Non-work Stuff
Work is just one part of our lives. This page is to give you a sense for the things I have done outside of my jobs.
If you haven’t sensed it by now, I love the University of Michigan and a lot my hobbies revolve around them. Just please don’t mention Michigan’s football record against Ohio State in the last decade in any written correspondence.
I didn’t discover kindness or hugging in college. But I did learn about a dope club that was strictly focused on those things. It was awesome.
During my time at the University of Michigan, I joined a student group called “Do Random Acts of Kindness” or DORAK for short. The group was made up of teams that met once a week to literally just do random acts of kindness on campus. The team I led was specifically oriented around the “free hugs” concept, but added some interactive diversity, including free high fives, fist bumps, jokes, and fun facts. In addition to leading a team, I joined the organization’s executive board to be publicity chair, running our fundraising and marketing efforts.
Though it wasn’t an academic group or even all that formal, we did strive to generate positivity in our community while also organizing an annual fundraiser for rotating charities. It’s hard to explain how much I enjoyed my time in the group given how abstract it sounds in writing, but it was truly one of my favorite memories.
I’m by no means a full-time, professional photographer. But I have been lucky enough to work on some really cool projects with some very talented people, all while improving on my photography skills.
I had to do a lot of ad-hoc food and drink photography when I first got into the social media marketing world. As a result, I have maintained an informal interest in photography (that, as my Instagram demonstrates, has largely stayed focused on food and drinks).
However, because I am lucky enough to be surrounded by a number of talented friends and colleagues, I’ve had the opportunity to help shoot content for a music video, headshots for a book launch, and even some engagement photos. Though I still have a long way to go in refining this skillset, I am incredibly honored to have helped out my amazingly talented friends with something that started out as a very, very small side hobby.
Other Interests:
Amateur Bartending - I got very into mixology during the pandemic. It’s been great to make drinks for friends again, though I still can’t top the amazing cocktail bars in New York City. Dead Rabbit, I love you.
Consumer electronics - I’m the one guy in every friend group with an Android phone causing group messages to be green.
College football - Every year, I tell myself Michigan might beat Ohio State. Every year, my Thanksgiving weekend is ruined. It’s so much fun!
Music - I recently upgraded my record player to enjoy my small collection of big band jazz records and the huge second-hand classic rock collection my parents gifted me.