Thursday, December 29, 2011
Monday, December 26, 2011
50 in 2011: Update and (Possible) Final Book Review
Hey, faithful readers, and by that I mean H_Ram and probably no one else. (That's okay, I write everything like I'm writing for H_Ram). I just finished Walter Isaacson's official biography of Steve Jobs today and when I went to update this with what I thought would be the 28th review of the year, I found a draft from a few months ago with books I hadn't mentioned yet. So, it turns out, while out of order, I've got a few more reviews that I thought:
#29, but really #26 - The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Mark Twain
One of the best children's books ever. The original "Goonies". I re-read this every year, along with The Great Gatsby, usually in the summer. A line from Twain's introduction that stuck me as both expertly written and creatively inspiring is:
Although my book is intended mainly for the entertainment of boys and girls, I hope it will not be shunned by men and women on that account, for part of my plan has been to try pleasantly to reming adults of what they once were themselves and of how they felt and thought and talked, and what queer enterprises they sometimes engaged in.
Note: Twain's massive autobiography has been sitting in my to-read pile since last Christmas. I've been intimidated by it. But in writing this little piece about him, I think it may be time.
#30, but really #27 - Life Keith Richards
"Keef"'s got an incredible memory. While he often talks about playing for hours and practicing his craft, when you look at the life and works of the man from the safe distance of the future, knowing he survives to write about it, his talent seems more like a force of nature, like the kind that balances a tractor on top of a farmhouse in the middle of the night, despite all physics and math saying it could never happen. He shouldn't have made it though, but I'm glad he did. Like the subject of the next book on the list, he's obsessive over the quality of his work and I admire that. Also, his prolificacy is something to strive for.
#31, and actually #31 - Steve Jobs Walter Isaacson
I think it's the echo of the well-written biography mixing with the afterglow of the man's actual life and his legacy glowing in front of me right now. Integrating software and hardware in order to maintain excellence in the user experience is a philosophy I agree with (as I try to write/shoot/edit as much of my work as possible, I find it's his example I'm following, as often as I am an auteur filmmaker like Scorsese). Straddling the line between art and technology is also something I strain to do (while also relying on his work to execute). This message is written on an iMac, while my iPhone charges next to me. I will soon begin adding music purchased from the iTunes store onto the iPod my mother will listen to in her car. It's not the amount of products he made that I admire, but rather his passion to do things not only efficiently but with style and pride.
A lesson Jobs recounts his father, a woodworker, teaching him was to make sure the back of the cabinet was as sturdy and beautiful as the front. So too would the mechanics of his machines be as well worked and thought out as the screens and displays. So too would the fundamental traits of the CGI characters he helped breathe life into at Pixar need to be inherently right before the story could be complete. (Isaacson recounts how Disney brass interference led to cowboy Woody being a major jerk and more like a villain before Jobs and John Lasseter wrestled creative control back and found the right balance between him and Buzz Lightyear).
#29, but really #26 - The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Mark Twain
One of the best children's books ever. The original "Goonies". I re-read this every year, along with The Great Gatsby, usually in the summer. A line from Twain's introduction that stuck me as both expertly written and creatively inspiring is:
Although my book is intended mainly for the entertainment of boys and girls, I hope it will not be shunned by men and women on that account, for part of my plan has been to try pleasantly to reming adults of what they once were themselves and of how they felt and thought and talked, and what queer enterprises they sometimes engaged in.
Note: Twain's massive autobiography has been sitting in my to-read pile since last Christmas. I've been intimidated by it. But in writing this little piece about him, I think it may be time.
#30, but really #27 - Life Keith Richards
"Keef"'s got an incredible memory. While he often talks about playing for hours and practicing his craft, when you look at the life and works of the man from the safe distance of the future, knowing he survives to write about it, his talent seems more like a force of nature, like the kind that balances a tractor on top of a farmhouse in the middle of the night, despite all physics and math saying it could never happen. He shouldn't have made it though, but I'm glad he did. Like the subject of the next book on the list, he's obsessive over the quality of his work and I admire that. Also, his prolificacy is something to strive for.
#31, and actually #31 - Steve Jobs Walter Isaacson
I think it's the echo of the well-written biography mixing with the afterglow of the man's actual life and his legacy glowing in front of me right now. Integrating software and hardware in order to maintain excellence in the user experience is a philosophy I agree with (as I try to write/shoot/edit as much of my work as possible, I find it's his example I'm following, as often as I am an auteur filmmaker like Scorsese). Straddling the line between art and technology is also something I strain to do (while also relying on his work to execute). This message is written on an iMac, while my iPhone charges next to me. I will soon begin adding music purchased from the iTunes store onto the iPod my mother will listen to in her car. It's not the amount of products he made that I admire, but rather his passion to do things not only efficiently but with style and pride.
A lesson Jobs recounts his father, a woodworker, teaching him was to make sure the back of the cabinet was as sturdy and beautiful as the front. So too would the mechanics of his machines be as well worked and thought out as the screens and displays. So too would the fundamental traits of the CGI characters he helped breathe life into at Pixar need to be inherently right before the story could be complete. (Isaacson recounts how Disney brass interference led to cowboy Woody being a major jerk and more like a villain before Jobs and John Lasseter wrestled creative control back and found the right balance between him and Buzz Lightyear).
I admire his need to be surrounded by "A Players" and team with strong collaborators, something I wish and need in order to do the work I want to do.
When I read about his sometimes harsh and always critical treatment of friends, colleagues and employees, I don't think I should be emulating this man as much as I am right now. However, what Jobs' family and biographer both agree on, and what the man himself tried to make clear was that it was about the work. Let the work reflect a 100% effort and ability to adapt and flow. Let it be accessible and well-thought out. Let all edges be smooth (literally and figuratively). I can't argue with that. I hope that I find people to work with that feel the same.
Hoping to get one or two more into the "read" stack before the ball drops but we'll see. Fell into a rut for a few weeks but I think I'm back now.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Movember Wrap-Up
Thanks to everyone who donated to our Movember campaign. At this time, it looks like our team, the NJ Lip Sweaters raised over $1700 for men's charities!
Here's a fun pic of me and my old man with our mo's:
Here's a fun pic of me and my old man with our mo's:
And of the old man with his sash:
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