NEW YORK NIGHT TRAIN Demolition Songs: Bruce Springsteen, Gillian Welch and the “Wrecking Ball” Tradition In January, an insider “earwitness” told the Hollywood Reporter that Bruce Springsteen’s forthcoming album Wrecking Ball will represent the 62-year old’s “angriest yet.” Since history has found Springsteen at his most vitriolic when writing from headlines, it seems safe to assume that album 17 will find the Boss in topical-mode. His exact targets, however, remain a mystery. Contrary to initial speculation, the record was completed months before the Occupy movement started gaining traction. If the Reporter’s source is accurate (lead single “We Take Care of Our Own” struck us as more anthemic than angsty), Springsteen will join a veritable demolition crew of American artists who have carved frustrated statements out of albums and songs entitled “Wrecking Ball.” It’s a tradition that began in 1995, when country legend Emmylou Harris employed the title on an album that would signify a major turning point in her career. The mid-nineties marked a rough period for country’s elder stateswomen.
How to Finish Your Work, One Bite at a Time “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” If you’ve ever ran more than a few miles, you probably understand why you need to pace yourself. Runners that sprint at the start of a race will be exhausted far before they cross the finish line. The same principle applies when trying to get work done. Weekly/Daily To-Do Lists The principle behind the WD To-Do List method is simple: At the end of the week, write a list containing everything you want to get accomplished.At the end of the day, write a list containing what parts of that weekly list you want to be finished tomorrow. After you finish your daily list, you stop. Although this technique might sound obvious (and it is), there are some key advantages using a WD system has over the typical, Getting Things Done approach of keeping Next Action or project lists. Why the Weekly/Daily To-Do List System Rocks: After using this method for several months, I’ve found it beats the other systems in a few key places: Focus on the Daily List
8 Things Everybody Ought to Know About Concentrating “Music helps me concentrate,” Mike said to me glancing briefly over his shoulder. Mike was in his room writing a paper for his U.S. History class. On his desk next to his computer sat crunched Red Bulls, empty Gatorade bottles, some extra pocket change and scattered pieces of paper. Mike made a shift about every thirty seconds between all of the above. Do you know a person like this? The Science Behind Concentration In the above account, Mike’s obviously stuck in a routine that many of us may have found ourselves in, yet in the moment we feel it’s almost an impossible routine to get out of. When we constantly multitask to get things done, we’re not multitasking, we’re rapidly shifting our attention. Phase 1: Blood Rush Alert When Mike decides to start writing his History essay, blood rushes to his anterior prefrontal cortex. Phase 2: Find and Execute Phase 3: Disengagement While in this state, Mike then hears an email notification. The process repeats itself sequentially. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.