Hello! My name is Tanner. I'm 21 years old, and currently live in middle TN, not too far from Nashville. I've been down to travel all my life, and as a teenager my father and I roamed all across the United States, from California to Pennsylvania. Now I'm growing out my traveling and experiences on my own.

I am an Orthodox Christian, a convert to the faith, striving for a life of love of God and love of neighbor, and though poorly, imitating with my life and participating mystically in the reality of Christ. I am a singer-songwriter, occasional poet, an avid history fan, and I enjoy a beer and a baseball game along the way, too.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I'm here to encounter and stay with whatever wonderful people I hook up with and come across in my traveling, experiencing beautiful souls and wonderful moments, and maybe sparking up a friendship when it's all said and done.

Interests

• books
• indian food
• folk music
• guitar
• baseball
• history
• spirituality
• orthodox christianity
• american history
• singer songwriter

Music, Movies, and Books

Musicians: Woody Guthrie, Dawes, Bob Dylan, John Denver, Courtney Barnett, George Harrison, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Cisco Houston, Son House, Robert Johnson, Dave Van Ronk, Sufjan Stevens, Neutral Milk Hotel, the Beach Boys, Johnny Cash
Music in general: folk, singer-songwriter, indie, and I dabble in hip-hop, Hindustani/Indian music, and I enjoy Orthodox chants (Byzantine and Russian)

Books: The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoyevsky, The Way of the Pilgrim, Siddhartha by Herman Hesse, the Seven Storey Mountain by Thomas Merton, Leo Tolstoy's short works (Where Love Is, God Is; What Men Live By; How Much Land Does a Man Need?)

Movies: the Star Wars saga, Gettysburg, Glory, Silence, The Big Lebowski, Manos: The Hands of Fate

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

One Labor Day weekend I went to a folk/punk/bluegrass/rock festival in the middle of nowhere in Tennessee, got to see play and meet folk legend Ramblin' Jack Elliott, and proceeded to play guitar with complete strangers around a campfire until 8 AM the next morning. That's one incredible memory for me.

Teach, Learn, Share

What is a merciful heart?

It is a heart on fire
for the whole of creation,
for humanity,
for the birds,
for the animals,
for demons,
and for all that exists.
By the recollection of them
the eyes of a merciful person
pour forth tears in abundance.
By the strong and vehement mercy
that grips such a person’s heart,
and by such great compassion,
the heart is humbled
and one cannot bear to hear or to see
any injury or slight sorrow
in any in creation.
For this reason, such a person
offers up tearful prayer continually
even for irrational beasts,
for the enemies of the truth,
and for those who harm him,
that they be protected and receive mercy…
because of the great compassion
that burns without measure
in a heart that is
in the likeness of God.

- St. Isaac the Syrian

What I Can Share with Hosts

To quote Blessed Seraphim Rose, "Regard everyone as an angel." If you were to host me, I would show all of the respect and care and responsibility I can give with a grateful heart for having me and an open and excited mind to meet you and all new and wonderful people. I am willing to help with any errands or little tasks around the house or property during my stay. I am a low-maintenance individual and I'm that way intentionally, so if things are quiet and everyone's doing their own thing, that's fine! I enjoy quiet and relaxed and spaced out settings.