Outside work
I like outdoor activities that reward preparation without becoming rigid. The best days outside come from reading the situation, moving well, communicating clearly, and leaving enough room for the day to stay relaxed instead of over-planned.
Coco is my dog and joins us for many of these outdoor adventures.
How I spend time outside
I like outdoor activities that keep me moving while still requiring focus, trust, and good judgment. Climbing, hiking, skiing, biking, and time on the water all give me a different way to stay active, think clearly, and share long days with people I trust.
Climbing has a place in my heart because of the bond I have within the community. I enjoy the sport because it requires a balance of physical strength, flexibility, and a calm mind under fear.
Backpacking is about making the trip feel simple once you are out there. I like the quiet miles, shared planning, gear choices, and small decisions that make a long day or multi-day route work.
Ice climbing feels alive in a way that keeps me focused. I like the technical movement, the uncertain nature of the ice, and the need to stay calm and aware as conditions change.
Biking has become a steady way to spend time outside. I like the simple rhythm of longer rides, getting into a pace, and making it something people can join without overcomplicating it.
I like the rhythm of mountain days: picking runs, checking in with the group, moving at different speeds, and meeting back up without making the day feel over-planned.
Kayak and fishing are slower and more relaxed. In a tandem kayak, it becomes about patience, coordination, and balancing Coco up front without getting soaked.
Hands-on work after hours
I like projects where I can build, organize, automate, and keep improving things over time. These include fabrication, local infrastructure, sensing experiments, and practical tools.
I use CAD and 3D printing to make practical parts for electronic housings, repairs for home appliances and outdoor gear, mounts for bikes, cables, and outdoor antennas.
I explore small wearable systems, including cameras, audio recorders, pulse oximetry, and mmWave sensing for breathing and heart-rate detection.
Home brewing requires careful documentation and control of timing, ingredients, and temperature because small adjustments can significantly shift the final product.
I like making physical things by hand, testing textile materials, and turning small design ideas into gifts that are useful and purely customized for someone.
I build and maintain local VM/CT infrastructure for data storage, backups, vector embedding, local LLM workflows, and network security. This gives us greater control and security with our personal data.
I build small tools and plugins to streamline repetitive workflows by scraping browser data, processing text, and accessing email through APIs.
Keeping useful equipment in service
I repair electronics and home systems when replacement is unnecessary. These fixes reduce waste, extend equipment life, and avoid the cost of replacing otherwise useful products.
I repaired five Apple laptops, two Windows computers, three PS5 controllers, two Xbox controllers, a power supply, a Bluetooth speaker, a TV display connection, and an iPhone battery. Repairs included water damage, battery and screen replacement, stick drift, broken buttons, and resoldering a display ribbon and damaged traces using schematics, voltage testing, a multimeter, and thermal imaging.
I replaced the motors in our washer and dryer, fixed a failed AC controller and dishwasher latch, repaired leaks behind the shower, reran Ethernet and power behind apartment walls, and installed an EV charger and its electrical lines. The savings estimate compares these repairs and installations with buying replacement appliances or hiring appliance, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and networking professionals.