Hi!, Update Sept 2023 - I will be traveling for all of Sept! FYI

UPDATE 2022: I do not recommend driving here/arriving/departing at night/in the dark. This is a tiny town and you go through hours of dark forest full of animals to get here. It is easy to not see deer and other animals and hit them w your car. Drive safe pls!

HOW TO WRITE A REQUEST:
maybe follow the who, what, when, where, why format. It tends to catch most things.

Ben's 15 YEAR COUCHSURF ANNIVERSARY STATEMENT: FOR Immediate Release:
soon to be released.

CURRENT MISSION

Infusions of kindness, thoughtfulness, and critical thinking. Pursuing enlightenment. Engaging the mind. Unleashing the soul.

ABOUT ME

Hi. My name is Ben. My favorite color is blue. I work with computers and cameras and I dabble in gardening, cycling, snowboarding, and a great deal else.

I am a CIO at a local IT services firm. It keeps me busy, and somewhat insane.

Photography Website: www.pnwimagery.com

I always dislike having to condense my entire life into small text boxes, it's quite difficult to sum up everything into here, and please also forgive the overuse of I, me, and my. The self/ego/consciousness are so woefully isolated from others; it's a goal of mine to be as empathetic as possible and step out of the box often.

I am open-minded and accepting of all surfers or hosts without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, genetic characteristics, registered domestic partner status, medical condition, or gender identity.

I am cismale/he/him, 90% gay, 10% other, 117% awesome.
Anti-fascist and anti-capitalist.

PHILOSOPHY

You can't ever be too mad.

Try and dance the line between sane and insane, it's the perfect place to be.

I was recently in Belgium and did not realize how obsessed they are with Smurfs, and now I want to call Couchsurfing Couchsmurfing by hiding smurf figurines in the couch.

ALERT!
I do have an exterior camera system in the house for security. There are two cameras indoors to monitor entrances and allow me to comply with regulations that enforce storing 90 days worth of security footage of computer systems that hold critically sensitive data, so I am able to comply. Be aware I am not actively using the camera system, and I am more than happy to show where they all are. Privacy is important for me and you, and I do not use this system actively unless there is a security issue.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Couchsurfing has offered up to me experiences that I will cherish for the rest of my life. This website is a real glistening diamond amongst the rough of the Internet, and it has maintained its wholesomeness and purity despite becoming more and more popular as the years go by.

The likelihood of us meshing is high.

I also want to say that I openly welcome folks that are from more vulnerable marginalized groups. I fully respect all surfers and solo travelers that may have difficulty finding comfortable host situations around the world.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I don't have any rules in the house, but a couple things I'd advise on:
Please don't bring other guests (people I do not know) over to my home when I am not there. I approve the surfer(s) only and not anyone else already in the city or people you meet while you are here. this includes hip people you met on tinder that you think you know but actually don't know at all. My dwelling is not available for you to host visitors. at all.

Update Note, Jan 2020
I am noticing more and more requests from people that aren't using their real names. This is a bit confounding to me at times, but I understand a large part of the population enjoys living life online and IRL under pseudonyms. This is OK, but I want folks to realize you are staying in MY HOME. I need to know who you are. I would prefer you have gone through at least the credit card verification step. If your profile is rushed and you have no verifications, it is a hard no.

Interests

My favorite interest is thinking. I think I actually think so much I'm a danger to society because I end up asking too many questions and challenging too many standard modes of human operation. In this actual reality, you have to remember, we are just walking meat sacks, with all the operational intelligence in a tiny top area of the being.

• photography
• chocolate
• wine
• running
• drinking
• gardening
• politics
• technology
• traveling
• cycling
• hiking
• snowboarding
• genealogy
• religion
• mountains
• farting
• lgbt+

Music, Movies, and Books

Music - Apple Music in use
Movies - TONS - inquire on my collection
Books - I read sometimes, books are in the bookshelf

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I deleted something really beautiful that was here and need to have a wine night to reformulate something that can stand at the same level

Teach, Learn, Share

At one point in my previous years I thought it a splendid idea to bestow upon others my skills and abilities in computers and technology. Lately I've been contemplating if this is a good idea or not. The introduction of computers/technology/efficiency seems to inevitably lead to a kind of sterile world in which the deep beauty of raw humanity is stifled, hidden, or lost. I actually think it's a balance and I've just had a glass of wine and I'm rambling. Yes, I believe that may be the case.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Wild abandon

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Fiji, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Mexico, Nepal, Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland, Turkey, United States, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Italy, United States

• 

•