Good Friday

Posted on March 29, 2013 // Leave a Comment

My previous post ended on a whimper, and I don’t ever want to be viewed as someone who isn’t tremendously grateful for everything in her life, so let’s start today–Good Friday–off with a bang.

First, I want to thank all of you for supporting me. I am so grateful for every comment and email. Thank you, thank you!

All these years of hard work moonlighting as a blogger are starting to pay off. I signed with the Clever Girls ad network which opens my blog up to brand name sponsors and is a major milestone in blogging. I freaked out when I read their email.

I’ll soon be a featured blogger on the SITS Girls website, which is a phenomenal community of bloggers. SITS is simply amazing. I love, love, love the community I’ve become a part of through SITS. I’ve been patiently waiting since November and I’ll get my turn in April or May. Stay tuned on that.

Our world is full of beautiful people, from my husband who cooks me a gourmet dinner every night (yes every night!), to this lovely couple who has entrusted their home and animals to us for the past 10 days, to the coworker who brought in bagels for the whole floor today because it’s her 1-year anniversary.

Lastly, I need to comment on my environment because I am a San Francisco-based blogger, and this is one of the facets that makes my blog unique. After I lived in Chicago for two years, I returned home, thinking that SF wasn’t as illustrious as I had previously thought. I felt I had grown up in a bubble with every Bay Area person believing that we lived in a coastal paradise, not realizing there was another world of beauty outside of the sunny state of California. In cocktail conversations, everyone seems to be surprised that I’m native. They say that most of the people living around here are transplants. I think that’s so wrong because 98% of the people I grew up with still live in the Bay Area. They never left!

But particularly now, having experienced a multitude of locales, I can objectively say that San Francisco is one of the best places to live in the world. Yes, it’s expensive. Yes, it’s often bone chilling cold. But where else in the world can you travel easily to enjoy wine country, snow, and Burning Man! The food, arts & innovation, the funding & intellectual capital. It’s here. It’s all here!

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Move Over Golden Gate, It’s the Bay Bridge’s Time

Posted on February 27, 2013 // 12 Comments

When the lights go (up) in the city

And the sun shines on the bay

Do I want to be there-ere-ere

In my city

Oh, oh, woh, woah

The Bay Lights launches next week Tuesday March 5th on the Bay Bridge. Cmon people, this is more exciting than the World Series or the Superbowl. This is fine art in our very own backyard for the whole world to see. This is huge. This is major. This is epic!

I can’t resist adding that the artist is a long-time Burner (Burning Man attendee) who founded Disorient camp.

Below are key tidbits I pulled from the Bay Lights site, their news release, and their fact sheet.

THE BAY LIGHTS is an iconic public art installation created by internationally renowned artist Leo Villareal, with over 25,000 white energy-efficient LEDs on the Bay Bridge West Span. This ever-changing, dazzling light sculpture will be 1.8 miles wide and 500 feet high – a monumental tour de force eight times the scale of the Eiffel Tower’s 100th Anniversary lighting. It will impact an audience of over 50 million people in the Bay Area alone, with billions more seeing THE BAY LIGHTS in media and online over two years, starting with a Grand Lighting Ceremony on March 5, 2013.

THE BAY LIGHTS is a site specific installation. The artist will use patterns of weather, the water and the traffic of cars, ships and wildlife as inspiration for creating his software algorithms. The patterns will never repeat.

THE BAY LIGHTS will be seen by over 50 million people in the Bay Area with billions of media impressions globally. It will also infuse significant resources into the region creating jobs and contributing to local businesses. An independent economic impact assessment conservatively estimates $97 million will be added to the local economy as a result of this project.

THE BAY LIGHTS will put the Bay Area in the global spotlight for two years, starting with a momentous Grand Lighting Ceremony on March 5, 2013, a year that also features the America’s Cup, the Port of San Francisco’s 150th Anniversary, the opening of the new Exploratorium at Pier 15 and, within days of the America’s Cup’s finale, the opening celebrations for California’s largest civic works project – the Bay Bridge East Span.

The LEDs are high efficiency and the power used will be offset by solar credits for the least environmental impact. Only $11,000 per year is allocated to energy cost.

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Blunder Woman!

Posted on January 28, 2013 // 2 Comments

Many moons ago, on the Burning Man playa, a friend of mine came into camp and gave me a Wonder Woman doll that he found laying in the dust. Whenever I look at the doll, I feel inspired. I think, “Yeah, I can do it. I’m just like Wonder Woman!”

Well those days are long gone because I can’t do it all anymore. I’ve spent my whole life giving, contributing, and leading, and it’s finally time to say NO!

Clearly this is all my fault because too many times in the past, I’ve said yes. But this is a new era and I’ve decided that 2013 is going to be the year of ME.

ME, ME, ME, ME! That’s right, just me!

I’ve got a house to sell.

