CURRENT MISSION

To tell stories that need telling

ABOUT ME

Writer, casual musician and artist. I'm a Texas native who recently found his way back; an adventurous type with an eye for the strange, the wild, and the forgotten; and someone with a wry--and occasionally very silly--sense of humor.

I'm drawn to people with intriguing pasts and expressive faces. I'm fascinated by old, dead things and space-time archaeology. I catch snakes for fun. I geek out about subcultures and anthropology, laugh at political chicanery, and dissect popular media with the glee of a mad scientist.

Basically, I'm entranced by stories. Let's share some.

PHILOSOPHY

That those who can must help those who can't; that there's no such thing as a bad tale (although many are poorly told); and most importantly, that the world is a fascinating, endlessly weird place.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

By offering good company to people passing through. I'm always happy to meet for coffee or show somebody around, although I don't have a couch for surfing at present.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I couchsurfed with my brother Saul through Colombia during the summer of 2010, which was my first experience with it. Afterward I bounced around the South; Jacksonville, New Orleans (several times), Asheville, and various parts of Texas. I'm trying to travel around the United States more.

Interests

Broadly: the natural world, human history and belief systems. More specifically, a completely random, very lengthy assortment of subjects--politics, folklore, history, paleontology, criticism, media, zoology, anthropology...

Overabundance of enthusiasms. It's starting to become a problem.

• reptiles
• writing
• literature
• folklore
• coffee
• politics
• traveling
• music
• surfing
• anthropology
• communications
• history
• science

Music, Movies, and Books

I love books about strange places, real or imagined, so speculative fiction, travel accounts, historical nonfiction, and mythology compilations, and paleontology/zoology compilations are very common on my shelf. I also read a lot of comics, both corporate and creator-owned.

I like music that takes traditional folk structures and goes to town on them, so Iron & Wine, The Wailin' Jennys, Crooked Still, Manu Chao, and Sarah Jarosz are all favorites. Crunchy rock, witty rap, and acapella are also in rotation. (I think I'm addicted to harmonies.)

I have a real fondness for schlock, B movies, moster films of dubious value, kung fu flicks, and gritty noir. Also, I've discovered I'm a total sucker for westerns. It's probably the hats.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Watching the slow eruption of a volcano in Guatemala. Watching the sunset light pour over the Judacalla Stone--the gateway to the spirit world--in North Carolina. Getting dive bombed by a cave bird in Colombia.

Teach, Learn, Share

I am a font of weird facts about natural ephemera. I know how to catch various reptiles. I've got a good working knowledge of folklore, literature, and literary analysis. I can explain superheroes.

(you laugh, but untangling that mess takes skill.)

Countries I’ve Visited

Colombia, Guatemala, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States

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