Cultish Creative Weekly Recap (12/7/2024)

I didn’t expect Cara Brookins’ book to hit me in as many ways as it did, but it did, and I cold reached out to see if she’d ever like to come on Just Press Record to talk about it. To my delight, she said “Sure!” To my further delight, I immediately thought of Rusty Guinn as a pairing, because not long before I read her book I’d heard Rusty give a talk that rhymed.

Cara built a house, with her kids, and the type of stubbornly optimistic confidence that comes from the sheer grit and determination required to make a bad situation OK. They did it via YouTube tutorials. And they did it before smartphones.

Rusty moved across the country to a farmhouse, with his family, and the type of stubbornly optimistic confidence that comes from the sheer grit and determination required to build tangible bonds with the people and the world we love the most. They used AI and other tools to help restore a long-defunct apple orchard and soon-to-be cider operation. And they did it with smartphones, and probably laptops, and—look, I said the stories rhymed, right?

Here’s what I said in the Personal Archive entry I wrote about getting Cara and Rusty together:

Over on Excess Returns, Jack Forehand and I got into practical lessons from Ben Carlson:

And right here on the Personal Archive, I shared:

Kendrick has a new album and I only have had time to scratch the surface on one song so far (“Squabble Up”)! Partly because of The Roots through line when I saw the video for the first time, but of course. I have more thoughts about the rest of the record I’m compiling.

Ted Gioia is the man, we all know this (right?), and this post about the six new rules for engagement is brilliant. I’ll be reflecting on this for all of 2025 I think.

Peter Atwater likes to remind that “the future is always imaginary.” Lucky for me, and maybe you, I often need this reminder.

The well-discussed take about Seinfeld being “a show about nothing” is fine. The underdiscussed reality on how it was originally pitched, by Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, as a show about how a comedian gets their material, is so much better. 

You need more Oscar the Grouch quotes in your life. I didn’t know I did, but then I read them and found out how much I definitely did need them. You’re welcome.

Last but not least, more thoughts this week on turning 43, but I feel good. Thank you all for being here on this journey with me. I’ve never been happier.

Obligatory song warning: I think I’ve finally reached enough Zen to have found my own peace through vandalism. Here’s to maintaining a proper level of mature immaturity for another trip around the sun: