The shows

May 24, 2018 - May 19, 2019

Modest Mouse - not great sound... which was a bummer.
The Humans - lots of talking for a subtle message at the end.
A Walk on the Moon - a sweet, late, coming of age story.
Flying Lotus/Little Dragon - an unexpected adventure.  How did we ever get home... :)
Soft Power - creative, impactful, thought provoking, magical.
The Miracle Worker - wonderfully performed.  A timeless and inspiring story.
Gomez - Mel's favorite band, and for a reason.
School of Rock - energizing!  Very entertaining.
Jake Shimabukuro - always an impressive performance.  Music that hits your soul.
Boys II Men - Google concert.  Nostalgic.
Smashing Pumpkins - super nostalgic and kind of dreamy.
Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever - fun, energetic.
Sara Bareilles - an inspirational talk and a heartfelt short performance.
Jason Mraz - fun.
Lauryn Hill - a concert I've been waiting for for YEARS, and it was SO WORTH IT!!
Oh Sees - so much energy and so much fun!
Sweat - I can't remember how I felt about this one... but, the fights were pretty cool.
On Your Feet - delightful in a way I didn't expect.
Ani DiFranco at Hardly Strictly - Ani DiFranco for free in the park was lovely.
You Mean To Do Me Harm - thought provoking, well performed.
Sofar Sounds concert - intimate concert, local artist, great experience.
Seen/By Everyone - had some interesting things to say about social media.
Men on Boats - well performed, interesting take on early pioneers from a female perspective.
Christine + The Queens - so much charisma!  Theatrical, fun.
Soiled Dove - great performances, fun circus!
Waitress - I liked it, but it didn't blow me away like I thought it would.
Kjartansson "Romantic Songs of the Patriarchy" - interesting.
Volta - had an act that COMPLETELY BLEW MY MIND.  I also got to work with the "skippers" at Google which was a blast, and we had a lovely moment after one of their shows as a result.
SFIHHDF - still one of the best shows in town. :)
Cardboard Piano - beautifully performed, and the fights worked!
A Bronx Tale - I wanted to like this, but the story fell a bit short.
Dear Evan Hansen - wonderful, heartfelt, delightful and then so honest with so much growth.
Ice on Ice - um... what was this about... ??  But, super fun night with Fan and Joan.
Come From Away - incredible look at a community that came to the rescue of stranded passengers from flights that were re-routed on 9/11.  Lovely.  Delightful.  Inspiring.
Seascape - an interesting look at humanity and evolution from the perspective of lizards.
Words that Move - spoken word story performances.
Paradise Square - I wanted more from this, though it was wonderfully performed.
Late Company - great performances, impactful story.
Metamorphoses - beautiful, fun, touching, creative, heartfelt...
Gryphon Trio - complex
TILT - fun
La Ronde - enjoyable in a way I didn't expect.  An interesting exploration of intimacy.
Jose Gonzalez + The String Theory - the conductor was amazing, the music complex and wonderful.
Yoga Play - the acting wasn't strong, but it had some nice messages and good humor in the second half.
Home - magical, interesting exploration of life in a home and whatever that means.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - great performances, and they pulled kids apart on stage. !!
Oakhella - a community coming together around music and art.
Airbnb Design-Talks: Julia Bullock - an interesting talk and art installation and an incredible display of humanity and process.
Mutek - visual, interesting, an inspiring night out with Rika and friends.
Latino Comedy showcase - not all Latino... and, only partly funny. :)
Weightless - exquisite, touching, elating.
The Jungle - didn't love it... felt rushed and hard to process.
Importance of Being Earnest - delightful performances, really sweet and funny.
The Dandy Warhols - bad sound, groovy

Soft Power

Last year, I saw a musical called Soft Power.  Twice.  

Soft Power - noun

1. a persuasive approach to international relations, typically involving the use of economic or cultural influence.

Soft Power, the musical, was about the 2016 election... but, what it was really about was the power of art and culture, and how easily we're influenced into belief systems without thinking twice about them.  And, how much power that holds.  And, how maybe it could change everything if done right.  

And, then, all of these amazing movies hit the screen. 

Design

Design done well is delightful.

It's: sweet moments, a feeling, an ease, a surprise, a perfect view. It's the process of making magic for others to discover.  

The dishwasher

Once upon at time I met a dishwasher.

I was in a bar in Old Colorado City one night, and a friend of a friend's new husband asked me what I did.  I said I was an Account Executive for VoiceSteam Wireless, which I thought sounded really important because it had the word "executive" in the title.  He asked me if I liked it.  The question surprised me, so I said something quick like, I guess it's okay -- why, what do you do?  I'm a dishwasher, he replied.  I asked if he liked it.  He said that he loved it.

He used to work 70 hours a week in tech with more money than he knew what to do with.  One day, his boss called him into his office and offered him more money for more of his time.  He was valued by the company, stressed out, and never saw the people that he loved so, instead of taking the offer, he quit his job and took a job as a dishwasher.  As a dishwasher he would go to work, get paid enough to survive (granted this was in Colorado Springs a million years ago), and then go home and spend time with the people that he loved.  And, he was so happy. :)

Not long after I met the dishwasher, I quit my job, packed up my bags and my inspiration, and moved to the Bay Area.