ABOUT ME

To be honest this has already been a lot more random sharing than I'm used to without knowing what people are interested in knowing, so I'll leave the rest of the getting to know you for when we have the opportunity to meet!

PHILOSOPHY

Wow, this one is hard, but here are some things that have come up most recently in my life.

Do not mistaken words and nudity for openness, nor silence and covers for intent to hide. Only the heart reveals the truth. A heart with no room, hides everything from and about the world.

Judge yourselves not only on your professional accomplishments alone, but also on how well you...treat people...who have nothing in common with you but their humanity. - Bill Gates

Every intention you throw up into the air will come back down to find you.

The future is always changing in the largest of ways by the smallest of things.

People think life is short. Life is long (when you live it). The next right thing will come to you. Just be ready and let it.

You think only with your eyes, so you are easy to fool. - The Karate Kid 2010

Think about it like you are going to the gym. It's not like you leave the house saying 'oh my God, I'm never going to come back.' - Salim

Some say that our lives are defined by the sum of our choices. But It really isn't our choices that distinguish who we are; It is our commitment to them.

For in the end, we will conserve only what we love,
we will love only what we understand,
and we will understand only what we are taught (and learn). - Baba Dioum

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I am new to Couchsurfing -- just filling out my profile in the middle of December. Because I am in transition, I will likely be the surfer for this next phase in life.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

None yet, so I'm excited to start!

Interests

Dancing, bouldering, climbing, trying/cooking new foods, philosophical debates, learning, mentoring, traveling, photography, music, singing, sustainable living, snowboarding, beach volleyball, crocheting, gardening, just making things in general...

• singing
• photography
• dancing
• cooking
• gardening
• traveling
• bouldering
• music
• hiking
• snowboarding
• rock climbing
• volleyball
• beaches

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I'm impressed by very simple acts. Even if I wouldn't necessarily call them "amazing," I would say they leave a warm impression and a feeling I've not yet tried to describe. Below are two such experiences. The first involving others and the second in sweet solitude.

1) I was riding the train at about 6 am one weekend and a homeless person was making quite a scene. A young man walked onto the train a few stops after me. When he heard the commotion, he calmly made eye contact with the noisy fellow and politely motioned for him to be quiet and quickly flashed his badge. The homeless man stopped. He sat on the train for a few more stops and walked off.

Seeing a very young man, who is technically in a position of power, choose to respect a stranger with no established place in society and do just enough to bring peace back to a 6 am train ride....perfect.

2) After a VERY strenuous steep hike (the first of a few days) with a 55+ liter hiking pack and poorly packed miscellaneous items, I was able to find a quiet spot off of the trail well after the tree line broke. That night, I watched the sunset over the fjords and fell asleep counting stars, breathing the fresh, chilly air in complete silence and sweet solitude. Only a sleeping bag. (a cold wet sleeping bag when morning broke, but worth every shiver!)

Teach, Learn, Share

It seems I've managed to accumulate a lot of random knowledge and philosophies throughout the years, so when we strike up a conversation, I'm sure I can teach something!

I'm interested in learning EVERYTHING.

Looking forward to sharing time.

Countries I’ve Visited

Italy, New Zealand, Switzerland, Taiwan

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States