About Me
Identity from the outside in and from the inside out
I am fascinated by God, health, relationships, aesthetics, design, belief and human behavior. I think my path in ‘higher education’ shows the contradiction of my life well. From studying Fashion Design in New York City to a Philosophy major 3 years later.
I grew up in rural areas… apple orchard New York and declining mining town Wheeling, West Virginia. I spent 15 years in cities before returning to the country at the close of 2020. I last lived nestled next to the Santa Cruz Mountains along the Santa Clara Valley Wine Trail.
Now I’m back to the complicated city of San Francisco, where I live in an amazing section of the city that still produces quality things (think Dandelion Chocolate) and bustles (MUNI bus depot). It’s vibrant and weird and light-filled.
By day I help hospitality businesses navigate the state alcohol board and drive a 1992 Mercedes around California.
“The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.”
In a world of pressure to have the ‘right’ beliefs and ideas, thinking for oneself has become an act of such incredible courage.
Social media has connected, but it has also burdened us with near constant social pressure to behave in ways that are acceptable… and not always authentic or truthful. The fertile ground for strengthening our minds is in experimentation and risk, and doing that under the unforgiving eye of the entire world can be daunting.
2020 was indeed a revelation. Witnessing the events since that momentous year made clear to me that we cannot outsource our decisions and beliefs. Not to “experts”, not to activists, and not to authority figures. We cannot be complacent with our most essential responsibilities– our health, our intellect, our communities, our privileges and our responsibilities.
My intention with this project is to be courageous in my words and actions, to be truthful and share the ways my thinking evolves, and to be a resource for those of you who are bravely using your own mind the way it was intended… to learn, to refine, to grow and to connect.
Thank you for being here.