CURRENT MISSION

I feel as if we are all World Citizens - traditional boundaries are no longer effective. We are part of the web of humanity.

ABOUT ME

My Chinese sign is Water/Horse - so I enjoy travel, meeting new people, and sharing meaningful conversations which reinforce our common humanity.
If you are "into" Astrology, at least in the Jungian sense of "periodicity," I'm a Pisces/Aquarius cusper, with Gemini rising... hence the loquacity! My worst fault - TMI! I think there is something to the idea of archetypes.

PHILOSOPHY

The common language comes from the heart - life is meant to be a "felt" experience. We can't all find rapport, but we can start with a friendly entré and stance..... then find loyalty to and empathy with those who reciprocate. The paradigm expressed by Fritz Lang in METROPOLIS is: "The Heart is the mediator between the head and the hands." That's my philosophy in a nutshell.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

New to this concept, but have always preferred a B and B/hostel to a hotel, and exploring on my own, rather than with a tour group -- I am far too independent for that kind of structure .... [serendipity and intuition are my guides] though I have been known to eavesdrop on a tour guide's lecture now and then LOL :-)! Having now been Couch surfing for quite a while, I can amend the above to say that I have had only positive experiences, meeting remarkable and diverse folks along the journey.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Summer, 2009
Fantastic immersion into French culture through my sunny friend Sébastien Bigot..... an exemplary host and factotum, and very patient with my fractured French. I hope I can return the favor to him on his next visit to the states
Autumn, 2010
On a recent visit to New York City to hear Chamber Music at the NY Chamber Music Festival - the brainchild of my friend Elmira Darvarova, I had the super experience of staying with Howard and John in their loft in midtown Manhattan's garment district, near the Port Authority. Two more congenial and sanguine hosts could not be conjured up in an ideal world - the perfect blend of helpfulness and non-interference, and what great stories to share. The procession of fascinatingly diverse guests from among other countries: Germany, Austria, Denmark, Australia, Italy, Greece, Tunesia, all contributed to a multi-cultural and linguistic mélange.
In September, 2011 I again stayed with Howard and John in their conveniently located loft in New York, and was able to get them tickets to the New York Chamber Music Festival, in which I participated, playing a small part for Harmonium. CSers from Hungary, Iran, Alaska, France, Denmark, Greece and Italy made for lively breakfasts. I took Ohio maple syrup, which became a favorite of a young Viennese couple: Istvan and Maggie.

Interests

Music, hiking, jogging, photography, writing poetry, (have also written a number of reviews of CDs on Amazon.com), travel ( duh!!).... and that TMI -- too much information trajectory! "Stop me if you've heard this before!" :-)!
Writing HAIKU almost daily since Covid ... have THOUSANDS of them

• culture
• writing
• poetry
• photography
• festivals
• traveling
• music
• hiking
• surfing
• freelancing
• tourism

Music, Movies, and Books

I do enjoy classical fine movies from many cultures; music likes are very eclectic from Doo-Wop to Mahler symphonies (many of which I have performed in symphony orchestras). Still active as a keyboard player, though retired as a French Hornist.
I have a quirky palette regarding books, but tend NOT to enjoy reading technical manuals! There is a quiet raging war against technology in my soul... but I appreciate the computer WHEN it works! Something of a Luddite when it comes to technology, and friends will attest to the "going ballistic" venting at machines that do NOT function properly.
I have a huge collection of Humor and Comedy tapes.... especially fond of british humor like the Goons, The Kids in the Hall, The Canadian Air Farce, the Capital Steps, Around the Horne, and more recently "Little Britain." Recently read all of the books by Alan Hollinghurst. On a recent kick of John Irving - highly recommend IN ONE PERSON!

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I had the privilege of playing with the Cleveland Orchestra, certainly at the top tier of major symphonic ensembles. There are a few recordings out there - you can google search! I had a 45 year career as a horn player, AND CONTINUE NOW AS A RETIRED ACADEMIC, AND ACTIVE FREELANCE KEYBOARD PLAYER, and an active tinkerer with and arranger of music. Lately been honing my poetic streak with the disciplines of concision - namely HAIKU poety

Teach, Learn, Share

YES, indeed, we are ALL teachers to one another - sometimes it is positive, sometimes negative, but we take from each interaction, and also give; the balance is friendly, non judgmental, and NOT controlling. Life is too short to deal with "high maintenance" narcissistic controllers, EVEN ones recently in high office here in the states.

What I Can Share with Hosts

A tour of the high spots of downtown Phoenix, and can certainly point folks to interesting sites in the environs. Know the restaurant scene pretty well, too. That is burgeoning with many cuisines in my area. Even Ethiopian, and lots of Vegetarian and Vegan places. Recommend ALL visitors to see and HEAR the MIM (Music Instrument Museum), which exceeds the Grand Canyon as a visitor destination ... even non-musicians are blown away. Taliesen West, the Heard museum, and Pueblo Grande also are worth a visit.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Netherlands

Countries I’ve Lived In

Mexico, United Kingdom, United States

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