CURRENT MISSION

To find balance and Pay if Forward :o)

ABOUT ME

I have worked like a dog... 15 years straight, 100 hours a week, without any vacation. Took a small 2 years sabbatical and I am now a real estate agent in Marseille, France.

Well... I grew up on a farm (which my parents still own), with very traditional values, including my ''workoholic'' state - which is why I signed up on this site in the first place (to try and cure it).

I am a very dedicated person, dedicated to my work but more importantly to my friends and family. I am always ready to give a hand to someone. The rest is up to you to discover...

Here's part of me:

''Tendering My Resignation

Author Unknown

I am hereby officially tendering my resignation as an adult. I have decided I would like to accept the responsibilities of an 8 year old again.

I want to go to McDonald's and think that it is a four star restaurant.

I want to sail sticks across a fresh mud puddle, skid rocks across the mill pond and make a sidewalk with rocks.

I want to roller skate and play ball in the street, play 'Rover Red Rover', 'Hide and Seek' and ride my iron wheel wagon down the hill.

I want to think M&Ms are better than money because you can eat them.

I want to lie under a big oak tree and run a lemonade stand with my friends on a hot summer's day.

I want to return to a time when life was simple. When all I knew were colors, most of my multiplication tables, and a few nursery rhymes. All I knew was to be happy and I was blissfully unaware of all the things that should make me worried or upset.

I want to sleep in a tent in the back yard without worry or fear.

I want to think the world is fair. That everyone is honest and good.

I want to believe anything is possible.

I want to be oblivious to the complexities of life and be overly excited by the little things again.

I want to live simple again. I don't want my day to consist of computer crashes, mountains of paperwork, depressing news, how to survive more days in the month than there is money in the bank, doctor's bills, gossip, illness, and the loss of loved ones.

I want to believe in the power of smiles, hugs, kind words, truth, justice, peace, dreams, imagination, mankind, and making angels in the snow.

So here is my check book and my car keys, my credit card bills and all my statements. I am officially resigning from adulthood.

And if you want to discuss this further, you'll have to catch me first, cause...

TAG! YOU'RE IT!''

PHILOSOPHY

I read that poem a few years ago, and now I am trying to grow and cultivate my ''dash''. I don't need to be rich nor famous, but I do intent to leave good memories to as many people I can during my lifetime.

This is a poem called ''the dash'', by Linda Ellis. you can view the movie at www.thedashpoemmovie.com and see her work at http://www.lindaslyrics.com.

The Dash - by Linda Ellis

I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend

He referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning to the end

He noted that first came her date of her birth
And spoke the following date with tears,

But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years

For that dash represents all the time
That she spent alive on earth.

And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not how much we own;
The cars, the house, the cash,

What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard.
Are there things you'd like to change?

For you never know how much time is left,
That can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
To consider what's true and real

And always try to understand
The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger,
And show appreciation more

And love the people in our lives
Like we've never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect,
And more often wear a smile

Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy is being read
With your life's actions to rehash

Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I am always happy to help people out. Sometimes it's with information, sometimes with references, sometimes with hosting. My schedule being a little bit hectic, I work best with "last minute requests" because at least I'll know I will be there!!! I would be more than happy to receive people, with a comfy (bunk?) bed and all the commodities. Meanwhile, I can be of some use regarding information for Lyon, Montreal and London.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Hosted people in Montreal from Canada, United States, Mexico, Germany, France, Argentina, Italy, Singapore, China, and Switzerland. And many more countries ;o)

Stayed at several people's places in Lyon, London, Paris and western Canada. Spent 3 months seeing CS people from Lyon almost daily - THEY ARE THE BEST GROUP EVER!!! Also met amazing CS people in New York, Seattle and Boston.

Interests

I have a lot of interest in alternative energy sources (built my own solar bike a few years back, worked on electric bike and hydrogen fuel cells), as well as sports. I ride 2000 km and more per year on my road bike, I enjoy mountain trekking as well as alpine skiing.

• dogs
• writing
• books
• running
• news
• cars
• cycling
• sailing
• skiing
• sports
• medicine
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

I listen to rock, pop, house, rap and ''stupid'' music. By stupid, I mean the Presidents of United States of America and this kind of stuff... Not quite a fan of classical, jazz and reggae, though.

I like sci-fi movies and books like the Matrix and Star wars, but also enjoy some deeper movies such as Robin William's ''dead poet society'', or cuter movies like ''City of Angels''

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Well I pretty much decided to move to Lyon on a day's notice, showed up there with no job, no appartment and no car and I had the 3 of them after a week.

BUT the most amazing thing I've seen is how the CS community is welcoming and helpful. Really, such high quality people I have a tear in my eye when I think about them.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach how to work too much...

I want to learn how to work less...

I want to share how to work reasonably...

So basically I guess I'm aiming at a balanced life with my fellow human roommates on this planet :o)

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, France

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