Jeff Stern

"There’s a kind of personal writing that argues for this kind of subjective experience that says, “I..."

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 12:36:00 -0500

“There’s a kind of personal writing that argues for this kind of subjective experience that says, “I don’t have children and so it’s really important not to have children.” Or, “I do have children so it’s really important to have children.” Or, “I like cheese, so it’s really important to like cheese.” I never understand the point of that kind of writing. To me, you’re trying to find some objective position on your own experience, you know? Just because we felt it doesn’t mean that it matters at all. That’s my feeling.”

- Zadie Smith in The Rumpus.

I tend to write like this because to quote Jo March, “This is what the newspapers want, Freidrich! Thrilling stories!”, but I would actually like to let Ms. Smith know that I would personally typify my style as actually being, “I don’t have children, so it’s really important to like cheese.”

So, there.

(via megsokay)

Yup. You’re both right. Cause you’re both saying the same thing, actually.

That your subjective experience is completely unrelated to anybody else’s, really. Or even your own. Cause…whatever. Just write about it.
(via stupidoldishlikelettersandsodas)

johncassavetes: When Falk first offered Mikey and Nicky to...

Sat, 29 Dec 2012 21:02:24 -0500

johncassavetes:

When Falk first offered Mikey and Nicky to Cassavetes, John agreed to do it so fast that Falk thought he wasn’t taking it seriously. When Falk told him he wanted to tell him the plot and give him a copy of the script, this is how Falk recounts Cassavetes’ outrageous reaction:

What do you think? I don’t know Elaine May can write? I don’t know you can act? You need to pitch it to me? You think I’m one of those businessmen! You think I am like you and have to have everything figured out before I begin something? That I have to have all the details in place? That I’m afraid to take a chance? That I have to play it safe? Elaine’s making it; you’re in it; that’s all I need to know.

Finishing up Wittgenstein’s Mistress in book club, and we...

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 18:50:54 -0500

Finishing up Wittgenstein’s Mistress in book club, and we tried reading the Tractatus as a prequel. Even with help from @greenideas, I’m pretty sure I didn’t get a lot of it.

But yeah, this philosophershaming tumblr is neat.

"As a result, it estimates that Mexico’s traffickers would lose about $1.4 billion of their $2..."

Sun, 11 Nov 2012 22:58:54 -0500

“As a result, it estimates that Mexico’s traffickers would lose about $1.4 billion of their $2 billion revenues from marijuana. The effect on some groups would be severe: the Sinaloa “cartel” would lose up to half its total income, IMCO reckons. Exports of other drugs, from cocaine to methamphetamine, would become less competitive, as the traffickers’ fixed costs (from torturing rivals to bribing American and Mexican border officials) would remain unchanged, even as marijuana revenues fell. Legalisation could, in short, deal a blow to Mexico’s traffickers of a magnitude that no current policy has got close to achieving. The stoned and sober alike should bear that in mind when they cast their votes on Tuesday.”

- Legalising marijuana: The view from Mexico | The Economist (via rafer)

Letters of Note: People simply empty out

Fri, 02 Nov 2012 10:23:37 -0400

Letters of Note: People simply empty out:

lettersofnote:

In 1969, publisher John Martin offered to pay Charles Bukowski $100 each and every month for the rest of his life, on one condition: that he quit his job at the post office and become a writer. 49-year-old Bukowski did just that, and in 1971 his first novel, Post Office, was published…

"Idleness is not just a vacation, an indulgence or a vice; it is as indispensable to the brain as..."

Fri, 06 Jul 2012 20:44:04 -0400

“Idleness is not just a vacation, an indulgence or a vice; it is as indispensable to the brain as vitamin D is to the body, and deprived of it we suffer a mental affliction as disfiguring as rickets. The space and quiet that idleness provides is a necessary condition for standing back from life and seeing it whole, for making unexpected connections and waiting for the wild summer lightning strikes of inspiration — it is, paradoxically, necessary to getting any work done.”

