A little about me:

Balance is essential in life. With spending so much time in front of a computer and working in the lab, I need to be active and spend time outdoors. I make time most every day either to spend time walking outdoors in nature or dancing. I find these activities to be great exercise and also good for relieving stress and maintaining a healthy, balanced lifestyle.

I enjoy hiking nature trails, walking along the beach, canoeing, camping, and pretty much anything outdoors. Nature always brings a wonderful balance to my life. Whether it is the salt air and crashing waves of the ocean, the crisp air and incredible views in the mountains, or listening to a stream while canoeing, I find beauty wherever I am and whatever I am doing.

Another passion for me is dancing. It is one of the best forms of exercise I have found. Once the music starts, it no longer seems like exercise. My recent focus has been on east coast swing dancing (jitterbug), but I also enjoy Lindy Hop, Cha-Cha, and freestyle dancing. I have been dancing since I was 7 years old and it is a part of who I am. Another dance interest is jazz dancing. I periodically take dance lessons for this as well.

I love to explore the local areas of wherever I am. I am an adventurer at heart. In addition to the outdoors areas, I enjoy seeing museums, art galleries, aquariums, zoos, botanical gardens, festivals, and fairs. Learning about new areas and people is so much fun. I am always on a quest for knowledge and feel that if you stop learning then life and growth also stops. I guess I am always a researcher and explorer at heart.