CURRENT MISSION

Spreading love in the world through music and trying to make a difference

ABOUT ME

My wife and I are middle aged going on twenty years old. We closed up our business about a year ago, finished renovating the house and are ready for the next adventure. I want to pursue my life long passion of playing music and I am gathering up the tools for musical instrument repair. I hope this will develop into an income. I play several instruments including acoustic and electric guitars, steel body guitar, mandolin, mando-cello, a little violin, penny whistles and a little Irish wooden flutes. I play jazz, blues, bluegrass, celtic, light classical, or any kind of music you wish to jam to. For the last few years I have been composing in these different genres and going through the learning curve of digitally recording my music. Patricia is interested in visual arts mostly photography for now. She may get involved in volunteer physician work later on.

PHILOSOPHY

I heard Carlos Santana say in an interview once that we should celebrate our differences instead of being afraid of them. Frank Zappa said once that he is very serious about not being serious. I agree with both statements and would add that the secret to life is simply take responsibility for yourself and be accountable for your actions.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I haven't surfed any couches.... Yet.

Interests

I am interested in music creating community. Song, dance, rhythm, melody are human needs. People need to express themselves, it's healing. Check out playingforchange.com if you haven't already. Patricia and I are interested in meeting new people, new friends. I dig creative people, espiecially creative in ways I know nothing about. You know, learn something new.

• arts
• photography
• dancing
• traveling
• music
• jazz
• guitar
• violin
• blues
• business
• teaching
• medicine
• visual arts
• volunteering

Music, Movies, and Books

I guess I lean toward old movies, black and whites. Of course there are newer movies I like as well. The old black and whites maybe an old Humphrey Bogart movie had style. They also didn't have a lot of effects but relied on screen play and good acting. Maybe I am just old fashioned but I prefer the flirting in the old movies rather than blatant sexuality for instance. As for books, the first guy that comes to mind is Charles Bukowski. A special favorite is a book of poems, Love is a Dog from Hell. Currently I am reading a self help series called the Healing Power of Love, Forgiveness, etc. Patricia is very well read, anything from classics to technical journals. As for music, Patricia is blues, R&b, and may Motown live forever. My list could be very long indeed but I will name a few. Clarence White first with the Kentucky Colonels then his work with the Byrds. Bill Monroe the father of bluegrass. Joe Zawinul who has passed on, a beautiful world musician. John Doyle an absolutely fantastic celtic guitarist. Darrel Scott, a great song writer and musician. Saxophonist Pharoah Sanders. Miles Davis. John Coltrane. Muddy Waters. I'll stop there.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Well this is amazing to me anyway. A couple of years ago we were in Costa Rica and since we didn't have wi-fi where we were, we had to travel to a nearby village so my grand daughter could keep up with home work and friends. I would take my mandolin to the park and play. I guy happened along and although I can't speak Spanish we surmised that he taught shcool. He wrote down the name of the collegio and our hosts there confirmed it was a school and we went and looked him up. Through a teacher who could interpret we found he was a music teacher. We asked to come back later that day and I asked if my grand daughter could come because she plays fiddle. We came back and was asked to wait in lobby. I had pictured that I was going to a music class and demo a mandolin. However, as we sat there they started bringing out microphones and other gear and before we knew we were in the school's central courtyard. They closed all the classes and my grand daughter and I did about a 45 minute show. It was fun.

Teach, Learn, Share

In Proverbs it says, "As iron sharpens iron so does one person sharpen another" I am a carpenter I can teach you to hammer a nail. I am a musician I can teach you a song. For those who younger than me, I am not more intelligent than you are but I can share the benefit of my experience. For those who are older than me tell me stories.

Countries I’ve Visited

Bermuda, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Mexico, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, France, United States