| What is your most memorable childhood experience? | I guess I would say going to summer camp was especially memorable for me. I went with the Boy Scouts several years, but my most enjoyable summer was when I spent three weeks at a university for a summer studies program. I got to meet many amazing people that I still keep in touch with, and the class I took really led me to love math. |
| What immediate family member do you closely identify with and why? | I identify strongly with my dad. Like me, he is always immersed in DIY projects, and he has always been very practical. He's easygoing, calculating his moves carefully, and all the while not afraid to let loose. |
| What character traits do you admire in an individual? | Diligence. No matter a person's skill level, I will always admire their diligence over their talent. There is always someone in the world who is smarter or more skilled than you, but you can combat this by being more motivated and working harder than them. |
| What is the funniest thing ever to happen to you? | As a lifeguard, I once had two managers, one of whom spent a lot of time trying to avoid doing work. One time, after a school bus full of kids had just shown up, the more serious one, K., asked the other, J., to go out on rotation. But he just went back into the supply room claiming he'd forgotten something. After a while, the pool was getting hectic and K. decides to shout at him from the front desk to get out there. When J. enters, he's carrying a six foot tall stack of kickboards, saying "But what do I do with all these kickboards?!" And he proceeds to throw the stack straight up, spilling the dozens of boards all over the guard room. It was a really funny dynamic between those two. |
| If time and money were not an issue, where would you travel and why? | The one place that's been on my wish list for years is Japan. I love their technologically-advanced dense cities, as well as their picturesque landscapes and gardens. Of course, if money were truly no issue, I would choose Mars. Can you imagine how fun it would be to bike there? |
| When and if you ever have children, what would you like to pass on to them? | I would try my best to instill in them a love of learning new things. I would definitely encourage my kids to read, especially nonfiction, and to learn by doing, as well. I love adding skills to my tool belt. And remember, if anyone can do it, you can do it. |
