Hobbies

I was taught how to turn my first pen in the second grade by my cousin, and in high school, I was able to save up and afford my own workbench.

Using only a drill press, a lathe, and some carving gouges, I have created pens, pencils, flashlights, razor handles, trombone triggers, and transmission shift knobs among other things.

The woodturning process has had a very positive impact on my life. Making art from a block of wood requires a vision, and the ability to visualize a blank when it is on the lathe takes practice, and more importantly, confidence. Not only was it a fun skill to learn, but a project can take anywhere from 1 hour to 1 day and sometimes even longer. This has disciplined me immensely and honed my time management skills as well as realistically assessing my own skills to decide what will be the most fun and rewarding to make.

Although relatively new to the sport, I could write books about how taking up fishing has positively impacted my life. I have always had an appreciation for the outdoors, especially water, and it took me a long time to find ways to combine those interests. Being in, on, or even near water always puts me in a more positive frame of mind. In my time rowing in high school, it was a meditative, a time for me to reflect in a way I only would near water.

Getting serious into fishing during the pandemic has made me a better person. Whether its a quick hike through the woods to get a couple casts in to waste time, or taking my kayak out on the local lake from sunrise until sunset, I was able to find alone time in a period of time uniquely lacking that, and use that time to meditate, reflect, challenge myself, and of course the rush and reward of catching a fish.

If there is one word I could use to describe myself, it would be "outside". No matter what time of year it is in the 4 unique seasons of New England, I am always trying to find ways to spend time outside and explore what is available to me. This is especially true in the winter, more specifically, snowboarding and skiing.

After a year of rentals at the tender age of 6 I was given my first pair of skis for Christmas, and the rest is history. That pair of skis was my most prized possession. I felt that I was always challenging myself to get better on the mountain and I would credit my confidence and ability partially to the tools I used. This pride still hasn't changed over 15 years later. At 11 years old I wanted a new challenge, something that was out of my comfort zone. Much to my parent's regret, I decided to drop the pair of skis for a single plank and since then I have snowboarded. Although the sport has changed, the mindset stays the same. I am never satisfied with my skillset, and I am always finding ways to improve.