CURRENT MISSION

t.b.a. (still)

ABOUT ME

Recent update: I'm just wrapping up my MFA and working towards shooting/producing a feature screenplay I wrote (art house, dark comedy). I've been living in NYC for nearly five years which of course has included a few travel excursions in addition to working random jobs. I've worked photo, theater, and video gigs; I've worked in coffee shops, bars, and even at a large publishing house. I've traveled around Ireland and Mexico, and in November 2011, I was part of a group that walked 300 miles from NYC to DC as part of an Occupy protest. I lived/worked in Buffalo in the summer of 2012.

I'm planning to move from NYC to Detroit in March. I'm looking for a place to stay for a few days while I explore the city that has been freed from the illusion of the American Dream. I plan to write about this while I fix up a big brick house I hope to buy on the auction.

PHILOSOPHY

I dig philosophy, literally. I have an excavator in my closet to unearth it.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

surf and host, though I haven't done much of either recently

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

The NYC to DC march was the first time that I used couch surfing. I contacted Ken from Elizabeth, NJ and asked him if he could host 22 of us for our first night out. He did and even made us all soup! He later joined the march in Baltimore and stayed on until we reached DC.

Interests

I'm kind of a workaholic or at least I try to be. I am a dedicated artist, writer, filmmaker, and activist (favoring anti-capitalism and freedom of choice and love). I like music (listening mostly, but I do like singing/improvising jazz songs when I'm walking alone), independent films and books, diy, good company, vegetarian food, beer...the list could go on. At the risk of sounding pretentious, I'll admit to having a penchant for long philosophical and/or existential conversations, especially ones that reveal how someone else interprets their life. I like learning about other people's lives, most of art and writing comes from these discoveries.

Obviously, I enjoy traveling and having/creating new experiences. In fact, I think I am addicted to these things. NYC is instantaneous, it's like traveling in one place. Constantly. In an insane asylum.

Music, Movies, and Books

I don't know if I have the stamina to fill much more out right now, but I'll try to represent myself accurately.

Some of my all time favorites: The Clash, Radiohead, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Bad Religion, Tori Amos, Ani DiFranco, Bob Dylan. Recently started listening to more Ella Fitzgerald and Bonobo

I recently watched "Frequencies" and "It's Such a Beautiful Day" on Netflix. Both were interesting and had unique concepts. "It's Such a Beautiful Day" is probably the best example of a tragic comedy I've ever seen. "Buffalo 66" is one of my all-time favorites though, best cinematography ever!

Favorite books I've read this year: "Theater of the Oppressed" by Augusto Boal, "The Diary of Anais Nin" by Anais Nin, and "Desolation Angels" by Jack Kerouac. I'm currently rereading T. S. Eliot's "The Wasteland and Other Poems"

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I once hitchhiked from New Mexico to Wyoming to find a burro to hike with me to Montana via Yellowstone. In Riverton, WY I was given a burro from the original "Marlboro Man" (yes, from the cigarette ads and yes, he's still alive...somehow). However, my 'make-your-own-adventure' plan didn't really pan out. First, I was/am not experienced with burros and secondly, this burro wasn't experienced with me or any humans for that matter. The Marlboro Man thought it would be funny to send me off with a wild one. The day first day Shilo and I set out, Shilo being the cool name I picked for my cool burro, we walked about ten miles. This is as far as we made it. We were not even out town yet when Shilo got spooked crossing a busy highway and took off running down it, bucking my pack and its contents off as he ran. Some locals helped me catch him and we found a neighboring corral to put him in for the night. The next morning Shilo didn't want anything to do with me. I had no choice but to leave him there and set off on the road alone.

Wow. That's the first time I've written this story down and it seems even crazier than when I tell it aloud :)

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, Ireland, Mexico

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States