Profile Video

I've recently been featured in a video for the Combinatorics and Optimization department / Faculty of Math at Waterloo which showcases my desire for pastries and espresso on mountains. I think it's quite fun. Every season is a good outdoors season, and (almost) anywhere can be a picnic spot if you're determined enough.

Weekly Events

Right now I help facilitate a "cookie time" for my department (Combinatorics and Optimization) at Waterloo, where graduate students and staff can take turns baking goods to share and socialize. Reach out if you're interested! The more academically inclined should also look at the combinatorial optimization and algorithms and complexity reading groups here at Waterloo, if they haven't already.

Other Activities

I'm also fortunate to enjoy a wide array of activities outside of academics, some of which are relevant to academics if you squint very hard. These include embroidery and sewing projects, making an automated hydroponics system, making an espresso machine (in progress!), and a smorgasbord of outdoorsy activities. I also used to dance professionally with Shumka in Edmonton. Some of the more photogenic activities have photos below.

Tchotchkes

Knick knacks that I've made which are in some way photogenic.

Bee Shirt

A shirt I embroidered with bee paraphernalia. Also me, since I'm wearing it.

Kiwi Keyboard

A keyboard with a walnut case, kiwi switches, and GMK Cafe keykaps.

Kiwi Keyboard

A back view of the keyboard, featuring embroidered kiwis and kiwis.

Sewing Tin Keyboard

A keyboard with an aluminum 40% "candybar" case, aqua zilent switches, and KAM sewing tin keycaps.

Animal Crossing Keyboard

A through-hole style 65% keyboard, with aqua zilent and kiwi switches, and PBT islander keycaps. The screen plays a cat playing the drums animation, with speed determined by wpm.

Animal Crossing Numberpad

A through-hole style numberpad/macropad, with aqua zilent switches, and PBT islander keycaps. The screen plays a dog running animation, with speed determined by wpm.

Hedgehog Box

A glasses box with an embroidered hedgehog lining, yellow tamarack, walnut, and acrylic acetate.

Chinchilla Box

A glasses box with an embroidered chinchilla lining, yellow tamarack, padauk, and acrylic acetate.

Coasters

Coasters with computer science paraphernalia lasered onto them.

Bookmarks

Cute bookmarks made with oiled but undyed wood (cut with a bandsaw and laser).

Ladybug!

A ladybug snuck onto my plants and posed. Very exciting.

Herbs

Some herbs grown in a not-very-sophisticated setup: but I have a picture of it!

Peckish for Pastries

Baking! Perhaps I should have more photos of my baking given the amount I produce. One day I'll remember to take pictures. In the meantime, there's hopefully still enough here to work up an appetite.

Croissants

Pistachio pastry cream, and raspberry chocolate respectively.

Autumn Tarts

Frangipane caramel tarts with orange slices simmered in spices.

Swedish Princess Cupcakes

Layered chiffon cake, pastry cream, raspberry jam, and marzipan in cupcake form.

Maple Marshmallow Brûlée Macarons

Macarons with a maple marshmallow filling and brûléed tops.

Paris-Brests and Mille Feuille

Chocolate-orange paris-brests, and blackberry-nectarine-passionfruit mille feuille.

Junipear Pie

Juniper pear pie!

Assorted Fall Pies.

Frangipane caramel orange tart, apple pie, and a maple pecan pie.

Maple Lime Pie

Maple lime pie!

Assorted Snacks

Cinnamon apple cream puffs, pecan kumquat pie, and small Mont Blanc Macaron Gâteaus.

Cakes!

Lemon merengue and strawberry bavarian cakes. I could use practice on making it prettier.

Brioche

Apricot brioche buns. Featured later on a little winter hike.

Paris-Brests

Pink praline paris-brests!

Extreme Picnicking

And some other outdoorsy activities. I like to carry impractical snacks to improbable places.

Glacier Francés.

Featuring black forest cake, this time from a bakery and not my oven.

Tierra del Fuego

Featuring empanadas and Tarts

Jasper Picnic

Featuring espresso, croissants, and other pastries.

Tonquin Valley

Featuring an unfortunate lack of snacks.

Southern Ontario Snow Hike

Featuring espresso and an apricot brioche bun.

Algonquin

Burrito!

Lake Louise

Espresso by Lake Louise.

Torres del Paine

Featuring a few kinds of alfajores.

Kayaking by Perito Moreno

Featuring no snacks, unless you count the ice.

A (mostly) Frozen Lake in Kananaskis

Featuring no snacks ...

Skyline Trail Picnic

Featuring espresso, nectarines, and assorted cookies.

Maligne Lake

Watermelon on the water! Thrilling!

Lake Esmeralda

Making espresso, to have with pastries.

Toque!

I'm wearing a toque, how nice.

Newton!

Newton is a very smart corgi, but not necessarily in helpful ways. He is cute and knows it.

Graduating Newton

He's getting his degrees and working hard.

Planting Practice

With a plushie potted plant.

Spooky Newton

Ah! A ghost!

Leafy Newton

Being a helpful autumnal corgi.

Snowy Newton

Very graceful winter dog.

Gardening Newton

Trying to help with the backyard garden.

Thoughtful Newton

Contemplative creature ...

Athletic Newton

So talented.

Dirty Newton

So talented ...

Tuckered out Newton

Snuggled in to his high-recovery pose.

Newton with a Scarf

Wearing a hedgehog he proudly turned into a scarf.

Baby Newton

Just a little guy.

Sleepy Baby Newton

Just a sleepy little guy.