Hello.

Me, my place, and Couchsurfing.

I have been living in Brooklyn since 2007 and accepting couchsurfers for nearly as long. I've had hundreds of guests and my attitude is, the more the merrier. I've recently moved to Cobble Hill and it's even better than Park Slope, for me and for surfers. Be aware that I sometimes lose track of all the promises I've made and end up overbooking the place. Therefore, be prepared for some crowding. Also be prepared for the possibility of having a great time with other couchsurfers.

So you want to stay here

Don't use the CS messaging system. If you know when you want to stay, include the dates in the subject line of your email. This will help me keep track of everybody. Include a link to your HC or CS profile. If you make things difficult for me I am very likely to lose track of you in the shuffle. Other than that, pretty much anything goes. If you want to stay a week (or a month, as has happened!), just say so. If you want to stay overnight and bail in the morning, say so. I'll probably be fine with it. If you already know when and how you will arrive in New York, let me know in that first message so I can figure out where I'll be at that time and advise you accordingly.

You may write me well in advance of your trip if you like, but I'll usually reply like this:

Hey, you! I see no problem hosting you then, but I don't make promises this far in advance. Write me again as your trip approaches and we'll work it out. In the meantime, why don't you IM me on XMPP/AIM/MSN/Skype/Yahoo and we'll talk about your trip?

You may also write me at the last minute; I've bailed out more than a few couchsurfers whose other plans fell through. If I can do it, I'll do it.

What else. References: I'm not likely to reference you unless you reference me first. This is not because I don't like you; it's because I can't keep track of all these people coming and going. I also have to like you, but luckily that has rarely been a problem. If you were glad to have stayed here, I appreciate you leaving a positive reference, and I will likely reciprocate.

So I told you you could stay here

I live in Cobble Hill, within walking distance of just about every subway line in the city at the Jay Street and Borough Hall stops. If I agree to host you, I'll usually direct you to the firehouse (if I'm going to be working when you arrive) or else I'll give you my address.

• Don't break the couch. If you have difficulty restoring it to the upright position in the morning, give up. I'll take care of it.
• There are already many people sharing that bathroom. Keep it quick in there.
• You may write on the mirror in dry erase marker. You are encouraged to write in that red spiral-bound book, and read what other couchsurfers have had to say.
• I am a fireman here in New York. I work in Ladder Co. 11, quartered at 222 East 2nd Street in Manhattan, between Avenues B and C.
• The computer with the big screen is for everyone. Do whatever you want with it. There are a bunch of movies and television shows, a few thousand hours of music, and whatever else for those rest or rainy days travellers occasionaly need. I also encourage you to upload your pictures or some distinctive music you have or anything like that.
• Yes, I do have wi-fi. The network is called "Hell City," for reasons that may become obvious during your stay. At the moment the key is Couchsurfers@Cobblehill1.
• No smoking cigarettes inside unless I'm doing it too. That includes when I'm not there.
• When done showering, pull the curtain closed so it can dry.
• I often neglect to warn my roommates that you are coming. Please introduce yourselves and consider them your hosts as well.
• You may store things in the refrigerator, use my cooking utensils, and et cetera. Hopefully it goes without saying: use them with care, and clean them.

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