I worked a party at an expensive house in Hollywood this week. The front door was fifteen feet tall and latched automatically. Instead of twisting a knob, you had to push a button on the wall to unlatch the door and exit the house. One of my co-workers came to me, asking how to getContinue reading “pushing the button”
Category Archives: creativity
forgetting the words
I’ve been on a Patti Smith kick lately, which led me to her performance at the 2016 Nobel Prize Ceremony to honor Bob Dylan. Part of the way through “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall,” Patti blanks on the words. But instead of trying to cover, she stops the song and apologizes. “I’m sorry. I’m soContinue reading “forgetting the words”
passing an idea
I’ve spent some time recently reflecting on inspiration. After spending last summer watching Friday Night Lights, a drive in football feels the perfect metaphor to express how we inspire others. The ball doesn’t stay in one person’s hands. It’s passed between players. Ultimately, our job is to create things that carry our ideas forward. WeContinue reading “passing an idea”
riffin’
I finally got around to finishing The Rolling Thunder Revue on Netflix this week. It was a long overdue watch, but I’m convinced it’s the kind of film you have to be tuned into a very particular frequency to really engage with. One of my favorite moments is a brief interlude with Patti Smith, whoContinue reading “riffin’”
why Dave Grohl doesn’t like to rehearse
I loved this interview with Dave Grohl, where he provides insight into the Foo Fighters’ rehearsal process: We do have a saying in the Foo Fighters, that if it gets any better, it’s gonna get worse. So I don’t like to rehearse, because I like to get out on stage and have it be rawContinue reading “why Dave Grohl doesn’t like to rehearse”
fact, fiction, and truth
In a recent interview with Marc Maron, director Barry Jenkins offered a few insights into the collision between fact, fiction, and truth: There was an article that come out about this textbook [which was] telling kids, high school students, that the American slave trade was a system of conscripted labor… And I thought about thatContinue reading “fact, fiction, and truth”
learning vs. education
I started reading Verlyn Klinkenborg’s Several Short Sentences about Writing and twenty pages in, it’s already the most useful book on writing I’ve ever read. One of the hard truths from the book: The central fact of your education is this: you’ve been taught to believe that what you discover by thinking, by examining yourContinue reading “learning vs. education”
quick to hire, slow to fire
I’ve been spread too thin lately. I’ve been stressed. I’ve been depressed. I’m been fighting to keep my head above water. As a result, some of the work in one of my numerous jobs suffered a bit. When my boss confronted me, I asked if she was going to fire me. “No,” she said. “I’mContinue reading “quick to hire, slow to fire”
a poem or a prayer
I’ve always loved how poetry comes from somewhere deep, almost as though it’s the language of the soul. Austin Kleon, in addition to being famous as the Steal Like an Artist guy, is known for his blackout poems. He takes newspaper clips and blacks out most of the words to create a poem. After all,Continue reading “a poem or a prayer”
hang your art
If you don’t hang up your own artwork, how can you ask anyone else to do so?
