Michael T. Starks

Category: Heroes

  • Philip Seymore Hoffman

    —

    by

    admin
    in ,

    Philip Seymore Hoffman is one of my favorite actors. He chooses interesting roles. He embodies his characters in a way that you would never mistake any one of them for another. Each of his performances is unique, memorable, and fascinating. Here are a few of my favorites. He has many more gems beyond these. While…

  • The Age of Things

    —

    by

    admin
    in , , ,

    Things matter. What things impact our lives at this time? Phones, airplanes, cars, social media, computers, cameras, the printing press, agriculture, fire, and more are worthwhile candidates. Let’s consider the age of things with regard to how they impact our lives. As a kid, I checked out lots of books from the local library. (The…

  • RHIC to EIC!

    —

    by

    admin
    in , , , ,

    Wow! It’s the end of an era, one that I was able to sample over 25 years ago. This article tells part of the story. I suppose some people can work on a single project throughout their entire careers, but this has not been my experience. One of my first “work” adventures happened while I…

  • Why Do We Do What We Do?

    —

    by

    admin
    in , , , ,

    Humans are complex. Both internal and external forces motivate us. I would like to understand better why we do the things we do. Here are some possibilities. We make decisions based on our Identities. If I think of myself as the kind of person who works out, I might be more motivated to exercise regularly.…

  • Requirements for Leadership

    —

    by

    admin
    in , ,

    When things are going well, you don’t need great leaders. Maybe a leader from a previous generation set things in motion. Things can continue along the well-worn and known paths. You just need to honor your traditions and avoid overthinking things too much! No big deal. Problems arise when big changes happen quickly. Suddenly, there…

  • Frances McDormand

    —

    by

    admin
    in ,

    Frances McDormand is a great actress and one of my heroes. I love how she is able to fully inhabit so many different types of roles. Here are some of my favorite movies that she’s done. Her roles in Fargo, Almost Famous, and Burn After Reading are particularly memorable. While I haven’t seen all her…

  • This Nasty Gilded Age

    —

    by

    admin
    in , , ,

    I’m excited to share a new song I composed. It’s obviously inspired by current events. Thanks to Robert Reich for keeping me focused on the big picture! I don’t pretend to understand everything that’s happened. I just know that since 1980 or so, most of the productivity gains in our society have not made it…

  • Making Documentaries

    —

    by

    admin
    in , ,

    While I love watching good documentaries, I prefer the idea of making narrative features over the idea of making documentaries. Note: I’m NOT opposed to making documentaries; I might create one or more in the future. It’s just I’m more likely to make narrative movies. Many of the storytelling techniques are the same. Both rely…

  • Project WHY’s

    —

    by

    admin
    in , , ,

    I love working on creative projects. I especially enjoy working with other talented individuals on creative projects. Most of my recent projects have not involved others. Because the creative energy of a group inspires me, I sometimes struggle to complete projects I’m doing alone. If I’m to believe Simon Sinek, I run out of steam…

  • John Williams

    —

    by

    admin
    in , ,

    I recently finished watching an excellent Disney+ documentary called Music by John Williams. It reminded me just how much I love the music John Williams has created. He has been one of my heroes since I first saw Star Wars in 1977. I still have a book of his songs that I learned to play…