Super new to couchsurfing, so only 1 endorsement thus far (thanks Kevin!), but I promise I'm (mostly) normal and have (non-imaginary) friends. I'm 42 years old, unmarried, and have just finished graduate school with a Master's degree in Counseling. Three of my closest and most cherished friends are 24, 25, and 61... two of them keep me young and the other one keeps me sane. I grew up in the suburbs of southern California as the only girl with three brothers, and went to college in New York City. I ❤️ NY!

I was a (spectacularly unsuccessful) actor for about a decade, owned a women's gym franchise for 5 years, worked in management and sales for high-end fancypants college admissions test prep for 5 years, and now strangers entrust their mental health to me. :o) We all have our shit, but overall I'm happy, optimistic, and playful, and I'm never happier than when I'm making other people laugh and/or helping those I care about see themselves through my eyes, and all the things I appreciate about them. Puppies and butterflies and unicorns for everyone!

ALSO I F*CKING HATE DONALD TRUMP AND AM MORTIFIED AT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN MY COUNTRY.

I will rage about the unfathomable monstrosity currently occupying the White House with you for HOURS if that's your thing... but I can also chill and avoid politics entirely, so I promise not to ruin your dinner party. ;o)

As a child, I was lucky enough to travel pretty extensively with my family, including to England, Scotland, Wales, France, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and the Caribbean. As an adult, I've traveled on solo vacations and with rescue foundations to Nepal, Hong Kong, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico, and plan to continue expanding that list for the rest of my life.

In June/July 2018, I'll be spending a month traveling solo around Italy to celebrate having survived the special hell that is graduate school, and take a breather before starting my clinical internship - I'd love to meet some interesting new friends and fellow travelers along the way! My first fantastic couchsurfing experience was in Knoxville, TN in mid-March for a conference on Veterinary Social Work, which is a very cool counseling subspecialty I'm writing my thesis on and hope to build a career in. Warning: if you ask me about it, I probably won't shut up, so keep that in mind. :o)

As a traveler, I'm super independent and don't need a lot of hand-holding, but I'm also open to hanging out and making new friends if we hit it off - and from what I'm reading in so many of your wonderful hosts' references, Couchsurfers are my people!! And I LOOOOOVE animals, so if you have them, they will have a snuggle buddy in me. :o) I live in Long Beach, CA with my two adorable puppers, Otis and Daisy, and we're happy to host when we can.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

To meet interesting people, learn about other cultures from a truly local perspective, and facilitate travel on a budget, for myself and others!

Interests

• dogs
• cooking
• traveling
• social justice
• meeting new people

Music, Movies, and Books

Currently really into stuff that gets into big emotions and asks big existential questions about meaning and morality and spirituality and connection and the nature of humanity and consciousness and good and evil and it’s all very dystopian... stuff like The Leftovers, Westworld, The OA, Black Mirror, The Handmaid's Tale, Orphan Black, etc. So yes, I will happily descend into the bleak depths of existential despair with you over too many glasses of wine! I do love to escape into a good Parks and Recreation or The Office binge as well.

“Things I Would Like to Do with You” by Waylon Lewis and “When Breath Becomes Air” by Paul Kalanithi are the two most achingly beautiful and profoundly moving books I’ve ever read.

Margaret Atwood is, hands down, my favorite author. I've been in graduate school for what feels like forever, so I haven't had time for pleasure reading in quite awhile. I plan to remedy that on my Italy trip - I've got all five Patrick Melrose books teed up and ready to be devoured, along with (my secular Jesus) James Comey's book. Other favorites: Jonathan Franzen, David Rakoff, David Sedaris, David Eggers. All of the Davids.

I enjoy most types of music except shitkicker country and heavy metal, but angsty and/or sexy and/or folky singer-songwriter shit is my favorite, so if you've got a guitar and you know how to use it, I'll be a rapt audience!

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I once got surprise Sherpa married (to a Sherpa) at 12,400' on a Himalayan mountaintop on New Year's Eve after trekking for 9 days... that was pretty cool.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can probably teach you how to move your eyes independently of one another but it's for sure gonna give you a headache, so honestly, I'd pass if I were you.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Well, I'm a therapist, so I'm curious about other people's lives and I'm a good listener. And I'm pretty damned funny, and I have no filter, so if you like that sort of thing....

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Italy, Mexico, Nepal, Scotland, Switzerland, United States, Virgin Islands, British, Wales