Ira Glass on Good Taste

Posted: May 30th, 2008 | Author: Ryan | Filed under: Featured, Inspiration | Tags: , , , , | 2 Comments »

Ira Glass talks about developing creative genius.

Ira Glass, Peabody Award winner and host of Chicago Public Radio’s This American Life, talks candidly about what it takes to become good at just about anything – practice. In it he defines the disparity that creative folks initially have between their tastes and their abilities. And he encourages them to keep moving forward in order to, eventually, meet the standards of their taste.

What’s interesting to me is that I know that practice pays off. For some reason I’ve just never attached that knowledge to creativity – even though all the clues were there. A brilliant artist and friend of mine says that he can teach anyone to draw. In essence, he’s saying the same thing. “If you want to practice, you can be good.” I suppose the struggle – for me anyway – is determining which things I really want to be good at. Because there simply isn’t enough time to practice them all.

Jeanna and I had the pleasure of seeing Ira Glass at the Tennessee Theatre in 2007 and I finished this short video with the same feeling I had when we saw him on stage – hopeful, inspired, & creative.


The Packing List – REVISED

Posted: May 28th, 2008 | Author: Ryan | Filed under: Costa Rica, Featured | No Comments »

Recently I was looking back over some of the posts we made leading up to our trip to Costa Rica and thought it would be fun to revisit the packing list. I can’t really think of anything we needed, but didn’t have (or couldn’t buy), but I can think of several things we could’ve done without.

Bedroom

Closet

Miscellaneous

Bathroom

Kitchen

  • chow kit (fork, spoon)

Office

First Aid Kit

Wound Care
  • alcohol prep pads
  • iodine pads
  • irrigation syringe
  • 2 x 2′s
  • 4 x 4′s
  • tape (athletic, waterproof, electrical, duct)
  • triple antibiotic ointment
  • butterfly bandages
  • band-aids (all sizes)
  • moleskin
  • rubber gloves (3 pair)
Stings, Bites, & Burns
  • stings, bites, burns
  • ana-kit
  • insect repellent
Survival
  • waterproof matches
  • cigarette lighter (2)
  • orange route tape
  • mylar blankets (2)
  • multi-purpose tool
Medicines
  • chloroquine (malaria)
  • ibuprofen
  • tylenol
  • benadryl
  • immodium
  • nb pills (?)
  • scopalomine patches
  • dramamine
  • z pak
  • cipro
Orthopedics
Miscellaneous
  • miscellaneous
  • forehead thermometer
  • cotton swabs
  • lip balm
  • sunscreen
  • tampons
  • petroleum jelly
  • super glue
  • plastic garbage bag
  • plastic ties
  • ziploc freezer bags (5)
  • utility shears

Documents (with copies in each bag)

  • passports
  • driver’s licenses
  • cash
  • travelers checks
  • credit cards
  • itinerary
  • emergency phone numbers (?)

Everything Else