I go to school and make movies.

I grew up in northwest Arkansas and moved out to San Francisco in 2014. Since then I've been attending the San Francisco Art Institute, studying art history and film.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I joined a few years ago when I left the U.S. for the first time. Now, when I do get to travel, I'd rather stay with a local than at a hotel.

Interests

My main course of study is film and cinema, though my interest is more broadly in the relationship between society at large and the moving image, which is to say that I entered this field because I loved movies, but continue along because I've realized the importance of the image-language in the world's social fabric.

Outside of the that, my interest extends to the arts generally, though it gravitates more towards modes commonly used for storytelling, like the novel and some video games. I'm a fan of poetry, some painting, performance art, stand-up comedy.

And I enjoy a glass of fine beer every now and then.

• cats
• arts
• culture
• writing
• books
• poetry
• performing arts
• documentaries
• cooking
• breakfast
• beer
• movies
• video games
• reading
• traveling
• painting
• cycling

Music, Movies, and Books

Some eternal favorites:

Movies: Andrew Bujalski, Robert Bresson, Richard Linklater, Abbas Kiarostami, Wong Kar-Wei, Michelangelo Antonioni, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Stan Brakhage, Hollis Frampton, Ernie Gehr, Kurt Kren, George Kuchar. Recently I've been taken with the films of Bruce Baillie and Peter Hutton.

Music: Thee Oh Sees, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Titus Andronicus, Girls, Alex G, Ricky Eat Acid, Beat Happening, Eternal Tapestry, The Mountain Goats

Jack Keroauc
Walter Benjamin
Theodor Adorno
William S. Burroughs
Paul Virilio
Roberto Bolaño

Right now I'm playing Hyper Light Drifter.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

In London I had two days before meeting up with a friend that I needed a place to stay. Of course I waited too long and found myself unable to book a hostel. I walked through London all night long, at one point jumping the fence to a park/zoo to lie down and sleep, then chickening out and hopping the fence again. As the sun was coming up I walked along the Thames and was beset by a drunken cyclist, who inquired about who I was, where I was from, and where I was going,

He introduced himself as Gary and offered his couch to me, saying that he did that all the time when he found somebody who needed a place to stay. Against my better judgment I took him up on it. I sat on the back of his bike and we rode across the river and into north London. I met his cat, fell asleep on his black leather couch, and after a couple hours' sleep, Gary cooked me a proper English breakfast.

I ended up staying until my friend arrived in town, and I went back to Gary's once my friend left while I waited a few days to leave for France. Gary equipped me with a bike, a house key, and a phone so I could have a proper experience seeing London on my own. After a few hours of this each day I would ride back and we would go out for a beer. Gary introduced me to a few people, told me the best stories from his life, showed me all the best British pop culture to catch up on. He acted like a cross between a friend and mentor. He saw I was a scared kid lost in a city without knowing what the hell I was doing. Everyone I've told this story to knows I was an idiot for accepting the invitation of a stranger, but it brought me into a community and a personal relationship that would have been impossible otherwise.

Teach, Learn, Share

I'll talk about the arts with anyone else who's interested and extend my knowledge while receiving theirs.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can cook a decent meal and I'll do whatever I need to pull my weight.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Iceland, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States