wvfiddler

I am a poet, writer, teacher, photographer and musician living in the mountains of East-Central West Virginia. I am a music nut with over 3000 cds, and I also have many many books (art, poetry, literature, travel).

Somehow I managed to marry my best friend, and we've been together for over 17 years now.

I love to travel, take pictures, play music, learn new languages, ride my mountain bike and meet people, though not all at once.

I love coffee and Belgian beer, am a home brewer (of both beer and, of course, coffee) and love folk music from all over the world, especially if it includes the fiddle, hurdy-gurdy, or accordion.

I am interested in swapping all kinds of music, photography (particularly portraits) and photographic stuff, anything having to do with Europe in general and Belgium, France and Germany in particular.

I play old-time music on the fiddle, banjo and guitar, but I also love folk music from around the world, vintage blues, country and jazz, and many indie-pop bands.

Tom Waits is my all-time favorite, but I am also fond of Yo La Tengo, Richard Thompson, The Clash, Amalia Rodregues, Cabo San Roque, Gogol Bordello, the Elephant 6 Collective bands, The Shins, Johnny Cash, Stereolab, Flemish Traditional Music, gypsy music, Django and many, many more. I don't usually care for what is currently being played on commercial radio, but am open to being surprised.

I love poetry. My current favorite poets are Seamus Heaney, Eamon Grennan, James Wright, Hans Magnus Ensensberger, Dan Albergotti, Eavan Boland, and Mary Oliver. I'm pretty proud of my own book of poems, which came out last year from Red Hen Press.

My favorite recent reads in novels include:

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon

Amsterdam by Ian McEwan

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Millers Crossing, The Big Lebowski, No Country for Old Men, The Girl on the Bridge, Wings of Desire, The Royal Tennenbaums, Big Fish, Rounders, A Heart in Winter, Amelie, Antonia's Line, and many, many, MANY more

The Simpsons, 30 Rock, The West Wing, Sports Night, Arrested Development, The Office (British), Scrubs, 'Allo 'Allo, Not Going Out, MI-5, Passport to Europe w/Samantha Brown

Photography

Linocuts and Wood Engraving

Compiling Travel Journals

Knitting (I'm terrible, but learning)

Collage and papercraft

musical instrument repair and musical instrument building (mostly from junk)

pens

blank notebooks

music (traditional, international, indie-rock, old jazz and blues)

photographs & photographic stuff

books (poetry, art, literature, etc.)

local snack foods (unopened, of course)

postcards

One-on-One trades OK; all interesting swaps considered thoughtfully...