Show up, dive in, stay at it.

These statements resonate with me and are the foundation for why I make my life's work the practice of supporting artists and arts managers in creating sustainable business ventures. 

Arts are essential. They describe and critique our society.  

- Robert Redford

This is precisely the time when artists go to work. There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, no room for fear. We speak, we write, we do language. That is how civilizations heal.

- Toni Morrison 

Take your broken heart, make it into art.

-Meryl Streep quoting Princess Leia Carrie Fisher 

Show up, dive in, stay at it.  

- President Obama

Living Your Dreams Over 65

Once Again Meryl Streep has inspired me by playing a character who lives her dreams at any age. Back in 2008 it was Mamma Mia and in 2015 her role as Linda/Ricki in Ricki and the Flash has warmed my heart.

Yes, this film is a Baby Boomer advertising vehicle with not-to-subtle product placements. But, it is also a story about a woman who learns that she can live two dreams - pursuing rock 'n roll and loving her estranged family. She blends both with the symbolic trio of braids in her 80's hairstyle that represent her three kids who she left behind for a rock life in LA.

Could she have lived both dreams and stayed with her family? From the arguments she has with her ex-husband (Kevin Kline) it is clear that a domesticated life is like a trap she has to bang against. She is clearly happiest and most comfortable when on stage jamming with her band the Flash. It all comes together in the film's final scene.

Another treat in this film is Rick Springfield who has never looked better. His open-hearted character is the grounding that allows Ricki to find balance in her life. This New York Times article about how he landed the role alongside Streep gives insight into this multi-talented artist. Who knew that Springfield is a New York Times bestselling author? His novel Magnificent Vibration: Sometimes Heavenly Intervention Can Put You in Hell is at the top of my must-read list.

I am inspired by these two actors who are 65+ and live life to the fullest - both on screen and off.

Angels in America

I've watched the perfect series/film for launching 2010 - Angels in America. It is interesting to note that so many of my favorite films feature Meryl Streep - Mama Mia, Julie and Julia were two that impacted me in the past year or so. Well, she's done it again with this film - although it is really the entire ensemble that made this film fly, literally.

Even more than the actors, it was the relationships that touched me so deeply. I have so much more clarity as to what I lived through for seven years. But in the end, it is your friends who help you see through the clutter and reach reality - whatever that may be.

In the film, Prior, the protagonist,  has a favorite angel - Bethesda - Angel of the Waters. Angels are weightless, yet grounded, delicate yet firm, animate yet unreal. In the photo above the film ends in front of this inspirational fountain. Over the past couple of weeks I've been exploring my local Angels. Perhaps I will find one who inspires me as well.

Using My Voice

I've found my writing inspiration in blogger and cook Julie Powell and author, cook and teacher Julia Childs as depicted in the new film Julie and Julia. In the film Julie is played by Amy Adams and Julia by Meryl Streep - who was my inspiration last year at this time in Mama Mia (interesting that Meryl keeps touching my heart in these roles about women finding themselves.)

Julie is a blogger who finds her voice in cooking 542 of Julia's recipes from Mastering the Art of French Cooking, in 365 days. This was her attempt to set and complete a short term goal, and what a journey. She did it! Julia, also adrift in her career, when she moved to Paris with her husband, (sounds like me in London) turns to cooking for her focus. As we all know, she did it too!

Note to self: I've found my voice in writing - writing that made me burst into tears. How powerful to recognize I have a voice and I'm using it. Now to follow my own lesson and go deep.

Pulling Myself Together

Yesterday I rented a Uhaul and picked up my final two moving boxes from San Francisco and brought them to Alameda. It was like a right of passage riding my bike to the Uhaul place, renting the truck, sitting in Bay Bridge traffic, paying the toll, working my way across San Francisco, picking up the boxes, again sitting in Bay Bridge traffic, dropping the boxes off at my new place, returning the truck and then riding my bike back home. This was bookended with my favorite yoga class and seeing the movie Mama Mia.




Unpacking the boxes this morning I discovered all the little bits and pieces that make a place feel like home. These are the collections of things I brought to London and continued to grow over the years. A collection of glass hearts, hand crafted eggs, my etchings, scarves, and ceramics. Placing them around my place I instantly felt like this is home. Unfortunately there were a few broken items but not bad considering they were shipped from the UK to DC and then on to SF.


Seeing Mama Mia with Rachel and David was the ultimate ending to the day. Meryl Streep, as always, is an inspiration. Clearly I identified with her character as I dreamt last night that I had her long, long blond hair. More than her hair I felt touched by the duality of her character's strength/vulnerability, calm/panic, age/agelessness, creativity/practicality. This photo captures it all, especially the setting - her bedroom in Greece.



After leaving the film we chatted about saving for the future. What is it that I am saving for? Rachel reminded me, the farm and continuing my work in international civic leadership. How quickly I was distracted from my clearly-stated goals during my whirlwind reconnection with Bay Area life.


This image of Meryl stretching herself apart and at the same time pulling herself together while jumping madly on her bed is how I'm feeling these days.