CURRENT MISSION

To get everything done and still stay sane

ABOUT ME

I am exceedingly outgoing. I like to talk and socialize, but I also like my quiet time. I love meeting new people and hearing about different places. My most productive time is early in the morning when everyone is asleep, between 4am and 8am.

I prefer to eat organic food when I can afford it. I use all natural cleaning and personal grooming products. I generally subscribe to environmentalist values.

PHILOSOPHY

I am fairly liberal but don't begrudge people with differing views. However, I do not like to be exposed to racism, sexism, homophobia, or any other kind of irrational hate-mongering in my own home.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I was an avid couch surfer when I was in my 20s, before couch surfing became an organized Web 2.0 endeavor.

When I was 19, I met an Irish climbing instructor at a community college retreat. As a matter of polite discourse, he told the group if we were ever in Ireland, to give him a call. Three months later, I have saved enough tip money for a ticket to Ireland and gave him a call. We met in Belfast and proceeded to couch surf and stay in hostels while we toured Ireland and Norther Ireland for 6 weeks. When I got home, I decided I wanted to learn how to snowboard. So I hopped a bus to Colorado and stayed with "friends of friends" for a couple of weeks. I ended up couch surfing for the entire winter.

I have also couch surfed on friends sofas while on skiing and climbing vacations.

I always think it is nice to show my gratitude by cooking dinner for my hosts at some point during my stay.

Interests

Food. I love food. All sorts of food. I enjoy cooking and baking. To do enjoy eating meat, although I try to make sure it is organic. I also enjoy cheap wine and expensive beer.

I also like the outdoors and sports associated with the outdoors, including skiing, telemark skiing, and snowboarding; rock climbing, hiking; kayaking and white water rafting; and mountain biking.

I enjoy computers, particularly issues Web 2.0.

• design
• photography
• diy
• dining
• cooking
• wine
• beer
• baking
• organic food
• instructor
• socializing
• blogging
• outdoor activities
• cycling
• hiking
• kayaking
• surfing
• skiing
• snowboarding
• sports
• rock climbing
• telemark skiing
• communications
• history

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies: My tastes run the gamut. I like international and independent films like Delicatessen and Raise the Read Lantern, and I also like silly mainstream romantic comedies, and mainstream drama.
Music: Mostly alternative like The Shins, Ani DiFranco, Kings of Leon, The Smiths, Modest Mouse, Beck, Drive By Truckers, and Tori Amos. I also like random stuff like RatTatTat, Santo Gold, The Gorillaz, Wild Beasts, Norah Jones, Willie Bobo, and Alison Krause

Books: I tend to read academic historical monographs. My Favorites include Nature's Metropolis, Labor of Love Labor of Sorrow, and See America First. Other favorites include Orlando by Virginia Woolf (This is one of my all time favorite books, which shouls tell you plenty about me.) Freakonomics by Steven D Levitt, Stephen J Dubner, One Perfect Day by Rebecca Mead, Nickled and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich, Bowling Alone by Robert Putnam, and anything by Michael Pollins.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach you how:
* to ski, snowboard or telemark ski
* build a personal website or blog for free
* the proper way to hold a kitchen knife
* how to make custards and curds from scratch (or how to be patient and precise when cooking)
* how to research local history
* how to plan a do-it-yourself, budget wedding

I would like to learn:
* how to design for both websites and print media.
* digital photography
* floral arrangements
* how to sew

Countries I’ve Visited

Chile, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States