A-Cappella Singing
I sing soprano and alto 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 in Marin each May to hear the best a cappella out there, and of course the tv spin-off of the Harmony Sweepstakes, The Sing Off.
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 weekends, 5-week Tuesday night classes, and Jammix dances led by Richard Powers, as well as Friday Night Waltz in Palo Alto. Richard's music choices and lessons classes are fantastic.
Cubberly Ballroom in Palo Alto is also casual and friendly, and Swing Camp Catalina is fun if you want a crash course on lindy hop.
Local Talks and Seminars
There are some great monthly talk series in the bay area. I've enjoyed BayCHI talks for years; lots of great speakers on issues related to the design and evaluation of human interfaces. Stanfords Human-Computer Interaction Seminar is also great, open to the public, and also available for viewing through the Stanford Center for Professional Development, which offers free online seminars on many topics.
The Long Now seminars in San Francisco also feature excellent speakers on topics related to thinking about, understanding, and acting responsibly over the long term. Check out their podcasts. Cafe Scientifique is another great place to explore the latest ideas in science and technology.
Reasoning with Numbers
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 former advisor) and his reasoning with numbers work. Recently, I worked with Michael on his More Numerate project. People are good at thinking linearly, but many interesting and important phenomena lead to exponential change over time (e.g., compounding, evolution, global warming). 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?
Financial Planning
I enjoy reading articles, listening to podcasts, tweaking spreadsheets, and advising family and friends on financial planning. What 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. Ignore advertisers and manufactured wants if you can, and avoid recurring fees (think TV antennae and free online videos instead of cable). 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 "play money" that you can afford to loose; remember, our intuitions fail us more than we realize. Maintain a portfolio allocation that is appropriate for your horizon, and buy on sale when others are selling (think Warren Buffett). Oh, and don't buy an SUV. 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.
To learn more, I recommend Andrew Tobias's The Only Investment Guide You'll Ever Need-- it's fun and full of great information. Marketplace Money on NPR and Steve Pomeranz's On The Money podcast are also good, as are Andrew Tobias's Blog on money and other subjects, My Money Blog, and Paul Krugman's Blog on economic policy.