CURRENT MISSION

Find and share stories that connect people

ABOUT ME

A former musical theatre actor and neuroscience student (long story), I am now working as an independent radio producer and writer. The current project is monster trek beginning in March in Ballyliffin, Ireland, and ending in Istanbul, Turkey in early August. I'll be collecting sounds, ideas, songs and stories with my field recorder along the way. If you know someone in Europe with a story to tell, please point me in their direction! You'll be able to follow my adventures (eventually, once I get my act together) at www.thenoisynomad.com.

PHILOSOPHY

I once read a study that said that the best predictor of lifelong best friends is the proximity of their respective names in the alphabet. Kids who sit next to each other in school are dozens of times more likely to become close. To me, that says something pretty optimistic about humanity. I think every human being has the capacity to love every other human being. Therefore, if you are honest and open with me, I will love you. Try me.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

My apartment has been hosting a few longer-term unofficial surfers for the last several months, making it trickier to host CSers as much as I'd like to. I'm hoping that will change this coming autumn, at which point you will be welcomed into our hippie commune five-bedroom apartment in Harlem (and likely serenaded with djembe drumming by one of my talented roommates). Meanwhile, I'd love to meet up with you on your home turf, in exchange for a home-cooked dinner or a song on my ukulele.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Couchsurfing has been a ridiculously positive experience for me almost across the board. I really value an organization that helps facilitate real TRAVEL rather than passive tourism - and especially, real connections with real people. All y'all are lovely. Thanks to those who have already introduced me to their wonderful cities, and I can't wait to meet more of you.

Interests

Sound/radio, documentary, folk/trad music (...scratch that - ANY music), theatre, meditation and contemplative science, cognitive neuroscience and psychology, foreign languages/travel, dance, the ukulele, sailing. Also, unique foods (I've acquired tastes for kimchi, goat's head, ayran, cow brain, sea urchin, you name it. And I'm actually a decent vegan cook as well. Tell me what to try next!).

• writing
• singing
• documentaries
• acting
• coloring
• dancing
• dining
• cooking
• recipes
• cheese
• vegan
• meditation
• drinking
• boating
• traveling
• music
• sailing
• baseball
• languages
• neuroscience
• psychology
• science
• tourism

Music, Movies, and Books

Ralph Waldo Emerson, Rumi, William James, the Bhagavad Gita, Mark Twain, David Foster Wallace

Star Wars, The Blues Brothers, The Red Violin

Muddy Waters, BB King, Ingrid Michaelson, Feist, Pink Floyd, Nina Simone, Bob Dylan, The Watersons, Robert Johnson, Ewan MacColl, Luke Kelly, Mohammad Reza Shajarian, Mumford and Sons, Eva Cassidy, Joni Mitchell, Charlie Parker, Mercedes Sosa, Oum Kalthoum, Fleet Foxes. Also: new trap bubbling, trill wave, ghettotech, tropical grime, juke tronic, moombahskull and dirty stinkin' bass.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

A few years ago, a pod of orca whales followed their food supply into Dyes Inlet in Washington State. My mom, brother and I went out in a tiny row boat to see them. The water had been glassy and silent for over an hour, when all the sudden a giant male dorsal fin broke through the surface of the water just four feet off our bow. The big guy stared at us for a full minute with its giant baseball-sized eye, blew off some water, and went back under.

Other highlights:
Turkey: Drinking raki and watching a Galatasaray match by the fireplace in a wood cabin, after spending the day sailing in the Mediterranean.
France:
1) A (slightly inebriated) velib ride from Pere Lachaise to Montmartre with my CS host - through the rain.
2) A classical Indian dance class with another Paris host, instructed in French.
3) Exploring Lorenzi's mysterious mouleur workshop and seeing the death masks of Beethoven, Chopin, Napoleon, and l'Inconnue de la Seine with another wonderful CS host.

visited 13 states (5.77%)Create your own visited map of The World or Like this? try: Word Color

visited 24 states (48%)Create your own visited map of The United States or Like this? try: Canned laughter

Teach, Learn, Share

Skills to teach:
I'm traveling with a ukulele. At the moment I can (expertly) produce exactly 5 chords. And I will teach you ALL of them.

I've also been getting really into a style of traditional American ballad singing from the Appalachians. They do this thing called "knee-to-knee" where two people sit very close and one teaches the other a ballad (line by line until the learner has memorized it by heart). That sounds really lovely, and I think I know at least two killer ballads to teach.

Cooking: Given the proper ingredients, I make a knockout palak paneer (Indian spinach and fried cheese dish), a great basil and goat cheese chicken, and a standup bolognese sauce. My Thai peanut salad's not bad either. Happy to share the recipes.

Skills I'd like to learn:
Do any musicians out there busk regularly (play music for change on the street)? This is on my bucket list, and I'd kill for a busking buddy.

Anyone know final cut pro? Or are you a brilliant photographer? Teach me your awesome camera and post prod skills.

Language swaps would be great! I've taught private English/accent reduction for four years and would love to trade for French, Turkish, Spanish, Farsi, Italian or German practice.

Generally, I'm looking for great music and great stories. Any travel tips, story leads, and directions to the best gigs/sessions in town will earn you my undying affection. And of course I'll pass along whatever I hear to you!

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, France, Ireland, Jamaica, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States

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