Brad Barrish

Why did I write it down? In order to remember, of course, but exactly what was it I wanted to remember? How much of it actually happened? Did any of it? Why do I keep a notebook at all? It is easy to deceive oneself on all those scores. The impulse to write things down is a peculiarly compulsive one, inexplicable to those who do not share it, useful only accidentally, only secondarily, in the way that any compulsion tries to justify itself.
We Forget All Too Soon the Things We Thought We Could Never Forget
Next time somebody tells you something that sounds important, think to yourself: ‘Is this the kind of thing that people probably know because of evidence? Or is it the kind of thing that people only believe because of tradition, authority or revelation?’ And, next time somebody tells you that something is true, why not say to them: ‘What kind of evidence is there for that?’ And if they can’t give you a good answer, I hope you’ll think very carefully before you believe a word they say.
Richard Dawkins on Evidence in Science, Life and Love: A Letter to His 10-Year-Old Daughter | Brain Pickings
We started to get a theory that when you don’t go, that’s when you win. But Nancy likes the event, and I do too, because she does. In some ways, it’s better than the Oscars – the Oscars are great and super-important, but the Grammys is like a really cool concert and you get some very good performances. But this is what happens: We went a couple of times and sort of sat there, and graciously accepted defeat. With that moment you look for at the Oscars or the Grammys, when the cameras go to the people who didn’t win, and they’re smiling wonderfully and applauding. “And the winner is – John Mayer!” And you go: [through clenched teeth] “Oh, wonderful. How wonderful. What a good singer.” Secretly you’re thinking, “He’s not as good as me though.” It’s a very human moment.
A Grammy-Winning Formula for Paul McCartney: Don’t Show Up - NYTimes.com