This was a busy week of completing projects, starting new ones, trying out new tools, and being exposed to a lot of information. In particular:
This week I made the trek to New York’s Javits Center for the annual Interphex show. Interphex (the International Pharmaceutical Expo) brings together the manufacturers that make the biopharmaceutical industry happen. As you walk through the cavernous Javits, you’ll see manufacturers of equipment, instrumentation, and services all under one roof. I went on Thursday, the last day of the show, so the floor was unusually quiet. But I enjoyed catching up with friends who sell used equipment (a booming business), learning about the progress being made in bio-processing and water treatment, and seeing the equipment most people never think about like labelers, pill presses, and solutions mixers. Yes, Karl is a nerd.
I’ve been enjoying several podcasts for the past few weeks. This week, I listened to James Altucher‘s interview with Hugh Howey, the self-published author of the science fiction best seller, Wool, and Bulletproof Exec Dave Asprey’s interview with psychologist and medical anthropologist, Alberto Villolo. The Howey interview was revealing about the state of self-publishing; the Villolo about shamanic bio-hacking (it comes back to food). I recommend both podcasts.
Speaking of podcasts, I’m a huge fan of Steve Blank‘s The Startup Owners Manual (link to Amazon, not an affiliate link), which I believe is one of the best step-by-step ways of rapidly building a company. Over the years, I’ve used a number of Steve’s techniques to focus myself and the companies I’ve worked for. With the Kauffman Foundation, Steve and a number of startup luminaries recently launched Startup School, an online video entrepreneurship program. I’ve been watching Steve Wortman‘s video on entrepreneurial selling, which should tell you where my mind is at.
But it wasn’t all work this week. I’ve been rereading Donald Bartheleme’s Overnight to Distant Cities and enjoying the hell out of it. Most of the stories in this book are short, even flash-fiction short. It’s a collage of Bartheleme’s work (but isn’t all of his work collage-like?). I’m looking forward to digging back into the Barthleme cannon.
I also attended a party for the launch of David Grand’s Mount Terminus. David is an old friend and I’m psyched to start reading his latest book. I enjoyed his first two a bunch and have been waiting for this one more than ten years. Congrats David. I’ll let you know how I like it.
Finally, Tim invited me to see a band tonight at the Rock Shop. When I asked him what kind of band, he joked “Panamanian German.” I said, I like that, then sent him the Rabanes Bam Bam video. He answered by sending back Señorita Mi Me Gusta Tu Style. Both are from Money Pa’ Que, Rabanes best work, IMHO. Here’s both of those. Enjoy.
Speaking of Bam Bam, Tomás has been singing Daddy Yankee lately. In particular, he’s been learning Lovumba. Felix, on the other hand, has been singing El Chevo’s Metelo Sacalo. (Sometimes I’m not the greatest influence, I admit it.)
On the other hand, Kristen has regained interest in Telenovelas and has been watching either Que Ricos Tan Pobres (which is hilariously chaotic) or En Otra Piel. Go Kristen.