CURRENT MISSION

To do a little of this and a little of that, and to write about it all.

ABOUT ME

I'm kind of a homebody, yet I like to see new places and meet new people and be part of a community. I'm trained as a painter and I love to write, and I'm very, very curious about everything. Once I get a question in my head, I can't stop until I find the answer (or come up with an interesting theory)! I really like to read, and I've read so many books I can't remember half of them. One kind of book I DON'T read is travel guides. Sometimes this gets me in trouble, but sometimes it makes things more interesting. When I travel, I tend to not rush around too much. That's a nice way of saying I'm kind of lazy when it comes to planning a travel schedule. I often wait and see what comes up, and if nothing does I figure something out on my own. I'm quite likely to follow a random impulse. During the day I like to wander around, usually seeking shade and something good to eat. In the evening, I like to hang out with friends and talk. Trade stories. Share our visions of a sustainable future (or our dystopian fears). I'm not really a party person, but I like to dance. I try to make a point of visiting a library when I'm in a new city, if I can find one, because I really, really like libraries. I'm fond of puppet shows too, and you'd be surprised how many puppet shows I've seen while traveling. I used to live in a co-op house (intentional community) with 12 people, and we bought our food together and had communal meals 5 times a week. I'm a terrible cook, but I'm good at washing lots and lots of dishes. If you host me, just point me in the direction of the sink and I'll be really happy.

PHILOSOPHY

Old enough to know better, but still young enough to do it anyway.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

It's weird to say I want to share US culture, since it has pretty much been rammed down the throats of people all over the world (the worst of American pop culture, anyway, and some very destructive foreign policies), but maybe I can share another part of my culture. I'm part of a few alternative communities back home, so maybe I can share some of that.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I surfed for the first time in Brazil, and it was a great experience. After I get settled again, I hope to be able to host.

Interests

Art, Dance, Writing, Puppet Shows, Photography (though I'm not that great at it and my camera is crap), Buddhism, Nerd stuff (like Rubik's Cubes), Astronomy, Costumes, Food (as in I like to eat it, not so much cook it myself), Ninjas, Libraries, Burning Man, Intentional Communities

• arts
• culture
• writing
• books
• photography
• dancing
• dining
• cooking
• wine
• cheese
• partying
• drinking
• traveling
• guitar
• buddhist
• astronomy

Music, Movies, and Books

I like all movies (except horror/slasher films). I'm especially fond of thoughtful science fiction films. One of my favorites is Solaris (the remake is better). I liked the original, and the book, but I'm no film snob. Plus George Clooney is cute. I have a big collection of leftist political documentaries that I've spent years forcing others to watch, but I can't watch them anymore myself. Too depressing.
I like all all music (except experimental jazz). My favorite artist is probably Cat Power, but I'll just as easily listen to whatever pop music comes on the radio. You think I won't sing along to that Justin Beiber song? Think again. And, yes, I know all the words to that Metallica song. I'm learning to play the guitar, and I chose "Mad World" to learn first, and then "Dust in the Wind" because that was one of my favorite songs when I was a kid.
I like all books. Except guide books. If something is well written, I'll read it and enjoy it. If it's not so great, I'll probably read it anyway, because I read really fast. One of my favorites is The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields. Willa Cather is maybe my all-time favorite author (Gabriel Garcia Marquez is second in line), but lately I mostly read Young Adult fiction.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I spent a month on a farm in Southern Italy with anarchists. There was a lot of guitar playing, wine drinking, conversations about sustainability, cheese making, and (oh yeah) some farming. Sometimes I'd sit out on the upper deck of the farmhouse and look out over the valley where the wind played with the fields of wheat. It looked like waves on the sea. I thought I was in heaven. I almost didn't leave.

Countries I’ve Visited

Brazil, Cambodia, Italy, Laos, Mexico, Thailand, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

Brazil, United States

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