Here is my mini auto biography.

This is where i'll put everything I want you to know about me.

Take a glance, or read the whole page.

#A brief timeline

• 1998: Born in Berwyn, Illinois
• 2005: Moved to LaGrange Park, Illinois
• 2014: Took my first programming class in highschool
• 2017: Moved to Fort Collins, Colorado
• 2018: Took a gap semester & lived in an empty doorm room at Colorado State University for 3 months
• 2020: Started a vacation rental company with my friend
• 2021
• Spring: Graduated from college
• Summer: Took a month long Amtrack along the Western United States from Chicago
• Fall: Got a corporate job as a front end developer
• 2022
• Spring: Got a new corporate job, same role
• Summer: Moved to Chicago, Illinois in an apartment with 5 roomates
• 2023
• Spring: Quit working from the vacation rental business
• Spring: Started Habitat 2317, an apartment art gallery and event space
• 2024: Visited Japan for two weeks [the quintessential Japan trip]

#I enjoy creating WOW moments for people

Wow moments are the moments in life that are often unexpected, yet so impactful. I don't always know where they might come from, but when they arrive, I am so pleasantly surprised.

Sometimes, it's going to a Japanese tea ceremony and experiencing that for the first time. Other times, it's discovering the underground pedway and the system of shops, pop-up events, and even a swimming pool that's all underground in Chicago. I guess you can say that this boils down to childlike excitement.

To be surprised is something that children experience so often and genuinely, yet as we age, that pure excitement seems to dissipate. I don't believe in that. I choose not to. And as a result, I want to bring those experiences to people.

I use this mindset to guide what I create. I no longer dwell on a particular technology or medium to dictate what to make. Instead, I carefully consider what brings me the most joy in making and what I think will make people say, "WOW."

#My Life Philosophy

Put simply, I strive to live a romantic life.

Here's what I mean by that:

I have FOMO (fear of missing out). I want to experience as much as I can. I want to have high highs and low lows. I want to feel what the human experience is without shying away from fear or discomfort. This means that I take cold plunges, use the sauna, deep dive into topics that interest me, try new hobbies, make new friends in different social circles, run in the rain, experiment with fashion, travel, and much, much more.

In short, no longer do I feel confined to the ultra-productive lifestyle, but rather to a life where I can make new experiences, share them, and give them to others.

#Finding flow moments

If you've ever read Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, you'll know what I'm talking about.

You don't have to be a superstar athlete, renowned artist, or three-star Michelin chef to experience or partake in flow experiences. But, let me back up a minute. If you don't know what flow moments are, here is a brief explanation.

Flow moments, also known as being in the zone, are fleeting or sustained experiences where someone is relaxed, in control, and generally performing as a top performer in whatever craft or process they are engaged in.

For example, it can be said that Olympians are in flow when they are controlled and dignified when handing off the baton to their teammate, or when a jazz musician is deep in a solo improvisation section of their performance.

However, flow activities are not gatekept by just a few people. Almost any activity can be transformed from boring and tedious to flow.

All one has to do is:

1. Shift their mindset from boredom to "how can I make this more efficient and controlled."
2. Pick an activity that can be constantly and consistently improved.

It's no surprise that top performers are top performers because they practice. Doing something over and over again solidifies muscle memory, making later attempts less brain-draining. This means that one can upskill while getting better. And, when someone does this long enough, they are able to sustain high-skilled activities at high levels without thinking too much.

This is where I want to be

Here's a list of activities where I feel in the flow, in no particular order:

• Roller skating on Chicago's lakefront path
• Trail running and biking
• Chopping vegetables
• Hand stitching
• Flipping through my set of virtual Japanese flashcards
• Pickleball

#Experimentation

Trying new things is such a rewarding process for me.

Wheather this comes in the form of trying a new medium like drawing with oil pastels, tasting something new for the first time, or joing a new group, experimentation is at the root of this.

Experimentation holds the key to discovering what you like and dislike as well as providng more flow moments that you didn't know existed.

You don't know what you dont' know

Trying new things opens my mind to new connections across a range of fields

#Simplicity

Keep things simple.

Cut the fluff.

Don't overthink.

#Projects

Project based building is something I call building projects until finish, tying up a neat and nice bow ontop to signify it's wrap-up, and then moving on to the next project. Now, the subsequent projecat can be entirely different.

For example, I worked on a children's fairy tale book one time, and then planned an art show not much later.

There does't need to be conistency between mediums or format. What is important is working with somethign that helps tell the story or idea better.

#Living Artfully

Mid summer of 2017, I attended a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. This was the first time i've ever had a tea experience, and it forever altered my outlook on aesthetics, design, and practacality.

If you are unfamilar, here is a summary of what a tradtional Japanese tea ceremony is:

A Summary of a tradtional Japanese Tea Ceremony

A tea master prepares each cup of matcha inside a teahouse. However, this is the last step of the ceremony.

First, 6-9 people crawl through a small opening. This represents leaving each person's past behind. No matter who came through the opening, king, peasent, or anyone inbetween, once inside, everyone was on common ground.

Once inside, everyone sits in a semi cirlce around the tea master as he or she prepares the matcha. This process is meticlous and artful. There are no wasted movements. Each action the tea master makes is deliberate

While the matcha is being prepared, guests are encouraged to look and appreciate the teahosue and the decor. Again, like the preperation of the tea itself, so too is the decor extremly deliberate. For example, the flowers that are present are in seasson and the hand written scripts on the wall are symbolic of the tea experience:

• Wa (和) - Harmony
• Kei (敬) - Respect
• Sei (清) - Purity
• Jaku (寂) - Tranquility

When the matcha is ready, the tea master will carefully pour a cup of matcha and pass it to the person on their left. The receiver will say:お先に (osaki ni) meaning Excuse me for going before you and the passer will say: どうぞ” (dōzo), meaning “Please (go ahead). This passage of tea will continue to the last person going left.

This practice further exemplifies the culture of respect for the tea, tea master, and those who are sharing the tea together.

I say all of this because ever since then, I can only compare events, spaces, and things to this first tea experience.

The tea master created wow moments in such a careful, deliberate, and practical way.

It is this way of thinking that is the foundation for how I think and how I chose to live.

#More About Me

• I like spending time by myself.

  I enjoy taking myself out and discovering things on my own and at my own pace. This isn't to say that I do this all the time. In fact, I report back with the places and activities that I think are worth sharing.

• I have a deep sense that things will work out.

  I can't stress enough how many times people, my parents, friends, teachers, etc., have told me something and then it was just false. Now, I believe that there are no truly bad experiences because I will adapt to what follows.

• It's rare for me to get angry.

  I have stopped thinking that everything is a big deal. Yes, there are important things in life, but I try to step back, take a break, and view what happened non-judgmentally towards myself and others.

• I care about quality, reusability, and minimalism.

  I want high-quality and long-lasting items. When something breaks, I will try to fix it rather than simply buying something new. Having less makes me feel less cluttered and more mobile.

• I sleep on the ground.

  Yes, I realize that this is not normal for many people, but my 3-inch foam pad on the ground is so comfortable. Plus, this makes moving quick and easy.

• I am highly self-independent.

  I believe that I can do basically anything. With some help from YouTube, artificial intelligence, and perseverance, I believe that I can create almost anything and persevere through almost any experience.

#Contact

Send me a letter!