Who Would I Be Without Instagram?

“There are plenty of well-documented reasons to distrust Instagram — the platform where one is never not branding, never not making Facebook money, never not giving Facebook one’s data — but most unnerving are the ways in which it has led me to distrust myself. After countless adventures through the black hole, my propensity to share, perform, and entertain has melded with a desire far more cynical: to be liked, quantifiably, for an idealized version of myself, at a rate not possible even ten years ago.

I think I am a writer and an actor and an artist. But I haven’t believed the purity of my own intentions ever since I became my own salesperson, too.”

Who Would I Be Without Instagram? An investigation. By Tavi Gevinson

“Are People Doing The Best They Can?”

There are some real gems in this conversation between Russell Brand & Brené Brown.

This really got me thinking. Are people doing the best they can? I want to believe they do.

Link Pack

Today is our last day in Switzerland. For the last two weeks my kids and I have been enjoying all things Swiss, like these old-school light-switches. They feel heavy to the touch and make a beautiful sound when using. Should I ever build a house, I want to install these!

– Food for thought: How to be more productive by working less.

Ethiopia plants 350m trees in a day to help tackle climate crisis

How to make friends as an adult.

The Happiest Design Ethics Article You Will Ever Read

– What MVP really means.

Lizzo’s Tiny Desk Concert is something else. What a force.

– Really looking forward to speaking at DesignThinkers in Toronto this October.

Ways to never overwater your plants.

Know who you are, what you care about, and the difference you’re trying to make in the world.

– Long thought to be a glitch of memory, researchers are coming to realize that the ability to forget is crucial to how the brain works. The forgotten part of memory.

– Neuroscience Says Listening to This Song Reduces Anxiety by Up to 65 Percent (via Chris)

This is what happens when you put cotton candy in water.

This is delightful.

CreativeMornings has a job board!

– The newly introduced Tattly Embroidery Tattoo line designed by Tessa Perlow is proving to be a huge success! This makes me happy!

– Thank you to Parsons at Open Campus for sponsoring my blog this week.

Friday Link Pack

How to Rescue a Wet, Damaged Book

– “This is an interesting planet. It deserves all the attention you can give it.” (via)

– “If you are very very quiet you can hear the clouds rub against the sky.” Lies I’ve told my 3 year old recently.

4 Methods for Cooking Steak

– I keep coming back to Grace Bonney’s moving CreativeMornings talk.

– This is interesting: Design Question Library

– The Smithonian launched an Augmented Reality app that lets you land on the moon!

– What happens in your head when you do 27+48?

The benefits of naiveté. (via)

– Love Yoga? Check out Setu, an online platform advocating for inclusivity in yoga.

– The world needs a tech diet; here is how designers can help (via)

– “I Want to Make Beautiful Things, Even if Nobody Cares

Christopher Nolan’s Favorite Movies (via)

Rainbow sunglasses. Yep.

– Beautiful hand-loomed rug. (via)

15+ Modern Embroidery Patterns Ready for You to Download and Sew

– OMG! A fully decapitated swan pool float. The head can rest nicely on the body or float idly nearby.

– Elon Musk: I love Humanity. (But why do you want to move to be living on Mars then?)

– This “bag” might come in handy to buy one baguette. HA!

– Also, here’s a Baguette Lamp. I can’t stop laughing.

You Should Grill Whole Heads of Garlic This Summer.

The Difference Between Tylenol, Aspirin, Advil, and Aleve

NYC Holds Open Call for Artists to Create A Monument for Two Iconic LGBTQ Activists

– It’s summertime. Put some tiny beautiful flowers on you.

– The CreativeMornings job board has already grown to become the largest global creative job board with over 4,000 jobs. (159 of them are remote opportunities.) I am happy about this!

Spring

One scoop of spring, please!

Ocean Mug

Ocean mug, you pretty!

Friday Link Pack

A huge congrats to my dear friend Debbie Millman for being a 2019 AIGA Gold Medalist for her extraordinary contributions to design. Enjoy this timeless talk from 2011.

– Maggie Doyne’s Blink Now organization now sells goods which are crafted by the Kopila Valley Women’s Cooperative. I love this so much!

Rules for being human

Weekends looks like a wonderful animation.

