Author: neil

Two identical images in a row. Did I make a mistake and post twice?

Not so long ago, I’d have shied away from posting this mess I caused when I carelessly moved the pen just after I’d dipped it in ink. It looks ugly, and it’s the first thing I (& possibly you my one reader) notice. The quote fades into the background. I’m hardwired to see the thing that sticks out, in this case the ink blot. Its a reminder that mistakes happen, and that’s okay.

It also brought back the incident from earlier today when I saw a rather poorly designed infographic slide. It was truly hard for me to read, even when enlarged. The intent of the communication was laudable; and may have achieved it’s intent were it not so hard to read. I made my comments, as the author had requested, for a single improvement.  It clearly offended the designer of the infographic. I received a message privately asking if I needed new glasses, if I didn’t know how to enlarge it. I did get new glasses not so long ago, and I am not entirely a noob with technology.  I was momentarily taken aback, until I remembered Adrienne’s Yoga instructions: “my breath is my anchor.”

Feeling aside, I got wondering about friction in communication. A well designed infographic is for the reader.  Not the designer. Chartjunk is to be avoided – rare exceptions excepted. Use color to direct attention. Making a reader click multiple times to get to text in 8 point, where most of the great insights lie, is likely to disengage the reader.

Note to self: Make it easy for the reader. If they won’t read it because it’s too hard to read, what was the point of all the work?

Second note to self: Reconsider critique / feedback in public forums. Private messages sting but allow people to save face. Appreciation in public forums gets you friends 🙂

 

This morning, after a restless sleepless night, and Resistance clawing at every fiber in my being, I sat down just before 9 to write my morning pages. Minutes in, I was running out of ideas. I had distractions galore I wanted to attend to. I wanted to message people, respond to emails, click through messages, anything to get out of writing.

Deciding to give attention to the sounds I was hearing at that moment was the focus I needed. Just one sensory element. The words flowed freely in seconds. And before I knew it, more than 20 minutes had passed. I had escaped the clutches of Resistance, and was soaring into the day.

It’s been a deliberate, productive day. Despite all the distractions and the several things I was pulled into, I have the distinct sense of progress towards goals. Including picking up the bow and cello and making some noises, and an ugly sketch of a pair of glasses lying on my desk.

I asked several questions today, and did not feel like a fool asking them. I got help, answers, and insights that will help me quickly navigate through the projects rocks I’m on.

And I still have four hours to go!

The poet philosopher should have won a Nobel Prize for literature.

Cohen was in his late 70’s when he did this show. Twice during the song, he seems to momentarily forget the lyrics. The musicians don’t miss a beat, supporting him in the best way they know: keeping the music going. Cohen recovers and delivers an incredible gentlemanly performance.

Life throws challenges at every one of us. We forget our lines. We forget who we are, or what we’re meant to do, literally and figuratively. And yet, the show must go on, as they say.

We might be the lucky ones who don’t forget, who are in control of our senses, who aren’t shaken by the challenges. And if we are, every day we have opportunities to support people around us when they stumble. Never forget.

The quote in today’s AWAD weekly digest was from Mr. Fred Rogers: “We live in a world in which we need to share responsibility. It’s easy to say “It’s not my child, not my community, not my world, not my problem. Then, there are those who see the need and respond. I consider those people my heroes.” The musicians supporting Mr. Cohen did that. I hope that I don’t forget to do the same every day.

 

Lots of reading. A little writing. Felt not listened to, and spun into a vortex of emotions. Reading helped pull that back into calmer waters. It’s been windy too.

I don’t have much on my mind, other than a crossword that I’m getting rather quickly through. Helping the kids with their ideas and speeches has kept me busy for the rest of the day.

I’ve been tossing ideas around in my head, and letting them marinate overnight is always useful.  I chose not to do anything today, and I have been learning that too is okay.

I wrote about the gentle gentleman luthier in One Post to Another. I had the chance to visit him a few more times since then – today to pick up a cello that he set up for me.  He’s also an avid gardener, and took the time to show us around the garden. Watching a master craftsperson at their work is a joy; giving them the space and opportunity to talk about their craft is the least we can do.

It was also a joy to see two of my colleagues gather their thoughts, and get ready to share their work. While physical objects are beautiful and can be seen seen/felt/smelt(!), ideas are much harder to work with, and need as much if not more attention and crafting.  Storytelling and creating narrative from the chaos of the world around us is an incredibly powerful skill: the Ukrainian president is demonstrating that in the worst situation possible.

I didn’t get a chance to write my twenty minute journal this morning but that will wrap up my day. I read a page of Metaphors – Orientational Metaphors (the book hurts my head, and beautifully so!). I asked heaps of questions that started with why and where and ‘out of curiosity’.  I learned to play the C scale on the cello with a bow, and get a halfway decent sound from it.  Love, contentment, joy, and wonder were dominant emotions today. The magnificent moonrise on our walk this evening capped it, after my son & I both played the full-size cello, and heard the sounds resonate through the floor tiles and up my spine.