I believe that investing in your 5–9 is just as important as your 9–5. For me, that means getting up close and personal with sharks, leveling up my baking skills, teaching people how to make homemade dog treats, and designing branding and illustrations. I also prioritize spending time with my family and friends, both two-legged and four.
Here is a collection of some of the activities that I seek the most often. Because a user experience designer needs to be obsessed with experiences.
Sharks are pretty much the coolest animal out there. However, I maintain that dogs are definitely my preferred animal to cuddle and generally socialize with. But there’s something so magnificent about a giant fish that can leap out of the water at 20 mph in order to surprise attack its prey. Naturally I’m always looking for opportunities to get in the water with them.
In 2018 I traveled to South Africa to attend a design conference. Knowing Cape Town is just an hour away from one of the densest great white shark concentrations in the world, I convinced my chums—uh, coworkers— to take the plunge and do a cage dive with me.
In 2019 I visited Sydney, Australia to speak at a conference. I told my coworker (who also traveled to Cape Town with me) I needed to try my best to dive with sharks while we were in the neighborhood. Unfortunately, a trip to Port Lincoln (the great white shark hotbed) would take an extra 3 days that we didn’t have. Fortunately, we found an aquarium that hosted shark dives with grey nurse sharks.
One of the reasons I was drawn to a career in UX is it gave me the opportunity to use left brain and right brain strengths. In order to be successful, you must master process and efficiency as much as aesthetic and visual appeal. This is also why I enjoy baking.
Not only do I make cakes and pastries for friends birthdays or celebrations, I also bake birthday treats for my team at work. These desserts are fun to make because I decorate them to be specific to the individual person’s hobbies or interests. It also gives me an opportunity to learn how to make new things, like eclairs or doughnuts. Take a look at some of my favorite creations below.
If I were better at chemistry and could better handle the emotional impact of the circle of life, I’d want to be a veterinarian.
I love all animals, but dogs have the biggest space in my heart. When I was growing up, I would often find stray dogs and bring them home “just until we could find them a permanent family.” Insert smirk. It should not surprise you that at one point, our household included 8 dogs and 4 cats. Caring for animals has always been a driving principle for me and my family. So when I moved to Austin in 2017, I wanted to find a way to help needy animals in my new home.
In 2019, I founded Doggy Bites. Born out of a love for animals, baking, design, and creating meaningful gatherings for friends and family, Doggy Bites hosts classes where you can learn how to make your own healthy and inexpensive dog treats for your best friend.
