CURRENT MISSION

To create a Homesteading College in the North Country of New York, eventually. For now, coordinating the Local Living Festival and year-round workshops on simple and rural living skills. It's a lot but I love it!

ABOUT ME

Long-time activist for local self-reliance in food and alternative energy issues and interested in building communities that make more sense than what is currently acceptable according to custom and convention.
Former videographer, graphic artist, construction secretary, cafe owner, restaurant manager. Very political (but interested and tolerant, mostly) - quite liberal. Never married, no children by choice. (Love [most] kids though!) Have not traveled as much abroad these past years due to a heavy travel schedule within the States for my now defunct job. Now that I can spare time away from home I can't afford it! :)
I keep busy cooking with wood, carrying water, petting the critters, visiting the neighbors (an intentional community that I'm loosely tied to) and helping my larger community as much as I can.
I sponsor a small Community Garden, founded our 17-year local Sustainable Energy Fair (now morphed into a local skills festival -- check it out: www.LocalLivingVenture.org), organized the first organic dairy co-op in the North Country, sold a lot of good-for-you natural soaps, into rocket stoves, or RMH - check out my video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3TwEhjTwb4. Also am supportive of a pilot river conservation effort in the St. Lawrence River Valley through www.stlawlandtrust.org.
-Among other things.

PHILOSOPHY

I live to experience whatever there is out there... ethos and pathos both. I laugh a lot and it's good. Live, love, laugh. Ya, ya, sounds trite but it works for me! I seek to live in joyous celebration of all that exists whilst not denying or ignoring the sorrowful as well...there is a balance to all things in this OCD Libras' brain!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

This is one time that I wish I was more ON the "beaten path" as I have not had much opportunity to host yet. Many requests have been from people who didn't realize I was 7 hours from NY City. Oops! Oh, well! I live in a beautiful area full of outdoor adventures, no matter the season. Come on down! :)

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

A recent trip home to San Fran included informal surfing with friends and family, with another surfer in tow as well! Burlington, Vermont was a lovely time - next stop NYC!

Interests

Community and event organizing, dancing to 70's soul/rock music - really all kinds of music. I love Sudoku and crosswords, reading mostly non-fiction, listening to talk radio (CBC and NPR mainly), rowing (whaleboats in the San Francisco Bay and "shells" in NY and Iroquois, Ontario, Canada) and drinking hard cider (among other things). People-watching, connecting with people, travel (always up for a road trip!) Do some gardening too. Guess I should mention "simple living" skills here but it's not really an interest so much as just the way it is here!

• festivals
• dancing
• dining
• cooking
• drinking
• gardening
• reading
• traveling
• homesteading
• sudoku
• music
• rock music
• outdoor activities
• rowing

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies -
The Station Agent
Triplettes of Belleville
Rivers & Tides
Mister Ibrahim
Across the Bridge (music documentary on Istanbul)
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Books - Love cookbooks (don't cook alot but it's yummy when I do) and my musical tastes are eclectic: bluegrass, jazz, rock, soul, disco, older country, world (in a nutshell). Not so much opera and show tunes, but some.
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Books - I read a lot of mags and newspapers but have been off the books lately. Winter is coming as I write, so who knows...
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Magazines I subscribe to -
The Sun, Hightower Lowdown, American Prospect, Ms., Washington Spectator, Multinational Monitor, Bitch, Harper's, Boy's Bugle (local), onearth (Natural Resources Defense Council), USW@Work (union issues), and more...

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Well, I was a somewhat passive observer in these things but I was in San Fran for the big earthquake which was quite an experience and also when Mayor Moscone and Sup. Harvey Milk were shot dead by Dan White (of the famous "twinkie defense"). That was quite formative - I video taped the Board of Supervisors meetings every Monday so felt pretty connected to the whole thing - the movie "Milk" is about to come out as I write this; about Harvey Milk, who was the first openly gay male elected official in the US. (Later note: Great film - a must see!)

Teach, Learn, Share

I live simply - "sustainable" is the buzzword. Future primitivism might describe it best. Rain water collection systems, solar electricity, some homesteader skills. In Winter I'm online more than in summer - but I type by candlelight! (Less solar power in Winter.)
I can tell you a lot about how to market your natural (or other) products at a wholesale trade show, does that help? Press releases and spreading the word about worthy things. I've designed and built a house (w/ much help). My interests and skills are quite varied. I truly love to share any knowledge I may be able to impart and to explore new ideas with people.

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Greece, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Puerto Rico, Sweden, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States