CURRENT MISSION

Livin'

ABOUT ME

I give private English lessons and copy-edit for academics, but that's just for the bills. I spend my days practicing fiddle, exploring the city, learning Turkish, writing, planning murals for the Spring. Life stuff.

PHILOSOPHY

Do unto others, I suppose.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I haven't got much to offer on the over-night front, but I know my way around the city and I love to get lost. Happy to get lost with you, or show you some of my favorite roofs, back streets, art galleries and cafes.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Have shown people around Istanbul, and entertained my friends' couchsurfing guests.

Interests

Fiddling, exploring, Studio 360, libraries, tree-houses. Of course, etc.

• arts
• writing
• cooking
• vegetarian
• vegan
• knitting
• business

Music, Movies, and Books

I love live music of almost any kind, and as I'm learning Irish fiddle, there's been a lot of traditional Irish music in my life of late. I also played drums in a punk cover band in high school. I listen to folks like the Mekons, Carla Bozulich in all her incarnations, Joan Baez, the Au Pairs, Nanci Griffith, Richard Thompson, Rasputina, PJ Harvey, Nick Cave, Nels Cline singers, Neko Case, Metric, vb.

As for books, I've reread 'The Sparrow' (Mary Doria Russell), Anne Fadiman's essays and Barbara Kingsolver's poems more times than I can count. I love Tom Stoppard's plays, particularly Arcadia. I'm reading Minima Moralia (Adorno), and John Fowles at the moment. For my research, I read a lot about Turkish history/culture and the sociology of nationalism. For my birthday, I was given Chimera (John Barth) and really wish I hadn't left it in the States.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can fix things (tile, water-proofing, broken stairs/chairs/tables); cook (vegetarian and vegan, soups and stir-fries, etc); edit (English and French, academic and informal); throw pots etc (kick wheel, electric- all good fun); develop photographs, when the chemicals and space are handy. I climb trees like nobody's business.

I'd love to learn more about electric wiring and how to knit proper patterns.