Most Recent
Music
Hallelujah Chorus at the Dickens Fair
Just played the Hallelujah Chorus again and it was SO MUCH FUN! The second violin part rocks!
Music is Complicated
Music has always been complicated for me. First I didn’t take it seriously enough, then I took it so seriously I burned out on it for years… twice. So this year I’m playing again, challenging myself in big ways and trying to move past the...
Great Review for Always… Patsy Cline
The band got a picture and a mention! Another great review. "Patsy is backed up by The Bodacious Bobcat Band conducted by Trevor Meseroll (Keyboard), featuring Jay Rosen (Pedal Steel Guitar), Cat Taylor (Fiddle), Eric Price (bass), Derek...
Big News – Playing for Always… Patsy Cline at the Lesher Center
So, here's the big news. After a recommendation from Liz Martin I've signed on to play fiddle for the onstage band of "Always... Patsy Cline" for Center Rep at the Lesher Center in Walnut Creek. Beautiful theater, national touring...
Avalon Rising at the Bistro
That was a helluva thing. Avalon Rising (photo courtesy Lise McCarthy)
Seven of Nine
7 of 9 at PEERS Star Trek Academy Ball with Avalon Rising
Phoenyx’s Keepers of the Flame” – Now Legendary?
Once upon a time there was a Celtic Fusion band called Phoenyx, I guess we've now reached legendary status... Amazon.com: Keepers Of The Flame: Music.
A Spectacular Evening at SF Symphony With John Williams and Steven Spielberg
I am still coming back to earth after last evening's concert, it was stunning. Peter and I had seen that John Williams was going to be here when looking through Mom's San Francisco Symphony pamphlet a few months ago, and have both been...
Odd Fellows Vallejo Renovation Project Phase 1 | Indiegogo
This is a pretty great project, combining the efforts of an older generation of Odd Fellows with a new one and trying to revitalize a hall from the 1870's to benefit the current Vallejo community. The term "Odd Fellows" does amuse me when...
SF Blind Cafe Now Auditioning Musicians for Small Chamber Orchestra
A Concert and Sensory Tasting In The Pitch Dark! I just got a note from Rosh Rocheleau who is putting together the music for this very interesting project. First, a little background from their website: "The San Francisco Blind Cafe, is a...
Quick Books
Time to Change Your Passwords
Time to change your passwords on Twitter and Paypal, both of which have been hacked. And since they have your email address, change the password for that too.
IRS Postpones Implementation of $600 Form 1099-K
"As a result of taxpayer confusion, lack of clear guidance, concerns about the existing backlog, and impact on the upcoming filing season, industry and stakeholders urged the IRS to postpone the implementation of the new reporting...
Venmo, PayPal Tax Rule Change
This was inevitable. While some payment apps sent 1099-K's, others did not. Plus "Prior to this change, app providers only had to send the IRS a Form 1099-K if an individual account had at least 200 business transactions in a year and if...
All Re-Certified
Passed the QuickBooks desktop re-certification last night, the big QBO Advanced re-certification last week. Happy to be done with cert season before Scaling New Heights.
Help For Micro-Businesses, or What Can QBO Do For You?
The good news is that there are lots of other micro-businesses out there, in fact according to Forbes Magazine, almost 1/3 of us are currently self-employed, and by 2020, many predict we will make up half of the workforce. Businesses are taking note of this and offering services specifically tailored to this portion of the economy.
QuickBooks Online Advanced Certified!
I passed! After several years of classes, both online and in person, I have spent much of the month of May finally sitting down and working through the QuickBooks Advanced Certification online training and test for QBO. It's quite...
A father-son duo with a more clever idea to protect networks from hackers
A father-son duo came from out of nowhere with a more clever idea to protect networks from hackers—and now have a $1.75 billion startup with $160 million in the bank. http://www.forbes.com/fdc/welcome_mjx.shtml
A father-son duo with a more clever idea to protect networks from hackers
A father-son duo came from out of nowhere with a more clever idea to protect networks from hackers—and now have a $1.75 billion startup with $160 million in the bank. http://www.forbes.com/fdc/welcome_mjx.shtml
Thinking of opening a new business? Here’s a helpful article from Intuit on avoiding legal issues.
"The last thing a new business owner wants to deal with is legal problems. If you’re planning to open a business, here are five things you can do to prevent troublesome legal issues from popping up."...
