My love for Litquake , San Francisco's literary festival (the largest indie lit fest in the west!) began the first year I lived in San Francisco when I first learned about it, and realized I had just missed it. The next year, and every year after, it has been one of the great highlights of my year. I volunteered during the festival for four years in a row before joining the planning committee this year. And the committee has been a really interesting highlight throughout the year (I overuse the word "interesting," and as some have pointed out over the years, it sounds like I'm slyly saying something negative--as in, isn't that interesting? in response to pickled puffin breast--but here I really mean interesting, as in it captivated my interest, engaged my brain, and was composed of fascinating people). Being able to work with a bunch of people coming together through a shared love of reading who are super smart in a wide variety of ways has made me feel real
"In the midst of winter I found in me an Invincible Summer." - Camus ...On exploring strength in its many forms: strong people, strong writing, strong curiosity, obsessions, stances, and loves. Strength as a concept wide enough to encompass fear, truth, vulnerability, and joy.