Blog

“Each website became a monument to a rare burst of enthusiasm.” Perfect description of the entrepreneur’s struggle from Users, Not Customers. We have these big, bold ideas that thoroughly consume us for two weeks. And then one morning we wake up and realize we’ve completely lost interest. I’m just not that into you, we say, as we hopscotch onto the next creative fling.  “Being good at both art and entrepreneurship is a rare combination.” For a hundred…

“Old seltzer men never die, they just lose their spritzer.” Endearing piece about the last of the great seltzer men. I didn’t even know that was a profession. Who knew you could build a career from bubbles? I want to have dinner with Eli Miller. They don’t make ’em like that anymore. “People aren’t born to switch on and off like water faucets.” Interesting perspective from a 70’s prostitute on taking your…

“Out to eat, face down in their smartphones.” This is where we’re at. This is what we’ve decided to accept as normal. What a crock. My phone has been massively cracked for seven months. And I’m never going to get it fixed. Ever. Why? Because it doesn’t fucking matter. Great cartoon, Jason. “Everybody should have something to point to.” I’m reading a inspiring/heartbreaking book called Working. Loved this chapter about the satisfaction of visual…

“Be ten cents more trusted, not ten cents less expensive.” You can try to win on price, or you can focus your efforts on more meaningful customer benefits. Inspired by Gitomer’s list of predictions for this year. “Get on with the real work of making real art in the real world.” Don’t dream about making art. Don’t talk about making art.Don’t read stories about other people making art. None of that will…

“Another human dream crushed by the uncompromising forces of reality.” The best part about reading The Onion is, every laugh out loud moment is underscored by so much truth, it’s almost scary. Thisarticle should be read by any artist who’s trying to make it. Prepare your heart. “It leaves a debris field of unwanted movements and bizarre behaviors.” Beautiful description of a devastating disorder. Can you imagine having no control over your own body?…

“They use every part of you like a buffalo.” That’s how MC Chris summarized his stint at Adult Swim. We should all be lucky enough to work and live that way. Firing on all cylinders, making use of everything we are and leaving no talent untapped. That’s how meaning is made, that’s how value is created. “That’s just one shelf in the room.” Finally saw Kevin Smith live this week. Laughed my…

“When your hobby transforms into your livelihood, you become a lot more pragmatic and a lot less romantic.” While researching the world of craft beer, I stumbled across this fascinating thread. Been there before. When our passion becomes our profession, a lot of the love and purity and joy of the work gets reduced to a task. We have to ask ourselves if it’s worth it. “The pain of having not…

“On most shows, the guest is a prop.” The hosts are just interviewing themselves.” Larry King is the last of the great interviewers. He asks short, smart, simple questions and shuts up. What a concept. I wish more podcasters and television hosts would heed his advice.  “You can’t blame the computer for what the producer does.” I appreciate Dave Grohl’s democratic stance on electronic music. It’s not an issue of technology, it’s…

“I’ve been looking at stains ever since I was seven, waiting for a message.” What I love about Tom Waits is that he was weird first. Long before the Internet became a digital pissing contest to prove whose life is more interesting, Tom was already doing his thing, in the analog world, just cuz. “Lots of generals but no troops.” In the past two years, I’ve fallen in love with manual labor. There’s…

“It only takes two and a half minutes to piss away your good will.” Conan talks about actors who become assholes when they’re forced into an unprotected setting. Fascinating. Never thought about that. I guess if you pretend to be other people all day, it’s probably hard to be yourself. “We’re not into math, we’re into feelings.” How can we think about logic in a time like this? How can we…