Hobbies & Interests
Outside of my professional and academic work, I enjoy hobbies that allow me to be creative, solve problems, and learn new skills. Whether I am working on a car, experimenting with a new recipe, or getting far too invested in a strategy game, my hobbies give me an opportunity to step away from cybersecurity while still challenging myself in different ways. The interests below represent some of the activities I enjoy most in my free time.
Automotive Enthusiasm & Design
One of my biggest hobbies is cars, particularly automotive customization and design. I enjoy finding ways to make a vehicle feel unique through modifications, styling choices, and experimenting with different design ideas. My Mazda Miata has become an ongoing project where I can explore everything from visual changes and color combinations to ideas for custom graphics and vinyl wraps. What I enjoy most about working with cars is that there is always something that can be changed, improved, or made more personal. It gives me a creative outlet that is completely different from my professional work while still involving the same kind of research, planning, and problem solving that I naturally enjoy.
Cooking & Culinary Experimentation
Cooking is another hobby that gives me an opportunity to experiment and create something from scratch. I enjoy trying new recipes, learning techniques from different cuisines, and changing ingredients until I find a combination that works. I especially enjoy projects that involve a little more experimentation than following a recipe exactly, such as developing homemade sauces, working with fermented ingredients, or taking a familiar dish and making my own version of it. There is something satisfying about starting with a collection of individual ingredients and figuring out how they can work together as a finished dish. It also means that not every experiment is going to be successful, but figuring out what went wrong is part of what makes cooking enjoyable to me.
Gaming & Tabletop Strategy
Gaming has been one of my long-term hobbies because I enjoy games that provide freedom to experiment, build strategies, and solve problems in different ways. My interests range from strategy and role-playing video games to tabletop games such as Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons. I particularly enjoy games where there is not necessarily one correct way to accomplish an objective and where planning, creativity, and adapting to unexpected situations are part of the experience. Tabletop gaming adds another element through storytelling and interaction with other players, while strategy games give me an opportunity to experiment with systems and see how different decisions affect the outcome. Most importantly, gaming is something I enjoy because it can be competitive, creative, social, or simply a way to relax depending on what I feel like playing.
