I was born on the edge of West Texas, on a small organic pistachio farm. We had sheep and chickens running around the property, yet we would listen to NPR broadcasts of the Metropolitan Opera while we worked out in the fields. Some of my best memories are of eating fresh apricots from our fruit orchard and falling asleep in the shade of the tree when I had as many as I could eat.

Have traveled constantly since I left home at 17. I've lived for at least six months in: Quebec; Annecy, France; Oaxaca, Mexico; Leeds, UK, Morocco, Tunisia. Did my graduate studies in Nashville and Central Florida is the latest stop.

I love being outdoors, listening to great music, being by the sea, reading good books, eating great food with good friends, and drinking good booze. For me it doesn't get much better than a combination of all the above.

Visiting Professor at Stetson University. Teaching intro French classes, which sometimes makes me want to strangle someone and other times makes me really glad that I'm doing what I'm doing. Doing research on memories of immigration and colonial history in literature and film.

I spent last year in the south of France and am missing the food, the wine and the Mediterranean. The ultimate plan is to get some institution (academic or otherwise) to pay for frequent trips to Europe and beyond... I'm still working on it.

French history and cinema, whistling, kayaking, pruning pistachio trees, cooking up a storm.

Lots of curly, slightly unruly locks on my head; long eyelashes; white teeth.

A) Black Skin White Masks, Cloud Atlas, After the Quake (Murakami), Like Water for Chocolate, La Malinche (Laura Esquivel), Harun and the Sea of Stories, The Labyrinth of Solitude, Cat and Mouse, Tin Drum, Civilization and Its Discontents, Cat's Cradle, Breakfast of Champions, Dubliners, A Widow for One Year, Moses and Monotheism

B) Aguirre, the Wrath of God, Fitzcarraldo, La Cité des Enfants Perdus, Une histoire immortelle, The Big Heat, The Long Goodbye, This is England, Bande a part, Pierrot le fou, Twin Peaks (I know it's a TV series, but it's so much better than most of the crap movies coming out these days), Inland Empire, Mulholland Drive, Lost Highway, Blue Velvet, Deconstructing Harry, Manhattan, Annie Hall, The 400 Blows, Jules and Jim, Histoire(s) du cinema, La Jetee, Sans Soleil, Following, Europa Europa, The Believer, A Scanner Darkly, Roma Citta Aperta, Germania Anno Zero, Metropolis, Nosferatu, THX 1138, Scotland PA, Broken Flowers, Dead Man, Coffee and Cigarettes

C) Wild Nothing, Twin Shadow, Toro Y Moi, Caribou, Galaxie 500, Boards of Canada, Mazzy Star, My Bloody Valentine, Bonnie Prince Billy, Holly Golightly, Kings of Convenience/Whitest Boy Alive, Reindeer Section, Mew, Belle and Sebastian, Beck, American Analog Set, Joan As Police Woman, Silver Jews, Pavement, Jose Gonzales, Mark Kozelek, Neko Case, Neil Young, Fugazi

D) Thai red curry, Falafel & Baba Ghanouj, Pesto, Chiles Rellenos, Black beans, Gruyere, Baguettes, Tiramisu

Wine, coffee, the ocean, clear springs, the Enzian Theater, my music.

How many books I'd like to read, how little time I have to read of all them. When I'll make it back to Europe. What my dissertation is going to be about. Where to buy my groceries.

All manner of things: having a drink in DeLand's bustling downtown, hanging out by the beach, or making a really good dinner. Within the next few weeks I'd really like to make a trip to the Parliament House in Orlando. Looks amazing!

You like to grow / cook / eat well. You can help me better understand Florida. You have great recommendations for things to do around here and might interested in doing them with me.