I. Love. Life; & believe strongly the sentiment that 'variety is the spice of life;' as it has been a welcome and recurring 'flavor' in throughout my life. I feel blessed for this, and while I've seen very little comparatively to everything there is to see, I have still seen more than most, and in that I'm extremely grateful...

I've seen the Pacific from the waterfront in Shanghai at eleven, my grandmother by my side; and again with my best friend, at 22, from the rocky, mist-covered shores of he most north-westerly point in the U.S.

I've boarded a plane on Christmas day from a nearly empty Honolulu Airport after spending a month walking/driving/hiking one of the most beautiful places I've ever been... I've driven cross country numerous times; alone, in tandem, and most recently with my twin sister, 3 sea-bags strapped to the roof, and her two and four year old in the backseat,...

I've got more than a few 3+ day greyhound trips under my belt, ridden from Ohio to Tennessee napping/sunbathing in the open bed of a pickup truck, from Clover SC to Winston-Salem NC sleeping shotgun in a semi, I've flown back and forth across the country alone and with siblings from the age of 6, slept in 5th story of an Irish castle, and ridden from Hawaii to San Diego CA onboard an aircraft carrier...

That's a lot of where I've been... I consider myself very lucky indeed... though who I am may be clearer below.

I reported for Marine Corps boot camp six weeks after my high school graduation, and after having turned down an NROTC scholarship. After less than a year I was discharged, effectively for 'Homosexual Admission,' having come out gay in the naive belief that being other than genuine with my fellow Marines was an insult to them. Yet it wasn't something I wanted to repress any longer, and so I, despite attempts to persuade me otherwise, followed through with the discharge, and found myself getting into a cab outside Jacksonville NC. green sea-bag on my shoulder, asking for the greyhound station.

After finishing winter and spring back in Ohio, and despite a my parents being in obvious transition, I attended college for one year at Fitchburg State University in Fitchburg, Massachusetts; before familial issues prompted a return home and loss of funding,

In the years since, I worked for a number of fulfilling years managing with a fast-casual restaurant chain, helping open new restaurants, working in 3 restaurants altogether, and helping with 4 others; as well as managing with a smaller creamery and confectionary chain. All the while working on side projects involving developing my skills painting, writing, and playing/writing music.

For the past year, since the end of 2016; I've been living with my twin sister and her two awesome spawn. So... long story short, I've learned firsthand that the world is a big beautiful place, and I can't help but feel driven to continue to travel it and see as much of it as I possibly can, so as to share and entice others to find more beauty in life as well! As for this site, well... I've been uncle-daycare for the past 10 months now, and preparing for my next jump! I'm not sure yet where the winds will take me, but I'm all for finding out!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Long story short, I've learned firsthand that the world is a big beautiful place, and I can't help but feel driven to continue to travel it and see as much of it as I possibly can, so as to share and entice others to find more beauty in life as well! As for joining and hopefully using this site? well... if you read through my 'About me' (I'm sorry for the length... somewhat :p) I've been uncle-daycare for the past 10 months now, and I'm preparing for my next jump! I'm not sure yet where the winds will take me, but I'm all for finding out!

Interests

• culture
• architecture
• photography
• music festivals
• humanitarian relief
• music
• live music
• classical music
• electronic music
• hiking
• soccer
• art history
• cultural studies
• history
• military science
• philosophy
• psychology
• religion
• cultural immersion
• historic sites
• photo
• cultures
• film photography
• abandoned places
• different cultures
• ancient history
• new cultures
• europe
• the universe
• landscape architecture
• local history
• world history
• germany
• japanese culture
• social psychology
• positive psychology
• german language
• photoshop
• eastern europe
• modern architecture
• mountain hiking
• street photography
• european union
• european politics
• playing soccer
• military history
• learning german
• united kingdom
• futboll
• hiking in the mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: All over the board on this one, I like to play guitar so making my own music (or attempting to anyway) is what usually is filling my musical appetite. Whitney Houston, Bill Withers are my go-to if I'm wanting something on while cooking or cleaning.

Movies: Forrest Gump, Django, Magnificent Seven, Band of Brothers, Interstellar, Lucy, a lot of others... too many to name

Books: "Biocentrism," by Robert Lanza MD, "The subtle art of not giving a s****," by Mark Manson, "The Lord of the Rings," by J.R.R. Tolkien just to name a few...

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

My favorite memory is standing in the early morning mist, on an old wooden deck on the shore of Crescent Lake, Washington State, in the Olympic Peninsula. In 50 degree weather, staring out at the silence of the still lake water, spontaneously stripping to my briefs and diving into the crystal clear, ice cold water. I swam in a small circle twice... treading water for a moment, long enough to look up as the morning sun climbed the mountains around me... and then I swam back to shore like my life depended on it. I spent the next hour heart-racing, breathing deeply in the full mountain air. Laughing as I curled up naked by the fire; covered from the light morning spritzing in only a light blanket and a few stray rays of sunshine which had found their way down, through the centuries-old trees crowding the sky above.

I relive this moment often, more often than I'd ever expected... and I'm constantly grateful for the reminder of the beauty and serenity of that moment, along with the relief that enveloped me as I stripped down on that cold, mossy deck; in that moment I was there. Free from worry or apprehension, free from judgement, and so surrendered, free of myself.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, China, Ireland, Mexico

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States