Sunday Music: Misty Mountain Hop

The first time I read Tolkein was in middle school. Maybe The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings were a bit much for a 6th/7th grader, but I was hooked. Hard. It didn’t hurt to have the Led Zeppelin connection either - obviously, this wasn’t just for nerds.  The second time I read the … Continue reading Sunday Music: Misty Mountain Hop

Life Isn’t Black And White (Better Call Saul Edition)

[what follows is a riff on my appreciation for creative choices, design, and communicating emotions. you, dear reader, are my proverbial water cooler friends this morning] I’m writing this before the last episode of Better Call Saul airs - and however the series ends, I’m feeling grateful for TV like this.  No spoilers, but I … Continue reading Life Isn’t Black And White (Better Call Saul Edition)

Conan On Having Nothing To Lose

When they offered Conan O’Brien the Late Night Show, he wasn’t going to take it. He was living in a (self-described) paltry apartment, writing for The Simpsons, and overall enjoying a simple, rewarding life.   He called his friend Robert Smigel.  They agreed getting out of the writer’s room and into the performing business was exciting. … Continue reading Conan On Having Nothing To Lose

Sunday Music: Dream A Little Dream Of Me

First I heard a version of it while watching the new season of The Boys. Then, it came back again watching the latest season of Stranger Things.  Apparently, I’m not the only person obsessed with this song.  My favorite cut - Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong (which was featured in Stranger Things). https://youtu.be/gxrws7omOHQ Ps. you … Continue reading Sunday Music: Dream A Little Dream Of Me

Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep

Ricky Gervais’ After Life is one of the most profoundly beautiful (and funny) explorations of mourning I’ve ever seen. If the only thing constant is change, what are we doing ever trying to hold onto anything constant? It doesn't mean it doesn’t hurt. It doesn't mean it’s not hard. But we have to embrace the … Continue reading Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep

Sunday Music: Play That Country Tuba, Cowboy

My brother said the song stopped everyone dead when it came on in the kitchen he works. At the mercy of shuffle mode, his Spotify-shuffle picked out “Play That Country Tuba, Cowboy” from the obscure Vandals album, The Vandals Play Really Bad Original Country Tunes. Understandably, nobody else had ever heard it, and the song … Continue reading Sunday Music: Play That Country Tuba, Cowboy

Most-Read Cultish Creative Posts Of 2021

Welcome to 2022. One cool thing about writing in public is seeing what resonates (and trying to figure out why). Here are the most-read posts of 2021, per the data. What common threads do you see? I’m seeing a lot of lucky catches on searchable quotes and concepts from TV, books, and other media. Hmm. A … Continue reading Most-Read Cultish Creative Posts Of 2021