This page is for some of the Non-Engineering / Non-STEM activities that don’t get shown on job applications or resumes
Personal About Me
I am the youngest of 3 children and was born and raised in Cumming, GA although I currently live in Marietta, GA. My favorite band is the Beach Boys, my favorite animal is the Campbell’s dwarf hamster, and my favorite food is anything with shrimp or Italian sandwiches. I played soccer for 7 years and have been involved with music performance for 8 years. I’m a massive college football fan (ROLL TIDE). My two favorite football memories are being at the Florida State vs. Notre Dame season opener in 2021 and being at the 2018 Alabama vs. Georgia SEC championship.
Animals and Outdoors
I’ve always loved being around animals and the outdoors whenever I can. Whether it’s taking care of turtles, guinea pigs, dogs, goats, cats, chickens and ducks of a friend, etc. I usually get along with anything with fur and four legs (unless it’s a bear).
On any given Saturday between March and October, you can probably find me in the yard working on chores / projects. Between cutting the grass, wind blowing, weed eating, spreading pine straw, sod, mulch, digging ditches, trenches, drainage systems, building fences, gates, lean-tos, and spreading even more pine straw I spend a lot of time outdoors listening to my podcasts and music.
Here’s me absolutely loving life putting out sod in 105 degree weather, as well as a capybara I met named Princess and my rat terrier named Lucy!
Reading
I like to consider myself an avid reader for at least the small amount of free time I have these days. I will always have one or two books on my desk or backpack that I can always pull out and read. Being a consistent reader is a common trait among successful and wise individuals and is unfortunately a habit many of my peers are losing.
Currently, I am rereading How to Solve It by Hungarian-American mathematician George Polya. This is a wonderful book for anyone, but it’s specifically aimed at STEM students and teachers. It thoroughly details every part of the problem-solving process and gives numerous examples and problems to work yourself. This is a must-read for any engineering student with incredible wisdom and reread value.
I am also currently reading NASA Saturn V Owners’ Workshop Manual by David Woods. This was actually a Christmas gift from my sister, but I have been enjoying the first readthrough so far. This book goes into quite a lot of detail for the entire Saturn vehicle from the F-1 engines to the launch escape system with tons of pictures and explanations. It’s probably the best collection of information on the Saturn V that still remains accessible to the average person I’ve seen. Overall, I’d recommend this as a great read or a great gift for anyone interested in space that will keep you interested without needing a degree in engineering.
My favorite author is Aldous Huxley, a British writer and philosopher who lived from 1894 - 1963 and best known for his book Brave New World. Two of my favorite books related to him are Collected Short Stories and This Timeless Moment written by his wife Laura Huxley. Both pieces were published posthumously, but reveal a good deal of his writing skills and Huxley as a person. A memorable moment from Collected Short Stories is a piece called “Young Archimedes” about a fiercely intelligent young boy driven to suicide by the pressure of those around him. A standout moment from This Timeless Moment is when Laura describes a conversation she has with Aldous about the painting The Polish Rider in the final days of Aldous’s life which reveals his mindset and reflection on his own death. A little-known fun fact about Huxley is that he died the same day as John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Coincidentally, The Beach Boys decided to write a ballad that same day titled “The Warmth of the Sun” as a tribute to JFK. The Beach Boys and Huxley both lived in Los Angeles at the time, so there is a moment where The Beach Boys are writing one of their best ballads as a tribute to JFK as Aldous Huxley takes his last breath just a couple miles away. It may be coincidence, but I find it very interesting that all these events were interconnected on the same day.
Here’s me with a goat I named Reginald
I got to meet THE Luke Talley who designed the Saturn V instrument ring and talk with him for an hour (very humble dude)
At DCA finals, we accidently broke a camera’s microphone from how loud we played
I’ve been to the Artic Circle, although it was 80 degrees when I visited
I got a 96 on my driver’s test the first try. The only penalty was that I didn't pull in quite enough on a parallel park the instructor said I executed perfectly
I was voted as the most patient student for the North Forsyth marching band my junior year
At an internship in high school, I created picture frames and mats. Some of my work was featured in the local newspaper
I have been known to bake a non-zero amount of times
I do, in fact, own an air fryer
I occasionally go thrifting for art pieces, here’s my favorite which could potentially be worth $400 - 600 (I bought it for $15)
Music: Marching Band, Jazz Band, and Drum Corps
Music has played a massive role in my life. Both my siblings pursued music in middle / high school and I kept up that pattern, together we have 21 years of formal musical experience between us. My involvement in music has been the reason for many lifelong relationships and some great experiences.
In middle school, I was in symphonic and concert band for 3 years while attending district honor band, auditioning for all-state honor band, and attending multiple other honor bands two years in a row.
In high school, I was in the highest level wind ensemble for all 4 years as well as being involved in marching band, jazz band 1 & 2, and trombone choir. I attended district honor band twice as well as Reinhardt, Young Harris, Lee, and Jan Fest honor bands for multiple years. I was trombone section leader my sophomore year and baritone section leader my senior year. In jazz band I played multiple live gigs including performances at restaurants, community centers, and school events.
After high school, I auditioned and was accepted into Atlanta CV drum and bugle corps. Over the summer I rehearsed our show with 120 other members which culminated in the corp placing 4th at the DCA World Championship in Rochester, NY and winning the best director award. In that summer, I was able to meet incredible people, amazing teachers, and some of the best brass performers in the Southeast. Our finals performance can be found here. I’ve given up on trying to explain drum corps to people, but if you want to know more I recommend this, this, and this.
