Hobbies

Volunteering

I volunteer at a dog rescue in the neighborhood called One Tail at a Time. It is an amazing organization that saves hundreds of dogs every year from being euthanized.

In return for feeding them, giving them medication and cleaning their cages I get to spend the rest of my shift playing with dogs in the yard. I keep waiting for someone there to realize how badly I am taking advantage of them. I love my time there and my next shift can never come soon enough.

Camping

I spent a lot more of my childhood than my adulthood outdoors. This is probably a pretty common scenario, but I have had a growing desire to get back out there. In 2016 I bought a pickup truck, a tent and started hitting the road. I have camped in a wide range of campgrounds in a number of states, getting my feet wet both literally and figuratively. In 2017 I intend to get a roof top tent, some offroad tires and head west to explore the national parks and public land.

Crossfit

At 38, shortly after getting married, I realized my body wasn’t just maintaining itself the way I had come to expect. I didn’t want to be the 60 year old that looked 90, hunched over and sick. Concerned I would once again just join a gym and quit, as I had countless times before, I decided a group workout was more likely to keep me coming back. I joined Division St. Crossfit in Wicker Park.

Despite doing something amazing for myself, I have been surprised at the number of times someone accused me of joining a cult. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is like any other rec league style sport… a random assortment of people who grow to know each other and bond by sharing a challenging experience on a daily basis. I am in the best shape of my life and have made a great group of friends. I can’t imagine not going as often as possible, and I am certainly looking forward to a 300lb squat and a 400lb deadlift. Someday, someday…