im pretty happy and an unapologetic optimist.

im drawn to the creative and generally find myself working with artists, musicians and/or children. i love asking strangers questions, cooking for friends and taking pictures. i like dance parties - anywhere, good music, and art projects with kids.

i value whats local, sustainable, and exposing myself to things that make me uncomfortable. if we talk about it and it sounds interesting im more likely to go and do it than wish that i did. im really enjoying getting older as it seems the best part of being an adult is getting to have whatever kind of life you'd like.

i planted my first garden this year and i love eating from it, sitting on the grass and playing games like backgammon, dominoes and badminton. i tear through books, love so many kinds of music and adore seeing art wherever it is: galleries, ffffound, alleys, friends' walls, dirty bars or classrooms... i like people who arent embarrassed to have a really good time.

ive been building community programs in developing countries for the past few years and am now settling back into the routine of america - im about to start graduate school and really enjoying getting to know portland. after several years of travel and adventure im love lazy sundays, hikes in the gorge, bike rides and record listening while making brunch for friends.

i play music, draw pictures, write short stories, embroider, lots of crafts, though im shy to share the finished products with the general public.

cooking, losing my keys, making strangers feel comfortable, projects with kids, trying new things, traveling on a budget, writing letters

curls, blue eyes, asking questions

FOOD: japanese, indian, italian, thai, indonesian, anything made with delicious ingredients thats fun to cook or new to try.

MUSIC:
baden powell. nina simone. pavement. neil young. yo la tengo. the rhombus. sonic youth. hall & oats. the crusaders. bob dylan. Ghost Face's Ironman album. tribe. beach house. talking heads. de la soul. roy davis jr. miles davis. dj funk. jeff buckley. PUTS. Boo Williams. green velvet. beatnuts. Postal Service. Cowboy Junkies. keelan. portishead. Neutral Milk Hotel. Beck. deerhoof. crosby stills and nash. jill scott. the pixies. erika badu. moldy peaches. whitest boy alive. earth wind and fire. electralane. pj harvey. le tigre. andrew bird. black keys. robert johnson.

TV:
its been years since ive had tv but my so called life. charlie rose.

Favorite Movies:
i like them. but i rarely get references. blade runner, millers crossing, pulp fiction, reality bites, royal tenenbaums, jesus' son, waking life, in the mood for love, science of sleep.

Books:
Salinger. Nagarjuna. Hesse. Vonnegut. Mo Williams. diplomacy by kissinger. Pop Gun War. Descartes. Eggers. Sedaris. Whitman. Murukami. Dharma Bums. Chomsky. Ginsberg. The Great Gatsby. How to Know God. Shantaram. Jonathan Kozol has stolen my heart. ayla the butterfly, mr. p, a little scary named tommy and all their adventures my brother and i made up when he was still little enough to ask for a night time story.

community, ocean, making out, laughter, questions, pens

places ive never been, direction, happiness, evolution, whistling, art, other people's pictures, taking pictures, family, short story topics, the middle portion's of letters ive yet to write, balance

somewhere in my neighborhood - eating good food or drinking good wine or playing yahtzee on a blanket or dancing or sleeping or drinking whiskey and drawing postcards with markers or playing with my godson or camping. or something else - there's a lot of variety.

is that i find this type of sharing to be totally intimidating. and also exciting.

you'd like to.