CURRENT MISSION

Living, laughing, loving. And loafing, when I can get away with it.

ABOUT ME

I wrote a book, Recipe For Lemonade, which is pretty much my manifesto. You can find out anything you need to know about me by Googling me, or being my friend on Facebook. Well, almost anything.

PHILOSOPHY

Why does anyone live their life? To find that thing they are good at, that they enjoy doing, to leave the world a little better than they found it. I am constantly torn between getting wrapped up in politics and raging against the dying of the light, and feeling helpless against the tide of consumerism my country reinforces on a daily basis. We have so many freedoms and so little discipline. Mostly, I try to have a good time without hurting anyone. Is that a personal philosophy?

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I am on a cross-country road trip for a year, looking to meet cool people all over the United States. You can see my map (with dates, sort of) in my photos!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I met my first couchsurfer in Kaua'i and it spawned five great friendships with awesome people who love to travel. I've been away from Couchsurfing for a while (in my defense, I *was* in chemo) but am hoping to get back into it, make new friends, and (eventually) take my book on tour using this awesome travel resource!

Interests

Hiking, cooking, hanging out at the beach, gardening, reading about sustainability, helping kids, volunteering for local community organizations.

• books
• cooking
• instructor
• gardening
• politics
• reading
• traveling
• blogging
• hiking
• surfing
• volunteering
• beaches

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Probably cashing in the frequent flier miles I was saving for my honeymoon to learn how to surf in Bali. Getting my hair cut and colored in Paris by a complete stranger using my broken French. Going to Mexico by myself not knowing a word of Spanish. And, my 40-by-40, which you can read at my blog, http://teamapril.blogspot.com.

Teach, Learn, Share

One of the best things I've ever learned was from a surf instructor in Bali. I kept falling off my board and couldn't figure out why. finally he said, "You fall because you are trying to control the ocean. You can't control the ocean - it's too big; don't try. Instead, try to control your balance on the board. Then, you can ride the waves." Life is full of ups and downs, just like surfing. If you focus on trying to control them, it never works. If you focus on maintaining your balance through them, he ride is easier and more enjoyable in the end.

Countries I’ve Visited

Costa Rica, France, Indonesia, Mexico, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States

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