Books

I picked this up while I was teaching, when every day felt urgent and nothing ever felt finished. It changed how I think about progress: it comes from small systems you repeat, not from big goals.

It shapes my lessons now. Students leave with a ten-minute daily habit instead of a vague promise to “practice more.”

I found this through Japanese Breakfast, so I already knew Michelle Zauner’s voice from her songs. Her story of caring for her mother reminded me how much of who I am comes from my family, and from the food we share.

It also showed me what it looks like when an artist carries one feeling across forms, from an album to an essay to a whole book.

Changing careers made me take money seriously. This book made it simple: automate the basics, invest consistently, and stop feeling guilty about spending on what matters.

For me that’s music gear, camera gear, and travel. With the rest handled, I can spend on them without second-guessing.

Learning jazz piano is really learning a shared repertoire. When I pick up a new tune, this is where I go first, for where it came from and which recordings to hear.

It’s also how I choose songs for my students, and how I keep finding versions I haven’t heard yet.

Producing can turn into chasing perfection. Rick Rubin’s short chapters pull me back to the point: pay attention, make the thing, and let it be finished.

It’s the mindset I try to bring to everything I make, from songs to photos and video to the products I design.