Couchsurfing has taken me many places. One place I never thought it would take me is to the small screen, hosting my own TV show.
Almost Famous
Author: Zachary A. Marx
Tour du Mont Blanc: Feet on the Ground, Head in the Clouds
The first day left us questioning whether we could complete the next ten. Everything hurt. Feet, calves, thighs, feet, shoulders, backs, feet, necks, feet, feet and every muscle in between. Muscles hurt that we didn’t even know we had. Did…
Scotland: Wrong Lanes, Right Places
A year ago, the whirlwind tour with my family and in-laws that surrounded our wedding was winding down. From the 22 or so people who attended our cozy cabin in the Smokies, there were only 4 left: me, my wife…
Life in Limbo
I’m writing this because I have no other recourse. If screaming into the abyss is all I have, then screaming into the abyss I must. I don’t quite know where to begin, but perhaps the easiest place is January of…
The 7-Stages of Climate Debate
This week, world leaders gather in Bonn, Germany for the COP 23. Since the breakthrough Paris Agreement two years ago, the US, under new (for lack of a better word) “leadership” decided to withdraw, and the two other hold-outs–Nicaragua and…
Disconnected, Disconnecting: Stepping Away from Technology
For someone who has taken very public stances against technological encroachments and smart phones in particular, I find myself just as addicted as anyone else to my phone. This addiction was recently highlighted on a three-day camping trip when Christine and…
Travel Wise: The Cautionary Tale of North Korea
I have a friend, who, for the purposes of this blog we’ll call Derek (not his real name). A few years ago, Derek traveled to Laos. It’s a beautiful–if secluded–country and a real gem when traveling through Southeast Asia. One…
Losing Duke
I just had my last conversation with Grandpa Duke last night. Just typing that sentence doesn’t seem right, or accurate, or even possible. He has always been such a large influence to me personally, and to the family as a…
10 Commandments of Facebook Arguments
This is a follow up to my piece, “Pretty Hate Machine: News, Facebook, and the Culture of Mass Hysteria.” I called for readers (and myself) to hold themselves to higher standards when commenting on political affairs online. Here, I’m listing…
Pretty Hate Machine: News, Facebook, and the Culture of Mass Hysteria
For two weeks, the noise droned on in the background. I tried to tune it out. I tried to escape. But it was always there. The words didn’t matter. The flashy graphics didn’t matter. The tone told you everything you…
Open Letter to Liberals: Wake Up!
Dear Liberals, I’ve seen a lot of posts out there in social media by well-meaning liberals who proclaim that they will not be bullied into voting for Hillary Clinton. Here is my rebuttal. We have to face facts: Hillary Clinton…
Lessons From Couchsurfing: More Trust, Less Fear
I’m writing this in the wake of the United Kingdom’s referendum to leave the European Union. No one really knows the full implications of what this means for the future of Britain, the EU, or the global economy. The one…