All work and no play makes … well, you know the saying.

For me, when I work, I work hard. Until the job is done kind of hard. And, when I play, I like to do activities that push and challenge me, usually with the coolest people I know — my wife Wendi, and my three adult kids Cameron, Mollie and Sam.

Here’s some of the stuff I do that tells you a little more about me outside of work:

I like to build things. Like this table that seats 10, which I made from iron and 50-year-old cedar planks found in a relative’s barn. Also, I built the fire pit with rough stones, in an area cleared from our kids play area. Now, they like the play area better than when it had a swing-set.

I like to be in the woods and to find cool places in nature, like when we went bouldering in North Carolina. That’s my wife toward the bottom.

I am also currently on a section-hike journey of the Appalachian Trail with my son. We go out for 3-5 days when we can, and have knocked out about 200 miles. That’s Sam up ahead. Yes, he is way ahead of me at the moment. He’s 20-years-old, cut me a break.

I like to get deep underwater. A more recent passion of mine is SCUBA diving. It’s a great activity to do with my family, or friends. It’s peaceful, fascinating and beautiful. Ok, that picture’s not beautiful, but you get the point.

A favorite family activity is skiing and snowboarding. We love the mountains. We really love the mountains when they’re covered with snow. That’s Cameron standing in front of the earth’s horizon.

I also help take care of horses. I tell the owners that I’m helping out because it’s a lot of work for them, but really I enjoy the peacefulness of the land and the hands-on work. They have two beautiful Peruvians, two stubborn Ponies and this little guy. I like to say you can hear him cough ’cause he’s a “little horse.”

Finally, I collect graffiti and art. I know that’s a little random, but I like capturing ways that people express themselves, or take something ugly and making it something else. That’s Mollie getting ready to work diligently, and my other boy, Jackson. I sent that picture to my kids when they were in college.

Video

When my daughter came home for the summer from college with a dog, our 11-year-old dog, Kipper, was slow to warm up. She liked her independence, and being able to age gracefully.  Eventually, she and “Millie” became friends, so I did this video to send to my daughter to let her know Millie was officially part of the family.