CURRENT MISSION

Get on with it.

ABOUT ME

Very open and free form. I have been called many things by friends, family and co-workers: free-spirited, left of center, "cleans up real good", anything but normal, conservative, liberal etc... I'll let you decide for yourself which ones apply. I am widowered (9 years), and have learned how to live peacefully with myself.
When I graduated high school, I spent the next 2 years hitch-hiking around the country, putting approximately 20,000 miles on my thumb. I'd like to do another trip soon. Like from WA to AZ and back. CS along the way.
Important...please let me know you read about where I live and that you understand my living situation. I posted a link to the web site in my profile under 'You should know'. Mention the name of the lake in your surfing request, or I will assume yiu haven't read it and will outright deny your request. Thanks.
Currently am in the process of ridding my life of clutter and unnecessary 'crap'. Retired from the Fire Department in May 2011 and plan to REALLY start traveling more! I have been in Russia, Germany, Mexico, Canada, Switzerland, France, Austria, Liechtenstein, Spain, Scotland, Ireland, England, Wales, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Netherlands.
I have already or am in the process of learning new languages - or at least have a familiarity with Spanish, French, German, Russian, Hmong.

PHILOSOPHY

Later, no time today ( Actually, I AM busy, that is not my philosophy...or is it?)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Helped put together the Point CSrs group, have regular meetings for locals to get together and share experiences as well as promote CS to the community. I am very happy to show people around my world, which includes most of Washington. I travel the U.S. widely, having been in all 50 states at least twice within 2 years. I am often available to travel with and show people around as a guide.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

SURFED: Roberto Cuello, Montpellier, France; Glenn Loomis, San Francisco; Tracy & Sandra Rice, Oxford, AL.; Tim & Mary Cunningham, Sierra Vista, AZ.; Mary & Rich Stoecker, Silver City, NM.; Alain & Sandra Schiller, The Big Island; Victor Leonardi, Oahu; Maui; Ireland, Wales. Tom and Joan, Waverly,TN., Joan Trill, Sydney B.C. Canada, and many more to follow
HOSTED: Marty Cendroski, Tom and Joan of Tom & Joan, Ian Harris, Preston Wade and many more, even at my current home at the nudist community.
Went to San Francisco for the 2009 MMM party in the park- learned how to hula hoop, got pictures with flowers in my hair and hugging a tree in Golden Gate park.

Interests

EXPLORING! camping, swimming, scuba ( no longer...ear problems), hiking, naturism, experiment with cooking different foods with fresh herbs and spices!, meeting people, variety of music - I like to listen to live concerts then buy a CD of the artist as a show of support. Sky dived a few times.
I found my new happy place at Lake Bronson, I spend my free time here doing caretaker stuff and trail maintenance. Life is good.

Music, Movies, and Books

BOOKS- currently reading a fiction piece called The Overstory, about trees and how they impact the lives of 8 specific people and tie them together. Can't wait to finish.
Read a Bio of an Inuit man - bought the book when visiting Utqiakvik (Barrow) Alaska.
Braiding Sweetgrass- lots in there that resonates with me.
Chesapeake, Texas and Alaska, by Michener. Starting to read all those I should have read in school. Gulliver's Travels, Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates, Jonathon Livingston Seagull, Ulysses,etc... Also, trying to expand my reading horizons by finding interesting books about places around the world and interesting people as varied as James Madison, Denzel Washington, Mel Laird, ...
Just finished (2013) 2 on Lighthouses, one an account of a guy in Scotland who worked a summer during college in the early 70's, the other a fictional work set in Australia during the 1920's. Finished 'On The Road' by Kerouac. I found it boring as I already lived at least the first part of the book when I was 17-19. Besides, I find the writing and accounting of their travels to be tedious. Not worth the time I spent reading. Tried to get into 'Catcher in the Rye'. Put it down after 2 chapters, seems to be more of the same. I found the use of vulgarity to be pointless, and while I am no prude, there seemed to be no point to it other than to try and sound cool and hip. Sorry. Don't quite cut it. Got a ton of good winter reading materials including Vol.4 of The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers'. Frank Peretti, Randy Alcorn, James Michener, Edward Rutherfords' 'The Dublin Saga' series in preparation for a trip to the Emerald Isle in 2011.

MUSIC - just about anything of what I like to call 'quality thought out'. Most styles but especially pre-disco rock (my high school years). As long as I mentioned it, I DO NOT like disco or pop /top 40. I prefer the kind of music you only hear in concert or on an alternative station. I hate that some music execs somewhere decide what gets air time and what doesn't. I do like Bluegrass or hillbilly. Light jazz - not the 'honk & squeak' jazz. Blues - both modern and classic, hillbilly rock (CCR, Marshall Tucker, Ozark MT. Daredevils, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, etc).
MOVIES- Elizabethtown - because I can relate, I always cry at the end -Life is good!
Up- Same reason
Idiocrasy - I want to see what the world will be like in 500 years.
Team America- who doesn't love good satire? Into The Wild - it brings back memories of my hitchhiking days. I especially like that he reconciled with his father - at least in his mind, before the end of the movie. October Baby- all about finding yourself, forgiveness, reconciliation and understanding true love.
BigBangTheory: I can't relate, but it is hilarious.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Delivered a baby... and held a young child in my arms as she died... within a few days of each other on my job as a Paramedic. A most joyful experience followed by the saddest experience one can endure.

Another interesting death experience. In March 2016, on a trip up the California coast, I held a dying sea duck in my hands and we made eye contact as he died. I'll never forget the look in his eyes. I told him "it's okay to die, I'll put you back in the ocean "

Went to Utqiakvik Alaska so I could swim in the Arctic Ocean on my 62nd birthday...in my birthday suit.

One more. And this might not sound amazing to most, but for a small town Midwestern boy this was huge! I planned a 14 hour layover n LA while flying from Seattle to Florida. I purposely took trains, busses, walked through what are thought of as the "rough neighborhoods" that I've heard about my whole life by watching cop shows and movies, reading the news. Areas like Watts, Compton, South Central, Skid Row (yes, that's listed on Google maps). What happened? I thoroughly enjoyed my time there meeting people, eating lunch at a local restaurant and felt as comfortable as if I was in my own living room. Did the same in Oakland in Nov 2021. Fun time exploring.

Teach, Learn, Share

I let my Paramedic license lapse since retiring in 2011. But I maintain current training in the field and my ACLS cert is current.,
Helping people stay safe, happy and healthy.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can cook free-form. Usually comes out pretty good. I always eat it anyway.
Self-Cleaning.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Netherlands, Poland, Russian Federation, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States

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