| What is your most memorable childhood experience? | I remember getting my first computer. I spent a lot of time with it, learning how it works, learning how to code and write programs. It was the first time I had an interest in technology, and was the reason why I became an engineer. Learning to program made technology "accessible." A radio was no longer just a radio; it was a combination of several things that work together. This kind of view led me on a path which would ultimately result in me working for a company that designs and builds unmanned aircraft. |
| What immediate family member do you closely identify with and why? | I identify most closely with my dad. His lifestyle choices impacted me greatly. He would often go contrary to popular opinion, explaining why he would do certain things, especially in regard to finances. Over the years, his decisions have rubbed off on me, and I find myself making the same decisions regarding to my own life and well-being. I have learned from him that it is important to understand the entire picture, not just what is on the surface, and more times than not, a popular opinion is the wrong choice. |
| What character traits do you admire in an individual? | I admire someone who is intelligent and knowledgeable enough about various issues with a general understanding of "how the world works." My biggest pet peeve with people is when their opinions are dictated by what they read on the internet or what they see on TV. I would much rather hold a conversation with someone who has learned enough about a topic to form a contrasting opinion. From my experience, those people are way more interesting to talk to, because I oftentimes learn new things from them that I did not know before. |
| What is the funniest thing ever to happen to you? | I think it's funny that all of my ex-girlfriends have become best friends with each other. I really can't say more why that is so funny to me, it just is. |
| If time and money were not an issue, where would you travel and why? | If time and money were not an issue, I would buy myself a ticket on Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo, and go to outer space. Being able to see the whole earth at once really puts things into perspective. We all get tied up in our life, worrying about the next day, stressing out about a job or relationship, etc. Seeing the vastness of outer space and a single planet, far away from everything else, just makes you think how insignificant our problems are in the grand scheme of things, and realize that we should focus on being as happy as we can possibly be. |
| When and if you ever have children, what would you like to pass on to them? | The biggest advantage you can have in life is knowing how to talk to people. You can be the smartest person in the world, and nobody will care if you are rude to everyone you meet. Strive to be liked, be friendly to everyone you meet, even if you can't stand them. The key to success is having good relationships with people, which makes them more willing to go out of their way to do something for you. |
