Relatively quiet, easy to get along with, enjoy conversations on books & culture & suchlike stuff. Also a fan of jazz, various sorts of vocal ensemble music, and, in flashback moments, progressive rock.

Have chosen to live in shared housing for about 20 years now - about four years' worth in the context of organized cooperative houses, and the rest just by splitting a house or apartment. Have lived with around 40 housemates in that time (some of the houses were large!) All that contact has certainly included its rough spots, but I think (hope) it's been great training for getting along with people in general. It's also just more fun than living alone.

As to age: most people guess mid-to-late 30s, though Couchsurfing has it true: I'm 46. Have lived with and gotten along with people decades older & younger, though.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Have had it recommended to me by several friends (including three long-term housemates) as a great way to meet people, traveling and at home.

Interests

All kind of literature, but especially English poetry. I occasionally perpetrate a poem. Also interest in medieval literature of all sorts. (Currently finishing a book that was once a dissertation about how medieval Christian mystical writings help us read Chaucer's poetry better.)

I also dig learning languages and having opportunities to practice at length - sometimes hard to come by, however.

Philosophy and theology. Special interest in philosophy-of-science themes - the interaction between the natural sciences and philosophy from the "scientific revolution" (say, late 1500s) to the present. Extra-special interest in the work of Charles Sanders Peirce, who invented pragmatism (and a lot of other stuff).

Political activism: have done a lot of peace-and-justice work, organizing events and heading groups in Charlottesville, VA, to work on global climate change, homelessness, developing-world poverty, and (back when it was a live issue) the US/UN economic sanctions on Iraq.

Community living: see under "About Me."

Music: at various times in the increasingly distant past I've played piano and electric bass. More recently pursued singing (baritone) for many years, mostly classical oratorio-type work, though also some small groups singing medieval music and pops. Voice sounds pretty crunchy just now, though. Must yodel more.

Motion: I bike almost everywhere, and have much enjoyed hiking, T'ai Ch'i, and running over the years. (Last few activities somewhat on hiatus recently, but I have high hopes.)

Food: I like to cook vegetarian meals (and occasionally fish), and really enjoy sharing meals with housemates. For me that's one of the best things about shared housing - and especially about cooperative housing, where people tend to learn cooking tips and recipes from each other.

Meditation and prayer. Details available by request...

• fish
• culture
• writing
• books
• literature
• poetry
• singing
• dining
• cooking
• recipes
• vegetarian
• running
• meditation
• traveling
• socializing
• music
• jazz
• piano
• cycling
• fishing
• hiking
• divinity
• languages
• mathematics
• science

Music, Movies, and Books

General musical loves mentioned above. Concrete instances? Emerson, Lake and Palmer (say, their first album, and live album and Karn Evil 9). Benjamin Britten (say, Ceremony of Carols and hymns to St. Cecilia and the Virgin Mary). Brahms. Mozart (say, Mass in C minor). Alla time Bach. Soft Machine? King Crimson? Rather old stuff I know. Quite willing to receive updates.

Books - again generals listed above, but here are some particulars that I've gotten excited about recently: philosophers G.W.F. von Leibniz and Nicholas Malebranche. A Trappist monk named Andre Louf. A book of interviews with lit-critic-turned-philosopher-of-culture Rene Girard. William Maxwell's novel _So Long, See You Tomorrow_. And I stay excited about Chaucer, Robert Frost, Robert Browning, and on and on...

Movies - kind of a weak spot in my cultural knowledge: I don't watch many. Just saw "The Imitation Game" and found it powerful, heartbreaking - but also maybe a touch emotionally manipulative? (Maybe that's why I don't watch more movies.)

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Dunno that "amazing" is the right adjective there: it might tempt one to do things just in order to amaze, which seems likely to give less-than-splendid results.

The things I've put the most blood, sweat and tears into recently are two writing projects: the book mentioned above, and a long article on Dante. Pretty satisfying to see them close to appearing - after more time (and did I mention tears?) than I could have ever imagined.

Also grateful to have spent a year living halfway up an alp in Switzerland in early adult life, teaching math at a tiny international school. And to have once done a cross-US bike trip, about 2200 miles, with just one friend.

Teach, Learn, Share

I'm pretty handy with bike repair - maintain my own, happy to help others, though while traveling I don't have a full set of tools. Can do some much more limited fix-its with plumbing and electricity also.

Always like cooking (and eating) in company, as said above.

And happy to talk philosophy, science, theology, and literature with all comers. That's my idea of a good evening!

What I Can Share with Hosts

Conversation. Geniality. Flexibility. Willingness to cook. And thoughts and experiences in the areas mentioned above, for them that wants 'em.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Canada, Dominican Republic, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Haiti, Israel, Italy, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Palestine, Russian Federation, South Africa, Spain, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

Italy, Switzerland, United States