🍔 life's BBQ
You’re [maybe] invited.
This is my imaginary list of invitees to my life’s figurative BBQ. I suppose this is my brain sorting through the desire for community and connection with weird + nice people that I love to interact with (both IRL and on the internet), and packaging it up nicely in the palatable image of a warm Saturday in a park with the smells of Summer coming up from the grill, while I corral everyone I have some form of an internet crush on.
But first, a key:
✅ IRL contact made [I consider this a phone call or text, but not Zoom)
⏳ IRL contact not-yet made
✅ Maya On The Internet // the contemporary identity culture artist 🔗💫
Perhaps the coolest person on the entire internet. During Interrobang's early days, we bought one of Maya’s NFT projects and I got to see her MFA thesis IRL @ UCLA and I’m inspired at every turn of her corner of the internet
✅ Mike from Pickaxe🔗 // the AI and video startup wizard 🪄
I overheard 3 guys nerding out about AI + Midjourney in line at a bakery and knew I wanted to be friends. I waited until one of them was filling up their Coke and blurted out the confession that I was ear-hustling their fascinating conversation and some awkwardly nervous version of “want to be friends?” came tumbling out. He was kind enough to share his hilarious project Untwitter🔗 and gracious to swap contacts. He + friends launched the Pickaxe Project🔗, a fascinating fast growing AI workflow builder) that’s fun to use and even more fun to watch grow like crazy. I hardly know them but I’m quite proud of this group of smart, cool people!
✅ Priya // the executive coach ✨
Priya laughs deeply and has words that will hit your soul for weeks. One day we’ll🔗 write a book about all of the Priya Prompts ™️ we’ve learned and incorporated into daily life. For now, I have a small collection of a-ha moments, here🔗
⏳ Alan Cooper // the recipient of the Windows Pioneer Award🔗 + co-owner of Monkey Ranch🔗
a retired software inventor who pursued a somewhat non-standard pivot in life and still tinkers and makes his own life content for YouTube. I like that he embodies what [I imagine] YouTube originally set out to be… shared nostalgic content [instead of the manic monetizations of high octane reels with fancy titles and editing and the feverish quest for views that YouTube is today]. From what I know, he won a Windows award, had a kid that got married, and then made a life pivot to running a ranch with his wife + bestie🔗 and I really just think that’s the cutest.
✅ Amanda Keidan // single mum entrepreneur 🏨
We met in Cabo and I could tell from her DGAF mom energy that we were kindred spirits. After a nudge to push past some hesitancy to make a friend, I managed to blurt out “you seem cool and I want to know your story” and wow, what a cool story that followed – from curating custom fine jewelry pieces in New York to L.A. to owning boutique hotels🔗 in San Miguel, Mexico – her stories kept me laughing and in awe of what single mum’s can do.
✅ Madison // the out-of-the-box therapist
funny, sassy, my first [and only] therapist to date. I’ve heard that most take several attempts at finding the right therapist for them, I completely lucked out in this arena. What started as a feeble research attempt at a marriage therapist [requirements included walking distance from my home, to further illustrate my naiveté], led to an initial therapist saying “sorry I'm too busy but here is my colleague” and me just going for the recommendation. Smash cut to splitting off to solo-therapy, she’s been the constant 1-2x per week reason I haven’t spontaneously combusted.
⏳ Brie Wolfson // founder, writer, and website-creator crush
if its possible to have a crush on a website, it’s this one🔗. The organization + thoughtfulness is so cool, and Brie seems like a gem of a human. With thoughtful personal essays on depression🔗 and heartwrenching recounts of growing up🔗
[there are more, stay tuned]