Heather Gold

Removing Dropbox, Wifi, Spotlight + Notification Center From Your Menu Bar

My mind often follows what I see. I’m a visual-spatial thinker.

So I wanted to get rid of as much of the stuff in my Mac’s menu bar as possible so I can focus on what I’m writing right now. This may be the nerdiest post I’ve ever written, but it’s part of my new commitment to myself to return my expression to my own blog first (thanks for the inspiration Scott Rosenberg) before social media or elsewhere, and to write more often.

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“Closer to “consensual comedy” than traditional stand-up.” My interview with Hairpin

I’ll admit it I’m very excited about this piece. It’s the biggest interview ever published with me and we got to talk about all kinds of juicy stuff I care a lot about.

I had a lot of fun talking with writer Lili Loofbourow for this interview for The Hairpin in which I discuss my approach to making interactive shows, gender, who’s in the “audience,” how the room never ends now in performance because of social media, and the work of Marc Maron, Louie CK, the whole ‘women aren’t  funny’ thing, social media gender issues and all that “rapey” talk.

It’s always a delight to ge to give shout outs and voice to some of the women from whom I’ve learned  and been inspired. Some are famous like Jennifer Coolidge and some are not, but are infamous but not so known, like Cynthia Szigeti and some like my Aunt Fraida never even got a chance to get on stage. My Aunt Fraida is the funniest person I’ve known. Who’s the funniest person you’ve known?

Morning Jew: Strange Seders, Jewish Porn Star, Kansas City JCC Shooter and Spain Doubles Down

Morning Jew: Jewish Porn Star, Kansas City JCC Shooter and Spain Doubles Down 

 This week we discussed our Passover traditions, attempt to explain Passover in 1 minute, consider the killings at the Kansas City Jewish Community Center and Village Shalom and cast their votes on the name change of the Spanish village of Castrillo Kill Jews which has a very special Good Friday tradition of drinking lemonade and wine or “Killing Jews.” We explain

To support Morning Jew, becoming an Honorary Jew or receive unsolicited advice and other things from the Morning Jews, go to: our Patreon page.

#DateDay: A new feature in which I share our affordable magical dates in NoCal. No 1. Vichy Springs in Ukiah, CA

I took Mariko, my sweetie to Vichy Springs in Ukiah CA a few weeks ago. It was the second anniversary of our meeting. We had an amazing time. Friends and acquaintances have been asking us about our #dateday posts on Instagram (I’m @heathr and she is @marikotamaki) So we thought we’d start blogging our dates to give other people date ideas and hopefully get a few from you.

Vichy Springs has cheesy billboards up all over the Bay Area with line drawings of Jack London trying to impress you with “champagne baths.” None of that may sound appealing. The rust colour of the older-than-Mark-Twain stone baths above might look even less appealing. That’s why I’m writing to tell you that floating in one of those mineral, bubbly, warm baths looking at the sky after a beautiful hike is pretty much a slam dunk fantastic date. Sublime even. It’s all about the floating, which was completely Mariko’s idea. The baths are not like the tub you take at home. Water is running through the thing the whole time. Water full of Lithium, Bicarbonate and other mineral goodies said to have all kinds of healing and happy powers. To be completely buoyant and warm (when you are still all the bubbles coat you and keep you about body temperature) and feel the slight wave from the water moving is to have the easiest meditation you will even have. You can do an hour easily. Easily. Then there’s a really hot larger communal tub to warm up in when you’re done. Nothing foofy about this place. V old and simple but super magical.

Time: 2 hours from the Bay Area. Lovely drive. Do-able as a determined day trip. Map.
Cost: $30 each for day use plus gas.
Tips: To do as an overnight, great off-season discount, maybe $150 night including breakfast. Bring flip flops. And comfy warm sweatshirts and hats. Bring a picnic. No food here for daytrips. There’s a great market in Healdsburg.

morning Jew Ep 8 (10/18/2013)

I’m enjoying doing this weekly morning show with my pal NY comic Katie Halper. We review the week’s headlines and ask: Is it good for the Jews? It’s so morning show sometimes you even get a true morning face from me, like in this week’s episode. This week we hit topics from the hugs: how do political parties really work in America to what a good Jerry Seinfeld interview sounds like.

If you want to know if something is good for the Jews, just ask or (more likely) tell us.
The show is at http://morningJewz.com .

10/4/13 Woody Allen is the ultimate shonda, Miley Cyrus and critical history of bras for Jewesses.

Are Woody Allen, Miley Cyrus, Sinead O’Connor or the government shutdown good for the Jews? Show notes.

Also: a special outtake. Heather is busted.

More morning Jew.

morning Jew 9/22/13 The Pope, Israel pays for Propoganda and Pop Chips

Katie and I take on the latest headlines and ask: is it good for the Jews? All the good nosh here.

Ryan. The Ultimate Lesson in Show Don’t Tell and a More Moving Computer Animation Than Anything Pixar’s Done.

Ryan by Chris Landreth, National Film Board of Canada

My girlfriend Mariko showed me this animation by Chris Landreth at the National Film Board of Canada the other day. It hit me like a rock.

It won an Academy Award and made one of those happy occasions when something superlative won. It is perhaps the best piece of documentary I’ve ever seen and one of the most whole expressions of what it means to make art and what it means to live in suffering I’ve ever seen.

It captures what is handed down from generation to generation. Its characters embody what our mental anguish does to us, literally. It shows what a hold money has on art and why art is oxygen. It has tenderness and such self-awareness and love. And it does all these things compactly in beautiful small, detailed gestures. It is exquisite storytelling. Chris Landreth has committed the greatest act of art: he has paid great attention. And he has cared. And he has not turned even one inch away from the truth.

A note: You will probably cry. I did. But it is the most satisfying and important kind of cry. The kind that lets you know that the very point of being alive has not been overlooked.

“Putin wrote an op-ed in the NYTimes, like a good Jewish boy” Morning Jew is back.

Katie Halper and I have just brought morning Jew back. We ask: Are the headlines good for the Jews?

Today’s full post. You can follow us on tumblr.

I Highly Recommend Not Knowing Too Much About What You’re Trying to Do

This was me on my 44th birthday at one of my favourite places in Napa. I didn’t live anywhere yet.

Right before we taped this I ordered a plate of fresh cookies and then spent the rest of the night giving them away to other people at the very posh restaurant and getting to know the people there. That was the best part of the night.

I needed some inspiration today. I came across this video and thought I’d watch it and attempt to learn something from myself.

What did mid-life teach you?