(Video link here.) In 1975, film maker Tom Schiller made a documentary of Henry Miller. A full 35 minutes of it takes place in Miller’s astonishing bathroom after he had woken up. We found all 35 minutes riveting, though the first 3:35 give the big gist: Miller decorated his bathroom in a break-the-mold way…
Read Moresalvador dali says ‘yes’ to everything
(Video link here) We are totally charmed by this video of Salvador Dali on an episode of What’s My Line, an old tv game show in which blindfolded contestants had to guess the occupation of the special guest by asking yes/no questions. Here are all of the questions that Dali answered yes to (we’ve boldfaced ones that…
Read Morehow leonard cohen found his song
We always love hearing about where artists find their inspiration. In this video of Leonard Cohen, he has much to say about the process of cultivating an authentic “voice”
Read More4 ways to step outside of your comfort zone + conquer the ‘ok plateau’
(Video link here.) We recently came across this great talk by Joshua Foer that explores the success of “experts.” The video is 17 minutes, which we know is long, so we’ve culled the gist for you, hoping you’ll listen at some point; we think it’s truly useful and super interesting. According to Foer and the scientists…
Read Morerole model: fast forward on $$, improvising and music
A couple of months ago, we received an interesting comment thanking us for a quote we posted from John Cage’s A Year from Monday: “Even though I have 2 copies of this book, knew JC and spent 30 years performing his music, it was still great to see”. It was signed ‘Fast Forward’. Well of course we…
Read More‘don’t say yes. be yes.’
Related posts: what is the most powerful word in the english language? bathroom read: john cage’s “a year from monday” yes a reminder, via anne herbert (open doors!) healing worry (via anne herbert) random wisdom, overheard anne herbert’s wise + teeny meditations fling and be flung (jackson pollock)
Read Morepoems as gifts: don wentworth’s ‘past all traps’
Our friend Maureen Rolla sent us an email with two poems by her friend Don Wentworth, editor of the Lilliput Review, a print magazine dedicated to the short poem. They are from his recently released book Past All Traps. It was as though Maureen had dropped gifts into our laps. The first, above, about seeing…
Read Morethis way or that way? what is the better way?
One of our great morning pleasures is Rolu, Matt Olsen’s blog about art and artists that is simultaneously both illuminating and mysterious. Its recent post segues perfectly with ours from yesterday quoting John Cage’s A Year from Monday. Olsen posted “arrow” works by two different artists with these words: “this way or that way? what is the better…
Read Morethe adjacent possible: birds as musical notes…
Nina Saltman sent us an email in response to our post about John Cage: “Regarding the ‘what if’ to music. You must look at this video! Jarbas Agnelli, a Brazilian musician and film director saw these birds on electric wires that reminded him of the music staff, and wrote a song based on their configuration.…
Read MoreTo Make the Unwanted Wanted (Jane Hirschfield)
The New York Times’ Ezra Klein’s conversation with poet Jane Hirshfield yielded many remarkable insights. But what dazzled us most was her reading of her poem A Cedary Fragrance, and the story behind her writing it, and its big lesson and challenge.
Read MoreRadical Acceptance with Biscuits (Tara Brach, Ed Brown)
When I hear the word “radical” used in the context of personal change —whether a book, a course, a workshop — I generally pass it by. It’s so overused and overblown, I’ve come to mistrust it. But in the past few months, I’d heard a number of smart, curious, level-headed people mention Tara Brach’s book, Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life With the Heart of a Buddha. Among the trove of very wise and helpful ideas, I especially love this passage about saying yes, perfection, self-comparison and….biscuits.
Read MoreOn ‘Allowing Fate to Flow Unimpeded’
A post-it marks a quote in The Hummingbird’s Daughter, the beautiful battered novel we found in the Little Free Library near our house. We’ve been mulling its essential lesson about allowing things to happen for weeks. And thinking about artists who use chance in their work, giving up control to allow unexpected things to happen.
Read MoreLaurie Anderson’s Test: How to Figure Out If a Creative Project is Good or Not
Before reading his New York Times Magazine profile of legendary, uncategorizable artist Laurie Anderson, Sam Anderson shared a series of questions Anderson asks herself to figure out whether a piece she’s working on is good or not. It is “great criteria for proceeding in life with whatever you’re doing”.
Read MoreMichaela Coel: “See What Comes To You in the Silence”
Michaela Coel won an Emmy for her fiercely powerful drama I May Destroy You which she created, directed and starred in. Her stunning 30-second acceptance speech offers remarkable counsel to writers and artists longing to make truly meaningful work.
Read MoreOdes to Joy in Days of Darkness
Bach’s Ode to Joy got us thinking about how JOY works when when life throws in a giant monkey wrench and we find ourselves navigating darkness we never imagined…,
Read MoreSister Corita Kent’s Visual Meditations on the Moment
Artist and renown educator Sister Corita Kent’s 1977 series around the theme of ‘the moment’ makes a heartening meditation…
Read MoreThe Rocks I Use Around My Home are Really Ancient Artifacts
Seth Boyden’s charming video, An Object at Rest, has changed the way I view the nearly two dozen rocks and stones I use around my space.
Read Morehow to be an explorer of the world
We’re loving How to Be an Explorer of the World: Portable Life Museum, illustrator Keri Smith’s 59 ideas for how to creatively “shift” and wake your mind by engaging with your surroundings in new and interesting ways. As Brain Pickings noted recently: “…they’re potent training for what Buddhism would call “living from presence” and inhabiting your life more fully.”…
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