| What is your most memorable childhood experience? | This is actually one of my first memories. My grandfather took me and a friend out sledding. I had one of those jackets that mothers approve of to keep their children warm in the winter: it was so big that I could barely move my arms in any direction. My grandfather would watch us go down and then tow us back up the hill so we could scream all of the way down again. On the last time, our sled took a wild turn towards a jump some older children had made; we flew over it and took a tumble. My grandfather came down and saw that we were okay, but we were crying because we were so shaken up. He towed us back to the car while my friend and I were both crying in the sled. He made me hot chocolate when we got home. |
| What immediate family member do you closely identify with and why? | My father is the person who I identify with the most. He has a dry sense of humor, is extremely intelligent, and is a role model to me. He is a realist, but manages to keep a positive spin on life. He has made a career for himself as a lawyer and is very good at what he does. I identify with him because he is successful, driven, but still prides himself on putting family first. |
| What character traits do you admire in an individual? | First and foremost is honesty. It bothers me when people lie just because they think it is what I want to hear, or what they think I should hear. I appreciate people who do not think that the truth will be the wrong thing to say just because it might not be what I want to hear. I admire people who are comfortable with themselves enough to be honest about themselves to others. I also admire people who take pride in their work. If they feel a sense of integrity about their career, passions, or even hobbies, it makes me more curious of their interests simply because of their passion for them. It gives a person depth. |
| What is the funniest thing ever to happen to you? | When I was younger, I was in a daycare that was run by my family a few blocks from my house. It just so happened that the girls from my class were the majority of the kids at the daycare. One summer, a bunch of bees created their nest right near the daycare entrance so we had to be extra careful if we saw any in the house. I was watching television and a bee managed to slip up my pant leg and it stung me. I had to quickly take my pants off in front of all of the girls because the bee was still stuck in my pant leg. It was horribly embarrassing. It may sound traumatic, but I look back on stories like that and think how funny they are in retrospect. |
| If time and money were not an issue, where would you travel and why? | I have always wanted to go to Spain and Germany. I have spent many years learning basic German and learning about the culture in general. I would love to go to Munich and some of the other larger cities there. I think it would be amazing to have a chance to speak the language with the German people and to live there for a few months. As for Spain, I have always wanted to go to the Running of the Bulls festival since reading "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway. He painted such a beautiful picture of the city and the festival in such detail that I want to go there to experience it for myself. |
| When and if you ever have children, what would you like to pass on to them? | I feel like I have some personality traits that I would like to pass on. First, my sense of humor. I have always said that life is either a comedy or a tragedy, and mine is definitely a comedy. I think you need to be able to laugh at yourself and make the most out of your life experiences, whether they are good or bad. Second, my patience and dedication. A lot of people in this world want everything now, now, now. I have always been able to see the bigger picture and know that good things come to those who wait. |