- The ‘Busy’ Trap - NYTimes.com (via michaelikesit)

READ THIS YOU DUMB TWEENS.

Wed, 16 May 2012 15:11:08 -0400

READ THIS YOU DUMB TWEENS.:

jakefogelnest:

“I have no interest in making R-rated studio comedies with the sole purpose of entertaining teenagers. I hate teenagers. I think most of them are fucking idiots. Christ, I hated teenagers when I WAS a teenager. Besides, I will be 50 this year, so how the hell would I know what teenagers like? I make movies that me and my friends like, with actors I like working with, and on shoestring budgets far outside the system.”

— Bobcat Goldthwait

Bob’s movies are among my favorites to discuss.

bijan: quite moving. reblogged via padbury: “And suddenly, I...

Sat, 10 Mar 2012 14:15:11 -0500

bijan:

quite moving.

reblogged via padbury:

“And suddenly, I looked at the bull. He had this innocence that all animals have in their eyes, and he looked at me with this pleading. It was like a cry for justice, deep down inside of me. I describe it as being like a prayer - because if one confesses, it is hoped, that one is forgiven. I felt like the worst shit on earth.”

This photo shows the collapse of Torrero Alvaro Munera, as he realized in the middle of the his last fight… the injustice to the animal. From that day forward he became an opponent of bullfights.

jakefogelnest: Tonight my friend Jodi Lennon asked me to...

Sat, 10 Mar 2012 14:06:23 -0500

jakefogelnest:

Tonight my friend Jodi Lennon asked me to introduce a screening of her documentary Marc Maron: The Voice Of Something. It’s a short film following a typical day in Marc’s life… a week after September 11th, 2001. Jodi held on to this footage for ten years and she and Nick Mougis cut together something extremely special.

Here is what I read tonight before the screening…

—-

I’m sure a lot of us in here tonight have formed an intimate relationship in our own heads with Marc Maron by listening to his podcast twice a week. This is something that I believe Marc would be delighted by, but also would find completely unsettling.

I’m sure he’d be charmed by the fact that there’s a lot of us in this room who know exactly who Boomer, LaFonda and Monkey are, but would want to make goddamn sure that we had our facts straight about them. Boomer is the dirt cat, LaFonda doesn’t like being photographed, and I don’t know enough about Monkey to even feel comfortable making any kind of statement in a public forum.

This is the kind of shit that happens when you have a guy talking directly into your head for a few hours every day for a couple of years. You begin to think about Marc Maron and his cats.

Even as I’m reading this to you, I’m thinking, “Fuck, should I be doing this? Should I be on stage in Staten Island talking about Marc Maron’s cats? This is gonna get back to him. Someone’s tweeting him right now and the context is all fucked up. No one could convey it in 140 characters and I’m gonna get an angry e-mail:

From: Marcmaron@aol.com (He probably doesn’t have AOL)

To: jakefogelnest@aol.com (I certainly don’t have AOL, I just don’t want you writing me)

What the fuck are you saying about me?

—-

That’s it, that’s the whole e-mail – not even signed.

That would be TERRIFYING.

What could my possible response be?

Marc,

It’s no different than me talking about Katy Perry’s cat on stage. You know she has a cat named Kitty Purry, right? I wonder if Boomer, Monkey and LaFonda would get along with Kitty Purry? LOL. I hope you’re good.

-Jake

We all know that would not go over well.

The reason why I bring up the relationship in my head with Marc Maron’s cats — I think it speaks to the wonderful thing he’s created with WTF, something that so many of us have become invested in every week. I really care about what’s going on in Marc’s garage. Not just the one Marc tapes the podcast in, but the garage that exists in his HEAD that he’s been cleaning out in front of us for 20 years.

Marc is a big part of a lot of people’s lives now and that makes me very, very happy. Probably because he’s been in my life since I was a kid. More than he knows.

