This week I have three very different movies to recommend. In fact, you could say that the theme of the week is variety.
Stowaway (Netflix) A team of three is on a mission to Mars and discovers that someone else is on the ship. I enjoyed this movie because it’s well made, futuristic, and centers on ethical dilemmas more than action. I didn’t expect Anna Kendrick as an astronaut, but it works.
Sound of Metal (Amazon Prime) A heavy metal drummer in a band with his girlfriend loses his hearing and quickly transitions to a new life. This is a great film that’s raw, human, and well-acted. I came away with a new perspective on deafness. Riz Ahmed was great in The Night Of (HBO) and he delivered in this film as well. Paul Raci was nominated for an Oscar for his supporting performance.
Booksmart (Hulu) Booksmart made me LOL. Two high school seniors realize they’ve wasted time being focused on grades and decide to start partying before college. This, of course, leads them on myriad adventures. Fun and easy; a modern Superbad with female leads and a female director, Olivia Wilde. The soundtrack makes it even better.
In my weekly newsletter, Ready for Rain, I usually share recommendations for media, products, and ideas that I find interesting or useful. Today I’m sharing the my recommendations in separate blog posts for easy consumption.
The recommendations below were included in issue #89 – The Blackout
DEVS(Hulu) – I have a soft spot for stories about evil corporations and the people who run them. On that front and many others, DEVS delivers. It’s is a futuristic limited series starring Nick Offerman and Sonoya Mizuno that involved high tech, murder, and intrigue.
Ben Folds Interview (Broken Record Podcast) I’ve always been a fan of Ben and appreciated his connection to North Carolina (he grew up in Chapel Hill). Part music, part personal stories, part regret, it’s an interesting listen.
Sonos Move (Gadget) – We recently adopted a new smart speaker and I’m a big fan. The Move comes with a base that serves as a charger for a big battery. When you want to go outside, you can just grab it and the battery lasts 10 hours. It’s weather resistant and sounds great.
Heather is not your father’s accountant. That’s her brand and she lives up to it. How many CPAs do you know with a podcast? She is a great podcast host with a lot of enthusiasm. Listen to the episode or learn more about Heather’s work.
Below is a one minute snippet from the interview about Big Enough:
Jeffrey Shaw of the Creative Warriors podcast is an amazing host. Before the episode, he sent over a document that provided his tips for preparing for the interview. It was helpful to know some of the questions to expect and to prepare my messaging. This isn’t a surprise, this kind of coaching is his thing.
These are the highlights from our talk, as listed by Jeffrey:
Choice is power.
The “good life” can come with being rich in ways other than money.
If you’re going to have a business that’s ‘big enough’ you have to come to terms with the money that is just enough as well.
Having your financial house in order gives you the power to choose what size business is enough.
Gamifying your spending and saving can help put it in perspective.
Studies show that making around $80K/year is where most feel satisfied with their lives whereas making over $200K/year often provides less satisfaction.
Deciding on constraints up front can drive you to end with the business you truly want.
Having a Lifestyle business doesn’t mean it’s not scalable.
Self-employment brings more personal development than you might expect.
I write books and run a company called Common Craft. I recently moved from Seattle to a rural island. Here, I write about online business, book publishing, modern home construction, and occasionally, dumb jokes.
I write books and run a company called Common Craft. I recently moved from Seattle to a rural island. Here, I write about online business, book publishing, modern home construction, and occasionally, dumb jokes. 