I’ve got a ghost baby to conceive.

I’ve got a blog that is finally (after years of hard work) gaining significant momentum.

That means no more time for alumni councils or alumni functions.

Sorry, but I’m sure others can step in to help with our 20-year high school reunion. Why don’t we just pick a night and have drinks at the Forbidden Island in Alameda? Zero stress, zero planning.

I’ve got to curtail my time commitment to Burning Man. That may be the death of me, dealing with new volunteers and responding to questions about shifts and the schedule and tickets. Yikes!

I’m also big on group events. More bang for your buck, if you ask me. But what drives me batty are the people who can’t do the group lunch or the happy hour, and next think you know I’ve got emails asking for a 1×1 dinner or brunch. At least until my home is sold, I cannot deal with the 1x1s. I’ve got a handful of things scheduled over the next two weeks, but that’s it.

I’m on lock-down until my house is sold and the cash is in my hand.

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Guest Post: Enrich Your Life, Make a Contribution

Posted on January 14, 2013 // Leave a Comment

Hi, Affinity here!  Vixen and I are both Burners and I think I can speak for her as well as myself to say that Burning Man and its culture and ethos have enriched our lives.  In order to give back each of us are active volunteers.

Currently I am volunteering for Burners Without Borders and what I am asking is that if you also have found Burning Man to have enriched your life, or you would like to enrich another person’s life, that you consider helping Burners Without Borders in its partnership with Haiti’s Jakmel Ekspresyon Art Center, a unique community arts center for an important segment of Haiti’s artistic community. As the people of Haiti recover and rebuild from the 2010 earthquake, this center for creativity and self-expression is a vital part of its future. With the support of the Burning Man community, we can make a real and lasting difference in transforming this paradigm. This screen printing project will be the first of its kind in Haiti. BWB will send ten artists to Jacmel to teach skills in design, screen printing and professional development. There are currently no screen printing services available in Jacmel to create post-cards and t-shirts for the tourism industry or for the various international organizations who work there. This project is sure to be a success and we need your participation to make it happen. Please help Burners Without Borders and Jakmel Ekspresyon launch a new arts/artists-in-residence program that will benefit the local economy for the long term! Please spread the word.

http://www.indiegogo.com/BWB-Jakmel/x/1865699

You can find my personal blog for plus size women here: http://affatshionista.com

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Bacon Hanukkah

Posted on December 9, 2012 // Leave a Comment

It’s December–that time of year when you’re triple-booked during the weekends and have to prioritize! I actually skipped the Burning Man Holiday Party so that I could spend all night at my friend’s 5th Annual Bacon Hanukkah Party. I wish I could have been in two places at one time, but I chose wisely. Best party of the year! Bacon-wrapped water chestnuts, maple-glazed bacon popcorn, bacon chocolate chip cookies, and plenty of latkes.

Also seems like a good opportunity for people to dress up as rabbis. Take a look.

 

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Money Monday: Burn Wall Street

Posted on November 12, 2012 // Leave a Comment

One of the big installations at Burning Man this year was called Burn Wall Street. In keeping with the backlash propagated by the Occupy Wall Street movement, the art project on-playa culminated in the fiery demolition of Goldman Sucks, The Bank of UnAmerica, Merrily Lynched, and Chaos Manhattan. Clever eh?

As a Burner, I’ve often felt remiss as someone who works at, not only a corporation, but in the financial services industry. I am considered evil while liberal, poorly paid hippies are praised. It’s as if extreme success (specifically well-paid accomplishment) deserves its own scarlet letter. Burners consider themselves free and open-minded, but once they smell a religious, Republican rat, they become quite the unwelcoming lot.

I’m tired of the resentment and here to prove the naysayers wrong. While corporations aren’t flawless, I wholeheartedly believe they are the backbone behind economic and civic sustainability. Who are one of the first to give when communities are suffering? Corporations! Not only corporations, but banks. The same banks that Burn Wall Street wants to eliminate. I listened to an interview today on how JPMorgan committed $5 million almost immediately to the cause.

So many corporations have contributed. You can see an updated list here: http://bclc.uschamber.com/site-page/hurricane-sandy-corporate-aid-tracker.

Burn Wall Street and Occupy Wall Street, do you plan on torching these donations as well?

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This Has To Be the Best Weekend in San Francisco

Posted on October 3, 2012 // Leave a Comment

Here’s what’s going on this weekend. Am I missing anything? I put them in order of importance :)

  1. A’s playoffs
  2. Giants playoffs
  3. Litquake
  4. Burning Man Decompression
  5. Fleet week
  6. Cal Homecoming, Cal vs UCLA
  7. Raiders
  8. Niners
  9. America’s Cup
  10. Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival
  11. Castro Street Fair
  12. Columbus Day Parade
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Treasured Gifts

Posted on May 9, 2012 // Leave a Comment

As a deca-Burner, as in I’ve been burning for 10 straight years, I’ve accumulated a lot of schwag. Most of it is forgettable. Some of it, I’ve lost in various moves. One artist gifted me a beautiful ceramic aorta which I so treasured, but have now lost. Every time I sort through my desert gear, I pray that maybe I’ll come across it.

