I've been a couchsurfer for over 15 years. I've surfed, hosted, and have done a ton of organizing of couchsurfing events. Over the years, as couchsurfing has changed, I've distanced myself, but now, post pandemic I'm hoping to see it grow and thrive as it did all those years ago before greed, capitalism, and AirBnB ruined the community we had built.

I value the part of CS that showed the world what a TRUST NETWORK can be. Your profile and ability to read though mine are critical to staying in my house.

*** PLEASE READ **** To speed up responses, we are funneling all couch requests to my partner Siri. If you would like to surf with us, please make your request through her profile:

http://www.couchsurfing.org/people/siriming/

CURRENT MISSION

After 12 years rooted firmly in Baltimore, raising a kid and sending them off to college, We are planning on getting back out on the road again. Hoping backpacking in my 40s is rewarding as it was in my late 20s.

ABOUT ME

I grew up in the Maryland countryside about 45 minutes north of Baltimore. I spent my youth playing outside in the streams, woods and fields, but have since learned to love city life. Although I finished university, it was not the world for me and I became very depressed. Once I graduated, I built myself back to where I wanted to be, got some decent jobs, but eventually felt the urge to travel. I quit my job and spent some time in Europe in 2008 before moving for a few years to Washington DC. While in DC I began attending CS events where I found yet another new circle of friends including my wonderful partner Siri. In 2011 we moved to Baltimore City, and bought a row house together here in 2012.

We've spent 12 years rooted in Baltimore City, fixing up this house, raising a kid together, changing careers and expanding our friend group from the local CS community to the bike community, Burning Man community, and the local art scene. In 2016 I quit my IT desk job to be an artist full time. While it has its ups and downs, I'm still doing art 7 years later all based out of our little brick row house on Castle Street.

In 2019 I built a camper van and got to enjoy it for a year a few months before the pandemic shut things down. Post-pandemic, I'm hoping to travel more in it, but also travel overseas to backpack and maybe even do some house and van swaps with other travelers.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I've participated in Baltimore and DC Couchsurfing for over a decade and a half. Even if you don't surf or host, I highly recommend the local meetings as they are a great way to meet people who have stopped making excuses and embrace life and friends. If events don't exist in your area, no matter how small, organize them yourself. You might be surprised what friends you'll make.

Interests

Seems as though my interests change every few years, sometimes obsessively taking over my mind. Renovating our house in Baltimore City took most of my attention for a the last decade making it hard to remember all the wild things I used to do in my early couchsurfing years (2007-2014). In that time we raised a child and recently sent them off to college. Hopefully now that those things are behind is I can start remember all of the things that used to bring me joy.

Right now I'm focused on continuing to grow my art practice which involves creating light art and coordinating large collaborative art projects as well as helping my friends to throw fantastic parties.

• cats
• engineering
• history
• burning man
• psychedelic art
• vanlife
• light art
• local art
• obscure facts

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies: I like finding strange and forgotten modern movies and trying to understand the work that went into them. My favorite movie is Battleship... an action / alien invasion movie about the classic board game of the same name. It reminds me that even movies that flopped can be fun romps that sweep those who are brave enough to watch into their world. I also think that movies peaked in 1998 and since then the action superhero genre has sucked the money from filmmakers that willing to take risks and try new things.

Music: I've somehow returned my interest to electronic music after a decade long interest in a wide range of dancy poppy bands. Maybe music got worse in the last decade or maybe I've just gotten old and out of touch. I listen to a lot of French electronic music now, Polo & Pan and nearly anything that's on Circle's youtube channel. That channel's videos spark my desire to travel and experience grand sights with fun music.

Books: I'm a very slow reader, but do enjoy the few books I've made it through or at least gotten started on.
Happy Days by H.L. Mencken is a favorite and I'm slowly working on Amanda Palmer's The Art of Asking.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Captain George's Booze Cruise in Corfu, Greece
My answered prayers in Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
An American family in Rome giving their 10 year old daughter the best education I've ever seen. Teaching her to observe, think and explain.... amazing.
A 6 wheel F1 car in battle at a historic F1 race.
2 Lamborghini Reventons in the Lamborghini Factory.
Late night swimming in Plitvice Waterfalls Park in Croatia.

Teach, Learn, Share

I've built a lot of wildly different things over my lifetime and am have a pretty good idea on how to build anything from cars to houses to artwork.

What I Can Share with Hosts

For now I'm just happy hosting and can work on what to share when I'm traveling again.

Countries I’ve Visited

Aruba, Canada, Costa Rica, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Jamaica, Martinique, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States

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