CURRENT MISSION

Don't miss the boat!

ABOUT ME

I have my battles.
Misanthropic vs. philanthropic. Diffident vs. assertive. Inauspicious vs. hopeful. Apathetic vs. driven.
Working towards the latter...

I can tend to overthink things, but I usually keep that to myself. I just received my bachelors in music education, and plan on becoming a teacher in the near future. It seems like it should be a pretty good gig, despite the current state of public education in America. At the same time, I am completely terrified of committing myself to a career. I can be somewhat timid when surrounded by large groups of people I don't know...I find my best friendships have been developed with people who feel the same way. I'm just a big jolly Minnesotan, a very genial and gentle creature...

There is nothing I love more in this world than conversation. Let's talk.

PHILOSOPHY

Hmmm...this seems to be changing day by day, I am definitely in a period of transition. In the past few years, I have been developing a philosophy based on the idea that my own will and the power of my personal decisions could help me to control and shape my own future...that I could somehow escape the chaos and randomness of life by building every step in the present with a clear intention and purpose. HAHA. Life is unfair and no two people are exactly the same. Of course I don't have any control of my will, thoughts simply come to me as spontaneously as rain falling from the clouds. So I'm trying to get away from all that 'power of the intellect' stuff and just trying to take life as it comes. Meet people, talk, have fun, FAIL for gods sake. I'm really fucking fortunate to have as much control as I do. Things are good. Egh, sometimes they aren't. We deal with it. Oh yea, technology is whack by the way, only because I don't understand it (and neither do you).

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I'll provide you with a couch, maybe I'll sleep on your couch...that kind of stuff. I'm not too familiar with the program, but I am a very community oriented individual. I plan on traveling a lot in my summers off as a teacher, and I would love to meet or house other educators. I think that public education in America is greatly flawed, and I would love to learn about how it works in other countries, within other cultures, etc. The best way to not become stagnant as an educator is to participate in open discourse.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Absolutely none. I'm starting my couchsurfing journey with a post-grad trip to Europe with my most bodacious brotha. I have a lot of friends who have used it though, I hear great things!

Interests

Getting out there. Impetuous decisions. Spontaneous jams. Solo hikes. Following others while they are actually following you. Singing songs and tickling the keyboard. Discussing music in practical and unpretentious ways. Rediscovering the little things with the help of a child's imagination. Vivid, colorful animation. Autumn. Just three bros. Biking, disc golf, snowboarding, ultimate, etc. NPR. Grandpa stories.

• singing
• education
• boating
• technology
• traveling
• socializing
• music
• cycling
• hiking
• snowboarding
• golf
• animation
• teaching

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: Romantic and 20th century piano: Chopin, Prokofiev, Debussy.
New Jazz: The Bad Plus, Brad Mehldau, Medeski, Martin, and Wood, Happy Apple. Old Jazz: Brubeck, Miles, the one and only Oscar P. Hip-hop dippity dop from the good ol' Midwest. I love listening to electronic music, but I question the performance aspect, Chris Clark is great. Others: Seeger, Deerhoof, Caribou, Strauss, Stravinsky, Barber.
Authors: HESSE, Vonnegut, Kerouac (sometimes), Kafka, Steinbeck.
Books: Siddhartha, Stranger in a Strange Land, Notes from the Underground, The Dharma Bums, The Grapes of Wrath, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Cat's Cradle, Technology and the Character of Contemporary Life, Calvin and Hobbes.
Movies: Egh, seen so many. Miyazaki, Pixar, Coen Brothers, Linklater, KUBRICK, Kaufman. For some reason I really like Eyes Wide Shut, it doesn't really make sense.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I worked at Grand Teton National Park last summer. We were out trying to spot wolves with my friends very powerful scopes. After waiting atop a lookout over a beautiful placid lake for a couple hours we were about to give up. It was gorgeous outside, but the sun was starting to set and the mosquitos were absolutely destroying us (up our shorts, in our ears and mouth...ugh). Just as we were about to leave, I spotted something moving with my binoculars. Soon after we saw four or five wolves and about ten or more pups, it was beautiful.
I would recommend you go out West. Also, see The Bad Plus live.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Belize, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Spain

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States

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