CURRENT MISSION

research for current novel

ABOUT ME

I am a writer, cellist and political activist. There is a lot of information about me on the web, and on my website, web.mac.com/mestrin
My wife, Donna, is retired from the state health department, after directing a nutrition program for children. She is also a photographer, quilter, and quilt historian. We frequently put up traveling musicians, puppeteers, speakers, and folks from other countries, and enjoy meeting new people, especially people from other countries and cultures, and spending time with them as they will. Our home is in Burlington, Vermont, a city of 40,000, in the northwest corner of this beautiful state, right on Lake Champlain, a small city consistently listed as "one of the ten best places to live" in America. We are long-time puppeteer/musicians with the Bread and Puppet Theater, and we love to take people up to the farm and museum for tours, and if they are here in July or August, for shows. It's a truly extraordinary experience. If one visits in the winter, there is wonderful skiing, both alpine and cross-country. We both speak some French. The house is filled with books and music and is quiet. We have a nice backyard with hammock.

But two things: we have a cat. If you're cat-allergic, even though she is a long-hair (like us) you might reconsider, though we offer antihistamines along with lodging. In the other direction, I am very allergic to "scents", which are not just perfumes, but whatever is put into soaps and shampoos to make them smell "good". "Unscented" is me.

PHILOSOPHY

I have for years been trying to figure out how I can make the world a better place. The options seem to be closing down as extremely powerful, global forces extend their controlling reach. I am frustrated in my political work, but find at least a tiny niche in writing novels that address the cultural/political landscape, usually in a comic way. I'm currently trying to evaluate the direction of my work.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

We joined in 2008, just before a trip to Germany and France where we stayed with fellow Couchsurfers in Berlin and Paris. We have frequently hosted interesting travelers chez nous.

We were very active hosts until we started our publishing company, which has taken up all the time we would otherwise spend with our couchsurfers.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

As a puppeteer with a company that travels internationally, I've had many enjoyable experiences staying in the homes of politically/artistically oriented guests, and in the other direction, of hosting such people.

Interests

As a cellist, I play in several orchestras, mostly classical music. Both Donna and I sing in choruses, performing major choral works. We both are politically far-left, working as we can against the ravages of predatory capitalism. My particular interests are in Middle Eastern struggles, and 9/11 truth research. Donna concentrates more on local issues. She is also an excellent (color) photographer, and has had many shows

• writing
• books
• singing
• theater
• classical music
• history

Music, Movies, and Books

Generally foreign films, as current Hollywood filmmaking does not much interest us.
Favorite books too many to list.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Becoming a well-published author out of nowhere.

Teach, Learn, Share

Politically, one of my foci is learning about and trying to educate about what really happened on 9/11/01 -- a crucial event in its consequences for our current world.
I am a good listener, and like to converse (hopefully intelligently) with my guests even about subjects I know little about.

Countries I’ve Visited

Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Sweden, Venezuela

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