Hello, I am an old soul American who is young at heart, thanks to a passion for music.  Over the next number of years, however many it may take, I am on a mission to explore Europe ( a little bit at a time ) while I still have the chance.   My goal is to travel light and focus on the history, architecture​ and culture of each country I visit while exploring any correspondin​g music/folklo​re tangents.  I am seeking corresponden​ce to make new friends as I prepare visits, in order to better enjoy what should be a pleasant cultural experience.  If you can recommend bands or songwriters from your country who explore the folk music idiom, please share them with me!

My adventure(s)​ start with a trip to Benelux in 2010, including visits into northern France and the north Rhine/Westph​alia area of Germany.  If you know of any "must see" places that normally escape the tourist's radar, I'd love to learn of them!

I would eventually prefer email contact, though messages left here are fine.  I'm also available for chat on Skype (text only, for now), ICQ, MSN IM or Yahoo IM.  Let me know your preference, and I will configure accordingly

I am seeking corresponden​ce with potential friends interested in helping me explore Europe outside of a normal "tourist"​ context.  Enjoying your company as a guide is a big plus.  Learning enough of the language to get by (and not be just an imposiing American!) is also a plus.  Meeting fellow musicians and songwriters would be heaven!  Exploring culture(s) other than my own is an absolute must.

I am also just seeking friends around the world, which has got to be a cool thing because someday you may visit over here and need a guide.  I don't necessarily recommend Texas -- my area, anyway, as it's flat, crowded and homogenized -- but there are other parts that are pretty nice!

Age does not matter.  Really.  It's not my fault if I've ridden this planet more (or fewer) times around its sun than you have.  We all have ideas to share and interests to explore, and we can all learn from each other.  Just because you're still in school (or I'm old enough to be your father) doesn't mean we can't share some fun, intelligent discussion.  If you have a question that I might answer (or if you have answers to my questions), reach out and connect!

Gender does not matter, even with regard to age.  Honestly, I'm not here to pick up chicks; I'm here to learn about cultures and places I hope to some day visit.  Not many people my age share my level of fascination with music, which is why I often benefit from the knowledge and suggestions of younger people.  You'd be more help to me than you may realize. and I could probably share some funny stories.  I will happily share my views of the world (or my favorite bands!)

If you are considerably​ younger (or female) and view my profile during a search, the only way I might learn why is to view yours.  This does not make me a perv, and it is an unacceptable​ case of profiling to suggest that any guy over the age of 40 (30? 35? I don't know) is a lecherous old man.  Get over yourselves.  I'm the coolest person I know, and I say that with all humility. ;-)  Again, I am music-driven​, and you may have information to share, whereas your parents may not.  Go ahead and say 'hi," even laugh at my picture, if you want.

I will write with anyone who can offer me fun, meaningful conversation​, and if you can offer advice for my future travels to your area, I'll write more than once.  If you're after my money or my surname, however, you'll need to look elsewhere.  And please: let's establish some compatible dialog before asking for email addresses and such!

Cultural immersion, music (listening, composing and performing),​ reading, writing, amateur photography,​ playing guitar, learning mandolin, armchair philosophy, seeing Europe through the eyes of Europeans

Progressive rock, jazz, classical, bluegrass, ethnic folk, anything but bubblegum pop (too old to enjoy that) and rap/hip-hop (not enough musical content.)  My preference is any kind of music that shows musical/inst​rumental depth.  I'm a big fan of Indie music, and the best source can be found on SongPlanet Radio (http://www.​songplanet.c​om)

I don't really see too many movies, but I'm anxious to see Angels And Demons when it comes out!

I don't really watch too much TV.  Yet I still manage to stay informed!  Maybe because my friends watch too much TV on my behalf!  On the other hand, I watched a LOT of Monty Python growing up and can recite more of it than I should admit to.  Please do not test me on this...:-)

This Is Your Brain On Music: The Science of a Human Obsession
(Daniel J. Levitin)
Godel, Escher, Bach: The Eternal Golden Braid (Douglas Hofstadter)
Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
Ender's Game (Orson Scott Card)
Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
Flowers For Algernon (Daniel Keyes)
The Phantom Tollbooth (Norman Juster)
Travel guides of all kinds
Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah  (Richard Bach)

This is just a very short list; I'll add more as I think of them (or read them), but the list really should be much longer.

"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing."​
"That girl is the least benightedly unintelligen​t life form it has ever been my extreme lack of displeasure not to be able to avoid meeting."​ - Marvin, on Trillian (Hitchhikers​ Guide)
"Argue for your limitations and, sure enough, they're yours."​ - The Messiah's Handbook (Illusions by Richard Bach)