Clouds, mist, moss, ice, texture, curvature, rich cool dark earth, in-betweenness, connecting dots, closeness across gulfs, chewy bread, fresh herbs, paradox, lemon and salt, small flowers on high rock ledges, intricacy, narrow ferny ravines, soft fur, hiding in the forest's edge, the sound of trickling water, the subtlety of fragrances translucently overlaid with other fragrances, strong solid dense old books, gnarly wood, wet stone, apothecary jars, tapestry, running down steep narrow paths, finding a way where there is no way, tender wavering balance, reconciliation, dynamic negotiation over rules, formless poetry, implication, purity through impurity, soft warm cool rich full thin delicate song, tumbling and cascading, forgetting and remembering

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

To be human is to be an experimental species; we are among the newer species on our world, and we have not yet found a stable niche or way of life. I believe in acting as such and living inquisitively, peeking under rocks everywhere we go. Couchsurfing is one of many ways of doing that; respectfully peeking into each other's little worlds for a time or two, learning from those without a popular media megaphone, and coming away with a little more appreciation for the richness and intricacy of our human ecology.

After some years of being a contemplative recluse, favoring wild camping and solo walks and climbs and road trips, I'm working on growing human connections again. I am not here to arrive late and leave early; I'm here to give you my attention to the degree you wish.

I’m not using this as a dating app; I am happily partnered. Please respect that.

Interests

I'm on a journey of empathizing with the world, as a whole, to the best of my ability. I absorb and absorb of the world, and slowly grow a little mirror of a representation of the world in my heart and mind, a little map, a map not of geography but of the shape of us, of us = everything. What is everything, as a thing rather than a collection of independent things? That is the question I ponder, as I expose myself to as much of everything as I can bear, and at times more than I can bear.

• politics
• anime
• skiing
• ecology
• philosophy
• hitchhiking
• solo travel
• mountains
• waterfalls
• mysticism
• climbing
• everything
• trees
• vegan cooking
• theology
• botany
• backcountry skiing
• scrambling
• systems thinking
• barefoot trail running

Music, Movies, and Books

I’ve tracked my music listening for a decade; https://www.last.fm/user/Aaeia/library/artists . I favor devotional music of every faith, and I would love to dip my ears in the sounds of your culture!

Anime: Made in Abyss, Humanity Has Declined, Kaiba, Aku no Hana, Aria, Mushishi, Ranking of Kings, Akira, Cowboy Bebop, Nausicaa, Princess Mononoke, Totoro, The Eccentric Family, Tale of Princess Kaguya, From the New World, Tatami Galaxy, Night is Short Walk On Girl, Evangelion, Mind Games, Weathering With You, Wolf Children, Frieren

I adore children’s books, as they try to honor the wholeness and essence of life and our most fundamental wisdoms; they try to introduce a new heart to her world, and many of us could do with a re-introduction.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I opened my eyes. 99.9999999999999999999% of what makes a human life extraordinary is shared with every other animal and even plant, though her eyes might be subtler to meet. Anything else we do in our lives is a little cherry on top, albeit a delightful sumptuous cherry! The ordinary is what is extraordinary; the rare simply sidesteps our habit of not looking at what we've already seen.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I’m a good listener and truly genuinely do not judge, and I have a tale or two of my own to tell from my long strange journey. I’d be happy to cook for you, if you’d like, though I’d be happier helping you and learning something new from your culture.

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Austria, Bermuda, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Norway, Poland, Romania, Scotland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United States, Wales

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, Germany, United States