CURRENT MISSION

To seek out and share knowledge, joy, and wonder.

ABOUT ME

I'm Andy. I'm curious.I feel strongly. I love sounds, making things, and thinking. I'm a college student right now studying mechanical engineering, but I don't particularly want to work as an engineer. I'm interested in especially in materials, energy, and vibration. I go to school out of curiosity more than the drive to make money. I like working with my hands, designing and building things. I want to make things to allow me (and anybody else) to live "sustainably" with technology but without outside control over the power for and use of the things we need. I'm especially interested in small-scale power production in cooperation with permaculture.

PHILOSOPHY

I used to say that, since death is an integral part of life, to fear death is to fear life. I still think this is true, but I also think that life is actually scary. Death is not scary at all, to be dead is to be nothing, and nothing is easy. When explorers look for life on other worlds, they look for water. I think the lesson to take from this is that life is wet, and that one should learn to deal with that. Everything is beautiful and hideous. There is no garbage, only waste. Garbage is merely a failure in human imagination.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I do my best to by a positive influence in the lives of people I meet. I love teaching and learning. I also love cooking. I love to meet people and can probably help you with food, knowledge, and company. With CS, I do everything I can to pay favors forward as well as back.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

The people I've met have been wonderful. They've given me an understanding of places I couldn't get any other way, in addition to great company, comfort, and food.

Interests

Movement, listening, nature, cooking, people, making things, sciences, etymology, "sustainable" living, climbing, engineering, hiking, running, music, skateboarding, biking, and exploration of all kinds.

• beauty
• dining
• cooking
• running
• technology
• socializing
• metalworking
• music
• cycling
• hiking
• skateboarding
• rock climbing
• engineering
• etymology
• parks

Music, Movies, and Books

I like things that are liked by me. Some of my favorite authors are Neal Stephenson, Orson Scott Card, Cory Doctorow, Douglas Adams, others. Some of my favorite musicians include Philip Glass, Man Man, Aphex Twin, The Slits, Aesop Rock, etc.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Love, epiphany, life, the ocean, the sky, hideousness, beauty.
Many of America's great national parks and other beautiful but less known little places. Nature reclaiming humanity's fragile creations. Life sprouting out from the tiniest cracks, finding a way under any circumstances.

Teach, Learn, Share

I've learned carpentry, metalworking, sewing, cooking, bicycle repair (former bike mechanic), some luthiery, many things. I'd be happy to share anything I know.

I'd like to learn everything else, and expand on what I know.

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