CURRENT MISSION

Pack in as much as I can, laughing all the way, and taking way too many photos.

ABOUT ME

I'm endlessly curious and eager for the next adventure. I'm trying to balance a life of hedonism and a life of selflessness. I want to enjoy all the good things this world has to offer, while at the same time fight for its future and make the world a better place. I love taking photos in wild places, of street art, plants... anything that catches my eye. You can see some of my work at www.olafimages.com. I am also in the planning stages of opening a cafe and community space in Chicago. It'll be a place for tasty affordable food, the community to come together for grassroots goodness, and a cultural hub for the neighborhood. We hope to be up and running in early 2013!

PHILOSOPHY

They aren't my words, but they sure resonate:
"To love. To be loved. To never forget your own insignificance. To never get used to the unspeakable violence and the vulgar disparity of life around you. To seek joy in the saddest places. To pursue beauty to its lair. To never simplify what is complicated or complicate what is simple. To respect strength, never power. Above all, to watch. To try and understand. To never look away. And never, never, to forget."
— Arundhati Roy

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I opened this account and never used it. I plan on changing that! Would love to meet some people while traveling in New Zealand, and hosting folks when I'm back home in Chicago.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I'm new here.

Interests

Photography. Cooking (and eating). The outdoors. Grassroots politics and community activism. Comic books (and other generally nerdy things). Hiking. Kayaking. Beer (both drinking and brewing). Revolutionary politics. Cozy places. Stars and space. Of course traveling.

• arts
• books
• street art
• photography
• beauty
• human rights
• dining
• cooking
• beer
• running
• drinking
• politics
• traveling
• outdoor activities
• hiking
• kayaking
• paragliding
• swimming

Music, Movies, and Books

Let's rock out to The Clash. Billie Holiday and Nina Simone are dual goddesses, one for each ear. I'm eager to introduce you to Seattle hip hop. I'm also down for a little bebop or bluegrass, preferably live. If the music is funky and loud I'll want to dance. I'm an obsessive music collector and I love to share from my library.

Regarding books and movies, so long as its creative and has some heart and humor, I'm game. You haven't lived unless you've watched The Lost Boys a few times.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Paragliding off the top of a hill in Nelson, New Zealand was a lot of fun. The guy who took us out was the one who started paragliding in New Zealand!

I've also participated and helped document countless demonstrations and protests across the US, and even participated in a human rights investigation in the Philippines.

Teach, Learn, Share

Love to teach people about photography. Photo adventures are tons of fun. I can also teach you a bit about beer, if you're curious (I'm know expert, but know enough to brew myself). I also taught swimming lessons for a few years, but we don't need to go there unless you think you might drown in the immediate future.

Countries I’ve Visited

New Zealand, Philippines

Countries I’ve Lived In

New Zealand, United States

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