I am an IT professional. I grew up on a small farm but have since moved to Kansas City to work.

I enjoy camping, hiking, and, especially, floating. My family grew up a short drive from one of the better rivers in the Ozarks to canoe on so we spent every day we could on the river, during the summer season.

I spend most of my budget excess on trying interesting food and exploring local restaurants or experimenting in cooking for myself.

I play the bluegrass banjo at an beginner-intermediate level and have recently started learning the harmonica.

PHILOSOPHY
I am not a terribly forward looking person. I spend most of my time trying to enjoy the moment I'm in so I don't see much point in stressing about something that hasn't even happened yet. If most of those moments are good, I feel like the rest will take care of itself.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

When I travel to a new place, I try to avoid the tourist focused attractions and look for the local culture. Couchsurfing breaks the barrier between the traveler and the locals in a way that no other travel method has for me.

To add to that, it's always fun to meet new people and hear their stories.

I have couch surfed in Ireland, England, and Scotland. I plan to continue using couchsurfing for foreign and domestic trips as long as I'm able.

Interests

I am interested in food. I haven't encountered a food that I wasn't interested in trying. I'm also a big bourbon and beer fan, especially stouts and tripels.

I'm a bit of a video game junky but I also enjoy spending time outside. Missouri, especially the Ozarks, offers a beautiful outdoor experience. I grew up spending my time on the rivers and lakes when I was able and now that I'm stabilizing in my career I am getting back into the watersports.

• dining
• cooking
• beer
• video games
• board games
• outdoor activities
• hiking
• canoeing
• camping
• scuba diving
• business
• software
• lakes
• rivers

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, anything Kevin Smith, anything Wes Anderson
Music: The Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan, The Grateful Dead, Iron and Wine, George Jones, Alan Jackson, The Shins, Scruggs
Books: The Wheel of Time, Tribes, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, The Tao Teh Cheng, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Motorcycle tour through the Scottish Highlands.
Skin diving in the Florida Keys.
Eagle Scout certification with the Boy Scouts.
School/Business trip for 1 month to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Hanoi.

Teach, Learn, Share

I have quite a bit of outdoor experience from my journey to earning my Eagle Scout. I also have professional experience in IT and IS.

Countries I’ve Visited

Germany, Ireland, Malaysia, Scotland, Singapore, United Kingdom, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States