CURRENT MISSION

I've been traveling the world since I was 19 and I still love to meet people, eat new food and get involved with new cultures.

ABOUT ME

I don't know. I REALLY really don't Know! And that is a strength and a weakness I guess. My practice is zazen meditation, Quaker Silence, Unitarian verbosity, drinking coffee/tea/kombucha, cooking, gardening. I started traveling when I was 19 and most recently I spent 9 months in Tasmania and New Zealand. I'm divorced, have a 95 yr old mother in Alaska, close friends in Fairbanks, Alaska and around the world. I'm currently looking for an overseas or non-Alaskan teaching job and trying to figure out this Couch Surfing site.

PHILOSOPHY

I try to be open and accepting, but not to the point where my brain falls out.
I 'Just Don't Know' and am ok with that. I am sometimes a student and sometimes a teacher.
I have few beliefs. I have a lot of faith. Politically and socially and spiritually I am a 'radical egalitarian', a long time lefty and I try to live and let live.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I am a peacenik from way back and became committed to non-violence through The Fellowship of Reconciliation/The Buddhist Peace Fellowship, Quakers in both meetings and community and long time organizing of peace and justice events. That said I am both worldly and active but also reflective and meditative. I began formal zazen over 30 years ago at the old Maui Zendo in Hawaii in an intensive 5 month training schedule and have continued to 'sit' in the Zen, Vipassana, Son, Quaker traditions. I also travel, cook, talk a lot, listen, make my own bread, kombucha, food. I love to garden, pick wild berries, walk, bicycle, converse, read, write poetry and, mainly, cook. I've been working at my friend's art gallery for the last five years selling art, both traditional and contemporary Alaskan based creations. I also have been an adjunct professor, coffee roaster, tea shop owner, book seller and tutor. My tutoring has led me to the Fairbanks Literacy Council where I've tutored Korean, Mongolian and Spanish speaking students as a volunteer. I also attend St. Mathew's Episcopal church which is 60% Athabaskan Interior native congregation. I've lived and worked in 'bush' Alaska as a biologist tech. II, a firefighter and rural teacher (in Huslia, Alaska). I have three grown kids, am currently single and get along with toddlers, teens and most adults. I also try to breathe and appreciate my life and my fellow 'nose hole society' humans who inhabit this Great Space.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Non formally. That's what I'm trying to do now! But I and my family have 'hosted' sojourners from the time I was young till currently. Right now I am couch surfing at my friends' gallery and I've hosted former students, relatives, hitch hikers and whoever seems trustworthy and possibly in need. I'm security conscious but open.

Interests

I couch surfed at my cousin Mahutonga's place in Otaki, New Zealand where I basically gardened 4 hours a day, cooked, biked to the beach, learned about Maori culture and went to the occasional marae. After that I helped out some Quaker ex-pats in Huonville, Tasmania on their farmstead and also experienced Tiger Snakes, a beautiful view of Hobart harbor and paddiemelons. I've also cabin and house sat for many friends her in Alaska. So, long walks on the beach sounds fine with me, or climbing, skiing, biking, reading, cooking, conversing, drinking gallons of tea and writing poetry are 'some of my favorite things'.

• fish
• arts
• culture
• writing
• books
• poetry
• singing
• dining
• cooking
• recipes
• coffee
• meditation
• walking
• drinking
• gardening
• shopping
• technology
• reading
• traveling
• socializing
• music
• jazz
• cycling
• fishing
• surfing
• skiing
• rock climbing
• biology
• teaching
• emergency services
• volunteering
• beaches

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies: Get Shorty, Snatch, Wild Strawberries, Mystery Train, Woody Allen films, Fellini films esp. Amarcord, Waiting for Guffman, Triumph of the Will (aesthetically) and lots of foreign and 'indy' films. I used to teach a film noir class and motion picture class.
Music: Celtic Trance "Peatbog Fairies", Celtic trad. Boys of the Lough etc.; Jazz" almost all, swing, bop, hard bop, avant garde, . African: Fela Kuti, Wassis Diop, Gigi, Salif Kaeta etc. Indian: Ravi, his daughter, Midival Punditz. Brazilian : Maria Monte, Bossacucanova, Jorge Ben, Suba, Daniella Mercury. I also payed trumpet for 12 years and love horn driven jazz, blues, soul music.
Love Russian, Irish, American literature and poetry. My favorite books include, Rumpole of the Bailey, The Idiot by Doestoyevsky, Pride and Prejudice, Crock of Gold and The Ring Trilogy.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Hmmmmm. The Northern Lights when the sky is on fire and moving and singing.
Gerhart David's 'Deposition' at the Frick gallery in NYC. All of the Uffizi!
Power skiing in Alta, Utah. The south slope of Vail, Colorado.
Walking the tundra around grizzly bears. Salmon migration!
Hearing Monk at the Half Note in NYC. Hearing Rahsaan Rold Kirk at Slugs, Dexter Gordon in the Jazz Hus in Denmark, hearing Terry Riley's 'In 'C' performed.
Seeing snakes, forest kangaroos, huge ferns in Tasmania. More than just one. Sorry!

Teach, Learn, Share

I teach. I learn. I listen.
I also can share cooking and recipes. How to make sourdough starter for bread, kombucha and especially Italian and Chinese cooking. I've catered, owned a tea shop and taught week long courses in cooking, gardening, and tea tasting.
I can teach basic meditation techniques: Vipassana Metta, zazen, Silence.
I also can share my and other poetry and writing techniques and authors. I learn best by watching and participating, by traveling, by reading and by sharing ideas.
I also have a wide background in film, art, music, culture that I am open to sharing. I would like to learn how to milk a goat, ride a horse, body surf or any new food prep that I don't know.

What I Can Share with Hosts

My interest in Musicals, Film Noir, Bread Making, the Northern Lights, living in village Alaska, Fish and Game bear stories, George Bush stories (he lived briefly in Fairbanks and I met him back in the day).

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Portugal, Scotland, Spain

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, England, New Zealand

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