I am a wandering poet, just having finished a three week self-designed spiritual retreat, camping first in the desert near Tuscon, and, for the past few weeks, in the Prescott National Forrest. I've decided I want to remain in the Prescott area, as I've been meeting a lot of interesting people and there are lots of opportunities.

Currently, I have applications out for several jobs in the area, and I've been doing "gig" work. Specifically, I've been helping a lady in Prescott redesign her landscaping and arranging her garage, and I helped an moving company unload a truck for an elderly couple that just moved from Florida. I'm applying for several full time jobs, both labor jobs and a job at Yavapai College, and I will be in a position to be renting a place soon, and I will make my space available to couch surfers once I have secured it.

I reman, however, primarily a poet and artist. My art has been described as primitive, tribal, frightfully,”, weird, weird, and wyrd; I take influence from Native American and Old Norse culture primary, in part because I have traced my own ancestry back to the Lenni-Lenape and the Frisians.

I seek hosts occasionally because it’s nice to crash in a “normal” place every once in a while. If I’m asking, I just need a place to chill for a bit. I’m perfectly fine with shared spaces and I try to be respectful to my guest. I’ve been told I’m a very intense person, so I’m not everyone’s cup of tea.

My favorite way to be useful when visiting others is cooking. I like to make whimsical dishes with things that are lying around in the fridge or freezer, sometimes with a few supplementary ingredients from the grocery story or nature. Some meals go horribly, but I like to eat my mistakes; most are delightful.

Presently, I am hoping to find a place where I can crash on a couch, floor, or bed. And if you let me cook also, I’m happy to share whatever I make with you.

Though I have been a poet my whole life, I’ve often held more standard employment, which I’ll tell you about to forestall skepticism. I taught college English for 13 years at a variety of colleges, where I often earned teaching awards. I particularly enjoyed literature classes, but I also taught introductory writing and even math classes. I worked for a while as a technical writer for several Microsoft in Redmond, WA, and I worked for several newspapers in New Jersey, New Hampshire, and Milwaukee as a reporter. More recently, I've been doing labor jobs, including farm work and landscaping, and I could help you with pretty much anything if you let me crash.

I’m looking forward to meeting you, sharing experiences and having adventures!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Making friends all over the world; sharing unique perspectives on life, history, politics, literature, and art; exploring new places.

I like learning new languages, by which I mean not standardized languages but different dialects. I enjoy the little differences in the way different human beings speak, using language to articulate thought.

Interests

• birds
• writing
• literature
• poetry
• yoga
• karaoke
• swimming
• cartography
• history
• travel
• nature
• language
• medieval
• norse
• language history
• snoga

Music, Movies, and Books

Heavy Metal, epic poetry, Fight Club, MST3K, The Three Amigos, a plethora of other things. Honestly, right now I am mostly interested in experiencing nature, local art and grafitti, and artifacts.

I enjoy karaoke. I like to sing Pantera, Kid Cudi, Amy Winehouse, the Highwaymen, and old story songs like Pancho & Lefty.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Sdrawkcab rewsna siht etorW

Teach, Learn, Share

English, Chess, Cooking

English: I have worked as a volunteer ESL tutor and I taught college English classes (literature, language history, writing, various introductory classes) for 13 years. I'm happy to help people improve their skills.

Chess: I drew Anatoly Karpov in Mansasquan, NJ, circa 1994. Speed chess. I tricked him. I enjoy chess variants. I once passed out in Bobby Fischer's chair in at a used book store in Reykjavík. I finished second in the armed forces chess tournament in the late 90s, losing to an old enlisted Army guy who played the Cairo Khan against my aggressive opening and broke through my queen's side with a brilliant counter-attack. I have an open invitation to play Gary Kasparov, to which he has not replied.

I would like to share this: While my profile is "not verified", I am more than happy to verify my identity driver's license, passport, library card, finger print, or other means if you are skeptical. As I very much support what this website is attempting to accomplish, I hope to support it once my work starts selling.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Cooking, cleaning, wood-working. I have made wood burnings for several of my hosts and I will gladly make you one.

I also enjoy picking up litter. I often pick up cigarette buts habitually, and I would gladly clear any area you have that has become overwrought with rubbish.

My 1998 1/2 Volkswagon Jetta, which is old and not as tricked out as it ought to be, is adequate for going on treks and the like.

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Mexico, Netherlands, Switzerland

Countries I’ve Lived In

Iceland, Italy, United States