My Interests & Hobbies
Outdoors & Sports
I enjoy skiing, hiking, SCUBA diving, camping, and mountain biking. Outdoor stuff is the best because it's very social and there is always something new to experience.
I used to practice Olympic weightlifting midway through college after switching from rowing. I was part of a competitive rowing program in high school and a little in college, but I needed something new. Now I just run to stay in shape mainly from COVID-19 shutting down the gyms. Running is great because you can do it anywhere.
Reading
Below are some of the recent favorite books with links to my reading lists. I also enjoy reading research papers and articles, but its not like you can create a "favorites" list for those like books.
Painting
One of my Minors at NU was in Art Theory. These are some of my paintings/drawings ->
A problem I encounter when painting is that I treat it like a sport and then overwork myself until I don't want to do it anymore. As soon as it turns skill-oriented/technical the joy of it goes away and activity turns into a chore rather than a hobby. The reason I love contemporary art so much is that it challenges the idea that art can only be done with skill, and argues that art is more about discovery than anything else. The point of contemporary art is to respond to the "even I can do that" comments with: "well then ... you should." Everyone deserves the joy of making art not just the Leonardo da Vinci's of the world.
Music
I enjoy going to music festivals as well. Here is a very rough representation of my taste in hip-hop/rap & alternative:
Video Games
I also game on PC when I can. Gaming is probably my guiltiest pleasure because it consumes my entire weekend if I'm not careful. Here are some of my favorites:
-a noble nature, a capable head, a joyful temperament, bright spirits, a well constituted, perfectly sound physique, in a word, mens sana in corpore sano, are the first and most important elements of happiness; so we should be more intent on promoting and preserving such qualities than on the possession of external wealth and external honor.
The man whom nature and fate have granted the blessing of wisdom will be most anxious and careful to keep open the fountains of happiness, which he has in himself; and for this, independence and leisure are necessary. To obtain them, he will moderate his desires and harbor his resources, all the more because he is not restricted to the external world for his pleasures.
-Schopenhauer