Re: the faith of aspiring creative-types (like me): Don't lose hope!

Ira Glass is a great storyteller. I admire him for that. And this is a pretty encouraging video for aspiring artists and the like (though it's directed at radio/video journalists, I think).

In a way, I gave up on my creative-career aspirations for the reason Ira says you shouldn't. But, I'm getting older and (though I clearly didn't choose the most practical option) the academic philosopher's life is slightly more practical than the writer's (I had the dreamily vague aspiration of being "a writer," I guess more of a lit professor/novelist, who also writes occasional features for The New Yorker on the side). That's not to say that the academic philosopher's life isn't creative, it is, but in a different way. And since I'm not a great philosopher, or even a good one (yet), I've been feeling disappointed with my work in philosophy these days, and well it's déjà vu all over again (pardon the Yogi-ism).

I guess this is the faith of the artist or creative type: the belief that one day your work will be good enough, to satisfy even yourself.

I don't know, I'm a pretty harsh critic. ;)

Tuesday treat: Ray LaMontagne cover of Gnarls Barkeley

http://www.mediafire.com/?b919vigt1s9crzy

song via Penny. can't get this mp3 player via google reader via Gordon to work.

p.s. What's the deal? Traffic was so light today I felt weird and twilight-zoney all day. I checked my watch no less than 50 times on my way to school. I couldn't believe I was going over 25mph on the 5 at 9am. Later on my way to tutoring it was exceptionally light again! I expected to ring the doorbell at my student's house and for lil green man to open the door or something. It seriously made me second guess myself. I thought maybe it really wasn't Tuesday.

Keep your LA joys, I'm going to Illinois...

Everyone knows already, right? I'm going to Chicago! Anyway, this song is "Going to Chicago Blues" by Count Basie. I was looking for the Peggy Lee version since that's the one I know.  Her voice has been running through my head the last few days singing, "Gooooin to Chicago, sorry I can't take you with me."  Turns out this version is really good too. I think it might be better. And the video has a Chi-town slideshow to boot.

Our rock stars are not like your rock stars.

I don't remember this commercial from 09. But I was giving a friend, DB, a ride home the other night from a party where we'd been hanging out with a bunch of philosophers/philosophy grad students and a certain philosophy rock star, and DB starts talking about philosophy rock stars in general and so he's describing this commercial and he says "it's totally the same thing in philosophy." So true, and probably true for every nerdy profession out there. It's kind of awesome.

p.s. the visiting philosophy rock star, however, may be a bad example since if you saw him on the street it's possible you actually would mistake him for a rock star.

mini-obsession

This performance. This song.  It makes me feel a little empowered and a little self-righteous, like I want to start a local chapter of Open Spaces. 

p.s. Is Régine frickin awesome or what? The voice, the moves, the ice-skater dress, the lil glovelets! GET out.