CURRENT MISSION

to reach my full potential as a human being

ABOUT ME

I'm a college drop-out twice over with an aversion to playing by the rules. Earlier this year (2012) I realized that I was tired of making excuses, tired of not having the balls to do what I wanted to do. So I saved up what little money I could, sold all of my possessions minus what was absolutely necessary, and left Chicago behind. I've got no plans other than to find alternative ways to support myself while I traverse the globe, writing until my fingers fall off.

I travel as a way to enrich my mental landscape, to share myself with loved ones and strangers and surprise soul-mates, to learn what I can by listening to their stories and carrying bits of their lives with me. My aspiration of becoming a travel writer is really only an excuse for loud, unabashed declarations of adoration for this strange little planet. If I can successfully find a way to support my addiction to a life less ordinary, nothing would make me happier.

"I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move." - Robert Louis Stevenson

Meeting new people and building new friendships is an experience that I enjoy repeating as much as possible, so don't be a stranger!

Create your own visitor map!

PHILOSOPHY

"I have just three things to teach:
simplicity, patience, compassion.
These three are your greatest treasures.
Simple in actions and in thoughts,
you return to the source of being.
Patient with both friends and enemies,
you accord with the way things are.
Compassionate toward yourself,
you reconcile all beings in the world.”
-Lao-tzu

"If we live every day, whether at home or away, with kindness, if we approach the world with a sense of wonder and curiosity and appreciation, if we encounter others with respect and openness, if we see our human differences as enriching rather than threatening, we will go a long way toward creating a world graced, interlaced, with peace and opportunity...we are eachother's greatest gift. The kindness of strangers is ours to give and to take; we shape the world with each embrace."
- Don George, Editor of The Kindness of Strangers

Warum ich bei Couchsurfing bin

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I like to think I participate by expanding my web of human connection, bringing people together and making the world a smaller place one CouchSurfer at a time.

To me, that’s what travel is, discovering yourself in others, in other cultures and ways of life. Because everything is an extension of everything else. Maybe that’s why everything always feels so familiar, even if I’ve never been there before.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Before joining this lovely community I'd surfed my fair share of couches amongst friends. But nothing can compare to the experience of having the world at your fingertips, now I can't seem to shake the wanderlust.

Interessen

cinematography, film, photography, writing, sculpture, installation art, contra dancing, philosophies, really good bread, raiding antique stores for their old photographs, postcards, umbrellas, warm nights, vintage poster art, board games, cooking for others, children's books, losing my identity for a few hours in the darkness of a movie theater, used book stores, sleeping, being on stage, laughter, the sky, the ocean, travel, strange foods, old motown records, bad puns, car rides, people, the universe in general.

• arts
• writing
• books
• theater
• photography
• dancing
• education
• cooking
• running
• movies
• board games
• traveling
• magic
• teaching

Musik, Filme und Bücher

movies: children of paradise, fanny & alexander, the burmese harp, a nous la liberte, pickup on south street, M, in the mood for love, au revoir les enfants, les chansons d'amour, la belle personne, heaven, son of rambow, let the right one in, secretary, the dead poets society, the red balloon, my own private idaho, chungking express, lawrence of arabia, my beautiful laundrette, band of outsiders, kiss kiss bang bang, top hat, the apartment, swing time, the philadelphia story, holiday, here comes the groom, singin' in the rain, the world the flesh and the devil, bulitt, the fifth element, stranger than fiction, brick, jeux d'enfants, broadway melody of 1940, holiday inn, funny face, sabrina, everything is illuminated, the dreamers, amelie, brazil, the adventures of baron munchausen, the adventures of priscilla queen of the desert, short cuts, follow the fleet, on the town, the thin man, dead man, eastern promises, 8 1/2, the hudsucker proxy, shine, 2046, l'auberge espagnole, les choristes, the cider house rules, wonder boys, i could go on and on.

music: bing crosby, nat king cole, sidney bechet, muddy waters, ella fitzgerald, kay starr, louis armstrong, anita o'day, mel torme, count basie, charlie parker, bunny berigan, duke ellington, thelonious monk, john coltrane, miles davis, the mills brothers, otis redding, django reinhardt, dean martin, billie holiday, frank sinatra, dion, the drifters, queen, eric dolphy, david bowie, vetiver, avett brothers, tom ze, james taylor, blind pilot, paul simon, sean smith, the books, tom waits, phil ochs, creedence clearwater revival, boston, three dog night, lykke li, harry nilsson, bénabar, the supremes, bruno coulais, prince, fleet foxes, elvis costello, etc. etc.

i'm really into reading young adult fiction, but there are so many books in the world i wouldn't know where to start. just know that i have unquenchable book lust, and that my eyes are bigger than the stomach that is my brain.

Eine tolle Erfahrung, die ich gemacht habe

I was a member of Le Grand David's Spectacular Magic Company in Beverly, Mass. It is the longest running resident stage magic show in the world, and there is nothing like it anywhere else. It is the most incredible experience I have ever had up until this point.

Lehren, lernen, teilen

I am both a professor and a student in the school of life lessons. I also have a wide knowledge of cinema and art in general (thank you higher education).

Länder, die ich besucht habe

Australia, Belgium, Canada, Costa Rica, Germany, Gibraltar, Morocco, New Zealand, Spain, United Kingdom

Länder, in denen ich gelebt habe

United States

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