Hello!

Welcome to my profile. Grab a drink and make yourself at home. If you want to get an idea what I look like digitally, go ahead and check out the photo section. If you want to make friends, the green button on the right might interest you. If you're curious about how I would answer some random questions, check the bar above. Otherwise, read on.

I think everybody hates filling out self-summaries, but let's see if we can nail some of the essentials.

I'm a Californian by birth, but I consider myself to be from the Midwest since I grew up there.

I lived abroad for 6 years and am now trying to see if I can live in one place for more than 2 years. (Almost there!) When I'm not traveling, I like to pretend I am by checking out new spots and trails around LA.

I get excited about maps, books, noodles and space.

I have no problem picking up spiders, snakes or other slimy animals, but I'm disgusted by yogurt.

Keeping things interesting.

I work in the film industry and do freelance translation on the side.

When I have free time you can usually find me reading, hiking up a mountain, going to the gym, exploring the wilderness, out on the water trying to surf, climbing rocks, falling from rocks, playing capoeira (trying to get back into it), backpacking or traveling somewhere. Did I mention that I like being outside?

The indoors can be fun too. Trying new restaurants, going to performances and wandering around museums can also be good times.

I'm also slowly learning guitar so I can fulfill my dream of becoming a rock legend. I can bust out the intro to Yankee Doodle like that *snaps fingers* but I haven't figured out the second verse yet. So that's going well.

pronouncing words in foreign languages.
making popcorn.
giving directions in Griffith Park. Or at least looking like I am. I get asked 70% of the time I'm up there.
puzzles.
appreciating my surroundings. (Getting better at this in LA)

I've heard:
"You're tall."
"I like your eyes."
"Are you Ryan Gosling?" (Well at least that's what I thought they said. It was a noisy place.)

Music: I like indie rock (Hot Chip, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Bon Iver, Vampire Weekend, Passion Pit, Magnetic Fields, Postal Service), some hip hop, house, 80s (Talking Heads!), etc. I am a bit behind on the scene though.

Books: I read mostly nonfiction these days, mostly about travel, history, political intrigue and pop science. ("The Elegant Universe" is awesome!).
For fiction, I like Kafka on the Shore (Murakami!), Slaughterhouse 5, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, My Name is Red,
Calvin and Hobbes and Hundred Years of Solitude.

Movies are my thing. I've had a passion for cinema for as long as I can remember (rare in LA I know!). Here's a sample of favorites for you to enjoy: 2001, Airplane, City of God, Indiana Jones, Chungking Express, In the Mood for Love, anything Wong Kar-wai, Royal Tenenbaums, Last Year at Marienbad, 80s teen movies (ie John Hughes), Star Wars, Requiem for a Dream, Coen Brothers, David Lynch, Stanley Kubrick, dumb comedies (Hot Rod, etc.).

TV: Family Guy (less and less), Curb Your Enthusiasm, Breaking Bad, Twin Peaks, Mad Men and Game of Thrones.

Food: I have an iron stomach from living abroad and I'll try just
about anything. Definitely not a foodie, but I appreciate a good meal. Like Mexican, Japanese, Indian, Chinese, Italian, dumplings (the soup kind, xiao long bao), noodles, microbrews and just about anything with cheese on it. (I'm from the Midwest after all.)

I'm also addicted to WNYC's Radiolabs.

I like to think that if I woke up in a strange place with none of my possessions, I'd still be able to find a way to survive. But here are a few things that make life in LA a little easier:
Hikes
Backpack
The Ocean
Books
Passport
Avocados

My next adventure (South America?), what language I should dabble in next, the universe, stories, space, the future and what this lever does.

Doing something fun with good people either out or in. I'm not afraid of the dance floor or the karaoke mic, but I could probably use some taming on both those fronts.
Or I might just be resting up for an early morning weekend adventure.

I once threw a spelling bee...

It'd be great if you can check one or more of the following:
- You're interesting.
- You're fun.
- You're not an idiot.
Bonus points if you're outdoorsy and/or a reader.