I can relate to this. I was “bad” at math as a child, and was so bored by its basics or at least how they were taught. I never had a good foundation and so never got to takeTrig or Calculus in high school. Later, during…
I can say that Bandcamp made this release possible... it just got released this week! and this is a record that waited years to come out and is a big band featuring some of the best/most interesting jazz musicians in…
An artist is always fundamentally speaking about themselves— they have no choice in this. Herzog’s self applied to various subjects is just really compelling.
Right, but then every company would just grow uberdevs and be chock full of awesome at some point, but it seems like that isn’t happening w these interns as often as would make the intern thing “worth it” for…
Interesting piece. Two things: 1. How do these few absolutely spectacular developers blossom into such impressive specimens of the lot? Why not get them before this happens and help them over the greatness threshold? 2.…
Shoot. I was trying to be supportive/positive. I have worked in many non-profits. I agree, writing virtuosity would be a tremendous asset in some of the jobs you mentioned. I have not yet encountered such skill in these…
Throughout grad school, I worked as a writing tutor to support my humanities habit. Each new class of high school seniors was less skilled —and even less interested— in writing than the last. These were kids with 3.9…
Wait...does anybody care about writing skills anymore? ——outside—or even inside—journalism? I wish they did. Writing seems to be treated like a 20th century skill of the uber-affluent layabout these days. I jump for joy…
Classical/Lyrical/MT (what is MT?musical theater??)styles do not require "more" technique. They require different techniques that have a long pedagogical history. The style is not harder to teach. Classical music has…
I'm with you on "born with": Karen Carpenter, Barbara Streisand and Whitney... we will never have another of any of these ever again. But Louis Armstrong?-- a great great singer and incredible, towering musician by any…
Paul, this absolutely breaks my heart. Anyone can learn to sing in tune. I’ve taught kids and adults who are “tone deaf” to listen and sing/play in tune in weeks to months. It isn’t a magic trick, just listening and…
You don’t need a teacher. Seriously. The teacher thing is not the mindset you seek. Or rather, your best teachers are the great musicians you listen to over and over and admire from recordings and from your life. Jerry…
Find a group ( or start one!) that likes similar music or all types and sit in a room ( or zoom?) and play these songs together- everyone goes around the room taking solos, singing the tune, or whatever they want to do…
The Ayn Randian perspective isn’t all that helpful for those in protected classes, and the sunset of her life and career (depressingly) argued strongly against her theories re: ubermenschen...
It is ageism when a company would hire a 25 year old with the same skill set but would’t hire the 45 year old in those circumstances (or insert anyone in a protected class). The point is, they arehappy to invest in…
Um, so you... failed to check a pretty glaring "edge case" is what you are saying? You maybe failed to optimize the solution, is what you are saying? Ok. Fortunately, this glitch— although certainly catastrophic— is a…
Does Naxos pay Youtube for these takedowns?
Imagine it like this: It feels like toxic propaganda that doesn’t jive with reality or empathy for anyone- an every man for himself lack of community and warmth. And for some, it feels even worse: it feels like the…
Truly excellent post! I discovered just how inaccessible the NYC transit system is for folks using wheelchairs or other personal assists when I had surgery. It is appalling how many elevators are broken all the time,…
Are you asking because this happened to you? You can subpoena the CVs of the people invited to the interview and you can cite the hiring/interview practices of the company and its record on age-related hiring and…
I think once someone has carved out a place for themselves, it seems like it’s something to be attained, like it exists as a thing to envy or a “place”to be. But you are only ever seeing a distinct part of a longer,…
Agreed. Ah, the New York Times with its paywall—- bastion of modern democracy! Loved the line about how this is the best example of democracy on offer, sheesh.
yeah- kinda the olive version of the maraschino cherry
great musicians always enjoy practicing- it is like making something new when done properly. If they arent enjoying it, they know they must get creative about it— otherwise it’s mindless.