How to Tell Your Story

Nothing really mattress

Stay home, it’s too peopley outside

– Remember some of these beautiful posters by Herbert Leupin from growing up in Switzerland

– Wait what? This is how you eat a pineapple?

– Thats a pretty incense holder

– I like this laundry canvas truck

A minmal backpack. I like.

– 20 questions with… Oliver Jeffers

Focus on your team/company output first and your personal productivity second.

Legal advice for startups by Johnathan Rees

The promising young studio Hawraf is shutting down. The four partners decided to go out by publishing comprehensive documents about how they ran their business.

– “The path to become unmistakable is the willingness to be wrong, to be criticized and most of all, to matter. And if you’re willing to do something that matters, you are likely to be in the minority – and it probably means you’re doing something that’s unmistakable.” — Seth Godin

I Love NYC!

– Thrilled about Tattly’s latest collaboration with the wonderful Loveis Wise.

– “The nicest people always come through the CreativeMornings Job Board.” Yep!

Balance

These balancing bowls won my heart.

Friday Link Pack

(via)

On Shallow Work (via)

30 Legendary Startup Pitch Decks and What You Can Learn From Them

– An Interactive Map of the 2,000+ Sounds Humans Use to Communicate Without Words: Grunts, Sobs, Sighs, Laughs & More

– My 9 year old enjoyed this video: Animals You’ll (Strangely) Never See In Captivity.

– My friends at FictiveKin created a fantastic new LIVE meditation app called Tap In. It’s a daily, ten-minute meditation appropriate for everyone whether new or experienced. This is powerful!

– Wonderful to see Pinterest’s response to harmful misinformation

– I feel this Tweet.

– The Bell Jar Light will give your most loved items pride of place in its museum-style glass case complete with unique, built-in illumination.

Unti-tled is a pocked guide to art in New York City right now.

7 of the Best A/B Testing Tools for 2019

– “The amount of love and care you put into a project is always apparent. Even if people are not conscious of it, they can sense when you have paid attention to every little detail.” From Hurrly Slowly

Three Questions for Effective Feedback

– Ever see little things moving across your field of vision? This is what causes those little floaty things.

– I love you Open Culture: Myths from around the world

– This thread is pure gold: What (online) design publications would you recommend?

Reasons for a bad mood. This made me laugh.

– These wind maps are beautiful.

– Michael Ventura: Self-Observation Is the Skill of the Future

– I am ok with this tea towel.

– Nature, you’re drunk! 5 Facts about the Blobfish

– I can’t get enough of this dog walker in Saratoga lining up his pups.

– One day I will have a perfect spot for the Componibili 3 Tier by Kartell

This Twitter thread on Dementia is heartwarming. My grandmother suffered from it and it was hard to see her mind go. I do remember her moments of wit and clarity in between all the fog.

– Come work with me at CreativeMornings! We’re hiring a Partnerships Coordinator

– Love love love the brand new Tattly Petite Produce Sheet by Jess Chen.

– Check the CreativeMornings job board for full-time, part-time and freelance jobs. As well, internships!

– A big thank you to Newspaper Club for sponsoring my blog and RSS Feed this week.

Shrug Ascii Emoji Pin

Shrug Ascii Emoji enamel pin. Made me smile.

How The Web Was Lost

Berners-Lee has seen his creation debased by everything from fake news to mass surveillance. But he’s got a plan to fix it.

Friday Link Pack

A waste bin with feet. Made me chuckle.

– I like this simple Yin Yang Hat by Ghostly.

Snurk, you guys keep making me laugh: Invisible Man Duvet Cover.

– This is a lovely, simple dish rack.

– This site is for all of you hardcore pet lovers!

– The fastest way to Brand Assets.

The Power of Listening in Helping People Change (via)

– These rainbow sponge and clouds made me giggle.

Royal Wedding Bag Lip Reading. Made me laugh.

– Oh, this Neon Fluorescent Lamp could definitely spice up some bland spaces. Where to put it?

– In this Hurrly Slowly episode on Feedback Jocelyn speaks on how criticism constrains creativity, while questions and appreciations help it expand. It really made me think.

– What a lovely notebook.

– Can you recycle coffee cups or greasy pizza boxes? If you’re tossing things in the recycling bin out of sheer hope, you might be an “aspirational recycler.”

Kindness prompt cards. The world needs this.

