Any mechanic or craftsman will tell you that the most important thing they have is their tools. The right tools can make the difference between loving a job and hating it with every fiber of your being. New tools can also open up a world of possibilities for any maker. So what do you get […]
The service industry is changing before our very eyes, and “disruption” is the buzzword of the hour. In the past few years, so-called “sharing economy” companies have been making billions by cutting out the middleman. The transportation services Uber and Lyft are perhaps most synonymous with the movement, but it’s not just ride-sharing; through Airbnb, […]
As permanent employment in some fields shifts by employer choice to temporary and even outsourced workers, a complementary movement toward freelancing by employee choice is gaining strength in the creative fields. A simple web search will trivially turn up a plethora of articles with similar titles: “World’s 5 Best Freelance Websites 2015,” “10 Most Popular […]
So, what’s it like to be an artist in Rhode Island? I had the great fortune to speak with four artists who have taken the plunge and made their craft a livelihood, and it was eye-opening and inspiring to hear their stories. I set out to discuss economics with them, but found the resounding theme […]
Ah, the ol’ act of tipping. Figuring out how much to give, and is it deserved? Take the bills, leave the change? Straight up 18%-er? Relate to Mr. Pink (Reservoir Dogs) who only tips if his coffee gets filled six times? Perhaps Larry David, whose ongoing friction with tipping through eight seasons of “Curb Your […]
It was supposed to be an ordinary film shoot. Ordinary, that is, if you’re filming the third installment of a horror movie franchise. The corridors were already prepped with squibs and blood bags. The climactic chase through the Rhode Island State House’s rotunda was choreographed. The cast and crew were just waiting for the director […]
One picture-perfect Sunday afternoon last month, my family gathered at my house for our 4th Annual Tomato Fest, where we can tomatoes, make fresh pasta and enjoy a meal together. This year’s festivities were somewhat interrupted by a text message my mom received about a “Black Lives Matter” rally on Main Street in East Greenwich, […]
Dear Sister C; I just graduated from a design school as a top student. I had no problem dealing with tough deadlines or assignments. But now that I’m out, I feel like I’m back to square one. I wanted a career in fine arts. It’s not like there’s a JOB out here for me. Freelance sucks. We […]
For most of us, October is the month of Halloween bringing costumes, candy and flying bats, along with TV reruns of every horror movie ever made. But for the followers of Wicca, October holds a much deeper meaning: It is the month of Samhain, one of the four greater Sabbats of the year. It symbolizes […]
About one week ago on a Sunday, I drove myself down to the west wall at East Matunuck beach in South Kingstown. I know that striped bass are destined to make their fall run past us soon. Like birds flying south for the winter, the stripers make their way south below the surface. I haven’t […]