About Stephen

“Today is worth more than two tomorrows.”

I read that quote on a tree at a Buddhist temple in Chiang Mai, Thailand and realized that summed up most of my feelings on life. I’m originally from the countryside of Ohio in the U.S. near the city of Cincinnati and there wasn’t much going on there. I had a small apartment, had a series of mediocre unsatisfying graphic design jobs, a limited number of things to do, and a general longing to live life. I’ve traveled a good bit of America, but have never made the big jump across either pond to any other continents and I knew I missing out. What was I doing, why did I work jobs I didn’t like, and why did I settle for mediocrity and not make the most of my life, the life that I’ve only got one of? There was no answer, so I hatched an escape plan, saved up a heap of money, and with a little encouragement from my buddy got a job teaching English for one month in Korea. Over 20 countries and a year later I’m living my dream. I went from the grind of desk work to riding motorcycles across Vietnam, stick fighting in the Philippines, chanting with monks in Tibet, and walking along the many steps of the Great Wall in China; the list goes on.

For me I have realized there are no limitations, there are no excuses to not live and love your life. It’s always there just waiting for you. Why wait until your old and your body is shutting down to travel? I say go now, I found a way, you can too, it’s easier than you think and all that it takes is the courage to change. My stick-fighting Grandmaster in the Philippines told me one of the secrets of life is that when you can go no further you must change, that is the only way to progress and make the most of your potential.

So for me, I love traveling, I love making art, I love volunteering, I love martial arts, and I love motorcycles. Most of all I love living this life and all the ridiculous and awesome things this world has set out waiting for me to discover. In the words of a man great at living, Hunter Thompson, “Buy the ticket, take the ride.”