Last month, I was in San Francisco to wrap up our second phase of work with the San Francisco Opera.

On the way back to my hotel, I meet a gentleman on Market street. I meet his eye and smile. He gets a shocked look on his face, walks over and says, "Hey listen, I'm not here to ask you for money - I just wanted to say thank you. You're only the 3rd person to look in my direction today and acknowledge me, and you have no idea what that means. I'm serious - you've already helped me so much."