The first time I met Marc I was eight years old. Just for a moment, I want you to imagine Marc Maron interacting with me as a child, a wide-eyed fresh-faced kid staring up at him with innocence and wonder. Just imagine him staring back at me going…

“So, we good?”

That’s actually not how our first encounter went, because I was an incredibly cool kid. Don’t worry the coolness would eventually lead to heroin, because everything in the 1995 Larry Clark film Kids was true. Much like Marc, I’m now sober many years.

I grew up in Philadelphia and would visit my Dad in New York City on the weekends and he would take me on wildly age inappropriate misadventures.

“Hey, Dad! What’s The Rocky Horror Picture Show?” I’d ask him.

“Oh, the campy 70’s transvestite musical? Sure, I’ll take you to that! That’s a perfectly acceptable thing to take an eight-year-old to! You mind if I get high first?”

“Hey Dad, Hairspray was a great movie! What else has John Waters’ made?”

“Oh son, you gotta see Pink Flamingos! I know you’re only eight years old so I’m gonna do the responsible thing and fast forward past the scene where two hippies fuck a chicken to death.”

Let me just say right now, the chicken fuck scene in Pink Flamingos is traumatizing enough for an adult at regular speed. To an eight-year-old in fast-forward?

“Hey Dad, I like comedy!”

“Oh let’s go fucking see stand-up at The Village Gate. A young Marc Maron, just coming out of his Sam Kinison doing coke at The Comedy Store years is working out some shit on stage!”

So, I would see Marc do stand-up in New York City a lot. I actually found an old journal of mine. This is what an eight year-old Jake Fogelnest had to say about Marc Maron:

“Marc’s an incredibly raw talent with a unique voice, reminiscent of early Lenny Bruce, but far from a Bruce impersonator. Whatever room you’re in, you can bet Maron’s gonna be one of the edgiest, smartest guys in there.”

Truthfully, I wrote that like an hour ago, but if I had kept a journal as an eight year old, it probably would’ve read just like that. And by nine I would’ve been cutting it up and rearranging like William Burroughs.

Again, growing up in the city is weird.

Marc was always really cool to me as a kid, engaging my Father and I in conversation from the stage but also after the show, because he was curious to learn, what lunatic brings a child to a nightclub? I’m 33 and I still don’t have a straight answer from my Father. Even as a kid, he was my favorite (Maron, not my Dad). I don’t remember any of the other comics that used to go up at the Gate. Maron always stood out.

Now that Marc has been consistently in my head for a couple hours twice a week, I’ve found myself wondering, “God, what did he think when that eight year-old kid was now a sixteen year-old with an MTV show and the same manager as him?”

I have this image I completely manufactured in my head of Marc on the phone in 1996 screaming at Dave Becky, “What the fuck, man? I’m fucking drowning over here and you’re busy on with fuckin’ SQUiRT TV? What do I gotta be a sixteen year old with a haircut thing going on, saying, ‘Oh I like The Partridge Family hahaha!’ Fuck you, Dave! Lock the gate!!”

At 33 years old, the idea that I had a show on MTV when I was sixteen irritates ME. I cannot imagine what Marc Maron was thinking back then.

Of course the truth of the matter is, Dave Becky wasn’t on the phone with either of us. He was talking to Chris Rock.

It was around that time that I would see Marc at Luna Lounge and I genuinely look back on that time and his work there as one of the coolest moments in comedy history. It’s the closest I will ever get in my life to being one of those guys who gets to say, “Oh yeah, I saw The Velvet Underground at Max’s.” It really was that special.

And I love that from listening to Marc’s podcast that he seems to have NO idea that he was, as Tom Scharpling put it, “like the Fonzie of Luna.” He was always pretty nice to me, sometimes nicer than others, but that’s Marc. Or that was Marc in the late 90’s. Marc in 2012… it’s a really good Marc Maron.

