CURRENT MISSION

To see the Northern Lights, make it to Svalbard if possible, and mingle with friendly Norwegians in Tromsø!

ABOUT ME

Energetic & Outgoing - I'm at my best when experiencing new natural beauty. I love trying new things, watching inspiring talks from TED.com and working through the creative process. The highlights of my day are seeing my wife when I wake-up in the morning, and before I close my eyes at night. The highlights of teaching are the "ah-ha!" moments students have when they finally understand a new math concept, or how to improve the logical structure of their English essays. I have several "happy-moments" during my product creation and marketing because I'm always learning and sharing what I love.

PHILOSOPHY

A few of my favorite sayings:
"Love is good, hate is bad."
"Pen and sword in accord."
"This too shall pass."
"I live the life I love, and I love the life I life."

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Our main motivation for couch-surfing is to save some cash when traveling and to help others do the same. It also looks like a great way to meet some locals (we're new to this) without having to spend time mingling at bars (not as appealing as it used to be - married life changes you!).

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

None so far! Hoping to find some kind hosts in Tromso!

Interests

Seeing new places, trying new things, eating new food, spending time with loved ones, helping out friends and family, playing games, creating (anything), powerlifting, psychology, sociology, mathematics... new experiences, spending time with loved ones and science in general!

• beauty
• dancing
• dining
• cooking
• powerlifting
• board games
• traveling
• surfing
• mathematics
• psychology
• science
• sociology

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies & music vary with my mood. Sometimes I'll read sci-fi/fantasy fiction, but mostly I read books for business (programming, marketing, mathematics) and always enjoy philosophy (character, virtue, ethics). I'm slowly working through "The Great Books" series (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Books). Looking forward to reading Richard Feynman, Bertrand Russell and Daniel Dennett in the near future.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Maybe the most amazing thing to most of the world would be the extreme weather in my home state of Minnesota! -30F (-34C) happened often enough in the winter, with the coldest day being around -40F (-40C). Also, my car was once struck by lightning -- seeing the world go white and hearing a loud "boom" before your vision returns is a bit disorienting.

Teach, Learn, Share

[SHARING]I have a strong grasp of basic mathematics and can  share some practical findings from positive psychology research (my masters). As a powerlifter who trained with a world champ, I can help instruct on powerlifting movements. With travel to 16 countries, I can offer insight into several cultures and countries. [LEARNING]I love to learn just about anything new that's hands-on! How to cook a local dish, the basic steps to a local dance, a few useful words in your language, places you recommend visiting, learning how to play an instrument, how to make something with my hands, local card or board games... anything hands-on.

Countries I’ve Visited

China, France, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Poland, Thailand, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

South Korea, United Kingdom, United States