Maurizio Pollini still practices like crazy- lots of hours. More than I do! (he is way better than I)
I can relate to this. I was “bad” at math as a child, and was so bored by its basics or at least how they were taught. I never had a good foundation and so never got to takeTrig or Calculus in high school. Later, during…
I can say that Bandcamp made this release possible... it just got released this week! and this is a record that waited years to come out and is a big band featuring some of the best/most interesting jazz musicians in…
An artist is always fundamentally speaking about themselves— they have no choice in this. Herzog’s self applied to various subjects is just really compelling.
Right, but then every company would just grow uberdevs and be chock full of awesome at some point, but it seems like that isn’t happening w these interns as often as would make the intern thing “worth it” for…
Interesting piece. Two things: 1. How do these few absolutely spectacular developers blossom into such impressive specimens of the lot? Why not get them before this happens and help them over the greatness threshold? 2.…
Shoot. I was trying to be supportive/positive. I have worked in many non-profits. I agree, writing virtuosity would be a tremendous asset in some of the jobs you mentioned. I have not yet encountered such skill in these…
Throughout grad school, I worked as a writing tutor to support my humanities habit. Each new class of high school seniors was less skilled —and even less interested— in writing than the last. These were kids with 3.9…
Wait...does anybody care about writing skills anymore? ——outside—or even inside—journalism? I wish they did. Writing seems to be treated like a 20th century skill of the uber-affluent layabout these days. I jump for joy…
Classical/Lyrical/MT (what is MT?musical theater??)styles do not require "more" technique. They require different techniques that have a long pedagogical history. The style is not harder to teach. Classical music has…
I'm with you on "born with": Karen Carpenter, Barbara Streisand and Whitney... we will never have another of any of these ever again. But Louis Armstrong?-- a great great singer and incredible, towering musician by any…
Paul, this absolutely breaks my heart. Anyone can learn to sing in tune. I’ve taught kids and adults who are “tone deaf” to listen and sing/play in tune in weeks to months. It isn’t a magic trick, just listening and…
You don’t need a teacher. Seriously. The teacher thing is not the mindset you seek. Or rather, your best teachers are the great musicians you listen to over and over and admire from recordings and from your life. Jerry…
Find a group ( or start one!) that likes similar music or all types and sit in a room ( or zoom?) and play these songs together- everyone goes around the room taking solos, singing the tune, or whatever they want to do…
The Ayn Randian perspective isn’t all that helpful for those in protected classes, and the sunset of her life and career (depressingly) argued strongly against her theories re: ubermenschen...
It is ageism when a company would hire a 25 year old with the same skill set but would’t hire the 45 year old in those circumstances (or insert anyone in a protected class). The point is, they arehappy to invest in…
Um, so you... failed to check a pretty glaring "edge case" is what you are saying? You maybe failed to optimize the solution, is what you are saying? Ok. Fortunately, this glitch— although certainly catastrophic— is a…
Does Naxos pay Youtube for these takedowns?
Imagine it like this: It feels like toxic propaganda that doesn’t jive with reality or empathy for anyone- an every man for himself lack of community and warmth. And for some, it feels even worse: it feels like the…
Truly excellent post! I discovered just how inaccessible the NYC transit system is for folks using wheelchairs or other personal assists when I had surgery. It is appalling how many elevators are broken all the time,…
Are you asking because this happened to you? You can subpoena the CVs of the people invited to the interview and you can cite the hiring/interview practices of the company and its record on age-related hiring and…
I think once someone has carved out a place for themselves, it seems like it’s something to be attained, like it exists as a thing to envy or a “place”to be. But you are only ever seeing a distinct part of a longer,…
Agreed. Ah, the New York Times with its paywall—- bastion of modern democracy! Loved the line about how this is the best example of democracy on offer, sheesh.
yeah- kinda the olive version of the maraschino cherry
great musicians always enjoy practicing- it is like making something new when done properly. If they arent enjoying it, they know they must get creative about it— otherwise it’s mindless.
Maurizio Pollini still practices like crazy- lots of hours. More than I do! (he is way better than I)