I'm a queer, mid-30s chica originally from Philly, but I've lived in California for 15 years and counting. (Oakland's great - I adore the massive burritos - but you gotta head east for a legit cheesesteak or hoagie.)

I want to leave this world a lot better than I found it, and hopefully have fun in the process. The general plan has been "get yr shit together before 40," and having incredible, unique experiences while I'm still young* is a big part of that. So here I am, ready to embark. (*young...ish? come on y'all, be kind!)

I'm low-key, quiet, conscientious; I enjoy a glass of wine but am not a big partier. I like to take outdoor adventures, talk, laugh, learn, cook, eat. I thrive in small groups. A big nerd, to be honest.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

There's a lot of world left to see, and it's time to start. I scored a mostly free ticket to Honolulu (12/31-1/14) so I'm booked for two weeks, a little scared, and hoping to find a few people to know / places to stay when I get there!

Even if you can't host me, I'd love to hear your thoughts on what I should do while in Oahu! I mean, besides fight off seagulls on the beach for scraps of food.

Interests

I've been studying carpentry and organize a major tiny house Meetup group here in the Bay Area. My current plan is to convert a van or box truck into a lovely mobile apartment and then criss-cross America, living cheaply and seeing what there is to see.

A recovering geek, I'm still really stuck on computers. My vidgame habit is no longer a habit, thankfully, but I'd be lyin' to say I don't keep tabs on that stuff. As a kid I was a voracious reader, and I'm glad to be back on that bandwagon.

Going paleo and then keto in 2014 helped me feel great, and now I lift weights, do yoga, and take weird college gym classes like badminton. I never want my body to prevent me from doing awesome things.

• dining
• cooking
• wine
• yoga
• politics
• socializing
• outdoor activities
• boxing
• badminton
• history
• beaches

Music, Movies, and Books

The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle is a lovely use of dead trees. Midnight Cowboy is a really moving, sad movie. I like animation, and Studio Ghibli is essential. The fey trinity of Cillian Murphy, Tilda Swinton, and Alan Cumming (plus honorary member Sigourney Weaver) rarely fail to please. If you watch one long TV show make it Deadwood. Or Twin Peaks, or Steven Universe.

David Bowie and Janelle Monae are A+. Oldies radio is the only appropriate accompaniment to manual labor. Check out Judee Sill and Linda Perhacs on YouTube if you want to hear something obscure, beautiful, and rad.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Finally started figuring out who I was in my 20s and self-actualizing. Ongoing process.

Teach, Learn, Share

I know a bit about rough carpentry, a bunch about queer history and nerd shiz (need a PC built?), and a lot of random esoterica. I love to turn people on to the wonders of ketogenic diets - eating fat can make you fit! A credible cook. I have wide-ranging interests and like to talk about ideas, politics, history (on a Roman kick lately), and whatever random oddity we just heard on the local college radio station.

What I Can Share with Hosts

If I can't make you crack up laughing at least a few times during our acquaintance I'll fall into a deep depression and di... I mean, I'll try harder next time!

Happy to share any of the aforementioned interests and knowledge. I'd bring you a local burrito but the TSA would scarf it.

I'm looking forward to meeting people I never would've otherwise, and finding how we're both different and alike. Human connection is so precious yet so lacking in today's hollow, consumerist society. Let's push back against that.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, France, Japan, Mexico, Thailand

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States