I am a native Californian who loves meeting new people, having good conversations, going to festivals, enjoying music and literature, shooting the shit over a drink, putting my toes in the sand, and running or hiking along coastal paths.

I did not travel nearly enough earlier in my life, but that changed 8 years ago and I'm still making up for lost time. I also want to make as many kick-ass memories while I have the chance!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I have always hoped to live my life in a way that makes me happy without hurting others, and experiencing new cultures in a conscious and respectful way certainly does bring me joy. I try to leave every city or country I visit with more friends than when I arrived, and I also enjoy meeting new people who are visiting my area. Although I can't host at the moment, I can always offer guidance and suggestions.

Interests

Music festivals, rock music, electronic music, creative writing, literature, poetry readings, vegetarian food, ethnic cuisine, craft beer, wine tasting, British comedies, long-distance running followed by cold beers, friends that turn into family.

• culture
• writing
• literature
• poetry
• music festivals
• festivals
• dining
• cooking
• beer
• wine tasting
• vegetarian
• running
• traveling
• music
• electronic music
• rock music
• hiking
• journalism

Music, Movies, and Books

There's lots of stuff I like, too much to list, but here's a few of my faves:

Music (from old to new) - The Beatles, CCR, Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Patti Smith, Blondie, Iggy Pop, New Order, Depeche Mode, Radiohead, Bjork, Green Day, The Cranberries, Manic Street Preachers, Blur, The Strokes, LCD Sound System, Hot Chip, Arcade Fire, Future Islands, Alvvays, Anna Calvi, etc...

Movies: The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, Say Anything, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Clockwork Orange, Trainspotting, and more recently I enjoyed Black Panther and Get Out.

Books: classic favorite s include On the Road, Visions of Cody, The Basketball Diaries, The Downtown Diaries, Sense and Sensibility, The Joy Luck Club, Lord of the Rings, Clockwork Orange. I'm also into modern writers including Zadie Smith, Claudia Rankine, and all sorts of independent and experimental writers based in and influenced by the San Francisco Bay Area.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I guess if I have to list one thing, climbing inside a fully intact whale skeleton on a dune above the Sea of Cortez in Puertecitos, Mexico was pretty cool.

Teach, Learn, Share

I know a thing or two about the following:
-creative writing (fiction and nonfiction)
-journalism
-vegetarian cooking
-marathon running
-California

I would like to learn a thing or two about:
-cooking the foods of your culture
-storytelling traditions
-French language (je parle un peu francais.... tres peu!)

What I Can Share with Hosts

I'll cook for you and tell you stories!

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Mexico, Netherlands, Slovakia, Slovenia, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Northern Ireland, United States

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