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Overview

  • 0 references
  • Fluent in English; learning Spanish
  • 73, Male
  • Member since 2011
  • I am semi-retired. Spent many years as a teacher and many...
  • I have college degrees in philosophy, literature, counsel...
  • From I grew up in Yakima, Washington USA
  • Profile 50% complete

About Me

CURRENT MISSION

I've had a dream of 40 years to backpack around South America. My hope is to go in early 2012, focusing mainly on Patagonia and the Southern Cone. After that perhaps onward and upward to Peru and Ecuador.

ABOUT ME

I am a gay man, living alone next to a river on the outskirts of a small college town 100 miles due east of Seattle in a beautiful farming valley with beautiful views of part of the Cascade Mountains called the Stuart Range. I was married to a woman long ago and have a grown son. My last partner was 10 years ago and I've been single since, gradually being taught alot by solitude. My life has been like a rollercoaster ride until recent years. I am well educated, quite philosophical, and progressive. I play guitar and like to sing. I've written alot: plays, poetry, songs, non-published books, essays, half a novel and lots of journaling. I've been all across Canada, in all 50 states of the USA, backpacked all over New Zealand for a year in 1997, been to India, N. Ireland, and several times to Mexico. I love the outdoors, the beauty of nature. Growing up in the Pacific Northwestern USA exposed me to some of the most beautiful places in the world. I love rivers and mountains especially. But I love it all: every square inch of beauty this planet showers us with everywhere.

PHILOSOPHY

I grew up in a strong Catholic environment. I think the philosophy of Jesus influenced me more than anyone and still does. But not in a religious, churchy way. In fact, I believe religion is antithetical to the philosophy of Jesus. The best bumper sticker I ever saw read: "JESUS, PROTECT US FROM YOUR FOLLOWERS." I am much more of a fatalist now and am convinced that Destiny rules.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I just learned about CS one week ago; i.e. mid-March 2011. So I am just now get situated with this site.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I have no official CS experiences but I've had LOTS of experience staying on the couches of many people throughout my life of travels around the USA and the world. I have done much of my traveling with a backpack and hitchhiking. In 1976 I hitchhiked all around the USA. In 1997 I did the same all around New Zealand. I have loved meeting people this way and my dream is to do the same in South America next year!!!!!! A dream I've had for 40 years.

Interests

I also love movies. If I could do it all over, I would have been a filmmaker. I have a huge creative side of me that has barely been tapped in my lifetime. Somehow in my early years I got caught up in philosophy and religion and then psychology. But there is a whole other me who is an artist at heart.

  • culture
  • books
  • poetry
  • singing
  • beauty
  • environment
  • movies
  • traveling
  • socializing
  • drawing
  • guitar
  • outdoor activities
  • cycling
  • backpacking
  • skiing
  • swimming
  • psychology
  • religion
  • hitchhiking
  • rivers
  • mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

My all time favorite movie is "Brokeback Mountain." It epitomizes so much of my own life experience and portrays so poignantly the damage that homophobia inflicts on the lives of everyone. I don't have a favorite song except maybe one that I've written. I love all kinds of music. I've been influenced alot by Dylan, Dan Fogelberg, and Nick Drake and I are likely twin sons of different mothers. But I love music. It truly makes the world go round. I favorite book is "Siddhartha." There is nothing that symbolizes my life more than the river. Another brilliant book for me is "The Man Who Fell in Love with the Moon."

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

The most amazing thing I've ever done is beat cancer. I was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer in my late 40s. I honestly thought I was at death's door and was completely preparing. But here I still am, 12 years later. I still struggle with an array of health challenges but I stay fit in body, mind, soul. I swim, bike, XC ski, QiGong, and spend a good part of each day in contemplation. My health is my biggest challenge, especially to fulfilling my South American dream. But I'm doing everything I can to prepare myself. I'm pretending like I'm pregnant and in 9 months from now I'll be giving birth to MYSELF in South America.

Teach, Learn, Share

Share the beauty. That's what I love doing most with people who are new to this area I live in; this special little corner of the USA and planet Earth. I love showing people around and sitting around the campfire singing and philosophizing into the night. This is what I seek in my next adventure to Patagonia and South America. I want to meet people who love to share and show the beauty around them and draw me into their culture. I want to make people feel at home and it's what I want to feel most wherever I go.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, India, Mexico, New Zealand, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States

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