CURRENT MISSION

To see a city, town or natural place through the eyes of people who love it so much, that they have made it their home.

ABOUT ME

I'm a meditator, traveler, human-services, social justice type. I love people and have thoroughly enjoyed every couch surfing experience I've been able to gather.

I'm an irreverently spiritual person. I'm a Fully Professed Sister with the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. I also hang out with the Unitarians and the Buddhists.

PHILOSOPHY

90% of life is just Showing Up - answering the invitation to the party, showing up to the publicized event, saying yes to a dance. The other 10% is Getting Over myself and enjoying the moment. Oh.. and as I get older, taking care of my body so I can keep up with everyone else.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I love to engage with new people and see their city from their point of view. I didn't quite understand this until I hosted some friends from out of town. Suddenly I was so geeked-out over my city! I want to share that expeirence from all angles. Currently, I'm in the middle of transitioning from one life to another so I'll have to offer my couch when I finally land where ever I land.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I once took a two-month trip across the country (see Seattle to Indianapolis). I took the long way down the West Coast and across the border states. I only needed to stay in hotels or Hostels for 5 of those 42 nights. Each night was filled with joy, laughter, and new experiences. I even got an excellent story for stage storytelling out of it. (Think: a Northeastern Queer with Pink hair, alone in rural Texas on a dark night looking for a campsite)

Besides that trip, most of my traveling is connected to some event - a conference or retreat. I extend my stay because I may not have the chance to come this way again.

Interests

Meditation, Hiking, camping, biking, human rights, kids, canoeing, dance clubs, gay clubs, tea shops, vegan restaurants, parks, walking in the sunshine, Seeing Natural Wonders and Freaky attractions, experiencing art - visual, performance and otherwise. Duck Tours, road trips, big conferences....and Recovery.

• arts
• theater
• performing arts
• make up
• dancing
• human rights
• vegan
• meditation
• walking
• partying
• clubbing
• traveling
• cycling
• hiking
• backpacking
• canoeing
• camping
• surfing
• road trips
• tours
• parks
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

I'm a Lord of the Rings Fan and generally a fantasy geek. I like music with a bass beat to it. That kind of leaves out punk and celtic music. I love magical novels and I eat up self-help books.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Solo, 2- month road trip across the US., 2-week trail crew in the Cascade Mountains, 10-day silent meditation retreat; solo backpacking trip in the Olympic mountains, Dozens (100+?) of Conferences - Sci-Fi, Unitarian, SPI, Buddhist, US Social Forum, Amnesty International,

Among these, watching the Sunrise at Mount Baker was an amazing experience. I was not the first or last one out of my tent. I kept hearing these Gasps from my fellows. I got out, made the same gasp and then watched as the others went through the exact same experience.

On the solo hike in the Olympic mountains, thee was a heard of Roosevelt Moose that hung out close to me at sunset. My profile picture was taken just after that experience.

I was blown away by the beautiful red landscape during sunset in Arizona,

I was in awe of the tide pools in San Diego and on the coast of Washington State.

I saw the shadow snake climb the pyramid at sunset at Chichenitza, MX.

Teach, Learn, Share

I am Definitely a learner.

I spend my job teaching others, but on topics like HIV, addiction, mental health disorders and the Affordable Care Act in Indiana. I love my job and I'm really good at making it interesting, (so the tell me) but those aren't usually topics for fun & travel.

I could show you how to put on clown make up like a sister
I could practice Spanish with you.
and I remember how to do the Macarena.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I'm an Excellent meditation leader. I come from a broadcasting family, (Small town, community radio) so the theater of voice combined with my meditation skills make for a peaceful 20 minutes.

I can tell you that story I told for Storyzilla in Bloomington Indiana- about that night when I, as a pink-haired single female traveler, arrived at a dark campground in the middle of rural Texas...

I will be absolutely fascinated and absorbed by any stories you want tell about your city, your travels and/or what feeds your heart/mind/soul.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States

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