CURRENT MISSION

To get life experience and a college degree. Or, failing that, a milkshake.

ABOUT ME

Growing up as the youngest of three, I often felt caught in the shadow of my siblings. Both are remarkably intelligent, unbelievably creative and immensely talented musicians (if it sounds like I'm bragging, it's only because I'm proud). My parents tried to foster the same musical growth in me, but I proved an easily distracted student, without the focus that enables prodigal musicianship. Still, I loved music, and while I couldn't stick with any one instrument, I played as much music as I could on as many instruments as I could, including clarinet, saxophone, bass, piano and drums. Often, I'll (poorly) attempt to learn to play whatever instruments are lying around the house, which lately has been guitar and ukulele.

As a favor to the ears of whoever's around (not to mention their happiness and faith in the human race), I try not play those last two in public.

More than anything, though, I love learning. I'm a voracious reader, and will devour books on any subject from history to economics (my favorite historical figures are Anna Komnene, Justinian/Theodora, and Diogenes). Most recently, I've been reading about both Vikings and the Fourteenth Century.

Needless to say, the Vikings are a lot more fun.

I also have a deep seated fascination with myths and fairy-tales. Especially the darker ones. My current favorite is Andersen's "The Little Mermaid", although that will probably change soon.

I'm currently attending one of the local community-colleges, pursuing a transfer degree in what increasingly feels like bullshit, stress, and frantic typing (a social science, in case you were wondering). I do my best to remain optimistic, but I can feel the cynicism spreading like a bacterial infection.

Perhaps I'm doing something wrong.

Or, more horrifyingly, perhaps I'm not.

I'm always up for a good conversation, and I tend to enjoy listening more than talking (although talking is fun too).

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

As of yet, I don't. I hope to change that soon though.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

None (yet)

Interests

Reading, writing, music, astronomy, history, economics, math, biology, philosophy, stories, soccer, and hiking.

• writing
• books
• reading
• music
• guitar
• piano
• drums
• hiking
• soccer
• astronomy
• biology
• economics
• history
• mathematics
• science
• social science

Music, Movies, and Books

Books

Science-Fiction has always been a favorite genre of mine, and although I don't restrict myself to sci-fi books, I do read a massively disproportionate amount of them. Some of my favorite authors (from all genres) are, in no particular order:

Alistair Reynolds, Stephen Baxter, Terry Pratchett, Larry Niven, Robert Heinlein, Paolo Bacigalupi, Neil Gaiman, Bruce Sterling, Vernor Vinge, William Gibson, George Orwell, and Jack London.

Some of my favorite books and short stories are:

The Calorie Man, Galactic North, Chasm City, Mona Lisa Overdrive, Ringworld, Anansi Boys, Stranger in a Strange Land, Exultant, The Sea Wolf, Night Watch, Thud!, Good Omens, 1984, The Veldt, Rainbow's End, and Solaris.

Music

The two criteria by which I choose my music are: (1) Is this piece relaxing, moving and/or thoughtful? and (2) Does this piece sound great when reading sci-fi? These two rules have led to the development of a strange(ly awesome) mix of classical and electronic music in my library, my favorites being:

Rameses B, Tveitt, Chopin, ShockLine, Singularity, Rimsky-Korsakov, Rachmaninoff, Barber, Seven Lions, Coyote Kisses, Fauré, Koda, Minnesota, Corelli, Liszt, and Rodrigo. Also, movie music is great and I love Hans Zimmer.

Movies

I tend to love any movie that will make me laugh or think (extra points for both). My favorites include:

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Children of Men, In Bruges, The Gods Must Be Crazy, Princess Mononoke, Hot Fuzz, The Lion King, Contact, The Seventh Seal, The Departed, and Life of Pi.