Earlier this week, Ada surprised us with front row tickets to see this funny woman:

Amy Poehler was a member of the SNL cast from 2001-2008, stars in NBC’s Parks & Recreation, and has earned for four Emmy nominations and one Golden Globe nominations.

It was such a treat to hear her talk, and our seats weren’t too bad either! Amy was incredibly hilarious and down-to-earth. My favorite piece of advice that she shared with the young audience members was to “do what you love.” I can’t tell you how many times I have heard that expression… and it never gets old. Working full business days has reminded me of how much time is invested at the workplace, and how important it is to find a career that I am passionate about. So, hopefully I can narrow down my passions during the next couple of months in NYC. I guess that’s what this summer is all about!

The following afternoon, the Moxies took a trip to NYC’s Gay Pride Rally. We watched in an amphitheater on the Hudson River, surrounded by rainbow flags and food booths. I had never been immersed in an environment with so much freedom to express his and her sexual orientation. It was certainly liberating, however, I couldn’t help but remember the LGBT attitudes of Duke University’s home state. A little more than a month ago, North Carolina approved a constitutional amendment defining marriage solely as a union between a man and a woman. With that recent policy decision in mind, I mourned for the suppressed LGBT community in North Carolina.

So, to add on to Ms. Poehler’s commentary on life; “do what you love and love who you love!” Both ambitions require courage, ambition, and trueness of self. But, at the end of the day, I think that it is a happy and healthy goal.