CURRENT MISSION

to breathe deeply

ABOUT ME

I sort of meander. I try not to take life too seriously. When I want to be humbled, I stare at the stars for a while. I like to make people laugh, and love visual creativity. I believe in the power of good journalism and the dangers of bad. (It can sometimes be a fine line) I'm an eternal optimist and fight cynicism to try and have faith in humans and neighbors, even when it seems a losing battle. I breathe much better when there's trees around and as much as I love the bustle of cities, I only last for so long before I need the outdoors. I want to change something, anything, for the better, before I die. Which sounds cliche and naive. But I do. I'm a coffee/tea egalitarian (don't make me choose!), and have a weakness for good fantasy and magical escapism.

PHILOSOPHY

Breath deep. Eyes open. Look inward to look outward. Laugh a lot.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Largely surfing so far. Though I'd really like to host in the future in New york, When I'm not living in a house with 13 people and zero extra space.(ahh, the New York life).

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

After being a sort of inactive member for a few years, I really got to experience the fullness of CS in Poland, then Ukraine. The hosts I met- their generosity, energy, openness- never ceased to amaze me. (who greets you in the morning with a bouquet of flowers on your birthday?! WHO DOES THAT?)

Interests

photography. journalism. travel (obvious?). dance. yoga. playing music. food. cooking. farming. art. writing. reading. trekking. climbing mountains. climbing trees. fantasy. cosmology. planetariums. my banjo. my dogs. pianos. old photos. memorizing bird songs.

• dogs
• arts
• writing
• photography
• dancing
• dining
• cooking
• coffee
• yoga
• flowers
• reading
• traveling
• music
• outdoor activities
• surfing
• rock climbing
• journalism
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

Ugh, too many books. A few choice faves might be Life of Pi; any Toni Morrison; The Poisonwood Bible; A history of Love, anything by Jonathon Safron Foer, Gabriel Garcia Marqeuz, Harry Potter obsessive (yes, I know, cringe), general fantasy lover, Pablo Neruda, way too many others...

Music music music! I love most all of it, except for techno/very electric dance "club" music.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Being chased out of a hospital by angry monkeys, a "must" for everyone. The Amazon is a pretty darn amazing place. And there's no greater feeling than submitting a mountain peak.

Countries I’ve Visited

France, Germany, India, Ireland, Malaysia, Peru, Poland, Spain, Ukraine, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

Ecuador, United States