*Sorry, had to pause on hosting for a while. I get sooooo many requests and have been super busy. Let me know if y'all want to meet up for a hike or something though. I know a lot of cool spots.*

I'm a sarcastic marine biologist living on the Central Coast of California. From the midwest originally, but I haven't lived there since graduating college (the math on that puts it at about a decade now). Moved to Monterey for a job after spending five years in Hawaii for grad school, and a little beyond, and have been here since.

My Midwestern nature makes me seem a little rough around the edges; I say what's on my mind, have a sharp wit, and if I disagree with an opinion I will say as much.

Like just about everyone else these days, I don't eat gluten (because it makes me pretty damn sick). So I eat mostly paleo-types of food.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

After meeting some couch surfers that friends hosted, it seemed like a good way to meet people while traveling. I didn't grow up with a lot of money, so traveling abroad was kind of considered out of reach and I want to remedy that.

Additionally, when in Hawaii, I lived in a really international community. I've lived with someone from every continent, with the exception of Antarctica (though some close friends have put in 6 month stints at McMurdo, which could be considered living there). So, while I haven't done much international traveling myself, I've enjoyed the company of world citizens and would like to keep doing so.

Interests

Though totally cliche, I am (almost) always up for trying something new. Most of my free time is spent biking, running, and hiking. I love SCUBA diving and have recently started doing outrigger canoe paddling. Now that we have some rain and it's getting dark earlier, I've been putting on TV shows and doing art projects (painting and drawing) in the evenings. Also a big fan of happy hour, shooting pool (terrible as I am), and bowling (I'm ok) and just shooting the shit. My Sunday mornings I spend watching Packer football (The church of Lambeau).
I don't smoke pot but I don't mind at all if folks around me smoke it.

• fish
• arts
• dining
• cooking
• running
• partying
• drinking
• happy hour
• flying
• boating
• tv
• traveling
• billiards
• socializing
• painting
• drawing
• cycling
• fishing
• hiking
• canoeing
• hunting
• scuba diving
• sailing
• soccer
• bowling
• biology
• mathematics

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: All over the map, but I listen to good music (everyone thinks that, but I really do). Love TV on the Radio, Neko Case, Decemberists, Local H, OCMS, and have been on a big Tedeschi Trucks Band and Foster the People kick lately.
Movies: Top 4-Princess Bride, Fight Club, When Harry Met Sally, Dumb and Dumber
TV shows: Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad...all those dramas (except Sons of Anarchy, which is stupid). Been really into Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown lately.
Books: 1984, Empire of the Summer Moon, Sand County Almanac, The Devil in the White City

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Though I haven't spent much time abroad, I've spent a bit of time in the middle of the Pacific ocean. Like, just the middle of the frickin' ocean. I've gone on numerous research cruises to the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre to collect samples on a ship that was featured on the Discovery Channel's 'Superships'. On one occasion, we had to outrun Hurricane Flossy, picking up and moving every few hours to stay ahead of the storm. I've seen flying fish, bioluminescent patches as the ship transited at night, dolphins that play in the bow wave of the boat, and some of the brightest stars and meteor showers ever seen on earth.

After spending so much time at sea for work, my dad and I got our sailing certifications and took a week long sailing trip on a bareboat charter to the Channel Islands.

Teach, Learn, Share

Don't know what this means, but will check out what some other folks have written and get back to it.

What I Can Share with Hosts

First, I'm an amazing cook. Especially if you're a meat eater, but I know a few veggie dishes, too. Oh, and I'm clean; I'm a 30 year old woman for f*ck's sake. I'm not gonna cook something for you and leave the dishes all over.

I'm told, and tend to believe, that I'm funny. It's been mentioned, unsolicited, by multiple, unrelated parties that I should try standup. I don't want to set the bar too high for myself, though, so maybe just expect one or two good quips over dinner or a drink. At the very least, I listen to enough Radio Lab on my commute that I'll always have an interesting conversation topic at the ready.

And I don't really complain. It's annoying.

Countries I’ve Visited

Mexico