Hobbies and Interests

Here are a few of the activities I enjoy in my spare time. 

Photography

I have been an avid photographer since 2002.  I run my own "studio," called 10,000 Greetings Photography, and have exhibited my work at the Foster City Art and Wine Festival, and also at the San Mateo County Faire.   My work has been featured in the book Images of America: Foster City (Arcadia Publishing, 2005) and I have won several awards for my still life works.  A favorite subject of mine, is, of course, travel photography. 

Boating

When I was growing up, my parents had a sailboat, and we would frequently sail on the San Francisco Bay and spend the summers in the California Delta.  (How ironic that I now spend the summers in the Bay Area and the academic year in Sacramento?) Boating is still very much a part of my life, although the boat is much smaller and now powered by arms.  On my days off during the spring and summer (and well into fall) I row my little 10 foot dinghy on the Foster City lagoon.  Sometimes I will outfit it with a small motor and cruise around the lagoon.  My dream is to purchase a used 26-28 foot cabin cruiser and return to the Bay and Delta waters. 

Music

I have been a soprano member of the Peninsula Musical Arts Association (PMAA) since 1999.  In addition to our annual winter and spring concerts, we have performed the National Anthem at both Giants and A's games, and in 2005, we performed at Carnegie Hall.  Music is a special part of my life, and has made its way into my research as well.  I have taught courses that introduce students to opera and classical music, and have explored the French origins of the Madame Butterfly opera as well. 

Traveling

I am fortunate to be in a profession that allows me to travel both within the United States and abroad.  Coming from a family where both of my parents worked for the airlines, traveling abroad was a big part of my life.  As a language teacher, I feel that immersing oneself in the culture, even for a short time, is an important part of traveling and getting to know other people and cultures.