Watching Football:
There's nothing more relaxing and entertaining then sitting down on my sofa on a Saturday afternoon, turning to NBC's channel 4, and listening to Arlo White's silky-smooth British voice giving me the play-by-play to an exciting game of football. A lifelong Liverpool FC fan, my dream is to one day see a game at Anfield Stadium against our hated rivals Manchester United. My favorite players include our captain Jordan Henderson, up-and-coming youth player Yan Dhanda, and Dirk Kuyt, who is currently retired from football. I activiely follow up to 10 different leagues, including the English Premier League, Ligue 1, the Bundesliga, La Liga, Primeira Liga, Serie A, Dutch Eredivisie, EFL Championship, Russian Premier League, and Süper Lig.
FUN FACT: Did you know James Bond actor Daniel Craig and NBA Superstar Lebron James are both Liverpool fans! We're in good company.
Another exciting thing I do is scout up-and-coming talent from across the world, predicting future star players based on transfer market metrics like player evaluations, goal/assist stats, and video film. And yes, for the record, I refuse to call it "soccer"!
Volunteering:
Its odd to think that one of the most relaxing things I do is, well...work. As a 6-year volunteer at the Environmental Education Center (EEC) at Lord Stirling Park in Basking Ridge, my go-to role is helping naturalists deal with the eternal scourge of invasive species. From wisteria and Japanese honeysuckle to multiflora rose and phragmites, the work is difficult and dirty, but incredibly rewarding. In New Jersey alone there are approximately 136 identified invasive species, and 72 of those are plants. As a volunteer I also help assist with community style events that help increase awareness about the Great Swamps and the need to be environmentally responsible. One of my favorite volunteer projects has been helping to maintain an experimental plot of hybrid chestnut seedlings for The American Chestnut Foundation located on site.
Hiking:
When time permits I enjoy taking long hikes in the forest. Not only is it tranquil and calming, but you never know what animal or plant you'll stumble onto. On previous hiking trips I have run into turtles, red foxes, ground hogs, snakes, and pitcher plants. My favorite hiking spots include: Leonard J. Buck Garden in Far Hills, the Scherman Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary in Bernardsville, and Natirar in Peapack Gladstone. Outside of New Jersey, I have hiked at Yosemite National Park, Sequoia National Park, Redwood National Park, and Smoky Mountain National Park.