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Welcome to Pursuit of Spark!  Join us for conversations about creative approaches to the challeges, possibilities, and pleasures of everyday life and work.

The conversation has been a bit quiet of late because of a big challenge we faced last fall, when a neighbor’s monster oak tree crashed into our backyard, garage, and car during Hurricane Sandy.  We’re very lucky to have wonderful neighbors who rushed over in the wind and rain to help us board up our back door and take our kids to their house, which was safe and warm.  The garage is still smashed, but we’re finally about to begin rebuilding.  Which means I can turn my attention to sharing more conversations with you.

Just after the power came back post-Sandy, TED put up my talk, which is a thrill.  You can see the talk here.   

In May, we’ll begin regular podcasts again.  Pursuit of Spark is an ongoing conversation -- so we truly want to hear what you think, and to learn about how you pursue your spark!

                                                     Julie

 

 

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Spark: How Creativity Works has stories from artists, musicians, writers, and directors about where they find their spark.  It's also available as an audio book.

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Wednesday
Jun132012

On being a pattern interrupt

Ed Zimmerman with winemaker Freddy MugnierEd Zimmerman is a lawyer who specializes in tech deals. He's happiest in gatherings where he's the host, so for many years he's organized conferences and workshops for entrepreneurs and venture capitalists so they can get to know each other, and he can get to know them. Ed came up to me at TED right after I'd given my talk, and invited me to one of these meetings, where I got to see up close the informal and engaging way he gets people to talk about what they do. I was interested in how he chose this kind of work, and in talking with him found that the answer is complicated and fascinating, and that part of it comes directly from his father. Here's the entire interview, which is full of Ed's humor and generosity.

 

On being a pattern interrupt by Sparkwork

 


 Samuel and Edward Zimmerman at Edward's bar mitzvah

You can also hear some of the music Ed talks about in this 5:00 story I produced for Studio 360.  This weekend is Father's Day, and kids all over the country are buying ties and barbecue aprons and music for their dads.  When he was growing up, Ed always knew what kind of music to get for his father Sam, who had unrealized dreams of being a singer and a writer.  Ed is a lawyer who crafts deals for tech entrepreneurs and VCs, and he has been surprised and pleased to find that his father's passions have had a major influence on his own work, who had unrealized dreams of being a writer and a singer, and whose passion for words and music had a profound impact on his son Ed spends a lot of time talking about songs by Springsteen, Aretha, Dar Williams and The Clash with his wife and two kids, and always keeps one of his father's opera tapes in his glove compartment.   You can read Ed's blog post about music and his father here.

 

Sam Zimmerman at Stratford on Avon

 

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