The Next Big Thing Archive

January 2006

Do-It-Yourself

Friday, January 06, 2006

It takes a certain amount of chutzpah to “do it yourself” - to build a rollercoaster in the backyard, persuade Billy Joel to share the stage, or rewrite the lyrics to a Cole Porter song. On the other hand, it also takes chutzpah to submit completely to someone else’s vision – for instance, by living in a Frank Lloyd Wright house that cannot be altered in any way. This week, we meet people who have done all these things, and more. Guest appearances by cognitive scientist Douglas Hofstadter, writer John Haskell, and yes, Billy Joel.