CURRENT MISSION

improvising my way across the world on a research grant this year!

ABOUT ME

I am whimsical and quirky, equally happy romping around having goofy adventures as I am spending time alone or enjoying a quiet conversation: precariously balanced between introvert and extrovert. I love questions, chickens, and mornings. I have a disability (Brittle Bones) and use a manual wheelchair (stella, my badass vehicle companion!) for longer distances or around-town adventures.

I'm fortunate enough to be traveling the world this year on a research grant to study improvisational theatre (for more info about this, check out www.watsonfellowship.org). In order to make it through the year on my stipend, (and also to maximize opportunities for meeting and engaging with lovely fellow humans), I'm trying to couch-surf much of this year! I'm on a tight budget, but am happy to shower you with gratitude in many creative ways, including but not limited to: color-organizing your bookshelves, washing your dishes, making you art, babysitting your kids, house-sitting, taking care of your animals, gardening, improvising, illustrating, writing silly songs and poems, etc. I also have some improv-related plans and contacts in the places I am traveling to (and research to conduct for my project!), so I'll probably be pretty out of your way during the day. Finally, I want to mention that I am queer/trans friendly and just generally friendly -- connecting across difference and being a supportive buddy and ally are things I strive for.

stella, my wheelchair, is lightweight and foldable. I mostly use it for traversing longer distances, so although wheelchair accessibility is a huge plus for anywhere I might stay, I am able to tuck it away and easily get around the house or up stairs (almost all of the 30 homes I've stayed in this year have had stairs). The main accessibility limitation for me would be a super rough or hilly street that's far away from public transportation.

This year is an improvisation for me in so many ways – not only in terms of stage performance but also in the dynamics of human relationships – how to navigate the intricate and infinite ways we rely and depend on each other! I realize that I'm asking a lot of the universe – flinging myself into the world and asking for places to sleep and new friends and communities for indefinite amounts of time – so I certainly hope nobody feels undue pressure to offer more than they can give. I'm trusting that things will work out and will gratefully accept what people can offer.

I'll probably be reaching out regularly with updates about where I am and where I'm heading. If you know anyone in the area who might be willing to show a newbie around, or who might have an open couch, bed, or room, or who might know a thing or to about the local theatre or arts scene, I'd be tremendously grateful to be put in touch with them. So far I've had the incredible fortune of meeting and staying with locals on couchsurfing and off in Edmonton, Calgary, Montréal, Toronto, London, Paris, Würzburg, Stuttgart, Mainz, Leuven, Brussels, Cologne, Amsterdam, Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne, Glasgow, and currently I'm looking for buddies to surf with in ***NEWCASTLE*** (June 3rd - 6th) and ***TORONTO!*** (June 14th - 18th!)

PHILOSOPHY

improvise
keep it complicated
be honest
engage discomfort
make art
take care (self-care, care for others, care for thoughts and words and communities and feelings and spaces!)
nest

Por qué estoy en Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I'm on a year-long adventure, at the moment I'm only available for surfing and hanging out. I'll be back in the states in the August 2015. I'm looking forward to hosting once I've got a nest of my own to invite you to!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I am overwhelmingly grateful to have couch-surfed (on and off this site) in Edmonton, Calgary, Montréal, Toronto, London, Paris, Würzburg, Stuttgart, Mainz, Leuven, Brussels, Cologne, Amsterdam, Adelaide, Melbourne, and Glasgow so far. It's been a great start to so many genuine friendships and amazing conversations!

Intereses

improv, theatre, crafting, dance, performance, disability, social justice, linguistics, drawing, collage, painting, animation, clowning, children's media, feminism, literature, gender, humor, storytelling, narrative, community-building, world views, gardening/farming, hiking, adaptive sports, poetry, public space, questions, music.

• animals
• pets
• chickens
• arts
• writing
• literature
• poetry
• performing arts
• coloring
• perfumes
• dancing
• womens rights
• cooking
• working out
• gardening
• reading
• traveling
• juggling
• painting
• drawing
• music
• hiking
• surfing
• sports
• animation
• communications
• sign language
• visual arts

Música, películas y libros

Movies: Moonrise Kingdom, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, Amélie…

Music: Polka Dot Dot Dot, Iron & Wine, Mason Jennings, The Wailin' Jennys, The Weepies…

Books: Tinkers, The Phantom Tollbooth, The Little Prince, Haroun and the Sea of Stories, Sophie's World...

I also LOVE podcasts! Especially Welcome To Nightvale, The Moth, This American Life, Snap Judgement, TEDRadio, Strangers, and BitchMedia.

Algo increíble que he hecho

I've been procrastinating on this one because I get tripped up on the way it's framed… I feel like I'm supposed to impress you with wild adventures but I'm so much more proud of learning to be a better listener, learning to be more real with myself, learning to be a better friend, learning that I've got so much more to learn… not to be cheesy or evade the question or anything. I mean, I'm down to swap stories, but I'm hung up on this question.

Enseña, aprende, comparte

This is sooooo awesome! First of all I'd absolutely love to learn anything you're excited to teach me! Specifically I've been hoping to learn juggling and other performance skills, wheelchair skills, cooking, power tools, sign language / language in general, gardening and herbal remedies, creative computer skills, antiracism/ social justice work and community organizing, massage and pressure points, tarot and magical things, musical things and harmonies, histories of places i visit... So much. Always always down to learn!

Randomly i can teach you about owning chickens, poaching eggs, doing a basic french-braid or making black beans from scratch. This year I've gained some experience facilitating improv classes and workshops, as well as a bit of personal narrative / storytelling and creative writing stuff, so I'd be thrilled to share what Iknow with anyone interested. I've also done some work with theatre makeup, face-paint, and other visual arts - you can check out my portfolio on the website above if you'd like to see some of those things - I'd be ecstatic to share any skills I have.

On the more abstract end of things, I spend a lot of time reading about critical disability theory and disability narratives, and am always open to having conversations about this too! Unfortunately it's not always common knowledge - I really didn't have access to that kind of information until college - and I really wish it was more widely discussed and accessible.

Qué puedo ofrecer a los anfitriones

I am currently traveling, and don't know where exactly I'll be when I get back to the states in the Fall of 2015 (I'm originally from California though, so there's a good chance I'll be back there at some point!). That said, I'm looking forward to offering my space as a host when I am able to!

::: As a guest :::

+ It's really important to me to respect your home, accommodate your needs, and be a supportive friend in whatever ways I can! So please feel free to be direct with me about house rules, pet peeves, and how I can be a great guest for you.

+ I will happily contribute to cooking, chores, and groceries whenever possible.

+ I LOVE TO COLLABORATE ON CREATIVE PROJECTS!

+ I always try to leave a little art for my hosts! :)
(some examples in the folder 'art for buddies!' of my couchsurfing pics!)

+ In a few cases I might have signed up for an impro workshop or intensive during a time I'm hoping to surf with you - if that's the case I may be out for some of the day, but I'll be sure to let you know of plans like that as they arise.

Países que he visitado

Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Mexico, Netherlands, United Kingdom, United States