"We, The People"

"We, the people, declare today that the most evident of truths — that all of us are created equal — is the star that guides us still; just as it guided our forebears through Seneca Falls, and Selma, and Stonewall; just as it guided all those men and women, sung and unsung, who left footprints along this great Mall, to hear a preacher say that we cannot walk alone; to hear a King proclaim that our individual freedom is inextricably bound to the freedom of every soul on earth."

President Obama's second Inaugural Address alluded to Martin Luther King as much in style as it did it content.  Lilting, alliterative, and structured through repetition and anaphora, today's speech was progressive poetry.

And when he stunned most people with a direct reference to gay rights, President Obama changed the conversation.  How audacious and how surprising.  He came full circle on that issue, and he did it right in front of us.

Early in the day, the media seemed fixated on the muted excitement of the crowd compared to the emotional mayhem of 2009.   I liked it.  It felt mature.  

Today he was discussed as a second term president, as a liberal, and as a guy who chews a lot of nicotine gum -  but rarely was he discussed as the first black President.

It seems as though we have learned to judge him by the content of his character, and not by the color of his skin.

Happy Birthday, Martin.

Downtown's Drama Queen covers NYC Theatre!

I have two profiles currently running in the New York Press culture section.

My alter-ego, the "Drama Queen" covers all things theatre in downtown Manhattan.  She and I have much in common, but where I like minimalism, she prefers spectacle.  She's also a huge fan of complicated costumes, flamboyant wigs, and shmoozing with celebrities in the lobby.  She fully expects to be discovered while walking past production sets scattered throughout the city, and we are both surprised it hasn't happened yet...

My favorite treats include Cool Ranch Doritos, hummus, and red wine, but the Drama Queen is more inclined towards stinky cheese, filet minion, and dirty martinis.

We make a good pair.

Here are the links: 
http://nypress.com/the-drama-queen-under-the-radar-with-meiyin-wang/
http://nypress.com/the-drama-queen-angela-dicarlos-mad-world/

OH! THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!

And on the second day of the thirteenth year of the 21st Century I made use of a Christmas gift certificate that entitled me to an amazing morning of kayaking off the coast of La Jolla, California.

From the birds flying overhead to the seals and sharks swimming below our boats, everything was beautiful.  We were visited by a nosy seal and photographed by curious tourists while we peeped over the sides of our tiny ships in an attempt to spy on dolphins.

My group was led by a duo of sun-kissed men who were so handsome they almost distracted me from the splendor of nature.  Nick (who calls himself the "shark-whisperer") has a very distracting smile and Harry looks like Mr. July from a lucrative calendar celebrating surfers.

Here's what I learned from our lovely leaders: 


The spectacular cliffs that host pelicans and seagulls are a visible part of the Rose Canyon fault line.

The caves carved into those cliffs have been used as Native burial grounds and Prohibition era speakeasies. 

The waters off the coast of La Jolla cover an ancient Native American battleground (somewhere down there arrowheads are hiding under the sand and surf).

Sea lions huddle together to create body heat because they are susceptible to hypothermia.

Kelp is the second-fastest growing organism on earth. 

And Dr. Seuss lived in a house with a view of it all! 

That white home with a triangular roof was the perch from which he wrote "Horton Hears a Who", "The Cat in the Hat", and "If I Ran the Zoo".  Talk about finding your inspiration...

2013 - Namaste

If today is the first empty page of a 365 page book,

mine begins with sand between my toes,

oceans to reach for, 

an open heart,

an appreciation of beauty,

and trails to blaze.

With an early morning jog followed by an hour of beach yoga to kick off 2013, I feel pretty blessed.

Should day one be an indication of what will fill my pages, I can't wait to tackle the next 364.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!