David Kay in London

David can talk, that’s what I remember from hanging out with him in Bangkok earlier this year from February to April. He came to stay with us at the house for about 12 days before and after he went to Burma. And because he can talk, he can make friend with everyone. The weirdest and most adorable thing, I think, is his even temper and dead-pan’ish British humor. You can’t miss his (rather tall) presence, and his constant having a say at something or someone. He participated in many activities including the most memorable one for being a part of the painting crew who attacked the first floor of our place.

When I visited London briefly, I made sure to catch up with a few people, one of them was David. Luckily he was game to drive 45 minutes to the nearest Tube station to come meet with me. We caught up at the Paddington station. The rest of the day was running around a bit late to this and that. I wanted to go to this museum, which we finally managed to find, and to arrive right as they were closing. So I took a picture of him before headed off to find different places to have a beer.

David Kay at Tate Modern Contemporary Art Museum

paddington station information desk

“Hypothetically speaking….” I asked nervously as a line was already forming behind me. Fearing I’d inconvenient other people with more legitimate and immediate questions, I quickly blurted “how much does it cost to take a train to Aberystwyth? And I’m sorry, I’ll step aside if this is a stupid question.” “Don’t worry about them, just wait, and I’ll tell you!” I opted to step away anyway. No need to make an angry mob out of these, clearly frustrated and lost, travelers. “I’ll be back in a half an hour!!!” I told him. “Make sure you do!” He responded right back.

So I did get back to him about a half hour. The gentle informational man had for me a plan hand written rate comparisons on a piece of paper. He further explained how booking months in advance would get me anywhere in Wales from Peddington Station, central London, at roughly just about 15 pounds as opposed to buying a ticket the same day, which would cost nearly 10 times more.

I was super impressed and thankful, so I asked to snap a picture of him. Bad of me that I forgot his name.

Kate and Dave on the Tube on her birthday

It has been at least 10 years since I last saw Dave and met Katie when they went through Los Angeles. I took the opportunity to drop by their couch in London this year. For too many years I’d threatened to come visit them in the UK since they moved there from Thailand. I met Dave even longer than that back in Venice (Los Angeles), California. I answered his ad looking for someone to teach him some survival Thai language.

Dave that I met in Venice had a roommate, a piano, a python in the house. He worked as a freelance German language interpreter for movies or other things. He made a point to visit one country each year. Before departing, he’d learn a little bit of the language. I was so proud when he told me after he returned that he’s going back to Thailand again. Never before he repeated a country.

Before long, he met Katie in Thailand, and eventually moved to the UK where she was from. She went back to pursue her degrees. First they were in York for a really long time. I remember Dave taking up photography, telling me about the new long telephoto lens he bought to shoot people on the street for fun. All of the sudden, he took up the profession as a music and portrait photographer in York. Then there were occastional news here and there about his piano moving, and eventually their recent relocation to London.

Katie is also such a wonderfully interesting person on top of being genuine, beautiful, and kind. I wish I had the opportunity to talk with her more about her work and her study. As far as I was impressed, it was something about the women study… or was it a job teaching? I’m so horrible. For sure, the visit was too short. It was quite funny to talk gear with Dave but mostly for his criticism on my mistreatment of my photo equipment. He’s much more knowledgable now about those things. And it was quite a nice visit  running around town for a day with Dave, listening to him about London, the UK, the people, and best of all, his introduction to the best chocolate store I had ever experienced.

Tim Nichols in his Stoke Newington neighborhood bar

At the end of January, Tim came to stay with us in Bangkok. Not until I visited with him for a quick dinner and a beer last September I got to snap a picture of him.

Tim is reserved when you first met him, but he’s quite open to discuss much anything not excluding the complex level of politics. His work in child welfare in the UK is not only admirable but right. Not too many people I came across impress me in the proof of living what you preach, but he is one. Hanging with him always keep me in check of what do I really know about the social function as dealt through and with government officials. For pleasure, he has a ton of recommendations of museums, theatre, and even some musical bands. Even with entertainment, he will not let you take off your thinking hat. I’d rather appreciate people like this.

.

Max

Mike

Max and Janice

Rachel

..

Janice

Ben Walther

Jason

Aaron

GE Stinson and Nels Cline

couchsurfer Hanna Rosendahl

Out of all couchsurfers I’ve hosted, I think I miss having Hanna around the most. Nothing bad about all the boys that’s came through here but this girl is much tougher than anyone. A librarian by trade, a boxer by hobby, she carries my favorite quality – a super woman gene. That is – the nurturer of all strengths, inclusive of femininity, along were intelligence, wit, sarcasm, humor, fighting spirit.

I sent couchsurfer Ulrik to pick Hanna up from Koreantown where she was sitting bored. She was couchsurfing with some college students who had no time to hang with her. I got a series of messages from her looking for actions. I already had several couchsurfers at my place, but figured what the heck could it hurt to add one more. Besides, seeing her interest in boxing, I wanted to get to know this girl.

During the time of her stay,  I was only doing mostly fight classes (took a break from music attendance). Like a shadow, she went with me to both of my 2 camps, the Krav Maga training center, and Wildcard Boxing Club. We sparred a little in one of the boxing classes. She was a righteous partner. I got to introduce her to some of my favorite instructors and classes.