On his podcast, Marc always asks people, “Who are your guys?” Who are the people that influenced you? That you really liked when you were younger. I saw him about a month ago in San Francisco and it was great. I told him: “Hey. You’re one of my guys.”

Then he made some sort of condescending comment about me being a disc jockey.

No, he was great and I watched him do one of the best sets I’ve ever seen. If you only listen to the podcast, fuckin’ please go see him do standup because what he does is rare.

To me, Marc Maron has always been the voice of SOMETHING.

That’s the title of the documentary you’re about to see. I think it’s perfect. Jodi will tell you more about it. Thanks.

Oh, before I go, tonight’s show is sponsored by audible.com, if you want a free audiobook download, just go to audible.com and enter code: WTF. DO IT!!!!

tumblinerb: bueller: Too $hort on Lil B I have been working...

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 20:35:21 -0500

tumblinerb:

bueller:

Too $hort on Lil B

I have been working on a Lil B and Young L as Lennon/McCartney analogy but I’m not quite there yet.

jakefogelnest: We’re a mess over here. AND YET SOMEHOW I DID...

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 18:51:10 -0500

jakefogelnest:

We’re a mess over here.

AND YET SOMEHOW I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE CHORE WARS!!!

Gartner Hype Cycle

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 11:59:50 -0500

Gartner Hype Cycle:

I feel like I’ve seen this graphic before, but I just saw it on this AVC post on bitcoin and it struck me anew. Wondering if the same (or similar) curve is in place for social impact innovations and/or any sort of viral/sexy business model. And of course what that means in the world of social impact funding and fundraising.

5 Gifts of Being Highly Sensitive (World of Psychology)

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 16:09:27 -0500

5 Gifts of Being Highly Sensitive (World of Psychology):

psychotherapy:

by Therese Borchard

Today I have the pleasure of interviewing Douglas Eby, M.A./Psychology, who is a writer and researcher on the psychology of creative expression, high ability and personal growth. He is creator of the Talent Development Resources series of sites (including HighlySensitive.org)
at http://talentdevelop.com. I know many of you are “highly sensitive” and enjoy articles on that topic, so I am excited to pique his highly-sensitive brain today!

Question: If you had to name the top five gifts of being highly sensitive, what would they be?

Douglas:

1. Sensory detail

One of the prominent “virtues” of high sensitivity is the richness of sensory detail that life provides. The subtle shades of texture in clothing, and foods when cooking, the sounds of music or even traffic or people talking, fragrances and colors of nature. All of these may be more intense for highly sensitive people.

Of course, people are not simply “sensitive” or “not sensitive” — like other qualities and traits, it’s a matter of degree.

Years ago, I took a color discrimination test to work as a photographic technician, making color prints. The manager said I’d scored better, with more subtle distinctions between hues in the test charts, than anyone he had evaluated.

That kind of response to color makes visual experience rich and exciting, and can help visual artists and designers be even more excellent.

2. Nuances in meaning

The trait of high sensitivity also includes a strong tendency to be aware of nuances in meaning, and to be more cautious about taking action, and to more carefully consider options and possible outcomes.

3. Emotional awareness

We also tend to be more aware of our inner emotional states, which can make for richer and more profound creative work as writers, musicians, actors or other artists.

A greater response to pain, discomfort, and physical experience can mean sensitive people have the potential, at least, to take better care of their health.

4. Creativity

Psychologist Elaine Aron, author of The Highly Sensitive Person, estimates about twenty percent of people are highly sensitive, and seventy percent of those are introverted, which is a trait that can also encourage creativity.

As examples, there are many actors who say they are shy, and director Kathryn Bigelow, who recently won an Academy Award, has said, “I’m kind of very shy by nature.” The star of her movie The Hurt Locker, Jeremy Renner (who was reportedly shy as a child), has commented that “in social situations she can be painfully shy.”

5. Greater empathy

High sensitivity to other people’s emotions can be a powerful asset for teachers, managers, therapists and others.