– I have linked to Gather before. Deserves another shout-out. Organize your desk.

– What Starbucks anti-bias training day was like, according to employees

– I like this poster by Fanny Schultz.

Jon Burgerman spoke at CreativeMornings/NYC today. My heart is full. If you’re in NYC you can visit his studio this weekend.

– I want to go see this dentist.

– Can’t stop gushing about how much this book has changed my life.

Digital besties.

– A big thank you to Parsons at Open Campus for sponsoring my blog this week.

Friday Link Pack


What are the most popular email clients?

Lock down your Facebook privacy settings with these simple steps.

Supporting Musicians: A Practical Guide (discovered this blog because of this thread)

– 3 things employees really want: Career, Community, Cause

AIGA launched a Magazine called Eye on Design. It was created by an all-women team based in NYC, London and Berlin. WOW!

– Curious Emperor penguins have been captured in Antarctica getting up close and personal on film. (via Coudal)

– It’s Official: The VW Bus is Back and it’s Electric

– I love how my friend Sawyer shares the books he is reading.

Slow Hack: Ask “Why?” 5 Times. (discovered this blog because of this thread)

– Some digital wallpaper gems in here.

– I am quite enamored with Evi O’s bold art.

Symmetry. (discovered this blog because of this thread)

Whatever you do, don’t run back to what broke you.

OpenIDEO got a facelift.

– “Reading books can make you happier and reading is for awesome people. Visiting art galleries and museums can make you smarter and trips to see live theatre “enhance tolerance, and empathy”.” How to Balance Your Media Diet

– Gulp. How much do I need to retire?

12 things everyone should know about tech, by Anil Dask. (via)

Why are sloths so slow?

This boy! Wow!

– “Amazon is slowly but surely chipping away at its larger advertising rivals. This year, its US ad revenues will climb 63.5% to surpass $2 billion for the first time.” Article.

How to get back your privacy online without completely checking out.

– This new peacock feather Tattly is flying off the shelves.

– Thank you Layers conference for sponsoring my blog this week.

Friday Link Pack

The Secret History of the Color Black

The New US Tax Law, Explained with Cereal

This jacket uses solar power to glow in the dark

Be Like Water: The Philosophy and Origin of Bruce Lee’s Famous Metaphor for Resilience/ (Tattly licensed his famous words and turned them into tattoos!)

A Sense of Appreciation Is the Single Most Sustainable Motivator at Work

– Stunning: A Top Floor Sprinkler Leak Creates a 21-Story Tower of Icicles on a Chicago Fire Escape

A Beginner’s Guide to Backing Up Photos (Thanks Ajay)

My mug is watching me.

– I own one of these Disco Ball Tumblers and it gives me a ridiculous amount of joy.

A Thermometer broke at -62°C (-80°F) in the world’s coldest village. Totally impressive photos.

– This hero bookend made me chuckle.

46 Women Who Are Changing the World

Let me interrupt your expertise with my confidence. LOL.

– This stop motion made me giggle.

– Love this geometric ring.

– Adam Grant and his wife share tips on how to negotiate your way to a better marriage

– What a treasure trove! 36 Ideas for Finding More Creativity & Meaning in Your Daily Work

Urban Camouflage Sweaters.

– “Your silence and amnesia are complicity

– I bought this pretty three minute hourglass and now my kids brush their teeth longer. It works.

– Come work with me: I am hiring a Community Coordinator at CreativeMornings and a Social Media and Marketing Manager at Tattly.

– See you at the Women’s March in NYC tomorrow, wearing these.

– Kai, the force behind Offscreen Magazine sponsored my blog this week. His labor of love remind us what’s good about tech. The world needs more publications like this.

Clouds Sweater

This sweater!

Cheerful Despair

This pin made me laugh out loud.

Friday Link Pack

– Someone Asked the Internet to Name a Badder Bitch Than Taylor Swift and People Delivered

– Design-y Bottle Humidifier. (via the 2017 DesignMilk Gift Guide)

– Oh, I weirdly like these Sound Skins for SONOS.

– A reminder that it’s totally ok to be the friend who gets a little too excited.

Debbie Millman has a new Skillshare class about visual storytelling.

Why Joy is the Best Protest

The “Other Side” Is Not Dumb, by Sean Blanda

This book! I miss him so much.

