CURRENT MISSION

See more than I have seen.

ABOUT ME

My name is Shy (short for Shyaporn - it's Thai). I'm an actor, writer, lecturer and director living primarily in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, NYC, but now splitting time between there and Bangkok, Thailand. I make YouTube videos as my primary creative outlet: http://www.youtube.com/Shyaporn

I normally love most physical activities (kung fu, Bikram yoga, rollerblading, rock climbing, kayaking, soccer, camping, etc...). If I get a new song stuck in my head, I will walk/run/dance around listening to it over and over again until I learn the lyrics, then move on to another song. On occasion I've had to seek out karaoke therapy.

It should also be noted that while I know New York like the back of my hand, I know Bangkok like the back of someone else's hand who is walking in the opposite direction on the other side of the street. But I'm enjoying exploring!

PHILOSOPHY

You teach best what you most need to learn.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

To see more than I have seen.

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

In New York, I have a number of roommates, so while I'm there, I'm more into the idea exchange - things to do and places to go. I've been in New York City a long time so I can offer countless ideas of activities, attractions and eateries both mainstream and off-the-beaten-path, and would appreciate the same for cities I visit!

However, in Bangkok, I have considerably more room at the moment, though it's being worked on so will be in various states of disarray.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Hosted several times in Bangkok, met some lovely folks! Surfed once so far, with an equally lovely couple at a time when I really needed it.

Interests

I like walking around cities like they're one big museum, popping in and out of shops as though they were art galleries. And it's always fun being a tourist in one's own city. But, like a COOL tourist...

I am partial to board games of the Settlers/Carcassonne/ Citadels/Jungle Speed/Scrabble, etc.. variety, video games, blogging, making comedy sketches on YouTube, movies both good and bad, comic books and discovering and cooking foods of all varieties. I enjoy sexuality non-ironically. Vaudeville, burlesque and open mics. And of course, there's roller derby; Gotham Girls rock!

• arts
• writing
• books
• acting
• dancing
• dining
• cooking
• yoga
• running
• walking
• movies
• video games
• board games
• traveling
• blogging
• karaoke
• kayaking
• camping
• rock climbing
• soccer

Music, Movies, and Books

Book: Illusions by Richard Bach, Shane by Jack Schaeffer, Have Spacesuit Will Travel, Overclocked by Cory Doctorow, The Three Musketeers, Count of Monte Cristo, Lord of the Rings, Against All Enemies, Black Like Me, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Old Man and the Sea, pre-waterfall Sherlock Holmes stories and more.

Movies: Too many to name, but here's a shot: Lawrence of Arabia, Empire Strikes Back, It's a Wonderful Life, Enter the Dragon, Kung Fu Hustle, Master and Commander, Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan, Amelie, Day for Night, Shall We Dance, Notting Hill, To Have and Have Not, Night at the Opera (pretty much anything with the Marx Brothers), Sweet Smell of Success, Seven Samurai, Magnificent Seven, The Great Escape, Godzilla (1957), Raiders of the Lost Ark, etc...

Television: (Alas, most of my favorite television shows have been cancelled, but there are a few that still linger on - here are a few of the relatively recent ones) The Wire, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel (season 5), Lost, The Sopranos, Now and Again - a show that was so far ahead of it's time it was naturally cancelled after a single season, Firefly - ditto, Justice League Unlimited, Batman Adventures, Batman Beyond, the first two seasons of Battlestar Galactica, after which it just died horribly, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Office, 30 Rock, The Daily Show, The Colbert Report]], [Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, Castle. I just started watching Mad Men; it's fantastic and makes me want to wear suits all the time. Also, I MAY be watching Glee, but you won't get me to admit this outside of a karaoke bar (which simply means you should just take me to a karaoke bar.)

Music: I was once told I like "bouncy, quirky music" - Cake, Nerf Herder and Queen. David Bowie and Elvis Costello. The Beatles. Feist. Mika. Sinatra, Martin, Fred Astaire, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder. As of late, I find Arcade Fire amusing - a band that so desperately wants to be emo but their music is far too cheery and upbeat. And so on. I'm pretty behind on pop music.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

This is more of a conversation to have over tea...

Teach, Learn, Share

I know the best place for dessert in the world. That's right. The world. Bring it. (Hint: It's now in BOTH New York City and Bangkok!)

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can share my experience of living for over two decades in New York as a performer, my travel tips, my family story, plus tales of dating, romance and the pursuit of hedonistic pleasures in the worlds of both monogamy and polyamory.

I can also make some decent Thai food, chili, Japanese oden, chicken in riesling and a really good borscht.

Countries I’ve Visited

Cambodia, Canada, Costa Rica, France, Italy, Mexico, Myanmar, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Thailand, United States