books in general; Nestor, Breath The new Science of a Lost Art; Walker, Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams; Miller, The Body Never Lies: The Lingering Effects of Hurtful Parenting; Harris, Waking Up

Movies: Princess Bride, Blade Runner, Primer, Eternal Sunshine and the Spotless Mind, Zoolander, Blade Runner, and Idiocracy (and many more... rather a sucker for romcoms; avoid horror/scary)

Podcasts: STEMtalk, Peter Attia,Sam Harris, John Vervaeke's YouTube "Beyond Socrates"

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Landed an airplane... ahem... "off-airport". It all seemed fine to me until the NTSB(National Transportation Safety Board) guy told me he was so excited to actually talk to the pilot involved. I didn't get it at first because I didn't think there was a choice not to talk to him(and even asked him to explain); yeeeeaaaaahhhh, so usually there is NO PILOT ALIVE TO TALK TO!! YIKES!!!

Teach, Learn, Share

More recently have been driving around the USA and Canada. I built an "origami" kayak from coroplast(like plastic cardboard) and went from Toronto to Florida and Texas and back couch-surfing and camping.

I also have traveled -- I went around the world going east right after Sept 11, 2001- my flight was originally ON Sept 11 -- so can share stories and favorites. France, Germany, Thailand, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Cook Islands, Tahiti. That was many moons ago -- I have traveled many places since then too! Rented canal boat in France a couple of times, regularly go back to Switzerland and Germany. Also love camping and the outdoors.

I learned to be a hypno-therapist and did a 14day meditation retreat meditating 12hrs/day and only eating two meals before noon... and also was trained as a marriage counselor(ha! then was divorced); but at heart I am an engineer, inventor, creator, scientist. Rational thinker (Bayesian style) but also meditate, do yoga and try to balance exercising my body, mind, soul and being open to change, holding my hypothesis loosely. So, I'm not a total nerd... more like a nerdy wanna-be-hippy Buddhist.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I am very handy so can fix most anything household from electrical to plumbing! I also can cook. I can make an awesome latte(I sometimes have my espresso machine with me, but sadly can't bring it with me on my El Camino walk... even the nano-presso will weigh too much). In any case, I am an enthusiastic help and not afraid to at least make an attempt to fix any problem.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Belize, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba, Brazil, Canada, China, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, England, Fiji, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Morocco, New Zealand, Saint Lucia, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, Germany, United States