Inspiration

A couple of people have asked recently about what motivates me. The truth is that I find inspiration in lots of different places.

For example, I went to see my friend Ana Gasteyer's one-woman show at Joe's Pub earlier this week. I found the show inspiring because Ana has managed to achieve something that I think is pretty difficult: succeeding in a cutthroat business on her own terms. She combines the high level of technical excellence that you'd expect from a professional singer/actor/comedian with a profoundly idiosyncratic worldview and an utter lack of pretentiousness and celebrity attitude. No easy feat.

Here are a handful of other things that inspired me this week:

• Southern states choosing to make a long-term investment in problem-solving justice: the legislature in Georgia voted to reform the local justice system and create new "accountability" courts.
• When good people and hard work are rewarded: my friend Larry Marks gets a well-earned promotion at the Office of Court Administration.
• Grace under pressure: LeBron James answers his critics by dismantling the Thunder.