Bossed Up
"My lawyer gives the same speech to everyone who wants to do business with me now," Minaj says with a laugh. "'Nicki is not one of those artists who allow her represnetatives to make decisions for her.' I'm on conference calls all day with lawyers, accountants, and executives -- people of power -- and they treat me with respect. Because I command respect. I'm not cocky, but I deserve to know what's going on. It's my brand and my life.
That's my advice to women in general: Even if you're doing a nine-to-five job, treat yourself like a boss. Don't allow anyone to run anything for you without your knowledge. You want everyone to know, 'Okay, I can't play games with her. I have to do right by this woman.' That's what it's all about."
-- rapper Nicki Minaj in the latest issue of Elle Magazine
Bonkers for that bare bulb
"and that moth outside my kitchen door
she's bonkers for that bare bulb
flying round in circles, bashing in her exoskull
and out in the woods she navigates fine by the moon
but get her around a light bulb and she's doomed."
Recently during lunch, a friend made a very convincing argument that people today need more assistance than ever -- whether it's through therapy, self-help regimens, pharmaceuticals, or whatever -- just to maintain some semblance of sanity.
"We've evolved over centuries to live with the land, have a small number of real close relationships. Chop our own wood, go to bed at dusk, wake with the sun," my friend explained. "To be a functional human in the current 'normal' world these days, most of us need some kind of help."
It's reminded me for the first time in years of this Ani DiFranco song called Evolve that I listened to a lot back in college, part of which is excerpted above.
Just like moths, most of us could navigate just fine by the moon -- but get us around all these lightbulbs and screens and whatnot, and it's hard not to lose track a bit.
For posterity's sake
"Strategy is just the story you tell everybody after you’ve done it."
-- Franck Riboud, CEO of French consumer products giant Danone (known here in the US as Dannon)
This is from a well-written New York Times T Magazine story about François-Henri Pinault, who is currently the top exec at French luxury fashion conglomerate LVMH. It was a nicely arranged story that equally sated my appetites for both fashion and business news.
In fact, I only just read the February 15th edition of T Magazine this past week when I picked it up in a hotel gym, and the whole issue was quite good. In addition to the Pinault piece, I also enjoyed the thoughtful and fun interview with Lee Radziwill, who these days very rarely speaks to the press. When it comes to Princess Radziwill, you can read the whole thing and also watch the online video embedded here.
-- Franck Riboud, CEO of French consumer products giant Danone (known here in the US as Dannon)
This is from a well-written New York Times T Magazine story about François-Henri Pinault, who is currently the top exec at French luxury fashion conglomerate LVMH. It was a nicely arranged story that equally sated my appetites for both fashion and business news.
In fact, I only just read the February 15th edition of T Magazine this past week when I picked it up in a hotel gym, and the whole issue was quite good. In addition to the Pinault piece, I also enjoyed the thoughtful and fun interview with Lee Radziwill, who these days very rarely speaks to the press. When it comes to Princess Radziwill, you can read the whole thing and also watch the online video embedded here.
The freedom of a jaded world
"Maybe it’s not a good moment to shock people, because they won’t be shocked anyway. Maybe it’s not a good moment to please people, because they won’t be pleased all the way."
-- Raf Simons, who recently assumed the role of creative director at famed fashion house Dior, on his latest collection, which has been praised by critics for "clothes with exceptional beauty and calm, especially for today"
This specifically was said about fashion, but I think it can apply to a lot of different areas these days in our media-saturated and always-on society. Viewed from a pessimist's perspective it could seem like this would spur a "who cares" kind of apathy -- but with a glass half full approach, this kind of world can actually start to sound really freeing.
