I've been living in *the original* Portland (it's okay, Oregon -- we still love you) for almost 2 years now & I'm loving every minute of it. I work as the cafe manager in a bookstore & spend most of my free time reading memoirs, writing, looking for records to add to my currently-far-too-small vinyl collection, & having really great conversations with the people in my home about everything from religion to relationships to nothing in particular. My life is really nothing exciting but it's really great & I'm so lucky to be living it. I strive to make everyone who comes into my life feel loved & accepted.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I went on a trip to Chicago with a few college friends in 2009, & the budget we were given didn't allow for lodging for all of us. Couchsurfing kept us out of the chill of the Windy City in February. I would love to encounter such kindness again, & to pay it forward if I can.

Interests

Art, writing, religion, good beer/wine, vinyl, memoirs, poetry, terribly vulnerable conversations with new people, coffee.

• arts
• writing
• poetry
• wine
• beer
• coffee
• reading
• music
• religion

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: The Civil Wars, Derek Webb, Jennifer Knapp, Sandra McCracken, Jars of Clay, Switchfoot, Arctic Monkeys, Florence & the Machine, Death Cab for Cutie, Greg Laswell, Ingrid Michaelson, Jon Foreman, Kimya Dawson, Lady Lamb the Beekeeper, Mumford & Sons, Flyleaf, The Pretty Reckless, Lorde, The Brilliance.

Books: Blue Like Jazz, An Altar in the World, Cold Tangerines, Through Painted Deserts, The Irresistible Revolution.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Flew cross-country to attend a 2-day conference alone in a city I'd never seen, bummed out more cigarettes than I smoked, & kept my mp3 player in my bag the entire time -- I'm an audiophile by nature, so to put away the music & let myself soak up the sights & sounds around me with no soundtrack was initially nerve-wracking but made the experience so beautiful to me. Stayed up til sunrise the night I met my first love, doing nothing more than talking. Skyped with one of my favorite writers. Skinny-dipped midday.

What I Can Share with Hosts

A bundle of energy, an encouraging word anytime, & a lot of love. I'll also gladly pay for my time on your couch in baked goods (or a really nice beer/wine if I don't have the time to bake while I'm around.)