I grew up in Wausau, WI. I have lived in West Virginia Milwaukee, England (Canterbury), Chicago, and West Dundee. I am an auto-dictate who loves learning. I like to cycle, run in the country, walk, and lifting weights. I also play Tennis. I spent two years as a theater critic. Now, take care of babies, children, animals. I have liberal politics, but a conservative temperament, and am a mass of contradictions. I am engaged to be married to a girl whose parents were born in Cuba. I enjoy canonical literature, and contemporary literary fiction. My Spanish is nearly functional and now I am trying to learn French and Ancient Greek. My favorite poem is Tennyson's "In Memoriam." I love English and American history. I am trying to learn how to sing, and have the strictest teacher imaginable, but he recently realized when he lightens up, I am not as stressed and singing becomes much easier for me so the past few lessons have been better. I drink alcohol in moderation sometimes, but don't do any other drugs, except caffeine, and will respect house rules.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

My parents have a credit card and spend enough so that I can fly and get nice hotel rooms for free. However, my Mother has a severe case of peniaphobia and is delusional. She has claimed we have been running out of for the eight years, but prodigal spending has continued. I have decided trains and buses are cheaper, and this is a better way. Secondly, I am a naturally austere person. I always chose the least comfortable chair in the room, keep my window or the heat off in winter (at my house-not other people's), and sometimes sleep on the floor. Thirdly, last time I went to New York City, my host had to leave the city suddenly, and I spent a night on the streets of New York. Although it wasn't horrific, it upset my fiance and my Mom greatly who said I obviously didn't have enough money for the trip which wasn't true: I had a 1,000 dollars, but no ATM or Credit Card as I always go into the bank in person to make withdrawals. Also, I enjoy meeting people from all walks of life.

Interests

• literature
• exercise
• running
• tennis
• history
• languages
• law
• theatre
• ancient history
• american history
• english history
• biological anthropology

Music, Movies, and Books

Books: Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Chekov, Euripides, Sophocles, Austen, Dickens, T.S. Eliot, Dante, Tennyson, Toni Morrison, J.M. Coetzee, and too many to list. Films: The Hours, Inherit the Wind, Philomenah, Saving Mr. Banks, The Reader, The Queen, Gone with the Wind, Lincoln, Nixon, The Others, and Selma.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Worked in a homeless shelter.

Teach, Learn, Share

The Greeks are the only civilization that has ever forgotten how to write. They were illiterate for two centuries in what I believe was the archaic period. You is the formal in English. Thou, Thy, Thee, are, counter-intuitively, the familiar. The last group to use them were the Quakers

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can bring a beautifully crafted books: hopefully from the Folio society rather than the Easton Press which is more decorative, or a book you particularly want if it is somewhat reasonable in cost, a high quality bottle of something, and gourmet candy. Pick one.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Canada, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Scotland, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

England, United States