MY HOBBIES
This page is dedicated to the different activities that I engage in outside of work. What does that have to do with who I am as a researcher, you might ask. Well, it has everything to do with how I see life and work, how I relate to others, my skills and strengths, and how I approach the things I feel I need to work on.
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Note: I love my hobbies all the same, so I've put them in alphabetical order.
Belly-Dancing
It started as a way to connect to the culture of the Lebanese side of my family, but it became a way to “think” in a different way. Using your brain is much more than just talking and solving problems cognitively. I have found that isolating muscle groups, improving coordination and balance, and memorizing complex sequences of movements is an extremely taxing but rewarding mental exercise.
Building
I started this hobby of building tiny houses and furniture thanks to a Christmas present (a DIY Bakery) but kept it going as a way to develop the patience I didn’t think I had and the attention to detail I often neglected.
Card-making
I always feel like store-bought cards are too impersonal when a present should have a personal touch. I have always liked fancy papers and stickers and putting a bit of myself into something for someone else is more than enough motivation.
Crafting
There’s something quite magical about taking something you thought up and making it into a real, tangible object. This one is kind of new for me as the delicate touch and careful planning required had never been my forte.
Drawing
Although I have always loved drawing, I was afraid of it. The first lines always look wrong and reaching a satisfying result requires forgiving mistakes, being willing to erase and to start over, and embracing the imperfections that make it unique.
Lettering
Being left-handed, my handwriting has always been my weak-spot. As a kid, I was often criticized for it and would make huge smudges writing in class. I have recently taken on the challenge of facing those fears and “sore spots” and trying to create something beautiful from a life-long "weakness".
Painting
I always felt like I didn’t understand art and, in university, I decided to take a painting class to see if I could begin to connect with the work and thought behind visual arts. That class changed my perspective completely, helping me understand color as well as different mediums and techniques.
Paper-folding
As a very attentionally-divided and active child, sitting in a classroom all day was torture. When I discovered origami, it became the perfect way to keep busy while my attention was placed in the class. I’ve been a great fan and advocate of multi-tasking ever since.
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Tangoing
As an Argentinean living abroad, I felt the personal responsibility to learn this iconic dance. Surprisingly, I found that so much of my research applied to this dance (as well as this dance to my research). The level of dependence on communication and implicit agreement as well as how much of our culture seeps into the way we move and interact with others never ceases to amaze me.