CURRENT MISSION

To explore Houston, a city I just moved to, and to explore other areas when I get the chance, whether in person, through talking, reading or eating foods from different cultures. I like my learning like I like my cultural food--a little messy and filling!

ABOUT ME

I grew up moving every three years or so, since my father was in the military, and I've never been able to shake the desire to keep moving and seeing new parts of the world. I'm a curious person, and being a journalist means I am professionally nosy and love having conversations, and that goes even when I'm not at work.

I like traveling alone or with one companion. I think I'm fairly independent, but I think a lot of it comes down to being able to hear myself think. I like to contemplate things. I'm one of those weirdos who sits in an art gallery and stares at a painting for 10 minutes without moving. But it is priceless to have someone there who goes through the same thing, can take a moment of silence too, and then is willing to discuss. You find out more about yourself the more you talk to other people.

I have a fantastic boyfriend, also in the journalism world, which means our vacation time is rare and even more rare is overlapping days, so trips on our own or with other people isn't unusual. I have parents that encouraged traveling and seeing the world, and I have a horse that I've had since I was in middle school who has moved all over the U.S. with me. I joke that Topper, my horse, is really my soulmate, and I've had him half my life, and he is the kindest (if flightiest) animal ever. My cat is named Fenway, even though I got him after I moved away from Massachusetts, and I firmly believe he helped the Red Sox win the World Series in 2007, shortly after I got him. He also wakes me up every morning between 4 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. wanting to cuddle.

I really like to sleep. Sleeping is fantastic. I also like eating, and sometimes cooking. I have a sweet tooth that demands donuts and cake on a pretty regular basis. I like eating strawberries right after I've picked them out of a field. I like cool weather and I like wearing lots of layers.

Some day I'd like to write a book, which is what I've been saying for years now, but I do have a topic and I have started writing it. One of my biggest fears is that someone else is writing the same book and will get it published before me, but I'm a procrastinator and it's hard to get going on it when there's so much else to do, like sleep and eat.

I don't know if I'll ever find a permanent home. I moved around a lot, and when I've been in a place for a few years I get antsy. There's too much of the world to see to live in one place for long. I like traveling, but airfare is ridiculously expensive. I need to get wings and fly myself places.

PHILOSOPHY

Be a good person, and don't be afraid to be dorky.

Por que estou no Couchsurfing?

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I recently joined the CS community, but I would love to introduce people to the city I currently live in. They used to have television commercials that said Texas was like a whole other country, and they were right!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I took my first surfing trip to Albuquerque, New Mexico, in October 2009 and stayed with two awesome, wonderful women. They inspired me to open up my own home to meet more cool people, and I hope I get the chance to surf again soon.

I also hosted my first surfer, a really fantastic guy from Canada, when I was at my old apartment. Now I'm living with two roommates and a dog in a house in the funky area of Fort Worth.

Interesses

I enjoy spending time with my friends and family, eating food at family-owned restaurants, reading books, riding my horse, playing with my cat, watching movies, photographing bike races my boyfriend participates in, researching medical conditions and treatments, casually riding my own bike, visiting modern art museums, tasting sweets, fantasizing about collecting antique microscopes, trying new beers, and watching live sporting events (especially baseball).

• animals
• cats
• dogs
• arts
• writing
• books
• modern art
• dining
• cooking
• beer
• flying
• movies
• reading
• traveling
• painting
• cycling
• surfing
• baseball
• rock climbing
• swimming
• journalism

Músicas, Filmes e Livros

A few of my favorite books include A Separate Peace, Middlesex, A Tale of Two Cities, The Sun Also Rises, Flowers for Algernon, anything by James Herriot, Rocket Boys, Whip Hand and Everything Is Illuminated. Short stories are also great.

Non-fiction is also brilliant, and I like The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, Friday Night Lights, There Are No Children Here, The Ghost Map, Moneyball, When The Air Hits Your Brain and Mutants. James Herriot might be considered non-fiction, I guess.

Since I'm an American journalist, the AP Stylebook is my default most-used book.

My music is all over the place, but I really like classic rock (Stones, Zeppelin, the Who, Steve Miller Band, CCR, Simon & Garfunkel). That's most of what I grew up on, thanks to my dad. I can also sing along to an awful lot of soft rock stuff, like Michael Bolton, because that's what my mom listened to.

I think the movie Encino Man is hilarious, and I'll watch it every time it's on TV. Same thing with Clueless, Forrest Gump and Philadelphia. I just got Netflix, so I'm watching a lot of movies at the moment, but what I really love is TV shows like the Sopranos, Six Feet Under, Weeds, Entourage, and Mad Men.

Uma Coisa Incrível que Eu Fiz

One of the most amazing things I've done is ridden a bucking, rearing pony along the coastline in Wales one afternoon after a morning spent coasteering (climbing sea cliffs and then jumping off them into the water to swim to the next one).

Ensine, Aprenda, Compartilhe

Always keep a few empty plastic grocery bags handy, because they are great to use for carrying things, wrapping things, and keeping things dry.

I'm generally good at grammar, spelling and punctuation, including editing written pieces for people.

I can (and do) drive a manual car and could teach someone else.

I would like to learn French some day, and I'd also consider perhaps becoming a health care professional. I would also like to learn how to carve wood with a small handheld knife.

Países que Visitei

Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, Spain, United Kingdom

Países em que Morei

United Kingdom, United States

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