CURRENT MISSION

To explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before.

PHILOSOPHY

In a book called Winesburg, Ohio, one of the characters is just thoughtful enough to realize that he has lived thoughtlessly. In one scene, he invents a word for what he wished he'd been and implores a little girl in the town to live like he didn't:“Be Tandy, little one,” he pleaded. “Dare to be strong and courageous. That is the road. Venture anything. Be brave enough to dare to be loved. Be something more than man or woman. Be Tandy.” I can't encourage you enough to read that story in the book.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Even though I wasn't a couch surfer while I was wandering around SE Asia and India in 2010, I ran into them right and left. Without exception, they were the most exciting, interesting and kindest people I met on the whole two month sojourn. Now I want to take chance out of the equation by joining the Couch Surfing community. I'm looking forward to finding new friends and getting myself into more adventures. What better way to do this than with fellow Surfers?

Interests

I love to do ordinary things in extraordinary places. Nothing pleases me more than drinking a beer with a friend--old or new--on a beach/bar/public park many thousands of miles from hom. Using public transport in a new place always gives me a great sense of pride. I suppose I like to feel like a local in a farr-off land.When I was a kid, I used to LOVE Star Trek. Now, I only love Star Trek. A big part of me taking my head out of the clouds was realizing that the real world may in fact be more interesting than those strange new worlds for the simple reason that I can go see them with my own eyes. I'm a voracious reader of history. How wonderful to be able to read stories as fascinating as anything from fiction and then to have the chance to visit where they took place!

• books
• beer
• drinking
• politics
• surfing
• history
• religion
• beaches

Teach, Learn, Share

I know a lot about religion, and I'm always interested to talk with other people of faith. My occupation means that I'm pretty knowledgeable about the US military and my country's foreign policy. I studied international politics in college, though I think this might have to fall under both the teach and learn categories. It's an awfully big world out there. I know some, but there's always something else to see. I appreciate it when someone walks me through a local newspaper and explains what's going on in their neighborhood.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, El Salvador, Laos, Mexico, Thailand, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States