CURRENT MISSION

meet creative adventurers who collaborate

ABOUT ME

I am both a scientist and an artist.

(I had always thought these were mutually exclusive, but according to my doctor, "it's just a Venn Diagram!"). I've now figured out the connection: I love stories & finding distant connections.

I study photosynthesis & renewable energy in microorganisms. I used to be a botanist, but now I study cyanobacterial physiology. I want to understand their limits of growth & productivity.

I recently (2013) completed my postdoctoral research position at Pacific Northwest National Lab (PNNL), where I learned to operate LED photobioreactors for feedback-controlled cultivation of cyanobacteria. I earned my Ph.D. from UC Berkeley (2009) studying H2 production in purple photosynthetic bacteria.

I also am a poet, bookbinder, calligrapher, musician, and installation artist.

I'm vegan. I'm car-free.

IF *I'M* SURFING:
I've got a sleeping bag, so you won't have to worry about laundering the sheets. I'm clean, I'll do your dishes, I sit down on the toilet when I pee.

I sleep through anything, and can even on the floor; some say it's a talent, but waking up can sometimes be problematic. Thankfully I've recently confirmed that it is due to having narcolepsy, and now I can wake up promptly and without anguish!

I am unlikely to go out partying, unless you absolutely insist that awesome and inspiring people will be there.

I don't mind eating meals on my own (but I prefer to cook together or dine out together), and view myself as a sensitive, tiptoeing kind of guest. I'm a great conversationalist, but also understand the hosts' needs to have some of their own personal time.

I have a folding-bike with me -- I got one on my trip to Europe and it made all the difference. I loved it so much, I now upgraded to a Brompton. Hooray.

PHILOSOPHY

Manysidedness, Anythingness. Non-disgruntled vegan, nonconsumer, egalitarian, elegance, nonviolence, volunteerism, environmentalism, beautiful-music-as-life's-soundtrack, cross-culturalism, recommendation-ism, promoting esoterica. going deeper into our skills and curiosities.
Mindfulness.
Feminism & kindness for underdogz (which includes short people and OCD'ers as well as POC, lgbxyz's, etc.)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I always look forward to opportunities to surf, and am glad to be a traveller again, after four years of being a "yes, definitely" host for CS'ers passing through Tri-Cities, Washington.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I used CS extensively on my first-ever big-travel-trip (to Europe, Autumn 09) and I must greatly thank all my CS hosts and "meet-for-coffee" connections! Some strong recommendations: buy a folding bike, use a crazyphone for mobile emails, send personal messages (make sure you point out what interests you share, and ask for recommendations even if they can't host you), don't forget to take a picture of you together with your host! The meet-for-coffee option seems to be an under-used asset of couchsurfing! Another good idea is to have a couchsurfing "passport" or log-book. I try to have my surfers as well as hosts write a quick note before we leave. I was inspired to do this after explaining to a surfer what "letterboxing" is.

Interests

Photosynthesis, renewable energy, any science, counterculture, crafts, bookbinding, bicycling (especially critical mass!), poetry (reading/writing), garage sales, looseleaf tea, fountain pens, fountain pen ink, calligraphy, volunteerism (eg, soup kitchen, books-to-prisoners (PLP)), small pocket-sized instruments, elegant places to read and write, tarot cards (for psychological introspection, not fortunetelling). Burning Man entered my life recently, and I'm very enthusiastic about it; I have received two grants so far for my own art projects ("Marzipan Man", "Spines") and have worked closely on two others ("Pins", "The Infinity Pool").
Mindfulness & meditation have also entered my life a few years ago, for keeps.

• arts
• writing
• books
• poetry
• womens rights
• dining
• cooking
• coffee
• vegan
• meditation
• partying
• crafts
• reading
• traveling
• billiards
• garage sales
• stamps
• music
• cycling
• surfing
• biology
• calligraphy
• medicine
• science

Music, Movies, and Books

oh dear this is difficult...

music must be beautiful, often without vocals, and must skirt the edges of dissonance. minor-key classical works, contemporary electric drone, post-psychedelic folk, japanese koto music. i'd like to learn more about Indian ragas, but I've found it difficult to penetrate (so please teach me!) I don't enjoy much major-key sorts of music.

I started making music again. I don't know where I'm going with it, but it's been fun. I mostly use a microphone, an effects processor, a loop pedal, and various pocket instruments. Occasionally I share this with other people, using the moniker "Scriptures I Have Loathed".

I'm a slow reader, as much as I love literature.(before it was science fiction and Buckminster Fuller sorts of things). Edward Dahlberg, Late Melville, Dylan Thomas, Mary Shelley, Joshua Cohen. Virginia Woolf's "The Waves" totally floored me, wow. If you haven't read Christian Bok's "Eunoia", you must; it's astounding and fun, read it out loud to a friend. Better yet, I LOVE reading poems aloud with friends.

I used to love Berkeley's Pacific Film Archive and went as often as I could, spending my poetry prize money there. Agnes Varda has been my favorite, and if I had to pick one of hers, it would be "Vagabond". I was the President of the Battelle Film Club in Richland for three years. I usually attend the Seattle International Film Festival, as a passholder during opening weekend.

I love recommendations, I expect you to participate in the "oh you should check out..." game. I keep a "list notebook" and pen in a pocket at all times, because you never know when someone is going to drop you a tidbit. Let's face it -- everything that you like can usually be traced back to someone dropping you a hint, somehow.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Worked and lived in the Everglades for half a year!

Students squatting a lecture hall (for weeks!) in Wien.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can offer countless lessons and stories about microbiology and photosynthesis and molecular biology. Hopefully you understand that my perspective is one of rapture at the natural world.

I can offer lessons in easy glue-free bookbinding. lessons and demonstrations (and possibly gifts) of fountain pens and calligraphy. I'd like to learn more about musicmaking, whether getting a DJ lesson, learning what all those pedals actually do, or being taught a bit of music theory. I have a splendid collection of music and take the greatest pleasure in curating a mix specifically for those who ask.

I can make really good "fake meat"; I'll gladly bake your a batch, but vital wheat gluten will need to be available in your town. I'm starting to develop a gluten-free version of this.

I would love to do a short poetry reading in your town. I'd also love to hear you read your own poems! Or write together collaboratively (I have been developing methods for "remix poetry").

I won't offer you a "tarot reading", but I'd love to show you how I use this fascinating tool to jog my creativity and reflect (in a non-mystical manner).

And for the future, I make a great pen-pal. Like, seriously. pen-and-paper, stamps-and-envelopes.

how about practice conscious listening, or share oddball meditation techniques?

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