1. What are your favorite ways to relax and unwind?
Coding and pondering challenges in information theory is my favorite way to escape from the real world. But since mostly what I do is code, I have to relax and unwind from that. To be honest, I put so much mental effort into my work that mostly I relax by watching TV or movies: very passive activities. I also read quite a bit: probably four or five magazines a week, a novel and a non-fiction book every couple of weeks.
To get out of the house, I take my dog on hour-long walks every other day (Tina takes her the other days). Since we live right near trails, that gets me exposed to nature. Of course, my favorite ways to unwind are sailing and SCUBA diving, but they are not something I can do on a weekly basis.
2. What do you do the moment you get home from work/school/errands?
I say "hi" to Tina and Cheyenne. Then I check my email. Then I check cnn.com to confirm that there hasn't been a terrorist thing; seriously, the fact that I'd been at my computer coding for half an hour before I knew about the 9/11 attacks really tweaked me.
3. What are your favorite aromatherapeutic smells?
Ocean. Brownies.
4. Do you feel more relaxed with a group of friends or hanging out by yourself?
I feel more relaxed by myself, but I feel more energized by being with people. Back when I worked at MFI they gave us Myers-Briggs and similar tests: I was exactly at the halfway point between being an introvert and an extrovert.
5. What is something that you feel is relaxing but most people don't?
Putting a tank of highly compressed air along my spine, strapping enough lead weight to my hips so that I won't float, and getting in water so cold that it hurts every part of your skin that isn't encased in a dank, cumbersome tight-fitting suit of neoprene. Oh, and I guess you don't find a lot of people wishing they had more time for "pondering challenges in information theory."