Thinking of opening a new business? Here’s a helpful article from Intuit on avoiding legal issues.
"The last thing a new business owner wants to deal with is legal problems. If you’re planning to open a business, here are five things you can do to prevent troublesome legal issues from popping up."...
Technology
Time to Change Your Passwords
Time to change your passwords on Twitter and Paypal, both of which have been hacked. And since they have your email address, change the password for that too.
Apple WWDC Nerd stuff
#Nerd #WWDC Apple has once again gotten me all excited about stuff, especially #StageManager on the iPad. I mean, as if we didn't already know how awesome stage managers are...
Love My New iPhone 6+, My “iFab”
The word "phablet" is just annoying, I like iFab much better. You heard it here first.
Splash ID Safe (Password Manager) Don’t Upgrade to 7! (Yet)
I love this software which resides on both desktop and mobile devices and keeps track of many and sundry passwords, logins, etc. I spent 1.5 hours last evening on the phone with a client who lost all her data because of their current...
How much revenue did iTunes generate for Apple last quarter?
iTunes, Software, Services has become Apple's fastest growing revenue stream.
Theatre & Film
SF Historic Preservation Commission on The Castro Theatre Interior February 1st
The SF Historic Preservation Commission will be meeting to consider whether to extend landmark status to the The Castro Theatre Interior February 1st at 12:30pm at the Commission Chambers, Rm 400 - City Hall - 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett...
Great Review for Always… Patsy Cline
The band got a picture and a mention! Another great review. "Patsy is backed up by The Bodacious Bobcat Band conducted by Trevor Meseroll (Keyboard), featuring Jay Rosen (Pedal Steel Guitar), Cat Taylor (Fiddle), Eric Price (bass), Derek...
Save Our Seats
This is, as you can imagine, quite a contentious meeting. I hope that there can be compromise. It would be an expensive restoration to our beloved movie palace, but the soul of the Castro must not be lost.
Big News – Playing for Always… Patsy Cline at the Lesher Center
So, here's the big news. After a recommendation from Liz Martin I've signed on to play fiddle for the onstage band of "Always... Patsy Cline" for Center Rep at the Lesher Center in Walnut Creek. Beautiful theater, national touring...
Castro Theatre Petition
Please sign this petition to stop them from changing the seating in our lovely, historic movie palace. I think all the fans of the Castro Theatre were concerned this might be the plan. Thanks. From Leah Garchik "Maybe we sat alongside...
War of the Worlds 70 Anniversary Broadcast
Legion Fantastique’s production of Orson Welle’s “War of the Worlds” at the Castro Theatre, October 29th, 2008, created and directed by Peter Ovestreet. I thought since I was using the marquee picture regarding the changes at the Castro...
Matrix Resurrections Premier at The Castro Theatre
So after being on my feet all day, like ya’ do, I walked down the hill to see what the fuss is all about. The restaurants are packed, the sartorial shop I mentioned previously is having a party, the crazies are out and oh yeah, I guess...
Workshops for the Great Dickens Christmas Fair Start Halloween Morning!
Come join us as denizens of Dickens' Victorian London! Seven stages and more than 700 costumed performers! Come one come all, learn to act, costume and improvise for the biggest Christmas party on Earth - in costume, in character, be a...
Entertainment Proposals for the 2015 Great Dickens Christmas Fair due May 31st
Just a quick reminder that entertainment proposals for the 2015 Great Dickens Christmas Fair are due by the end of May. This year we are especially looking for variety performers and one more children's show. If you have a new show or...
Dickens Fair Character Auditions October 3rd in Pacifica (and more…)
Theatrical Fun in 19th Century London! The Dickens book character groups are ensemble casts that pride themselves on showcasing the vast panoply of Dickens' brilliantly wrought characters. Dickens' characters are big, bold and quirky with...
Fair(e)
She Changed the World
When it comes right down to it, Phyllis and Ron really did change the world. Happy birthday Phyllis. To clarify for those not “of the body”, Phyllis and Ron Patterson started what would become the original Renaissance Pleasure Faire...
Hallelujah Chorus at the Dickens Fair
Just played the Hallelujah Chorus again and it was SO MUCH FUN! The second violin part rocks!
Music is Complicated
Music has always been complicated for me. First I didn’t take it seriously enough, then I took it so seriously I burned out on it for years… twice. So this year I’m playing again, challenging myself in big ways and trying to move past the...
