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Overview
About Me
"Ride while your horse is strong."
Mongolian Proverb
I'm friendly and engaging, always curious, and a true believer in the "keep it simple" philosophy of life...I like to learn, share, and inspire...
Oh, and sometimes I am a deeply superficial person 😉
PHILOSOPHY
Less is usually more...
Why I’m on Couchsurfing
No mystery...Couchsurfers tend to be people who think outside the box, and that's what I look for in life...if you are unconventional, non-conformist, an iconoclast, a gypsy/vagabond/nomad at heart, or are simply trying to reverse years of programing, we are already friends.
I also strive to encourage and promote local, sustainable economic opportunity and development wherever I travel, in whatever small ways I can.
Interests
...abandoned buildings, small towns, newspapers, road trips, trains, orchards, permaculture, horses, books and films that make you think, music that makes you feel, simple living, quantum mechanics, mountains, anthropology, the ocean, the sun, the moon and the stars, Tao, sustainability, local economies, fractals, open roads, small living spaces, rural life, tai chi, history, libraries, cooking, serendipity, intuition, irrational numbers, wandering and learning forever...
- writing
- books
- movies
- economics
- history
- road trips
Music, Movies, and Books
I believe in the politics of "small," and in personal liberty and responsibility...it's painfully obvious that too many global institutions and organizations feed a monolithic, consumer-based culture and value system that destroys the "human" in humanity. I truly believe less is usually more, and variety is the spice of life. So I support art, ideas and concepts created and developed by groups and individuals that tell smaller stories, that break new ground, that explore the road less traveled...no Hollywood Blockbusters or pulp fiction for me :)
I like most non-fiction including history from every perspective, anthropology, linguistics, comparative religion, economics and philosophy...Lao Tsu, Jung, Mumford, Tolstoy, William Blake...Libraries are secular temples!
Art and music...classical, folk, electronic, jazz, blues...and Pollock too.
One Amazing Thing I’ve Done
mortification rituals by animist shaman in Taiwan...wildcat gold mining in 300+ foot hand-dug tunnels and mineshafts in Costa Rica...crossing the South Pacific on a freighter...more than one, I know...
Teach, Learn, Share
On or off the road I can offer motivation, guidance, and advice on developing simple, personalized tactics and strategies for saving and socially aware investing, as well as basic financial planning. This is a difficult area for many people, and for many different reasons, but it's an important step in truly setting yourself free. I've helped others develop simple plans to build financially independent futures, and I can help you too...you can live the life you want to live, on your own terms.
And if you've already escaped the work and consumption hamster-wheel existence that is a blight on our planet, good for you.
What I Can Share with Hosts
An inquisitive mind, an iconoclastic point-of-view, an attentive ear and, most of the time anyway, a good sense of humor😆...and I can cook a dish or two...limited menu, but tasty 😉
Countries I’ve Visited
Andorra, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Laos, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macao, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Oman, Palestine, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Vatican City State, Viet Nam
Countries I’ve Lived In
Luxembourg, Qatar, Taiwan, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States
Old School Badges
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Pioneer Badge