CURRENT MISSION

Endurance, Improvement, and Adventure

ABOUT ME

Nothing she did or said was quite what she meant, but still her life could be called a monument, shaped in a slant of available light and set to the movement of possible music.

I've been described as short and funny and endearing. However, I think that this description only exists because of my innate Irish charm. In reality, I'm mostly using my cute, cheery, humourous exterior as a tool behind which I hide my existential angst and bitter disgust toward humanity. If you're not familiar with existentialism, you should brush up on it a bit. All the cool kids are doing it. I've been described as pathologically honest with a good sense of humour, and I try to live up to that. I try to stay active without exercising, and to challenge myself to experience life to the fullest. I have two dogs and they both rock.

PHILOSOPHY

All people are selfish and the world is a wretched hive of scum and villiany.

I am not a nice person and I'm not a selfless person. But because I want to be, I try my hardest to act as the person I want to be would. I guess that's pretty convoluted but it works for me.

And although I hate the world, I haven't yet given up on it, and think that I might someday be able to improve it, at least a little.

In other words:
There is no end to human suffering, only the bittersweet beauty of endurance.

Don't worry, I'm not normally this heavy, but if you ask me a question about philosophy, you're going to get a heavy answer.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I'm not sure what this question is asking. Is it asking how I would participate if I were sleeping on your couch, or is it asking how I participate on the website? They should probably clarify that.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Back in the day, there was no website for couchsurfing. You just ended up on a couch and made a friend.

For example, I once broke into a house to steal a pie because I was confusing reality with Tom and Jerry. And to make a long story short, I met one of my best friends and we lived together for over a year.

I strongly believe in hospitality as both a moral obligation and a virtue that everyone should strive for.

One of the most traumatic things that ever happened to me was being kicked out of someone's home that I was supposed to be a guest in. Again, long story.

But if I had to sum up my experience with sleeping in the abodes of strangers, I would say it's been 97% positive and that I feel a lot like Stella from A Streetcar Named Desire in that I depend on and expect kindness from strangers. (And, in turn, I try to live up to a ridiculous level of hospitality and politeness, although that might just be my U.K. upbringing, pip-pip.)

The first couchsurfer who ever stayed with me ended up robbing the house. We found out later he was wanted by the FBI (no joke). So I guess that certainly counts as an experience. Ha!

Interests

Oh lawd, interests.

Everything and everything. My tastes are eclectic. I'm particularly fond of theatre and natural history (ie, biology). I'm a voracious reader and an even more voracious drinker. I fit in to most social settings well enough, I suppose. I'm awful at dancing and would just as soon stay home playing board games than going out clubbing, though I'm not opposed to much of anything.

• dogs
• beauty
• dancing
• coffee
• exercise
• clubbing
• board games
• music
• biology
• history

Music, Movies, and Books

My two favourite books are House of Leaves and The Thirteenth Tale.

My musical tastes are varied; I have a soft spot for oldies, particularly 50s-60s, as well as RHCP and Lily Allen. My iPod includes techno-opera, Gregorian chant, traditional Irish reels, heavy metal, rap, country, and boy bands, so I can't really think of a genre I don't like.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

One time, I solved a Rubik's Cube. Like, the whole thing.

Aw, who am I kidding, I've never solved a Rubik's Cube. :(

Oh, here's something: I gave up chewing tobacco last year! It's not remarkable but I AM proud of it.

Teach, Learn, Share

This is a cool idea.

Here's five things I've learned:

1) For the ladies who haven't figured this out yet: yogurt will help menstrual cramps.

2) Flavoured seltzer water is better for you, and cheaper than, soda. Polar has hundreds of flavours. Go ahead and try some.

3) Use those little plastic bread ties to label the cords on extension plugs to easily tell what you're unplugging instead of following the cord the whole way round to the appliance.

4) It's easier to be honest with others than to be honest with yourself. Therefore, strive to be honest in your words and actions, and all other honesty will follow.

5) Adopt a dog instead of buying one. The dog will thank you every day without ever saying a single word.

Bonus: wet the coffee filter in the sink before putting it in the coffee machine. It'll stick to the sides and won't collapse, so you won't get grains in your coffee!

Countries I’ve Visited

France, Italy, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

United Kingdom, United States