Originally from Chicago, Illinois, I have lived in seven U.S. states, and been to 41.

I would consider myself first of all a student, and have been to college for three years to study the Great Books.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I like traveling, encountering new cultures, and meeting other travelers. I think that traveling and encountering new cultures is an important part of being an educated and well-rounded human being.

I Couchsurfed in France in 2009-10, and spent New Year's Eve in Paris with Couchsurfers.

Interests

I like music a lot, for which I have some innate talent. I have been instructed in the cello, piano, guitar, and sitar, and have picked up diverse instruments for the first time (e.g., the hammered dulcimer) with musical results.

Although I am very introverted, I am also very interested in people.

• writing
• books
• poetry
• photography
• coffee
• music
• jazz
• hiking
• philosophy
• psychology
• art
• zen

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: Beethoven, John Coltrane, Dead Kennedys, Bob Dylan, Brian Eno, King Crimson, Metallica, Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Shostakovich, The Smiths, Talking Heads, John Zorn

Movies: Dr. Strangelove, The Godfather, The Lord of the Rings, Monty Python, The Seven Samurai, Star Wars

Books
Fiction: Cervantes, Dostoevsky, Kafka
Philosophy: Aristotle, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Plato, Sartre
Poetry: Baudelaire, T. S. Eliot, Keats, Shakespeare, Yeats

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I've sailed and lived aboard a tall ship.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can be both witty and philosophical, and I try to always remain open-minded. I am always up for an intellectual discussion about art, music, books or ideas.

Let me know if you have any chores to do.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Malta, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States