Today and tomorrow I am attending the Social Good Summit, a conference that examines the impact of new media and technology on social good initiatives around the world. I am here as part of my role as an advisory council member for the United Nations Foundation’s Shot@Life program. Everyone is talking about the explosion last night in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan. I was nowhere near it and am relieved that the people injured will all be okay. There are some pretty important people who will be attending the Social Good Summit over the next two days (to say nothing of it also being UN General Assembly week in NYC), so there is a very strong security presence on the Upper East Side. I’m looking forward to seeing speakers like Joe Biden, John Kerry, Helen Clark, Chelsea Handler, and David Nabarro, just to name a few. I feel a little bit like a fraud here with all of these amazing people, so I am going to soak in as much of this as I can.

#2030NOW

Around The ‘Net

~Colin Kaepernick and the Question of Who Gets to Be Called a ‘Patriot’

~What San Francisco Says About America

~Studies Link Cancer Patients’ Survival Time To Insurance Status

~Amtrak Responds to Woman Stuck in an Elevator—7 Months Later

~With This Sweet Ad, Ikea Joins Small Group of Brands Willing to Talk About Divorce

~74-Year-Old Omaha Restaurateur Helps Revitalize Struggling Neighborhood

~This 8-Year-Old is the Youngest Girl to Skate in the Vans US Open Pro Series

~A Cow With No Name: Google Blurs Bovine Face For Privacy

~Watch 2 Elite Soccer Players Take On A Pack Of 8-Year-Olds

~An artist draws monsters next to unsuspecting subway riders

Beyon-slay

Beyoncé at Dodger Stadium

I saw Her Majesty Queen Beyoncé in concert at Dodger Stadium last week. I have to say that normally, I hate outdoor stadium concerts. The sound is usually horrible and the stages are small and far from the crowd, making it hard to connect with the performer. So even though this was Beyoncé, I didn’t go in with high expectations. And of course, because it was Beyoncé, she knocked it out of the park. The sound was good (there was no echo, something Dodger Stadium was famous for), and her stage was ENORMOUS — probably 200-250 feet wide. On top of that, there was a huge video screen that projected a larger-than-life Beyoncé. Her voice was fantastic and her whole show was flawlessly executed. We weren’t near the stage, but I didn’t feel disconnected from the concert. She mostly performed songs from her new album, although she threw in enough of her past hits that I doubt anyone was unhappy. I’m glad I was able to score tickets to this show, since I’d missed out when she was at the Rose Bowl a few months ago. I can now happily cross Beyoncé off of my concert bucket list (although I would never say no to seeing her again)!

Current Obsessions

~My reusable k-cup for my Keurig is my most favorite thing right now (yay for coffee!!!).
~The kids love this waterproof speaker that they can listen to in the shower (and dance to, obviously).
~Luvvie Ajayi’s book that came out this week and is already a #1 bestseller. I have cried with laughter during every single chapter!

Happy Sunday, everyone!