| What is your most memorable childhood experience? | When I was very little my mom took me to an aquarium. I think I was about 3, but I very clearly remember being excited about everything I saw. I remember petting sand sharks in a touch tank, seeing a 3-legged rescued turtle in a huge aquarium tunnel, and jellyfish swimming around lit up by a black light. This experience definitely inspired my life long casual interest in marine biology. |
| What immediate family member do you closely identify with and why? | I most closely identify with my dad. I still haven't met a wiser person and as time goes on, I think his influence over my life is greater and greater even though he's already passed on. He taught me more than anyone about how to balance the different parts of life and to be open to new experiences and perspectives. |
| What character traits do you admire in an individual? | I most admire an individual's courteousness and creativity. When someone carries themselves in a way where they are present and empathetic to the people around them, I like that person a lot. An example of someone like that might be the person we all know who comes to an event and always offers to help clean up. Creativity is important to me because I like to see how people express themselves as individuals. When someone does something that’s beautiful and original it makes me really happy. It's a gift to everyone around them when they can bring something into the world no one else can. |
| What is the funniest thing ever to happen to you? | The funniest thing that ever happened to me started with an awful day at work. I was having a very frustrating day, but I was looking forward to eating the pizza I'd brought for lunch. I noticed that morning that some animal had defecated outside my driver’s side door. I was careful to avoid it earlier, but I wasn't thinking carefully about where I was going once it was lunch time. So, I was walking to my car, pizza on a paper plate in my hand. As I walked up to my car I saw the droppings and made a 3 degree evasive maneuver to avoid them. Unfortunately, the change in momentum and the flimsiness of the plate (which no one could have predicted) caused my lunch to fall directly downward onto the animal crap. I was still in mid stride though. So as the pizza landed my foot stepped on it. Further smashing it into the stuff I won't mention. Something about how terrible it was on top of an already terrible day made me crack and bust out laughing like a crazy person. I guess two negatives make a positive sometimes. |
| If time and money were not an issue, where would you travel and why? | I'd like to travel to where my ancestors came from. I'd visit Ireland and England mostly, but all of Europe would be nice to see too. Japan is another place I'd like to go. Climbing Mount Fuji is a bucket list experience for me. |
| When and if you ever have children, what would you like to pass on to them? | Physically I'd like to pass on my eyes. When it comes to nurture, I'd like to pass onto them good manners, broad interests, and the wisdom and discipline to organize a good life for themselves. Lastly, depending on how many there are I'd like to give them a meaningful item from their grandparents or great-grandparents. |
