Things that blow my hair back
+ Words, words, words!
+ Music (new bands, old favorites, live shows)
+ Photography, music festivals, travel
+ Social events, concerts, art exhibits
+ Health and nutrition, fitness, weights
+ Cooking, micro-brews, flavor
+ Communication, sociology, psychology
+ Brainstorming and problem solving
+ Exploration of new ideas, places, things
+ New market trends, technology, innovations
+ Online social networks and communities
+ Sports, especially college basketball

Q: In your spare time, you like to write. Why?
Words are my passion, my indée fixe. Writing is a challenge I find rewarding. I take pride in being able to paint an image or evoke an emotion with the words I lace together. 

Q. What's the last great book you read?
I have four: The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak; The Road by Cormic McCarthy; Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran; and The Story of a Marriage by Andrew Sean Greer.  

Q: What do you do in your spare time?
I read cereal boxes. And just about anything else, like magazines, Web sites, novels, poetry, flyers, blogs and magazine inserts (yes, those pesky things many people throw away). And I tweet alot.

Q. What's with the collection of random ads and flyers you're notorious for keeping?
What can I say? I collect things. I call it my “inspiration folder.” Mailers, magazine ads, guides, business cards, catalogs, concert tickets, etc. There’s value in learning from others – both the good and the bad. But mostly the good. Including a couple empty coffee bags. Hey, sometimes the packaging is just as good, if not better, than the actual product. 

Q: Why do so many outside interests? 
I am curious by nature. The world is filled with thousands of interesting things. I'm just lucky enough to be able to pay attention to them, if even for a brief moment. And I believe trying different things makes me a better, more well-rounded writer, as well as a more interesting person. But I'll let you be the judge of that.

Q: What's one thing you'll never do again?
I rode shotgun from Boston to Phoenix. Just once. That's all it took. The Wright Brothers knew it all along; flying is definitely the way to go. Let me tell you, entertaining yourself for five straight days is exhausting.  

Q: Is that you in the photo?
With the camera, yes. We hit awful construction in St. Louis during our cross-country trip, so I rolled down the window and took a picture. The other pictures are from the same trip. As you can see, I went to great lengths to entertain myself.

Q: How long have you been in Boston?
Three years! I vividly remember my first day here. It was a cold, snowy February day. I took the T from the airport to our new apartment. When I stepped out of the station with my bags, I was in total awe that I was really here. I don't think that feeling has gone away.

Q: And what do you think of Boston?
It's a city that'll push you. It's not a hop-in-your-car-and-go kind of place. Not like Phoenix. But that's okay. You appreciate things more here, I think. Or at least I do. And I must say, I love how tech savvy and forward-thinking people are. And I knew Boston was a runner's city. I just never thought that passion would get me to lace up my sneakers and train for a half marathon. That, above all else, makes me the happiest right now.