“Quirky, fun, imaginative place”, yup, that’s us.
After a two-year hiatus, The Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party (known simply as Dickens Fair) has reopened to help you build lasting memories. Find an adventure around every corner. Open weekends through December...
Workshops for the Great Dickens Christmas Fair Start Halloween Morning!
Come join us as denizens of Dickens' Victorian London! Seven stages and more than 700 costumed performers! Come one come all, learn to act, costume and improvise for the biggest Christmas party on Earth - in costume, in character, be a...
Entertainment Proposals for the 2015 Great Dickens Christmas Fair due May 31st
Just a quick reminder that entertainment proposals for the 2015 Great Dickens Christmas Fair are due by the end of May. This year we are especially looking for variety performers and one more children's show. If you have a new show or...
Dickens Fair Character Auditions October 3rd in Pacifica (and more…)
Theatrical Fun in 19th Century London! The Dickens book character groups are ensemble casts that pride themselves on showcasing the vast panoply of Dickens' brilliantly wrought characters. Dickens' characters are big, bold and quirky with...
36th Great Dickens Christmas Fair Tickets Onsale Now!
Tickets onsale now! Step into a Victorian wonderland of waltzing, feasting, laughing and singing! Purchase "Print at Home" tickets now through October 15th and save $5 off the box office price of $25 Adult tickets (good weekends 1 thru...
A Tale of Two Scrooges (Three, Actually)
The face of London’s favourite curmudgeon will look both different and familiar at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair this year. Don Hardy, who stepped into Martin’s large and well-loved shoes for Dickens 2012, will be snarling his way...
Entertainment Proposals for The Great Dickens Christmas Fair, 2014
Yes Virginia, it's already time to start talking about the entertainment for the Great Dickens Christmas Fair for 2014. If you have a new show or group that you'd like to propose, please visit this webpage to find out more about...
Cat’s Mewsings
SF Historic Preservation Commission on The Castro Theatre Interior February 1st
The SF Historic Preservation Commission will be meeting to consider whether to extend landmark status to the The Castro Theatre Interior February 1st at 12:30pm at the Commission Chambers, Rm 400 - City Hall - 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett...
She Changed the World
When it comes right down to it, Phyllis and Ron really did change the world. Happy birthday Phyllis. To clarify for those not “of the body”, Phyllis and Ron Patterson started what would become the original Renaissance Pleasure Faire...
Hallelujah Chorus at the Dickens Fair
Just played the Hallelujah Chorus again and it was SO MUCH FUN! The second violin part rocks!
RT @radiotimes: May The Force be with…
RT @radiotimes: May The Force be with... Atreyu? Proof #StarWars is, in fact, a #NeverendingStory http://radiotimes.com/news/2015-11-1… http://pic.twitter.com/6n7aL7F7wj
Remembering Verna Parino: November 22, 1916 – July 20, 2015
Verna Parino, long time Mill Valley resident, passed away peacefully in her sleep on the morning of June 20, 2015 after a long and adventurous life. Verna Duren Swanson was born in 1916 in Minneapolis, MN to Lillian and Edward Swanson,...
The best article I’ve seen so far on iOS8
The best article I've seen so far on today's upgrade to iOS8. "iOS 8 Arrives: Should You Upgrade Right Now?" http://ow.ly/BBQor
Sheesh… How to make your Chrome extension icons visible again:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2048413/how-to-make-your-chrome-extension-icons-visible-again.html
Did you miss the beginning of the new Cosmos series with Neil deGrasse Tyson?
Did you miss the beginning of the new Cosmos series with Neil deGrasse Tyson? We did too, but you can catch it on Hulu Plus for $7.99 a month. We just watched the first episode and it's well worth it. Watch Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey...
Believe it or not, it’s already time to “spring forward”!
Daylight Savings Time starts on Sunday, March 9, 2014 at 2:00 AM local standard time. Daylight Savings Time ends on Sunday, November 2, 2014 at 2:00 AM local daylight time.
Comic Book Art Slam on Thursday October 17th in San Jose!
Like comic book super heroes? Like to draw? Join us for round two of the Comic Book Art Slam, this time in San Jose at 7:30 on Thursday, October 17th at the SLG Art Boutiki. All levels of experience are welcome! Just come and draw...