Sharon A. Bray, Ed. I ride a vanpool to work. There are about fifteen of us who make the trip from San Francisco to Silicon Valley each day, leaving before most people consider getting up, but returning home at the same time each day - something rather uncommon in this Valley. Not only has it given me back years I thought were lost forever to wracked nerves, it has provided me with the opportunity to meet some interesting people I might never have known other-wise. There are riders from England, Ireland, India, the Middle East, the Northern and Southern United States.
Ages range from early twenties to late sixties.
I think of it as a living microcosm of Silicon Valley as a whole. The Career Action Center has lately seen more and more clients who are like my vanpool friend - people who have a creative interest and want to find an outlet for it in their work. For their current skills to work in a museum, an advertising agency or any other setting where they will be energized by the creativity around them. If I meet a painter who is in high-tech during the day, I'd ask her if she'd be willing to go into computer graphics or illustration, or if it is important to her to keep the technology and art separate. It's tough for a strictly fine-artist to make a living.