Who am I?
If I had to describe myself using 3 words they would be funny, positive, and lively. I always try to maintain a positive attitude and outlook on life! I truly enjoy life and spending time with family and friends. Below are some more specifics about me.
Interests
I have a variety of interests including sports, reading, and spending time with family and friends. Throughout my entire life from childhood and into undergrad I have played baseball. It was my passion for a very long time, and now my passion has shifted to graduate school and conducting research. I do keep my competitive spirit alive by playing softball in the summer and flag football in the fall. This summer I recently began playing golf regularly and was able to shoot in the high 80s three times! The picture on the bottom left of this page is of my brother and I before we played the 18th hole on Battleridge Golf Course in Niagara Falls, Canada.
Since I began graduate school at Penn State I have developed a stronger interest in reading books for leisure. In particular I try to read books focusing on human development, with an emphasis on aging and health, and books from famous researchers for the lay public. Currently, I am reading Connected by Nicholas A. Christakis and James H. Fowler. Below is a list of several of my favorites, enjoy!
Books by Malcolm Gladwell - The Tipping Point, Blink, and Outliers
Loneliness: Human Nature and the Need for Social Connections by John T. Cacioppo and William Patrick
Survival of the Sickest by Dr. Sharon Moalem with Jonathan Prince - Truly fascinating book making arguments that health outcomes/diesease such as high cholesterol and diabetes served an evolutionary/adaptive purpose.
Inspirational Books - Several of my favorite books fall into this category, including Tuesdays with Morrie, For One More Day, both by Mitch Albom, Resilience by Elizabeth Edwards, and The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. Whenever life has you down, pick up one of these books and you will feel inspired!
Family
My family has played an important role in my life. They provide me with inspiration and guidance each day. Both my mom and dad's families emigrated from Sicily to the United States to have a better life. My mom came to the US with my grandparents and uncle when she was 11 years old, and my dad was 21 when he immigrated to the US to join family that was already here. My parents both immigrated to Rochester, New York. Oddly enough, my mom and dad's families are from the same town in Sicily, but they met and were married in the US, talk about chance and fortuitious events! I have an older brother Chuck, who has two master's degrees in education and school administration, respectively. Currently, he is a teacher, and hopefully in the near future will become a principal. Last, but certainly not least part of the reason I was so drawn to studying aging was because of the close relationship my brother and I have been fortunate/lucky enough to have with our grandparents. They helped raise my brother and I when we were younger and have played a pivotal role in our upbringing. They are truly loving and kind people and exemplify Erikson's stage of generativity! At the bottom right of this page is a family picture: from left, dad, mom, grandma, grandpa, me, Chuck, and his fiance Laura.
Interests
I have a variety of interests including sports, reading, and spending time with family and friends. Throughout my entire life from childhood and into undergrad I have played baseball. It was my passion for a very long time, and now my passion has shifted to graduate school and conducting research. I do keep my competitive spirit alive by playing softball in the summer and flag football in the fall. This summer I recently began playing golf regularly and was able to shoot in the high 80s three times! The picture on the bottom left of this page is of my brother and I before we played the 18th hole on Battleridge Golf Course in Niagara Falls, Canada.
Since I began graduate school at Penn State I have developed a stronger interest in reading books for leisure. In particular I try to read books focusing on human development, with an emphasis on aging and health, and books from famous researchers for the lay public. Currently, I am reading Connected by Nicholas A. Christakis and James H. Fowler. Below is a list of several of my favorites, enjoy!
Books by Malcolm Gladwell - The Tipping Point, Blink, and Outliers
Loneliness: Human Nature and the Need for Social Connections by John T. Cacioppo and William Patrick
Survival of the Sickest by Dr. Sharon Moalem with Jonathan Prince - Truly fascinating book making arguments that health outcomes/diesease such as high cholesterol and diabetes served an evolutionary/adaptive purpose.
Inspirational Books - Several of my favorite books fall into this category, including Tuesdays with Morrie, For One More Day, both by Mitch Albom, Resilience by Elizabeth Edwards, and The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. Whenever life has you down, pick up one of these books and you will feel inspired!
Family
My family has played an important role in my life. They provide me with inspiration and guidance each day. Both my mom and dad's families emigrated from Sicily to the United States to have a better life. My mom came to the US with my grandparents and uncle when she was 11 years old, and my dad was 21 when he immigrated to the US to join family that was already here. My parents both immigrated to Rochester, New York. Oddly enough, my mom and dad's families are from the same town in Sicily, but they met and were married in the US, talk about chance and fortuitious events! I have an older brother Chuck, who has two master's degrees in education and school administration, respectively. Currently, he is a teacher, and hopefully in the near future will become a principal. Last, but certainly not least part of the reason I was so drawn to studying aging was because of the close relationship my brother and I have been fortunate/lucky enough to have with our grandparents. They helped raise my brother and I when we were younger and have played a pivotal role in our upbringing. They are truly loving and kind people and exemplify Erikson's stage of generativity! At the bottom right of this page is a family picture: from left, dad, mom, grandma, grandpa, me, Chuck, and his fiance Laura.
