Do you know the recording artist Maggie Rogers? She’s amazing. And she has a kind of mind blowing origin story. She was at NYU as a music student a few years ago when Pharrell Williams, one of the top music producers in the world, came in to listen to the students’ songs and offer feedback. [...]
Life is rhythm. In fact, all of nature is rhythm. As a bassist, I know this is true. I often see the rhythms of energy, focus and motivation in my daily life. Oftentimes I’m kicking all kinds of ass. I find the focus, understand my ‘why,’ prioritize my tasks, and step forward. Other times, I [...]
As a young man stuck in the dulls of small town suburbia, I gravitated toward the punk rock ethos of “F Authority.” It was perfect. Easy to understand and easy to apply to teachers, parents or anyone who wanted to tell me what to do. It served me well as a teen. But eventually I [...]
If/ then. How many times in your life have you considered this little algorithm with any number of different variables? If she wants dessert, then I’m definitely getting some cake. If I get a raise, then I’m buying that giant TV. If it’s Friday, I’m drinking a beer. Fair enough. These if/ then’s are relatively [...]
Way, way back in the olden days, when my grandmother was just a kid, she showed some aptitude for playing piano. My great grandparents didn’t have any money but they went wild and bought her a piano. To do this, the family had to give up things. It was a sacrifice. My grandmother got into [...]
Unlike this year, last year around the holidays, I flew from my home in Seattle to the east coast to visit my family. As usual we had a layover in Chicago. It was already about 8PM local time when they announced the flight would be delayed. Then is was delayed again. And again. Eventually we [...]
When a designer makes a new thing, there are always trade offs. Creating a black and white T shirt is cheaper, but often less engaging. Put more sugar in your cereal and it'll taste better. It's also cost you more calories. Whether we think about it much or not, we design our lives. Of course, everyone [...]
If/ then. How many times have you considered this little algorithm with any number of different variables? If she wants dessert, then I’m definitely getting some cake. If I get a raise, then I’m buying that giant TV. If it’s Friday, I’m drinking a beer. Fair enough. These if/ then’s are relatively innocuous. And in [...]
Everybody likes it when things are easy. But it’s the challenges in our work and creativity (and pretty much everything else) that help us step into the extraordinary. When I started writing songs and recording music in the basement during my high school years in the 80s, it was tough going. A crap tape recorder. [...]
While I was writing my summer camp screenplay, I noticed something strange happening. Although the story was not really about me, I could see aspects of myself play out in my characters. Whoa. My hopes, my fears, my dreams, tragedies and truths somehow wove themselves into the plot. Tuna, the twenty something counselor, kept saying [...]
