CURRENT MISSION

Connect enough of life's dots to make an awesome picture

ABOUT ME

I've currently got a full-time job at a little non-profit organization, which is wonderful in some ways (helping to save the world!), but is squashing my travel bug with its limited vacation time. I tend to keep myself stupidly busy, but am also always happy to meet new and interesting people and include them in some of my busy-ness.

I hang with a pretty radical activist crowd that knows how to have a blast when not working crazy hours to make the world a better place (and often both at the same time). I'm personally most concerned with environmental and social justice issues, but don't get the impression that I'm some kind of wet blanket. I love to talk about just about anything, especially if it's a little nerdy.

PHILOSOPHY

Try to do some good in the world and have fun in the process.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I'm new to CS, but looking forward to getting involved and meeting some interesting folks. I probably can't host anyone on my couch right now, because of my roommate and work situation, but I hope to in the future. (If you're in emergency need of a couch, I might be able to help out.) For now, I'm generally tapped into some cool things happening in San Francisco, and I am happy to advise, over beer, food, tea, or the Internet.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Though I'm totally new to CS, I've inadvertently hosted couch-surfers before (friends of friends who happen to be on this site), and done similar friend-referred couch surfing myself. I used Hospitality Club to find a couch in Australia when I was traveling there, and had a great experience. I love to experience people's homes and get a local perspective on places, and to share the same with others.

Interests

I love live music, good vegetarian food (at home I'm mostly vegan, but traveling I'll try pretty much anything), dancing, exploring, hiking, biking, canoeing, camping, reading (though I don't do enough of it)...I'm a bit of a biology nerd without much formal training, and I just took a permaculture design class that's got me hugely excited.

• design
• dancing
• dining
• beer
• vegetarian
• vegan
• clubbing
• reading
• traveling
• music
• live music
• cycling
• hiking
• canoeing
• camping
• surfing
• biology

Music, Movies, and Books

This question is so hard for me!

Movies: I don't watch movies nearly enough, but I love them when I do. I'm not into crappy blockbusters (unless they're ridiculous enough to be awesome), but I'm otherwise un-picky; anything from action to indie art films to documentaries to straight-up comedy.

Music: I used to be really involved with the local music scene when I lived in Boston (I played in a band), but haven't found my place in San Francisco yet. I am generally not into the mainstream music of today, unless it's for dancing, in which case I say bring on the top-40 pop. Most live music is worth watching for one reason or another. A small smattering of more well-known bands I like: the Beatles, the Pixies, the White Stripes, the Shins.

Books: For books, I'm more concerned about writing style than content. Bad prose makes me twitchy. I'm currently reading The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco and loving it.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Visiting China was incredible. It was the first (and only) place I'd been where I didn't speak the language at all, and English wasn't remotely guaranteed. I know this is a little cliche, but hiking Tiger Leaping Gorge on that trip was probably the most amazing two days of my life.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can share some fairly particular knowledge about marine life; everything else is a little random.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, China, Germany, Laos, New Zealand, Thailand

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States

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