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Engaging Deeply
To engage meaningfully in a hyper-connected, always-on ecosystem, it’s important to make space in your daily rhythm for deep thought and deep work. Only when we tend to the source of our stream and create margins in the midst of our routine can we bring our ideas and energies to a world that requires our…
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Which race would you like to win?
This weekend I’ll be running a relay race as part of the Manitoba Marathon. Big events like these are a lot of fun to be a part of, as thousands of runners hit the pavement together. One of the most important things to keep in mind when you’re part of a running event is which…
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The Problem with Dissection
In high school biology we dissected frogs. I can still remember the formaldehyde smell that wafted up as we cracked open the container holding our little victim, and readied our scalpels. For kids (and adults, let’s be honest), dissection opens a whole world of muscles, bones and organs, all held together in this little creature…
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The Designs of Tractor Trek
Last weekend I participated in the annual Tractor Trek, driving my grandpa’s 1954 Super W4 tractor across the countryside for a day in what has become a family tradition. Together with my grandpa, uncles, and brother-in-law, we joined a group of 46 vintage tractor enthusiasts in driving over 50km, hearing the stories that these tractors…
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Savour the Good Stuff
Life is beautiful right now. Really, it is. It’s spring. The trees are blossoming all over our neighbourhood. We have this tree in our front yard that’s covered in white flowers. “I don’t remember it being this beautiful last year,” my wife pointed out last night. And the birds are singing. Robins are ordinary enough,…
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Things Residual
You probably have a dream or a passion you’d like to pursue, if you had the time. You might find yourself saying, “If I could clear my plate for a (month, week, half-hour, whatever) I’d do this thing.” But that plate never clears, emails keep coming in and kids keep waking up from their naps.…
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Hospitals, Websites, and Design for Public Spaces
The re-design of our regional hospital’s entrance recently began. This re-design was necessary because the previous design, ironically, made it difficult for sick or disabled people to actually get into the building! This “epic fail” underlines the importance of user-centered design in any public space. Here are a few takeaways for designing for the web:…
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Speak to Show You’re Listening
In crowded airspace, some of the best, most well-considered voices too often stay silent. Why bother adding to the noise? If you’re not willing to join the yelling match, how will your voice ever be heard? You might not have the loudest voice, and might not have access to the biggest loudspeaker, but that doesn’t…
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The Problem of Spring
Spring arrived today. And we never doubted it would come, did we? Because it always comes. And yet, leaning into another bitter North wind in April, it’s easy to lose sight of this expectation. This evening as I walked through a park, listening to a chorus of frogs in a wet field that was deathly…
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The Morning After
This reflection appeared first in my quarterly newsletter. Subscribe at the bottom of the page if you’d like to be in on the next one. Have you poured yourself into any big events lately? Maybe a you gave a presentation, shipped a product, had a big exam, or an important conversation? As creative people, we…
