CURRENT MISSION

Expand and explore my mind

ABOUT ME

I'm just your average little girl trying to come into her own and constantly evolve. My most cherished moments tend to be conversation over coffee for hours on end. Respect and morality, though some times seem like burdens, are the two gifts I'm most happy to harbor. I'm a writer, a photographer, a lover of simple things, an idealist, a positive cynic when it applies, a passenger, a foot tapper, a speaker, a listener, a maternal force, a young woman with laugh lines, an over analytical dreamer. Hell, more and more commas can be thrown in there, but the pretentious self-explanation is weighing me down.

I guess...
I think I'm a fine person.

PHILOSOPHY

I am a firm believer in karma and street education. My personal philosophy is to always be kind, fully consider all outcomes, survive, educate, protect those who need it, love, advise when it's wanted, shut up when it's needed, keep my mind open and never let something that feels right pass me by. I don't ever want to have regrets.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I have yet to earn the right to fill in this section.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I live my life with my acquired family in the fore front of my mind. Given the fact that most of these people are often between jobs, homes or mindsets we tend over lap. My couch was once beige and then brown since it became the hotel for a few passers-through and the warm spot during various blizzards. I've since lost the couch. I'm currently a squatter living illegally at a friend's house in a college town. Like in every home I've had, the number of "room mates" really depends on the individual situations.

My personal surfing starting to decline after I quit filling myself with negative substances. That was a time when we all met in small rooms and wouldn't leave for weeks. Our drunken bodies uncomfortably falling where ever they could, limbs like pick-up sticks and cigarette butts in the beer. Luckily, my vision has steadied and I no longer lead such a destructive and ridiculous life. Now my surfing experiences are pursued with the best of intentions and the cleariest mind.

Interests

Everything interests me to tell you the truth. My only true goal is to consider everything.

• writing
• education
• human rights
• beer
• coffee
• surfing
• teaching
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

There's far too many of all of those to list. I'll give you a random five for each medium.

Movies: Henry and June, High Tension, The Waking Life, Where the Day Takes you, High Art

Music: Bob Marley, Ani Difranco, Sage Francis, The Ramones, India Arie

Books: The Outlaw Bible of American poetry/literature/essays, Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Cafe by Fannie Flagg, On Photography By Susan Sontag, Go Now by Richard Hell, Delta of Venus by Anais Nin.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

When I was sixteen I worked with a few local human rights groups to start a program for GLBTIQueer kids. I was nominated for the "young woman of the year" award for my efforts. It was my child, my pride, my young contribution to try and help young adults with something I had already struggled through. I'm damn proud to know that I actually changed some of the lives involved and made it easier for them to deal with the strange and frightening situations they were in.

That's one thing. The one most people would see as the tangible "amazing" thing. I'll just leave it at that for now.

Teach, Learn, Share

My mother always let me know that you'll find yourself amongst the struggles of the day to day and that each struggle is a chance to find happiness. It's all in the mindset, I've learned. Of course, there's always another obstacle around the corner that has the power to ruin your day/week/year/life, but only if you let it. If you look at each challenge like a game or just keep in mind how accomplished you'll feel once it's gone, nothing can really bring you down. Happiness isn't easy to find. It's just as hard to stay happy as it is to climb mountains or build sky scrapers, but why not do it? I fight like hell to love my life and I refuse to not be thankful.