I also have an assortment of unique, hand-made necklaces. Jewelry is huge on the playa! My very favorite piece is a mood necklace with a Burning Man medallion that changes color often. Sometimes it’s green, orange, yellow or dark blue. It’s quite striking and something I’ve brought with me and worn to the playa ever since I received it many years ago.

For Marty’s 80th birthday, I went through my schwag, knowing that I wanted to give him a piece of jewelry. I kept going back and forth, but knew in my heart I had to give him my favorite one. He would love it even more than I do.

Well, ever since I bestowed it on him during his birthday, he’s loved it. He was wearing it proudly at the ARTery meeting last night. “I haven’t taken it off since you gave it to me!”

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Happy 80th Birthday Marty

Posted on April 28, 2012 // Leave a Comment

Friend: Any plans for the weekend?

Me: I’m going to an 80-year-old birthday party.

Friend: You have an 80-year-old friend?!

Me: Yeah, he’s my friend from Burning Man.

I had the privilege of attending a glorious 80th birthday party today that not only celebrated the birthday boy Marty, but also emphasized family. Marty has 4 families: his immediate family, his Chinese family, his tennis family, and his Burning Man family.

Marty’s 4 successful kids organized the event at Cafe Arrivederci in San Rafael. The weather couldn’t have been better. We were there until the end, soaking up the Marin sunshine. I don’t know a lot about Marty’s history, so it was particularly endearing seeing pictures of him through the years, including black and white shots of a young, grinning Marty during his Bar Mitzvah. Marty was an only child which, to me, totally explains why he wanted to have a big family.

Guests had a chance to say a few words at the mic and one friend described the first time he met Marty. Marty, who was supporting his daughter at an LGBT parade, was stuck in the back, hauling water and ice for the rest of the crew. It was obvious how proud Marty is of all his children and grandchildren.

A Chinese woman spoke about how special Marty is that 25 years later, she’s going to her boss’s birthday party. Her family has become his family which he says is his Chinese family.

The tennis family was the most touching. A bunch of guys have been playing tennis together regularly for 40 years! They talked about how Marty is the one who organizes the matches and even when he was in the hospital undergoing triple-bypass, he was on his computer making sure the guys were still playing. Dick Cheney, I swear to God, is part of the tennis family. Once the pictures come out, I’ll have to post them. Dead ringer for Dick Cheney.

Lastly, there’s his Burning Man family. That’s me! I’ve gotten a lot of slack for going to Burning Man for 10 years in a row. The questions being, ‘Aren’t you over it?’ ‘Aren’t those days of partying over?’ ‘You’re going to Burning Man again?’ It’s not about the partying. It’s not about the music. It’s not even about the art. It’s always been, for me, the annual reconnection to my family. It’s those ties that have sustained me for this long. I am taking a break from going to the event this year, but the thoughts are churning around a simultaneous week long vacation with my Burner friends in Mexico instead of the playa.

It was such a beautiful celebration that people were saying they wanted to have an 80-year-old party just like that. Well, I want to have a 40-year-old party just like that! Why wait? Marty joked that the party was like being at his wake, except that he’s around to enjoy it.

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Job Hunting

Posted on March 27, 2012 // Leave a Comment

One month ago I started aggressively job-hunting—as aggressive as you can be while having a full-time job. My job hunt consists of searching key words in my current employer’s website, LinkedIn, Simply Hired, and the job postings on the Chicago Booth alumni website. I find that the easiest search is the key word ‘MBA’ to hone in on management-level positions.

In these 30 days, I’ve landed interviews for a total of 6 positions.

3 have been with my current employer. I guess it’s always easiest to hire one of your own. Speaking of preferential treatment, I recently posted an ad on Craigslist to rent my garage space. Everyone who turned up was eager and professional, but I had to give it to someone who works at my same company. Doesn’t get easier than that in terms of references and payment.

2 were through website applications on job sites, tied to search firms. One of the recruiters has a loose connection to me, but a connection nonetheless. The other one, there was no connection—and it’s for a large, public technology company. It’s noteworthy to point this out because I think there’s this belief that you can’t ever get a job unless you know someone at the company. I don’t believe that to be true.

And lastly, one very promising job lead is through a Burning Man connection. Yey! When I was thoroughly depressed and complaining about my job, a fellow ARTery volunteer told me to send him my resume and he would pass it on to a friend of his who happens to be on the Board of Directors of a bank! The bank followed up immediately.

I am very excited about what the future holds. Based on my experience job hunting, I do feel the market is picking up.

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