A-Cappella Singing
I sing soprano in a six-part a cappella group, Smorgaschord. My husband Larry sings bass and vocal percussion. We sing a wide range of music -- pop, jazz, classical, and other genres. Check out the annual Harmony Sweepstakes a cappella festival at the Marin Center each May to see some excellent groups.
Vegan cooking
Need some vegan recipes? I have a cooking blog, Peachy Keen Green, where I post my favorite recipes and tips. Check out excellent, short videos about nutrition research at NutritionFacts.org.
Social Dancing
Hustle, foxtrot, waltz, and swing; these are a few of my favorite things. Oh, and salsa and two-step. We particularly like Stanford dance, 5-week Tuesday night classes, and Jammix dances led by Richard Powers, as well as Friday Night Waltz in Palo Alto. Richard is the best instructor ever.
Farming
I grew up on a farm in Nebraska, and now own that farm with my brother. We rent out the house to a nice couple (whose great-grandfather built the house - can you say "small town"!), and rent the farm land to an awesome young farmer who raises corn and soybeans. I visit (and get put to work on!) the farm about 4 times a year.
Reasoning and Social Behavior
How do people use numbers to formulate or justify their beliefs? Can we improve people's numerical literacy and rationality? These are research questions being addressed by Michael Ranney, my friend and former PhD advisor. After graduating, I worked with Michael on his More Numerate project. We often overestimate effects in the short term and underestimate them in the long term. How do we help people grasp exponential change and better understand the huge impact of things like compounding interest, natural selection, and carbon emissions over time?
How did play, fairness, and other complex social behaviors evolve? And how can we nudge them for better good? These are things my brother studies, and it's fun to talk with him about it. You can hear him in the last 10 minutes of This American Life podcast, Things I Mean To Know. And my sister is a psychiatrist, so family discussions are never boring. Strive for empathy, and don't underestimate luck; it's a huge factor in success. Be useful and be kind!
And if you're going to program, learn, or create most anything with more reliability and fun, do it in pairs - learning partners rock :)
Financial Planning
When family and friends ask for my advice on financial planning, I I tell them: Think low-cost index funds, from excellent investment institutions like Vanguard, in a globally diversified portfolio - and save like crazy as early as you can to take advantage of compounding. Don't bother with managed funds; studies show that lower cost funds almost always outperform more expensive funds, given the fee handicap. Don't try to pick stocks unless it's with money that you can afford to loose; our intuitions fail us more than we realize. Maintain a portfolio allocation that is appropriate for your horizon. Live near your work. Consider going vegetarian. Simplify. By consuming less, you can save more, retire earlier, and reduce your negative impact on the planet. Read Andrew Tobias's The Only Investment Guide You'll Ever Need.
Local Talks and Seminars
There are some great local talks in the bay area -- for example,
BayCHI talks related to user experience design,
Long Now Foundation seminars
on long-term thinking, and
the USGS Evening Public Lecture Series with awesome
talks related to earth science.