I don’t really want to write about the Plague. Sure, it’s timely and relevant, and a hundred years from now (assuming the servers haven’t been fried) history students will be combing the records of everyone who lived through this annus horribilis. But here’s the thing — it’s awfully boring. Even the name “COVID-19” is generic…… Continue reading Death of a Spaceman: Sleepless in Plaguetown, USA
Dare to Dilettante
The list of skills I’ve picked up and discarded, or merely fiddled with, over the course of my life is rather long. When I was twelve I studied slight-of-hand with a local magician and quickly developed enough skill to stage small magic shows outside the local grocery store (I wore my father’s college graduation gown…… Continue reading Dare to Dilettante
Panning for Gold
Zig Ziglar, in one of his talks, loosely quotes Andrew Carnegie’s philosophy about developing executives. The quote in full is: Men are developed the same way gold is mined. When gold is mined, several tons of dirt must be moved to get an ounce of gold; but one doesn’t go into the mine looking for…… Continue reading Panning for Gold
The measure of our success
I’ve been reading Seth Godin’s The Practice this week and thinking about the extent to which we define success inside of parameters we have no control over. I’m not sure I’ve ever defined success any other way. The grade in school. The praise of a boss. The promotion or raise or accolade. The esteem of…… Continue reading The measure of our success
Art Work
I’ve struggled for a long time with what it means to make a living and make art. Recently it’s become clear to me that any work can be made artful. That any art can be made work. Not work in the sense of drudgery, but work in the sense of serving as a co-creator of…… Continue reading Art Work