| What is your most memorable childhood experience? | My experience traveling with the Boys Chorus had an immense positive impact on who I am today. I spent 6 years training to be a professional chorister, got to travel to numerous countries in Europe and Asia for world choral festivals, and learned what it meant to work hard and become a polished performer. I found my true passion for music and will carry that with me throughout my life. |
| What immediate family member do you closely identify with and why? | I am a total momma's boy. She and I have been close for as long as I can remember. We share inclination for music, compassion, creativity, humor, and most of all the desire to enjoy every aspect of life. She and I try to find time to see each other at least twice a year, and it is difficult with us living across the country from each other. However, we make the most of any experience we share. |
| What character traits do you admire in an individual? | I first and foremost admire compassion. Someone who is compassionate understands the nature of human experience and that a noble goal is to maximize the happiness and wellbeing of each human and all future humanity. Compassion drives one to think critically about global issues impacting others, helps prevent falling into xenophobic or prejudiced viewpoints, and drives action to help others. There are others I admire, but this one is in a tier of its own. |
| What is the funniest thing ever to happen to you? | When I was 13 years old and playing flag football for a Thanksgiving Day turkey bowl, I decided it would be a good idea to throw a hamburger from the bench to distract the other team. Well, the hamburger ended up hitting my own teammate while he was in the process of catching the ball. The ball was underthrown anyway and hit the ground. The player picked up the burger and said "Thanks! didn't know we could afford burger-boys". The whole team laughed. Upon leaving, I wondered why we had burgers at a Thanksgiving celebration, but I never quite figured that out. |
| If time and money were not an issue, where would you travel and why? | I would travel to Norway in the summer, park myself on top of a fjord in the north and admire the peace and quiet. When it got colder, I would take a train across Europe to the Mediterranean and play and coach beach volleyball. I would homebase out of a houseboat so I could hop between Islands and the mainland at my leisure. |
| When and if you ever have children, what would you like to pass on to them? | I would like to pass on the trait of compassion I discussed earlier, a passion for music and the emotion it brings to one’s life, and the importance of aligning physical fitness with enjoyment. It is so much easier to stay active when the sport or event you're doing is enjoyable in and of itself, such that exercise feels second nature. Additionally, appreciating art is vital to understanding human creativity and condition. Finally, showing them compassion will help them keep sight of happiness. |
