Malcolm Gladwell’s Principle of 10,000 hours is well documented, but for those of you who aren’t familiar, the idea goes like this: achieving mastery of a specific skill require an estimated ten-thousand hours of practice. Backed by research studies and social experiments, Gladwell asserts that “ten thousand hours is the magic number of greatness.” AndContinue reading “cut your teeth”
Category Archives: television
speaking truth to power
I recently listened to an episode of The Moment with Brian Koppelman in which Koppelman reflects on his late father’s influence and the lessons learned from watching his father operate in the music business. One of these lessons is how to speak truth to power, a privilege that stems from a similar place as professionalContinue reading “speaking truth to power”
do what you’re doing
While I was in college, I had the opportunity to meet Alan Zweibel, one of the original writers for Saturday Night Live. He told a story about how he got the job at SNL: he’d been writing jokes on his own, collecting them and refining them at open mic nights throughout Manhattan. One night, aContinue reading “do what you’re doing”
thoughts from a detective
In a recent episode of The Moment with Brian Koppelman, writer-director John Hamburg (Along Came Polly, I Love You, Man) touched on a few things that I’ve been turning over in my mind lately. Referencing advice from his therapist, Hamburg says of writing, “Be a detective, not a judge.” I’ve been watching a lot ofContinue reading “thoughts from a detective”
psychic scars
A friend of mine is studying to be a screenwriter. The other night, we had a conversation about her graduate program. She’s in her mid-thirties, while most of her classmates are in their early twenties, a disparity she claims is obvious in their writing. Much of the work her classmates produce is imaginative , butContinue reading “psychic scars”
what I’ve been up to
It’s been a little while. Things have been crazy for me lately and as a result, things like posting here have fallen by the wayside. Here’s a list of things I’ve been up to and a few observations I’ve made: playing in a church band Ever notice how musicians refer to pieces of sheet musicContinue reading “what I’ve been up to”
how to have more than one success
In a conversation on Illeana Douglas’s podcast, Matthew Weiner recounts asking Larry Gelbart the secret to having more than one success. Gelbart, famous for M*A*S*H and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, responded: Don’t do anything for money, don’t do anything you’ve done before, and don’t do anything that’s boring. BecauseContinue reading “how to have more than one success”
happiness is not bullshit
I was struck by a brief exchange in Ann Lamott’s episode of The Midnight Gospel, which quickly dispels the myth of the tortured artist. “I felt terror that if I stopped drinking, I would never write again,” Lamott muses. “Because I needed the misery. Because I needed that edge. And I needed the shame andContinue reading “happiness is not bullshit”
listening to listen
It seems like most of the time, when I listen to a podcast, it’s to get something out of it. I’m on the hunt for tidbits of creative advice, insight into a craft, or equipment for living life in these trying times. Rarely do I listen just to listen. Marc Maron’s interview with David ChangContinue reading “listening to listen”
we wear the mask
It’s both chilling and appropriate that Facebook announced its name change and shift in business the week of Halloween. ‘Tis the season for all the mischief that accompanies wearing a mask. And Facebook has always been in the business of mask-making. It’s fair to say that most of us on the internet wear masks thatContinue reading “we wear the mask”
joshua chamberlain 