Welcome to how to. I'm Courtney Martin. I'm sure all of you listeners out there have a busy friend, right? You know the type. They seemingly have three jobs, a full family life, a ton of responsibilities. And yet, every time you check on them, they're going on these amazing side quests.

They've learned a new instrument, or just run an ultra, or restored an old coffee table.

And, I mean, it is impressive, but you got to wonder, how do they find the time?

Well, I have a dear friend like this, and I want you to

meet her. My name is Kate Levitt. I am a working parent in San Francisco, California. I am an

education and nonprofit leader.

I also have three kids.

I'm like solidly middle age to turning 45 in just a few weeks,

but feeling very much that sort of lovely middle of life having done a lot and still

very excited about everything there is to do. I'm a DJ. I'm a community

organizer. I'm a caregiver. Many things. Self-proclaimed maximalist here.

I love this introduction, but honestly, Kate is being a little modest. She's one of the most interesting

people I know. She's civically engaged, the one hosting the block parties and running the

PTA to make sure it's more equitable. She's intellectually engaged, the one who always has tickets

to the coolest lectures coming to town. But she's not just a nerd. She's legitimately cool, too. She's a DJ, for

God's sake, and a dancer who hasn't missed carnival in years. She loves Halloween and always does

the most elaborate costumes. And she's an incredible cook, always showing up to the potluck

with a heaping pile of homemade grape leaves or an incredible Cuban dish.

Okay, I could go on for a while, obviously, for the rest of the episode.

But essentially, this is the point.

Kate has zest for participating in life to the absolute fullest.

I was always insatiably curious, and I loved saying yes to things even as like a preschooler.

...