The BC Corporate Story, 1997
Jane Kim goes in on gender discrimination, white priviledge. Deflects trolls, remains babely.
‘Manly’ Is a Lifestyle, Not a Look 
By: Lawrence Schlossman, a writer and editor, blogs at How to Talk to Girls at Parties.
I want to tell the modern man that he doesn’t have to look like a gold rush-era carnival worker or brew his own micro whatever to be considered a man in my eyes. No, it’s way easier than that. How about being a good guy, a good person. Just be honest, kind, tolerant, open, intrepid, self-aware, inquisitive, etc. — you know, all the things that have made our greatest men (and greatest anyone) great when we boil it down. Do these things and help others do them too, and you’re a real man as far as I’m concerned. Next time you’re out and about, walking tall, everyone might be focusing on the perfectly handrolled cigarette dangling effortlessly from your lips, but you and I will know the truth — you called your Mom just to tell her you love her, and you’re happy you did.
Getting Final Cut
buzz:
If I had to identify a theme in my career thus far, it would probably be that I’m on a lifelong search for ways to build things I am passionate about, in ways I can be proud of, with people I respect and am respected by, without sacrificing my integrity. At this point I’ve been a large company employee (Apple and others), a bootstrapped indie developer (PodWorks, Birdfeed), and a part of both early stage and maturing startups (Square, Tumblr). Each of these phases in my career has held its own particular joys and frustrations, but looking back, the efforts that have brought me the most consistent personal satisfaction and produced the results I was most proud of have undoubtedly been the ones where I’ve had “final cut,” to borrow the filmmaking term.
As David Lynch explains in his book “Catching the Big Fish,” having final cut is very important in creative projects:
The filmmaker should decide on every single element, every single word, every single sound, every single thing going down that highway through time. Otherwise, it won’t hold together. The film may suck, but at least you made it suck on your own.
Lynch further explains how frustrating it can be not to have final cut on your work:
When I made Dune, I didn’t have final cut. It was a huge, huge sadness, because I felt I had sold out, and on top of that, the film was a failure at the box office. If you do what you believe in and have a failure, that’s one thing: you can still live with yourself. But if you don’t, it’s like dying twice. It’s very, very painful.
In the past few years, I’ve been lucky to be part of two exciting young companies, Square and Tumblr, during key times in their development. I’ve been privileged to work with some of the industry’s most talented people on products that have had a real impact on the world. I’ve learned a great deal in the process. But after several years as an employee, building other people’s products their way, I feel it’s high time to do my own thing—and have final cut—once again.
Optimizing for final cut isn’t an easy path, of course, as many a cinematic auteur has learned. Birdfeed, my last trip down this road, was, at times, enormously stressful and difficult. But I’ve learned a lot since those days, and this time around I’ll have more help.
howtotalktogirlsatparties: Eddie Huang gives his “TED Talk”.
User Comment on Fred Wilson's article "Where's my billion dollar check, I wonder"
By: JLM
Why do we do anything? Who really knows?
This I know —-
When I am alone in my own head with my hopes, dreams, fears and insecurities wrestling —- three falls to each and then the winner and if I don’t like the winner, then a rematch —- I cannot remember anything more joyous than floating in the ocean where the water is way over my head or body surfing.
The feel of the salt and sun on my skin is the same whether I am broke or flush.
I know, I have been both.
Do you think Bill Gates feels better than me? I don’t think so. It is not possible. Is there more joy available?
In a week, I will watch my beautiful Perfect Daughter graduate from college. She is smarter than me. More sensitive than me. More worldly than me. More clever by twice. I was only her enabler.
I am waiting to see what she accomplishes because it is going to be way more than I ever imagined and I have a wild, untamed imagination.
When I think about the accumulated wisdom of the AVC.com salon and its unquenched energy, I smile. It is rueful smile as I see the hard edge of genius, the light of brilliance and the warmth of accomplishment.
But I also see the impatience of both youthful exuberance and the insanity of entrepreneurship.
Money and stuff is stupid. I hate stupid. I hate stupid more than anything else I have ever encountered on that side of the ledger. It is a barter which does not involve your soul.
The currency with which you are really paid is your measure against yourself. I jumped out of airplanes because I wondered if I could do it. I could.
I started businesses to see if I could do it. I could.
Don’t let life buy you with lucre. Worse yet, don’t let it rent you.
Trade for more dear stuff —- the satisfaction of having plotted and followed your own course, the thrill of having walked the high wire of life with no safety net, the mutual respect of good people, the love of a good mate and a full draught —- not a shot glass —- of all that life offers.
Go bite the ass off a bear every day of your life and then tell me you can keep score only with money.
If the gods favor you —- as they will, my friends, I promise —- and you get to the Pay Window, do good works with your money. Money is only useful for good works. How many freakin’ cheeseburgers can you really eat?
Don’t be afraid to be kind to yourself, you will deserve it.
In the end, you will be richer for it. I know.
