Life outside academia...

To keep myself happy and healthy I like to hike (when there are mountains anywhere nearby, i.e. on the West Coast), knit and cook. I get a kick out of making ice-cream and pies. I'm also a fan of swimming in Lake Michigan and playing ping-pong at Happy Village.

For a nice distraction from work, try reading xkcd.

Some other favorite ways to rot my brain relax during free time: kitten war, free TV on the internet, and Language Log.