CURRENT MISSION

To write more and create more and experience more.

ABOUT ME

I like little goofy things. I like to imagine that bees feel I am a kindred spirit because I used to save them from drowning in my mom's bird bath. I like to make up stories about people I don't know. I like tiny things that I can form sentimental attachments to. I collect rubber bouncy balls, most especially the ones that come from gumball machines. I have a small collection of collections. I love hitchhiking and dumpster diving. I am learning how to knit and I want to learn how to sew. I clean up by making piles. I take after my mother in that I like to feed people. One thing I look forward to all year long is the Evergreen State Fair in Monroe, Washington. I love to read. I am writing a poem a day to get in the habit of writing every day.

PHILOSOPHY

This is in development, but for now is basically this: If I trust people, they will trust me back. Within this relationship of trust I can know and be known and learn things that would otherwise be lost to me because of fear. Or something like that. One of the biggest ways I experience this is by hitchhiking and developing a brief but often very interesting relationship with a stranger that is built on trust.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Brendan and I had the wonderful opportunity to host a couple of times before we left Seattle to begin our two-year traveling escapade. While traveling, we surfed several times and it was always a delightful experience. We then lived in Magdeburg, Germany for a year and got very involved in the local Couchsurfing group. We like to think we introduced the concept of "potluck" to the Magdeburg Couchsurfers. Now we live in L.A. and host when we can, usually through BeWelcome lately.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

My first experience with couchsurfers at Gasworks park was invigorating. Couchsurfers are warm, open, friendly people who seem very excited to be a part of this community.
Two of my favorite experiences with couchsurfers came when we were hitchhiking, and on separate occasions two guys who picked us up were couchsurfers. We were even hosted by one of them, and had a great time. I love that there is so much crossover between hitchhiking and couchsurfing.

Interests

Books, writing get-togethers, writing, animals of all sorts, people, baking, knitting, houseplants, singing, juggling, performing, entertaining, walking, farmer's markets, reading, woods, the outside, sunshine, games, walking on stilts, hitchhiking, learning how to make balloon animals, chocolate.

• animals
• writing
• books
• singing
• make up
• chocolate
• potluck
• baking
• walking
• reading
• traveling
• juggling
• dumpster diving
• knitting
• scuba diving
• hitchhiking

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies: My favorite is Buffy, The Vampire Slayer. I also love eighties movies like Some Kind of Wonderful, Say Anything and Better Off Dead. I will watch almost any movie once, and some I will watch over and over, like Pride and Prejudice (with Colin Firth) and A Mighty Wind.

Music: I love all types of music, though I'm not exactly what you would call a music-buff. I often don't know the names of bands and singers or songs that I like, and I don't invest a lot of time or money into music. I love to sing along to the radio, and I especially love oldies, since that's what I grew up listening to.

Books: Some of my favorites are for young adults, like Anne of Green Gables (the whole series), Little Women (the whole series) and anything by Cynthia Voigt. Ursula K. Leguin is one my favorite authors, and so is Jane Austen. I like to read when I'm brushing my teeth.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Brendan and I spent the month of March, 2009 hitchhiking from New Orleans, LA to Seattle, WA. We met so many kind and generous people, including two couchsurfers. One of my favorite unexpected experiences while hitchhiking was when the taxi cab driver who picked us up with no expectations of payment took us to a sweat lodge ceremony. Never have I felt so welcomed in by complete strangers as that night. What an amazing gift.

Teach, Learn, Share

Things I can share:Group writing exercisesBakingBasic knittingBasic jugglingStilt-walking Things I would like to learn:More advanced knittingMore advanced jugglingLanguages

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Scotland, Slovakia, Sweden, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

Germany, United States

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