Question: And, if you had to name five curses, what would they be? And how best do we overcome them or co-exist with them?

Douglas:

1. Easily overwhelmed, overstimulated

The biggest challenge in high sensitivity is probably being vulnerable to sensory or emotional overwhelm. Taking in and processing so much information from both inner and outer worlds can be “too much” at times and result in more pain, fatigue, stress, anxiety and other reactions.

An intriguing neuroscience research study I came across that may explain some of this said people with nervous systems having decreased latent inhibition are more open to incoming stimuli. Which can be a good thing, or not so good.

Actor Amy Brenneman once commented, “I’m too sensitive to watch most of the reality shows. It’s so painful for me.”

That kind of pain or discomfort can mean we don’t choose to experience some things that might actually be fun or enriching. Though I don’t mean reality shows.

2. Affected by emotions of others

Another aspect of sensitivity can be reacting to the emotions — and perhaps thoughts — of others. Being in the vicinity of angry people, for example, can be more distressing.

As actor Scarlett Johansson once put it, “Sometimes that awareness is good, and sometimes I wish I wasn’t so sensitive.”

3. Need lots of space and time to ourselves

We may need to “retreat” and emotionally “refresh” ourselves at times that are not always best for our goals or personal growth. For example, being at a professional development conference, it may not be the most helpful thing to leave a long presentation or workshop in order to recuperate from the emotional intensity of the crowd.

4. Unhealthy perfectionism

There can also be qualities of thinking or analyzing that lead to unhealthy perfectionism, or stressful responses to objects, people or situations that are “too much” or “wrong” for our sensitivities.

5. Living out of sync with our culture

Living in a culture that devalues sensitivity and introversion as much as the U.S. means there are many pressures to be “normal” — meaning extroverted, sociable and outgoing.

Dr. Ted Zeff, author of The Highly Sensitive Person’s Survival Guide, points out that other cultures, such as Thailand, have different attitudes, with a strong appreciation of sensitive or introverted people.

Jenna Avery, a “life coach for sensitive souls,” counsels people to accept or even pursue being “out of sync” with mainstream society, and be aware of other’s judgments of people as too sensitive, too emotional, or too dramatic.

And if we are sensitive, we may use those kinds of judgments against ourselves, and think, as Winona Ryder said she did at one time, “Maybe I’m too sensitive for this world.”

Certainly, there are extremes of emotions that are considered mood disorders, for example, and should be dealt with as a health challenge.

But “too emotional” or “too sensitive” are usually criticisms based on majority behavior and standards.

Overall, I think being highly sensitive is a trait we can embrace and use to be more creative and aware. But it demands taking care to live strategically, even outside popular values, to avoid overwhelm so we can better nurture our abilities and creative talents.

jakefogelnest: U4EA

Sat, 22 Oct 2011 01:58:45 -0400

jakefogelnest:

U4EA

Scale

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 20:00:25 -0400

Akira Morita of DesignKompany asked if I could write down some thoughts on scale, since I’m not available to be a panelist at tomorrow night’s event. Here they are:

Scale is an interesting thing - for some it is almost a holy grail while for others it is a dirty word. For the former, scale has connotations of large-scale impact, the ability to change systems and disrupt the status quo. For the latter, scale has connotations of bloated structures, excessive executive compensation, and being out of touch with the communities and consumers that are being served. If it isn’t yet obvious, I’ve primarily looked at this from a non-profit perspective, but I think these impressions are just as salient in the traditional business world.

In framing the question of scale, one key distinction is between “scaling out” and “scaling deep”. Scaling out is what people typically think of when discussing scale, and it means getting larger geographically - serving more people and moving from local to regional to national to global. Scaling deep is an approach favored by folks who believe that social innovation is inherently linked with the community in which it resides - and therefore geographic scaling does not make sense. In the non-profit realm, scaling deep would mean taking your knowledge of a community and offering additional services related to mission. In a traditional business it might mean serving existing customers with new products. Put simply, when Starbucks adds new stores they’re scaling out and when they start selling bagels along with their coffee they’re scaling deep.

