About Me
I like to think in analogies.
Connecting disparate ideas to understand a concept better, or drawing on parallels to explain a concept to someone - this carries a lot of power.
The interests and activities here aren’t directly connected to my work as a user experience professional, but they’ve influenced how I approach it.
Photography
I moved to Switzerland in 2010. I quickly concluded that it’d be tragic to live in such a beautiful place and not take more photos. I took up photography as a hobby, went deep down the DSLR gear rabbit hole, and took many great photos on my outdoor adventures.
When we had our first child in 2014, I realized that I’d never be able to carry all that stuff and a baby. I traded it all in for a Leica MP-240 with a portrait lens and haven’t regretted it.
Manual focus means it’s more work to take a picture, but I like how it makes me stop and shoot with intent. Frame the shot. Wait for the right moment.
I’m the designated family photographer and am occasionally co-opted for events and weddings.
Sketch and Improv Comedy
I’ve long been a fan of sketch and improv comedy.
I’ve been taking online improv classes through the Upright Citizens Brigade theater for about a year. I’ve loved learning about the mechanics behind what makes a scene good. There is a lot that can be gleaned from improv about team dynamics, trusting your gut and finding patterns.
I also took a sketch writing class. In contrast to the performance nature of improv, I enjoyed the process of taking a premise and iteratively refining it to its essential - most funny - state. It’s hard to get rid of the chaff but also rewarding.
Cooking
I love to cook.
I’m definitely a maximalist - the more steps, and the more ingredients the better. Nothing beats the feeling of waking up and remembering you’re marinating something from the night before.
I’m good at making pizza; I even developed a pizza course which I taught a few times while at Google. I’m consistently amazed at how, even though I’ve made 200+ pies, I always find new ways to make mistakes, and new workarounds.
Dad-ing
One of the most formative personal experiences has been being a parent to my two kids, Robin and April.
They’ve been an endless source of fun and frustration, a trigger for self-examination, and creative inspiration. It’s amazing what we can do when we’re without inhibition and don’t let ourselves get in our own way!