CURRENT MISSION

Trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up

ABOUT ME

I am a ridiculous person. I get into TV shows like The Mighty Boosh. I love laughing and making others laugh, but I have never been particularly witty, it's usually just all stupid faces and sound effects.

I like working in jobs where I'm active, as I have a slightly short attention span and I get bored quickly and have to go looking for new shiny things. I hope I never work at a desk again in my life.

I have been a graphic designer, SPCA animal caregiver, child minder, farm worker. I have worked in various cafes and hostels - I have just finished working at Ocean Island Backpackers in Victoria, BC, where I worked at the front desk, in the bar, and as a housekeeping supervisor. In a few days I head north to Prince George to plant trees. I am willing to give almost anything a go.

On a perfect day I would wake up early, sun streaming into my tent. Into the ocean before breakfast. Swimming, exploring, lounging in the sun. Guitars, campfires, song and dance. Good friends and tasty beverages. Clear, still night full of stars.

PHILOSOPHY

My faith is in our ability as human beings to love one another. From love stems truth, respect, care, trust.

Every day I try to look at the glass like it's half full. Some days the god damned thing is just empty, but tomorrow is always another day!

I try not to complain about things I can't / won't do anything about. I try to be open to all people and not judge others. I do not always succeed!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I am currently travelling, but when I return home to NZ I will become a part of the couch surfing host community there - once I have a couch!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I've been homeless for my last month in Victoria - so this is my first taste of unofficial couch surfing. I've had three lovely friends let me sleep on their couches, which has been a lot of fun, and interesting as a home tells you so much about the inhabitants.

Interests

Guitars, live shows, twirling poi, dancing erratically, nature rambling, climbing rocks, playing with dogs, drinking coffee, fair & direct trade, animal and human rights, people, family, talking to kids, friends, eating delicious food, barbeques, camping at the beach, summer, typography, photography, reading books, learning new languages, truth, laughter, love.

• animals
• dogs
• books
• design
• graphic design
• photography
• dancing
• human rights
• dining
• cooking
• breakfast
• wine
• coffee
• drinking
• reading
• tv
• traveling
• animal care
• guitar
• camping
• surfing
• rock climbing
• swimming
• animation
• business
• languages
• software
• beaches

Music, Movies, and Books

Most things by the Coen Brothers, especially Fargo and No Country For Old Men. Which triggered my ongoing obsession with Cormac McCarthy - The Road is one of the best books I have ever read.
East of Eden - John Steinbeck
The Just So Stories - Rudyard Kipling
Where the Wild Things Are - Maurice Sendak. Also loved Spike Jonze' retelling.
Catcher in the Rye - Harper Lee
Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll. Especially the version illustrated by Barry Moser.

Music - I'm just going to write as they come to mind, no particular order here...
The Black Keys, The Avett Brothers, Cat Power, Bon Iver, Iron and Wine, Arcade Fire, Florence and the Machine, Greg Brown, Broken Bells, The Checks, Fat Freddy's Drop, Hollie Smith, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Bright Eyes, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, Tom Waits, Radiohead, The Veils, TV on the Radio, Yeasayer, Death Cab For Cutie, Placebo, Kings of Leon, Smashing Pumpkins, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Tracy Chapman, Paul Simon, Steve Earle, Charlie Parr, Royal City, Vampire Weekend, The National, The Beautiful Girls, The Cat Empire, the list goes on...

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Iron & Wine playing live in my second city - Wellington, New Zealand. The venue, The San Francisco Bathhouse, is usually oversold and rowdy, and when people dance you think the floor of this upstairs bar might cave in, but that night I looked around during Sam Beam's acoustic rendition of The Trapeze Swinger with tears in my eyes at a crowd of faces suspended in the blue light - still, silent, spellbound.

Teach, Learn, Share

I am forever a jack of all trades. I can teach you basic guitar, basic bone carving, basic cooking. I can teach you how to drive. I can teach you how to use design software - Illustrator, Indesign, Photoshop etc. I can set type like nobody's business.

I can make pretty sweet oversized papier mache animals.

I would love to learn Spanish, and how to do more tricks with poi.