CURRENT MISSION

Turn me loose, set me free, somewhere in the middle of Montana; and give me all I've got coming to me

ABOUT ME

I was born in Portland, Oregon in late August of the year of our lord, nineteen hundred and eighty-eight, to beautiful young married couple: one a tejano baseball-playing cowboy-hat wearing gentleman, and the other a successful banker, and daughter of flower children from the Bay Area.

I grew up in Vancouver, Washington for most of my first 14 years and although I have a few fond memories I was mostly happy to leave the place I was raised. Afterwards I lived in Corpus Christi, Texas for a year and I eventually moved to California at 15 and started attending community college while living in Santa Cruz.

I developed a huge appreciation for the downtown community and the local commitment to small business.

I eventually moved back to Texas for a year at 19 to stake out a new life, but when I had a series of bad experiences with the medical system I ended up moving back to Santa Cruz and finishing an A.A. at Cabrillo and then attending the University of California, Santa Cruz.

I studied Sociology, education, and agroecology while living at the PICA (Program in Community and Agroecology) ((google it! I recommend it highly)). I graduated in June and am so burned out of writing papers that I can't even fill out a proper resume. I have the travellin' blues, or, perhaps, ramblin' fever.

Too often I'll look at an object and wonder why it is there. Then: Who put it there and why? Where are they now, and what would they ultimately rather be doing with their time? Oh yes, Sociology was a perfect major for someone like me.

I'd like to write a book on my travels. I'm very interested in authoring an ethnography, eventually, somewhere, if conditions allow for it.

I want to find a spot where something is happening. I'm looking for a consciousness that I am sure exists (because it always exists and it never really goes away, but simply relocates)in a place I would have thought unlikely.

PHILOSOPHY

I've got things to do but they can wait, I've got one life to live, and if I lose it on the way I wanna take less than I give.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I donated and verified myself. I feel pretty authenticated.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Couchsurfed in the Bay Area. As well as off-site in Washington, Oregon and southern California.

I would like to surf elsewhere, but I normally apply from a smartphone, limiting the number of people I can contact per hour/day. It also likes to autocorrect words and then hide them off screen so that I can't even see on them, making me look illiterate. Also, I have been very spontanious in my travels, buying last minute bus tickets and taking last minute rides to random towns. I'm sorry if I requested a couch last minute from you, if that bothers you.

Interests

My main personal interest is playing my guitar. I love country music. No, wait! I mean the good stuff, like Waylon Jennings and Merle Haggard. Hank Williams and Lefty Frizzell. Wayne Hancock and Hank 3. Even the older Ray Price and Farron Young. Give me any George Strait or Dwight Yoakam CD, pre 1990, and I will overheat the CD player tearing up and down I-5 from Portland to L.A. But anyway, I should save all of that for the "music" section," I suppose. Just know that I am a fan of Keith Whitley. Alright, I'm done :)

I love to do karaoke. My favorite places are the ones with a bunch of old people who love old country songs, of course, but I also sing Jack Johnson and Frank Sinatra and sometimes people convince me to do things that I'm really not too comfortable doing, but I love to sing.

I play chess a lot as a hobby, but I don't study and I don't play in tournaments. How good am I? Well, I teach kids through two different organizations in Los Angeles and I've never lost to any of them (although I hope someday I do, wouldn't that be the hallmark of a good teacher?)! I love to play new people and I rarely turn down the chance for a game or two. I would be happy to meet at a park or coffee shop for a game.

I love my motorcycles. Freedom.

Video Games are a weakness of mine. Especially when it involves strategy. My favorite game is Fallout 2. More recently Xcom: EU.

I'm interested in Farmers markets. I would love to find a good job at a market that I can believe in. I've worked them in Santa Cruz and in Los Angeles. Local and small business is where it is at. I'm also about organic and sustainability!

Tea and good conversation are always at the top of my list. Except for this one.

Mostly, I want to meet people who can talk with me about things we have in common or things we can civilly and mutually agree to disagree on. I really enjoy talking to people who have similar interests as me but different perspectives on the world, and as someone who loves country music as much as I do it's not too uncommon. One of my favorite things about country music artists is their ability to get past polarizing political issues and connect with other musicians to collectively create what I think of as harmony (yes that was a play on words).

• writing
• books
• singing
• education
• coffee
• motorcycles
• gardening
• shopping
• flowers
• video games
• chess
• socializing
• music
• country music
• guitar
• blues
• karaoke
• baseball
• business
• teaching
• sociology

Music, Movies, and Books

My former favorite movies are Starship Troopers and Kung Pow. Recently I saw and loved Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas but otherwise I watch more documentaries than Hollywood films. MOST RECENTLY my favorite movie is Brooklyn Castle. If it's playing anywhere near you SEE IT.

Country! Bob Wills, Hank Williams Sr. and III, Lefty Frizzell, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Keith Whitley, George Strait, Dwight Yoakam, Ray Price, Farron Young, Marty Robbins, Tom T. Hall, Wynn Stewart, Wayne Hancock, Hank 3, Dale Watson. Perhaps more than country, I like to listen to and play the blues. Some other artists that normally throw people off are Sublime, Jack Johnson, and Immortal Technique.

As a kid, I really liked Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow even more. I liked John Christopher's Tripod Trilogy and Fireball Trilogy, as well as the novel Empty World.

I also love non-fiction books about the current state of the world... And the history that creates it.

Please check out my bandcamp:

AnthonyGarza.Bandcamp.com

and my youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/user/WriteMeSongsLikeThis

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I was the first in my family to graduate from college, and the view from my bedroom was amazing.

visited 18 states (36%)

Teach, Learn, Share

I will be happy to, if I stay with you for up to a week, and if you provide the funding, help you build a garden in your backyard, granted I have access to the proper tools and materials. More importantly, I would be indebted to meet people who have more knowledge than I do and who are looking for help constructing greenhouses, compost systems, raised beds, etc.

I love kids and teaching them is my passion. I have many references from professionals in education who will vouch that I am a natural, and although I'm often a fairly humble guy I'm not going to let something like that go unsaid!

Beyond gardening, I'm always looking to expand my ever-opening musical mind. Music is important to me. If you are a country musician and want to teach me what you know I'm more than willing to learn face to face--it's how I learn best. But I also want to learn anything on the guitar. If you show me how to play the blues I will bake you cookies and ship them to you upon my return "Home."

I just bought my first Harmonica(s [I bought one each day I was there]) in New Orleans. I wouldn't mind showing people what I have learned, or learn from those who know more than I do!

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