CURRENT MISSION

Recently I've had to change my current mission. In late 2016 I was treated for cancer and have started a new chapter in my life. At first the prognosis was not very good given the location and type of cancer. Remarkably I've come through the process feeling great. I attribute my fast recovery to all of the support I received from family and friends and to my own state of mind. Instead of becoming anxious or depressed, I have kept a very positive attitude, visualizing my recovery and good health. One of my doctors informed me early in the process that I may have had this cancer my entire life, given the size of the tumor, where it was located and that this form of cancer forms in cartilage. Since this part of my body has not been cartilage since I was a infant or embryo, I've been living with cancer all my life. WOW. I thanked him for the news. He was dismayed. I explained. I've had a very good and healthy life so far yet I've had cancer this entire time. Now I can look forward to life WITHOUT cancer. My current mission is to continue on this path to improving my health and to spreading the word about the power of positivity and humor. We have choices in life and how we react to life's challenges makes all the difference between being happy or not.

ABOUT ME

I grew up in New Orleans. Spent much of my youth running around doing outdoor stuff. Which is why I choose a profession that would pay me to do outdoor stuff. Professionally I worked as a Wildlife Biologist and worked primarily with birds (some of the rarest birds in the world). Did a little bit of everything - wildlife rehabilitation and release, captive management and breeding, field conservation, protecting wild populations and their habitats. Now I'm exploring more of my creative side - watercolor painting and nature photography.

PHILOSOPHY

There isn't a problem we cannot solve if only we (i.e. humans) could get out of the way of solving it.

Pourquoi je suis sur Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I love to travel. I travel for fun but it's also been part of my jobs in the past. Also I have hosted international visitors in my home (not through couch surfing but through friends). I hope to start doing more traveling again soon!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I've been couch surfing for a couple of years and have stayed with many amazing folks. Everyone has been gracious, nice and wonderful hosts. Also many have been great cooks, and willing to share a meal or two, which is always greatly appreciated.

Centres d'intérêt

Painting (Asian Watercolor), Birdwatching, Nature Photography, Hiking, Kayaking, Camping, Listening to music (especially live music - friends' and their bands groups), Cooking (big foodie)

• wildlife
• birds
• photography
• cooking
• running
• walking
• traveling
• painting
• music
• live music
• outdoor activities
• hiking
• kayaking
• camping
• surfing
• scuba diving
• wrestling
• biology
• teaching
• languages

Morceaux de musique, films et livres

Wide range of books - LOR and Hobbit up there at the top (because I read them every few years). Also West With the Night - another book that I can read over and over again. Recently I've gotten hooked on the Wallander series by Henning Mankel. I also read lots of books and articles on natural history.

Music I like is equally varied from Broadway show tunes to opera and classical music to international music (especially celtic, african, peruvian panpipes), classic rock and pop (I'm not affraid to admit unlike some of my friends that I like some music from contemporary musicians like Janelle Monae, Pink, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, the Black-eyed Peas, Fun and Adele.

Movies - I can watch the African Queen (or anything with Katherine Hepburn) over and over, and also Some Like it Hot or the Wizard of Oz. From the past several years here are a few of my favorites; Red Violin, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (cannot believe I've inlcuded a movie with Jim Carey), Being John MalKovich, and Adaptation (all inspired lunacy by Charlie Kaufman), Chocolat and the Matrix (wonder what a psychologist would think about a list like this!)

Une aventure extraordinaire que j'ai vécue

I've had the great pleasure of working in some of the most interesting and beautiful places in the world.

Surrounded by millions of seabirds (give or take a few thousand) on Midway Atoll. Scuba diving with thousands of sea turtles at a cleaning station off the coast of Hawaii (the island).

Speaking of Hawaii watching the volcanic eruption on the Big Island and also driving to Makawao and seeing the Maui Upcountry at sunset (the most amazing light on the planet). Gazing into Kalalau Valley on Kauai. Seeing one of the last Poouli - a Hawaiian forest bird that is now extinct - are memories forever etched in my brain.

Taking an illegal cab ride from LaGuardia airport to the Bronx Zoo on the eve of the fist Iraq war and then waking up the next morning at the Zoo to a wonderland covered in freshly fallen snow. Then seeing a Grizzly Bear proudly walking through the snow in its deftly designed exhibit, with no visible barrier between it and me as if it were walking along a river bank in Alaska! I forgot I was in the middle of one of the largest cities in the world.

Memel Vlei in South Africa at sunset as the Crowned-cranes came into roost. The sight and sound of millions of birds along the Platte River in Nebraska, during the Sandhill Crane Migration.

Seeing every new bird for the first time. I can remember just about every bird on my life list. The list is actually in my head and on a few written lists. I prefer remembering each new encounter, so the memory is indelible.

Wrestling a very large alligator that was caught on St. Catherine's Island, GA gave me a new respect for these ancient creatures but also a new level of confidence in myself as well as in others. This feat proved what can be accomplished by a team of committed people. Sure, we had to function as a team because there was a 20' alligator on the end of a rope. At times like these we depend on everyone to work together.

Enseignez, apprenez, partagez

I am fascinated with birds and love to share this passion with others, espcially those new to Birdwatching. (Taught birding for beginners for several years in Hawaii and now in WI). I also teach Asian Watercolor to adults and children. In the summer of 2015, I was invited to be a guest Artist and Teacher at Dilman's Bay Resort in Lac du Flambeau, WI. What an honor. Also I would like to learn more languages but with limited time, it's difficult. That's why I like to travel abroad so that I can learn a language on the go. I'm best at Spanish. Was once fairly fluent but now I need to be immersed in the language to feel comfortable to speak it.

Ce que j'aimerais partager avec mes hôtes

Fairly good cook and have a few specialties that can be made just about anywhere. I can also tell many stories about my work and travels. If the host is interested, I can paint something for them as a thank you gift.

Pays que j'ai visités

Canada, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, England, Honduras, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, South Africa

Pays dans lesquels j'ai vécu

Honduras, United States

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