It was also interesting to join a debate with Hanna. Luckily I was on her side and occasionally high-fiving at times. One such memorable moment was a ‘discussion’ we had with fellow couchsurfer Abbéy. It was a formidable topic of men vs. women and the view of dating / relationship. That was fun. It nearly went off edge many times, a disaster near miss. The result was yielded no alteration of anyone opinions. Just more awareness of each other’s level of stubbornness… and traces of any awkward humor.

Schopenhauer: “Argument is not so much for those who want to learn as for those who want to dispute”.

It felt as if she was my little sister. There were times I had to throw my hands up and let her run the show. All I could do was to accommodate, which I did gladly. I doubt if I would ever go visit her in Gothenburg, Sweden – but I would love to run around with her again. She’s pure fire.

Hanna Rosendahl at Wildcard Boxing Club

Hanna Rosendahl with the (in)famous Freddie Roach

Hanna Rosendahl in a ground fighting class at Krav Maga Training Center

Hanna in Los Angeles

couchsurfer Adam Schutzman

I answered a post in a forum offering Adam a place to park his car as he hopped off of his around the US road trip to Hawaii for a few weeks. Needing a place to stay over night before his flight he lucked out and ended up staying with me. The house was already full of couchsurfers that weekend. Every floor space and blankets were all taken and distributed.  Luckily for him, one of the couchsurfers bailed to be somewhere else for the night. He then took up that 5th spot. Mind you this house is tiny. But Adam was very sweet, super easy to get along with, and down to have any kinds of conversations.

Not until the next morning we discovered that we had a mutual friend, Nels Cline! Nels, the guitarist most prominence from my blog here, and one of my dearest of all friends, has been doing music for a very long time. Adam knew Nels for over 10 years having gone to all Nels’s gigs in Portland, Maine since he was in high school. Luckily Nels was in town – so I made a point for us all to grab some dinner together. When I first told Nels about Adam, he thought that was incredibly wild. Adam, Nels recalled, was at all his shows back when he was still playing for an audience of a few. This – was a main indicator of what I like about Adam the most, his music taste. He had with him vinyls he collected over the trip, and a little portable record player.

We haven’t been in touch so much, but I’m sure I’ll run into him again.

Nigerian born, Detroit raised, and a current Chicago resident – Abbéy is one of a multi layered character. I hosted him for several days in February and got only glimpses of him. There are many titles to throw at him – film maker, screenplay writer, camera man, avid runner, capoeira practitioner. He has experiences and stories you can’t help but admire. One of his stories he told on my friend’s radio show where he spoke about how he signed on to couchsurfing website was quite interesting. It had something to do with his determination to get into Sundance film festival in Utah. I loved listening to his dreams and ideas, but more of his work he has in progress.

I got a chance to talk with him extensively only just a few times. He came to stay when many of couchsurfers were here. He got along with everyone especially with John. They both specialize at different sides of the entertainment industry. Conversations flew over my head a bit listening to them talk about funding and distributing functions of various entertainment media/formats…. or something about green light process.

Abbéy has some pretty strong views. Friendships that can come after airing out our views on politics, social, religions, personal philosophy and relationship are ones that I cherish. Our group discussions often turned intense, but not without much laughter. He definitely knew how to quit when debating with women. I enjoyed exploring the parameters of his opinions. I learned a lot from him, of ambition and conviction. It will be fun to get him into a debate again. I hope to get to see his scene in Chicago first before he gets back here in Los Angeles.

Abbéy Odunlami on Mike Watt's radio show

couchsurfers Abbéy Odunlami and Hanna Rosendahl at the Griffith Park Observatory

not the usual couchsurfer John Day

I met John the same day I met Marco and Ulrik. Yes, it was an interesting – meeting strangers – day. The difference was John didn’t leave for a long time. I took a risk on hosting someone without any references, on the last minute. He came to Los Angeles to investigate the next step of his career. He ended up becoming my roommate for a couple of months before he headed back out to New York. Beyond that, he is now one of my dear friends. 

On the first few days, I found it a little difficult to relate to him. Straight from financial and banking industry in New York, with attractive friends, he’s not someone I thought I’d have much in common with at the first glance. Southern boy born in Alabama, he went to school in Florida, Georgia, then did an MBA in New York. Over some days of many conversations, usually involving goals, strategies, dreams, and …. practical approach to life, I soon got used to having him around. We had a similar streak of suspicion over ‘some’ social units.  We have similar cynicism in some human behaviors, and we bonded over personal drama, and our amazing advices to each other’s problem/oversights. Oh, and we gave each other a lot of shit for the fall out in each of our exercising routines. We both were definitely weren’t happy of getting ‘smallish’. 

His die-hard devotion to Florida State basketball team was something I can ignore but not over look. Because of him I ended up watching some games at a bar where I should have been paying attention to my company. Also his snobbish interior design and fashion sense only made matters worse in my self consciousness. Yet, overall, John, as an individual, taught me a lot about all kinds of different worlds he embodies.  

I look forward to have him around again when he heads back to Los Angeles.

John Day

John Day - Los Angeles, CA