Michael T. Starks

Category: Storytelling

  • Daniel

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    One of my favorite songs by Elton John and Bernie Taupin is Daniel. Here’s my attempt to sing and play it. I love that there remains a bit of ambiguity in the song. It seems that Bernie Taupin originally wrote an extra verse that never made it into the final version. Here’s what I’ve found…

  • Taste

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    I don’t think most people want to acknowledge the importance of taste. Most people are content to consume whatever shows up. I’ve been guilty of watching LOTS of movies that don’t make the cut. But here’s the thing: we can learn from people who do not agree with us! We can learn from people who…

  • Flash Boys

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    Today, I finished reading the book Flash Boys, by Michael Lewis. It’s one of my favorites! We all know that our financial system is susceptible to undue influence by “bad actors”. There are many reasons we feel like things are stacked against us. And sometimes, they are. Michael Lewis identifies a fascinating time in the…

  • The Story of C++

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    This post is not for everyone. It’s for the software engineers I know, my QA friends, and a handful of others. I think C++ is one of the most extraordinary programming languages ever created. I love its low-level capabilities and its abstractions. Most of my career has been built around using C++. So, here’s a…

  • The Joy of Using a Well-Made Syringe

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    Each day, Karilyn and I use syringes to give liquid medicine to our daughter. Here’s what they look like. Several years ago, our CVS pharmacy switched from providing syringes with large bases to providing syringes with smaller bases. The reasons for the switch make sense. A smaller base means less plastic, which is better for…

  • A Troubling Number

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    Today, the New York Times reported that there are only 124 researchers left at the Environmental Protection Agency, down from more than 1,500 a year ago. Why does this number matter? Oh, let me count the ways! While there are many more reasons, these are enough for me. President Trump has made many blunders, from…

  • Death Vault

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    So, here’s an idea for any morbid entrepreneurs out there. I have a social media presence: mostly photos and somewhat interesting posts on Facebook and LinkedIn. Karilyn and I have a company with some products that could continue being sold after we die. I also have a Vimeo account and several websites that potentially could…

  • More People Should Know about JCM

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    James Clerk Maxwell is one of my heroes. It seems to me that more people should know about his amazing contributions to physics and see him as a true hero. This is why I’m writing a screenplay about his life. It’s why I hope to make a movie about his extraordinary accomplishments. I’m in the…

  • Isolation Patterns

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    When I was growing up (in the 1970’s), we would often get together with my dad’s large family or my mom’s family. Kids, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins all spent a decent amount of time together. Have I provided that experience to our kids? Not nearly to the same degree. I got to know…

  • Process vs. Product

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    Process comes first. You can never create a great product without first developing a good process. You may not find a great process. It’s likely your process is going to change over time. But creation depends on process. In a YouTube video, Romantical (Jonah Feingold) says, “Create the thing. Release the thing, and move on.”…