2DO Before I Die

Daily routines...

Churchill dictated from his bed in the morning and took a siesta at 5pm; Designer Stefan Sagmeister kicks off his working day at the crack of dawn with a pot of coffee and a cigar; Barack Obama is happy to be working from home...

If you ever wondered about the daily routines of the great and the good, here's a site well worth checking out. The Daily Routines blog references interviews, news articles and auto-biography to bring you in detail the working patterns of such names as Darwin, Kafka, Marx and Thurber. 

Stephen King on the start of his day: "“There are certain things I do if I sit down to write,” he said. “I have a glass of water or a cup of tea. There’s a certain time I sit down, from 8:00 to 8:30, somewhere within that half hour every morning,” he explained. “I have my vitamin pill and my music, sit in the same seat, and the papers are all arranged in the same places. The cumulative purpose of doing these things the same way every day seems to be a way of saying to the mind, you’re going to be dreaming soon."

15 Reasons Why Mr Rogers Was The 'Best Neighbor Ever'

Another 2DO hero here - Mr. Rogers. A giant in education and American television history, Mr Rogers was the real deal, an inspiration, an innovator. He also plays a major part in 'Meet my childhood hero', as featured in the 2DO Before I Die book, in an original story written by the talented Benjamin Wagner. 

Courtesy of Mental Floss, and featured on CNN, and out this week, here's a list of 15 reasons why Mr Rogers was great. Here's reason number six:

6. He was genuinely curious about others. Mister Rogers was known as one of the toughest interviews because he'd often befriend reporters, asking them tons of questions, taking pictures of them, compiling an album for them at the end of their time together, and calling them after to check in on them and hear about their families. He wasn't concerned with himself, and genuinely loved hearing the life stories of others.

And it wasn't just with reporters. Once, on a fancy trip up to a PBS exec's house, he heard the limo driver was going to wait outside for 2 hours, so he insisted the driver come in and join them (which flustered the host).

On the way back, Rogers sat up front, and when he learned that they were passing the driver's home on the way, he asked if they could stop in to meet his family. According to the driver, it was one of the best nights of his life the house supposedly lit up when Rogers arrived, and he played jazz piano and bantered with them late into the night. Further, like with the reporters, Rogers sent him notes and kept in touch with the driver for the rest of his life.

John Lennon Died 28 Years Ago Today - Video of the making of 'God'

I remember the day very clearly - and the reaction of my parents. I was just a small boy watching tv when cartoons were interupted with the news of John Lennon's murder. My parents walked in to the room, and asked me what was happening. I said, 'Someone named John Lennon has been shot.' The look on my parent's face - absolutely shocked, stricken. They sat down beside me to watch the breaking news and I remember thinking - who was this person that has had such an impact on my mom and dad?

That was my introduction to John Lennon and to the Beatles. He was always my favorite of the four. One of my all-time favorite albums remains the one he made just after the Beatles broke up. It's the intensely personal John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band. If you don't have it already, get yourself a copy today and listen straight through - it works as a piece.

Today's the anniversary of his death. There are of course countless videos one could choose of John Lennon, but I thought I would include one which featured him doing what he did best - making music, making art. Here's a clip about the making of 'God' from the Plastic Ono Band album.  - Mike

2DO Hero: Paul Newman

Distinguished actor, award-winning director, a champ race-car driver, a committed political activist, and, for the past 20 years, a philanthropist who has helped more than 100,000 children through his charitable foundations (donating over $250 million with his Newman's Own), Paul Newman is a great reminder of someone living 'boldly'....Now 83, he also celebrates his 50th wedding anniversary this year to actress Joanne Woodward. No small feat.

A lengthy profile of the great man and his varied career and choices has recently been posted here at Vanity Fair.

Extract: "Newman credits his unparalleled success in so many areas to what he calls “Newman’s luck.” (He has always attributed his great good fortune to a series of “lucky breaks.”) “It’s allowed me to take chances, to take risks,” he has said. “To get close to a lot of edges without falling off.”

Also, a slideshow here.

Above photo, Newman attends acting class in 1955 (click to enlarge)...