“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the … Read More
Author Archives: Bob Hill
Moving On: Burnout
The decline had been occurring over days – a heat wave during which I had continued going out every evening. Drinking was my respite. I had become so embroiled in the bar culture I dared not miss an outing … … Read More
Moving On: Turning Heel
Morning … no, afternoon. And the phone kept ringing loudly. It was July now, and I was sleeping on my stomach, dressed in boxer shorts and nothing more. The window fan kept rattling, streaming heat onto loose sheets that had … Read More
Houdini the Calypsonian on War Songs (1939)
“That night, in a tent, I had a war with some old Calypsonians. A tent is a bamboo shack with a palm roof. The Calypsonians sing in them during carnival and charge admission. A war is where three Calypsonians stand … Read More
An Alphabetical List of the 63 Most Embarrassing Things I’ve Done as a Result of My Drinking
Accused my father of saying something hurtful that he’d never said Agreed to a foursome that led to a couple’s divorce Agreed to meet a girl’s parents for the first time while on a 30-hr. bender Allowed a prostitute to … Read More
Moving On: The Tadpole & The Scorpion
“I’m pregnant,” Laurie told me. We were standing along the east wall of the Fairview. It was a Thursday after 2 AM. There were people brushing past on either side. “I was going to have it aborted, but it’s already … Read More
Pablo Picasso on Painting (1949)
“Painting is freedom. If you jump, you might fall on the wrong side of the rope. But if you’re not willing to take the risk of breaking your neck, what good is it? You don’t jump at all.You have to … Read More
The Curious Case of Jacob B. Gyllenhaal
“For me when I read the script there was a lot about Los Angeles, particularly the topography of Los Angeles was fascinating, even in the screenplay. And the idea that at night these creatures come out, specifically, the creatures of … Read More
Upon the 10th Anniversary of ‘Batman Begins’
I went to see Batman Begins alone in an empty theater that had a max cap of fewer than 300 seats. I knew nothing about movies and even less about directors. I made no connection between Christopher Nolan and the … Read More
Jiro Ono on Developing a Palate (2011)
“In order to make delicious food, you must eat delicious food. The quality of ingredients is important, but you need to develop a palate capable of discerning good and bad. Without good taste you cannot make good food. If your … Read More