There are a multitude of voices around the issue of scale. As the internets and other tools keep bridging geographic and cultural boundaries, it becomes easier and easier to reach audiences. Kevin Kelly’s concept of “1,000 True Fans” resonated with niche businesses well beyond the artist and musician communities, and gives a wonderful blueprint for becoming successful in creating a lifestyle business.

One of my favorite businesses is B’s Barbecue in Greenville NC, where they do no advertising, don’t even have a telephone, and serve food until they run out each day (usually around lunchtime). I have a great love for indie bands, filmmakers and artists and much of the stuff that resonates most fully for me will never find a mass audience. However, I really wish that it would, and am glad when it does. For those who equate scaling out with selling out, I would direct you to Dave Eggers’ great rant against the phrase and concept of selling out from 2000. I would also point to his work growing McSweeney’s and the 826 charities as great examples of things that were built to scale out and have done so in a smart, measured fashion with a continued focus on mission.

Discuss.

"It’s 4:45 in the afternoon at Community’s LA headquarters, and inside an airless writers’ room,..."

Sat, 24 Sep 2011 23:50:23 -0400

“It’s 4:45 in the afternoon at Community’s LA headquarters, and inside an airless writers’ room, Harmon slugs down a five-hour energy drink, picks up a near-drained tumbler of vodka, and stares at a text-jammed whiteboard. He and a half-dozen writers are stuck on a scene in which one of the Community regulars goes head-to-head with guest star John Goodman. The scene is just two guys talking, but nobody can figure out how the conflict should play out.”

- How Dan Harmon Drives Himself Crazy Making Community | Magazine

Great article, gave me a new sense of respect for one of the few good things to inhabit the television.
(via michaelikesit)
Great article, great show.

I became aware of Unbranded by Hank Willis Thomas a couple years...

Tue, 02 Aug 2011 13:56:24 -0400

I became aware of Unbranded by Hank Willis Thomas a couple years ago, and it’s one of my favorite pieces of contemporary art. http://hankwillisthomas.com/#/2008/Unbranded%20/1/thumbs I just visited http://hankwillisthomas.com and I see that he has a couple newer series called Rebranded and Branded which also blow me away (even moreso, actually). Above is one of the images from Rebranded entitled “Now That’s Funny.”

Knismesis and Gargalesis

Sat, 16 Jul 2011 18:13:05 -0400

Knismesis and Gargalesis:

bestofwikipedia:

Knismesis and gargalesis are the scientific terms, coined in 1897 by psychologists G. Stanley Hall and Arthur Allin, used to describe the two types of tickling. Knismesis refers to the light, feather-like type of tickling. This type of tickling generally does not induce laughter and is often accompanied by an itching sensation. Gargalesis refers to harder, laughter-inducing tickling, and involves the repeated application of high pressure to sensitive areas. (via sleevia)

Nominally about parenting

Sat, 25 Jun 2011 17:49:16 -0400

“Happiness as a byproduct of living your life is a great thing,” Barry Schwartz, a professor of social theory at Swarthmore College, told me. “But happiness as a goal is a recipe for disaster.”

Lori Gottleib has a recent article in The Atlantic which is nominally about parenting, but really more about the intersection of psychology, modern American culture and the human condition. Read it at: http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2011/07/how-to-land-your-kid-in-therapy/8555/

"The primary lesson I’ve learned over the years is that growth and success can cover up a lot of..."

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 11:27:01 -0400

“The primary lesson I’ve learned over the years is that growth and success can cover up a lot of mistakes.”

- Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz in a new interview with McKinsey in which he talks about the mistakes of paying too much attention to Wall Street’s short-term demands and how the company is trying to grow in a slower, smarter way that is in line with their core value proposition. (free registration may be required to view)