I've spent most of the week cheering on the US Gymnastics, Swimming, our other teams, and a whole lot of inspiring athletes from around the world at the Olympics. I'm looking forward to a quiet summer weekend (probably with more Olympics-watching). We'll be back next week with new interviews: an art historian and entrepreneur and an engineer working to send people to Mars! Have a great weekend!
Writer Monica Byrne, our Monday interview, compares writing in a journal every day to taking vitamins: it's good for you. If you're interested in keeping a daily journal but aren't sure how to start, try these suggestions.
Monica and I also chatted quite a bit (off the record) about Eat, Pray, Love and Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert, another advocate of writing and creating as much as possible. I really enjoyed this interview with Gilbert about the creative life.
"My concern is not that the world is filled with crappy art. My concern is that the world is filled with millions and millions of people who are not making anything, and it is in our nature to be makers. So, go make your art even if it might not be 'good,' whatever that even means, whoever gets to determine that. Because something will happen to you in the making of that that will be very worth doing."
At Harvey Mudd College, introductory computer science is a required course, which is a great first step to getting more people into coding. But, they took a few more critical steps. Instead of being designed to weed people out; it's designed to nurture an interest in taking more courses. With this approach, more students end up hooked- female computer science majors have risen from 10% to 40% since they implemented the changes.
Have you seen Hamilton? I'm hoping to see the show when it comes to Chicago this fall. The more I learn about Renee Elise Goldsberry, who originated the role of Anjelica Schuyler, the cooler I think she is. She's been an Ally McBeal backup singer, a soap opera star, and a Broadway star- she spent a year as Nala in the Lion King- before Hamilton. This interview gives great insight into her life as an actor and performer.
