CURRENT MISSION

My mission is to explore as many facets of life as possible - especially places, people, song and cuisine!

ABOUT ME

I like to travel (need to travel?) because I suffer from what I originally described as "greener grass syndrome." I called it that because I always felt the need to check over the next hill just to make sure I wasn't missing something amazing. It seemed a curse because I always felt a bit dissatisfied. Exploring places and meeting new people scratches the itch but nothing makes it go away. I've recently come to view this personality facet in a more positive light. It turns out, I have the ability to foresee something better and brighter on the horizon - no matter how good (or how bad) things are. As opposed to "greener grass syndrome," this could also be described as faith. Faith in the unknown! Amazing! Now I go from dissatisfied to an optimist! ;)

PHILOSOPHY

Everyone is crazy, it's only a matter of when you catch them. There exists a time in every one of our lives, when if a random observer were to walk by they could say to themselves "Man, that person is crazy!" And they'd be completely right. The trick is to figure out your particular flavor of crazy, relish in it and seek the company of others who share it.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Raleigh, NC is not exactly a smashing tourist destination but I vow it can be a great time for anyone if you have the appropriate guide!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

My first couch-surfing experience was in Europe where CS'ed stayed in Barcelona for a few nights and in Eindhoven, NL. Had a great time in both places - met some amazing folks who showed me the very best of hospitality. I have yet to be able to return the favor but look forward to the opportunity to do so!
Have also met some great folks in my home town of Raleigh through various CS events. Good people all around.

Interests

soccer, hiking, camping, climbing, campfires, mountain-biking, music, dancing, finding the best pub for X (fill_in_the blank), eating, drinking, telling and listening to stories and exploring!

• dancing
• drinking
• pub crawls
• traveling
• music
• cycling
• hiking
• camping
• surfing
• rock climbing
• soccer
• tourism

Music, Movies, and Books

Of the three, I generally prefer books. Movies and songs go by so quickly and can evince some very strong emotions, but characters from books live in your head the whole time you're reading about them. I'm a slow reader, so this can be weeks and months!
My favorite author hands down is Kurt Vonnegut (RIP dude), but I enjoy a whole gamut of fiction and non-fiction. Howard Zinn, Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, Ayn Rand, Jared Diamond, lefty political stuff, WW II history, and pulp sci fi.
Favorite silly novel: A Confederacy of Dunces
Favorite serious book: Atlas Shrugged
Favorite non-fiction: Tie between Guns, Germs and Steel and Freakonomics.

Teach, Learn, Share

I like to travel with a USB thumbdrive half-full with my favorite music. Then share with fellow travelers and get what they like to fill up the other half!

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, New Zealand, United States

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