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  • Last login almost 2 years ago

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Overview

  • 20 references 18 Confirmed & Positive
  • Fluent in English
  • 46, Male
  • Member since 2010
  • Director Of Philanthropy for a non-profit Arts Organization
  • UCLA - Degree's in Psychology and Political Science
  • From Lodi, CA, USA
  • Profile 100% complete

About Me

CURRENT MISSION

Live, Love, Laugh

ABOUT ME

I'm a 42 year old professional. Spent most of my life working in non-profits in one way or another, from a community center working with LGBTQI At-Risk Youth to my current position working in the arts (and loving it!)

A few years ago, after leaving the center and finding myself becoming complacent, I decided to shake things up a bit and move to South Korea for a year. I discovered a lot about myself, including a love of travel.

I'm hoping to be able to do a little more of that in the future, especially with this site.

Oh yeah... I'm also very sarcastic - fair warning.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

A friend recommended it when I told them I was headed to NY and my usual friends had either moved away or couldn't host me for that trip.

My first experience with couch surfing happened when I moved to LA for school and found myself homeless. A friend of a friend was kind enough to put me up for a month while I found a place and a job. Since then I've extended the same help to about half a dozen people.

I enjoy hosting surfers to San Francisco and have met new people all over the world. My work prevents me from host during part of the year, but my couch should be pretty open during the "high travel times" during the summer and winter. 60 hr+ work weeks will keep me too busy in Fall and Spring.

Please do note, I believe that CS only works because of common courtesy, respect, and even-handedness. If your profile shows less than 90% response rate, or you have numerous references from other people, but don't write references in return (even if they are bad, or neutral, just show that you participate!), it is very unlikely that I will accept a couch request.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

My first CS surf was in NY a few years ago. It was an interesting experience, but I'm glad for it, and glad for the kindness the CSer showed me. Since then I've surfed three more times and had a great time doing it.

My first hosting experience was amazing. I met a great person and had fun helping him explore parts of SF and in turn, he got me to do things I hadn't done in my own city! It helped me realize how involved I can be in San Francisco

I hosted a lot the summer after joining (2011) and spent time with people from Denmark, France, Germany, England, Australia, Boston, and even a fellow Californian from Stockton. I really enjoy hosting and look forward to more opportunities.

Interests

Theatre, comedy clubs, board games, coffee, meeting new people, film, museums, photography, reading, working on my house (ok, less of an interest, more of a necessity)

  • arts
  • theater
  • performing arts
  • photography
  • dining
  • cooking
  • breakfast
  • cocktails
  • coffee
  • clubbing
  • board games
  • reading
  • traveling
  • outdoor activities
  • surfing
  • teaching
  • history

Music, Movies, and Books

Favorite Movies
Comedy: CLUE
Drama: Ordinary People

Other Favs: Donnie Darko, What the BLEEP do We Know?, CAMP, Amelie, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, The Sweetest Thing, The Princess Bride, Eating Out, (ok, its dumb but it's funny as hell), Waiting, Series 7, DOGMA, and many many more.

Animated: Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Lilo and Stitch, Anastasia, Spike and Mike's Twisted Animation Series

Music:
Jazz: Ella Fitzgerald, Diane Schuur, Holly Cole, Dianne Reeves, Cassandra Wilson, Ute Lemper

Cabaret: Ellen Greene, Liz Callaway, Patti LuPone, Betty Buckley, Karen Mason, Amanda McBroom, Audra McDonald, Terese Genecco, Shawn Ryan

Cast Recordings

Classical: Revel, Orff

Comedy: Anna Russell, PDQ Bach, Steven Lynch, Tom Lehrer, Capital Steps, Stand Up Comedians

Rock/Pop: Queen, Bonnie Raitt, Indigo Girls, Alanis Morissette

Random Other: Groovelily, Snakefarm, Katy Stephen

Authors: J.K. Rowling, Jasper Fforde, Gregory Macguire, Christopher Moore (see picture), J.D. Salinger, Edna St. Vincent Milay, Jean-Paul Sarte, Franz Kafka, Caleb Carr, Jostein Gaarder

Playwrites: David Ives, Stephen Sondheim, Christopher Durang

TV:
White Collar
2 Broke Girls
American Horror Story
Walking Dead
Da Vinci's Demons
QI, Quite Interesting
Major Crimes
Downton Abbey
Sherlock Holmes
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Family Guy

Sadly, seems that the best TV is off the air...

RIP
Everything by Aaron Sorkin
GLEE
House
Warehouse 13
Psych
Desperate Housewives
The Closer
Eureka
Rocky and Bullwinkle
Loony Toons
Dead Like Me
Ugly Betty
Heroes
Drawn Together
Six Feet Under
West Wing, Sports Night, Studio 60
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Veronica Mars
Monk
Coupling, the origianl british

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

- Nursed a baby squirrel back to health after it fell off a roof, and then having him as a rather awkward friend for the rest of that spring (my fourth grade teacher was not happy when a squirrel followed me into class and jumped on my desk).

- Being told by a young adult that I was the reason they were able to get into college

- Touching the top of the Pyramid of the Sun

- Lying in a park and having cherry blossoms fall all around me in South Korea

- Being pulled into an outdoor theater performance in Seoul, South Korea (and not understanding a word of what was going on) - then appearing on Korean Television because of it.

Teach, Learn, Share

I know a lot about theater, I also taught ESL for a year, so have some ability to communicate, with less fluent English speakers. I know a lot about LGBT history of San Francisco as well.

I love to cook and have a fairly good food knowledge. Love to share that too. Oh and starting to enjoy mixology too!

What I Can Share with Hosts

I may have my camera with me, so I'd be more than happy to shoot some portraits of my host. I also love to cook and would love to fix a breakfast, lunch, or dinner at some point in my stay.

Countries I’ve Visited

England, France, Mexico, Scotland, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

South Korea, United States

Old School Badges

  • 1 Vouch
  • Pioneer Badge

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