Good Reads– ‘The Creative Act: A Way of Being’ by Rick Rubin

Rick Rubin has always been a bit of an enigma to me. I remember reading an interview he gave after Beastie Boys’ License to Ill came out (which he produced) and thinking, “wow, this guy is out there!” During that same time period he was tapped to produce some of my other favorite albums. He has received mentions in multiple other musician memoirs that I have read. So I was very curious to see what he had to say in his book “The Creative Act: A Way of Being.”

As with most of the books that I have really enjoyed recently, I didn’t realize that this book existed until I received it as a gift from B. She read it first and warned me that it might be a little too far on the ‘self-help’ end of the spectrum for my liking. At first blush, I saw what she meant. There was definitely a bit of a self-help element to it, as well as some stuff that was a bit more hippie dippy than I typically care for. But overall, I really enjoyed the text. It is one of those books that feels like there is a little something for everyone. Rubin acknowledges in one of the early chapters that the reader should take from the book the parts that make sense and discard the rest. If the book was an 800 pager, I would have probably found that notion to be offensive. Luckily, the book is much shorter than that, very densely packed and easily digestible. I would recommend this one to anyone who has any hobbies or interests outside of the daily grind.

Mustard Delivery Man

The Author Doing Some Dirty Work | Courtesy B. Maschal Private Collection

An amazing quality that we have in our 20s and 30s (at least until mid-30s) is the ability to get minimal sleep and function at a very high level regardless. This is something that I did not fully appreciate until I was no longer capable of pulling off.Continue reading

Not My First Rodeo?

The Author With His Newborn Son | Courtesy B. Maschal Private Collection

As I cross over the one week mark of being a new dad (again), there have been lot of firsts. My daughter’s birth was anything but traditional. I also never had the experience of bringing her home from the hospital. So, when her little brother was born, it was technically not my first rodeo, but in many ways it certainly might as well be.Continue reading

Good Reads: Dave Grohl, The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music

B is a longstanding member of the NY Public Library system. She rips through like 2-3 books per week sometimes. Occasionally while perusing the library inventory she will pick up a book or two for me as well. Sometimes I get around to reading them, sometimes not. One of such books in the “did read” category recently was Dave Grohl’s “The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music.”Continue reading

Dad Bod

The Author Stands Pensively on a Massive Log in the Snow | Courtesy of the B. Maschal Private Collection

If bebe Breinholt’s expected date of arrival is any sort of accurate indication, I have one month to 6ish weeks to dial in my dad bod. When I mention “dad bod,” I’m not referring to the colloquial pooch and muffin-top versionContinue reading

February 2024 Playlist

We are squarely into the back third of winter. Sunset is now after 5PM. February is here, and it is leap year. Some jams for us to collectively enjoy during the next 29 days of February-

Learning From the Newbs

The Author, After Completing Some January BK Miles

With January, comes new year’s resolutions. I applaud all humans who have chosen a fitness goal to tackle in 2024. True to the cliche, the gyms were full to the brim for the first week of January (as determined by the very unscientific method of my personal observations). I typically only use the gym to change and shower, since my preferred workout is a lunchtime run of the Central Park Drive loop (which incidentally had been my M.O. long before this article was published, and I can tell you that it is not as nearly as much of a power move as they try to make it seem).Continue reading