Hi!

I am a musician, edible wild plants enthusiast, and runner from New England. I love to meet people of all backgrounds and cultures, to share experiences and laughs.

In the past, I would travel simply for the experience of being someplace new and talking to new people. Now, I find myself wanting to connect with new places through my own passions (though I still love new places and people).

I run almost every day, and I try new edible plants year-round. I am constantly writing music, and playing music with others. One of my great joys is to play and improvise music with friends.

I also have passions for cooking (connected closely to edible wild plants), as well as the natural world and our place in it.

I love to laugh, to make others laugh, and to share experiences with friends new and old.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I'm here on CS because I've met so many wonderful people over the years through it. I wish to continue meeting new people who have unique outlooks, and to share my own with them.

Interests

Edible wild plants become a larger part of my life every single year. It amazes me that so much renewable wealth can be almost entirely ignored by such a large portion of the population.

I try to learn something new about these plants every day and get outside to try what I've learned. Through that, I've found hundreds of new foods that I can now share with and teach to others.

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I have been passionate about running ever since joining the cross country team at high school in 2006. Since then, I have completed races from 100 meters to 50k, on roads, trails, and mountains, and have been lucky enough to win a few of them.

In addition to running, I love triathlon, and the two other disciplines involved; cycling and swimming. In 2012, a friend of mine and I biked across USA along the Atlantic coast, and then to the Pacific coast. Last year, I worked my way up to a solo 5k swim in Donnell Pond in Maine. A cold but fun time!

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When it comes to music, I find it difficult to stop talking about it... I play many instruments, and in many styles. My main passion in music is to write songs. If you'd like, you can check out some of my songs here (I perform under the pseudonym Cooney Thatcher)

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4bLGZKuKJ0utrIP5s8Suk5?si=LAySXoNlTtCy-UsBo5L1Pw&dl_branch=1

• writing
• cooking
• running
• walking
• reading
• socializing
• music
• swimming
• composing
• slacklining
• foraging

Music, Movies, and Books

Some of my favorite movies are Office Space, All is Lost, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Once Upon a Time in the West, and Wild Strawberries.

My current favorites in music include Gilberto Gil, Cass Mccombs, Joao Bosco, Gorky's Zygotic Munci, and Björk. I've been getting into George Michael and the B52s recently as well.

I enjoy many books; some of my favorites are by William Faulkner, Patrick O'Brien, John Steinbeck, and Gabriel Garcia Márquez. I'm currently reading Care of the Soul by Thomas Moore, as well as Gödel, Escher, Bach by Douglas Hofstadter.

I enjoy reading a poem by Wallace Stevens, Emily Dickinson, or Edgar Allen Poe whenever I sit in the bathroom at home.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

In 2011, I helped build a playground with Michelle Obama. She pushed me on the swing, and we hugged, so we are basically best friends.

One of my most informative life experiences has been building up my training to be a competitive runner. It has allowed me to chase goals that may seem intimidating or irrational, and has allowed me to become closer to my body and mind, and my connection with (and respect to) the world around me.

Teach, Learn, Share

I'm a 3rd generation music teacher. I can teach you how to write a song, how to play a few chords or notes on your instrument of choice, or to sing. More than teaching, I'd love to play music you. This is where we can all learn and share the most.

I can teach a lot about edible wild plants. I would be happy to share the things I know.

I do have some other skills I can share, like running trails, slacklining (I once won a slacklining competition), or how to nap efficiently.

As for learning, I'm deeply compelled by almost any subject, as they tend to all connect at one point or another. I'd love to learn about whatever you are passionate about.

And of course, if you also have a passion for running, plants, or music, let's talk!

What I Can Share with Hosts

Wherever I stay, I would like to do whatever I can to make it a beneficial experience for everyone. If this means dishes, I am game. In fact, I enjoy any type of cleaning. If it means conversation, great. Or going out and grabbing a beer, or taking a hike, or anything really.

I can share respect for your way of living, and I can share my own culture with you.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States