Beat Generosity Burnout

Heartbeat: A bi-weekly newsletter on leadership, company culture, employee engagement and employee feedback by Claire Lew.

A boutique hotel you can call home.

Zaha Hadid: celebrating her life, vision and buildings

A Winter Guide to NYC

The ‘untranslatable’ emotions you never knew you had

– I love my Stutterheim raincoat. I want all the colors.

– Want to know how much time you spend on your phone per day? The Moment app will track it and tell you. (via Jocelyn)

Reading at work.

Tattlys new Flash Custom program allows you to order personalized existing designs in low quantities. A fun surprise at a friend’s birthday, your book club, … you name it!

– Come work with me! CreativeMornings is hiring a community coordinator to help grow our global community or organizers.

Current Status

Friday Link Pack

– This shoe organizer seems quite useful.

Mondaine launches the first wristwatch created using natural castor oil.

Real Life is ups and downs.

– Lovely episode of the Clever Podcast with the beautiful soul Paola Antonelli.

– Every new or soon-to-be-new-parent should read this raw and honest story on fatherhood by Phil Toledano.

– I truly enjoyed this conversation between Steven Pressfield and Mark McGuinness. If you don’t know his books, look him up.

How to find love.

– My son (7) loves this book by Jon Burgerman so much! It’s like rocket fuel for his imagination.

A photographer’s old college classmates, back then and now.

– This Silicone Dish Scrubber seems smart.

Mother by Amanda Palmer. (via)

– An uplifting read: How the ‘Shalane Flanagan Effect’ Works

This Instagram account asks good questions.

Real Life is ups and downs.

Stray Cats Captured in Martial Arts Poses by Hiroyuki Hisakata

A Pine Romance. Switzerland is so darn majestic. (Thanks Cory)

– Did you know Tattly offers custom temporary tattoos for your next event, tradeshow, company give away etc?

Giant Marble Run


Loop, built in a gallery on a mountainside in the South Korean capital, uses 400 metres of track and 100,000 marbles. I would love to see this in person, with my kids.

(via)

I Want My Attention Back!

I always enjoy hearing or reading Craig Mod‘s take on the world. I am glad you interviewed him, Jocelyn!

Hurry Slowly is one of my new favorite podcasts. Subscribe here.

Fine / Not Fine

Life is never a straight line, that’s for sure. Fine / Not Fine print by Marc Johns.

Friday Link Pack

A time lapse of Sol LeWitt’s Wall Drawing 797

– “People are the way they are because of wounds they have not tended to. Whatever the reason, we cannot heal another. Only they can.” Read the full article here.

– A few simple tricks to be less on your phone.

– Love the idea of a swing as a night table in this post. But good luck putting beverages on it, as shown in the photo.

– This made me laugh: Productivity hacks to rule kindergarten like a Silicon Valley boss (via)

– Lovely! Dipped hoop earrings.

There is not greater joy than working together.

– Whoa! Check out this experimental bike which features a frame that twists in the middle.

– I like this minimal Wonky Grid Duvet Cover

5 Mantras for Dealing with Difficult People and Tense Situations. I really liked the first one: “Don’t push buttons that don’t need to be.”

– Beautiful project by Adobe Resident Aundre Larrow studying how our sense of place impacts us.

A literal nest egg, to collect change and be smashed when full. (Ouch, the price though)

– I want one: ‘Kniterate‘, a digital desktop knitting machine, will help you make custom clothing from scratch.

– Mailchimp (100% bootstrapped) has an “investor relations” page about their investments in their community

– A desktop punching bag.

Cure Yourself of Tree Blindness

– I love love love the new Tattly Mod Florals Set by Inaluxe.

Friday Link Pack


(via)

Rejection (and the four paths)

– “Observation is no substitute for doing.” On being a bad manager, by Jason Fried.

– “There’s a lot of anxiety right now about Gen Z’s amount of screen time. But have you seen what we’re up to?” Letter home from Camp Wolfram

– Here’s a wall hook for the cycling obsessed.

– Start Planning for Fall Now With This Interactive Foliage Map

– The remarkable James Victore is sharing his wisdom

– If you close the Amazon app, get off the couch, and shop at independent shops this holiday season, you could be helping rebuild your local economy.

– A monthly expenses template for digital workers. Digital expenses sum up quickly.

3 Ways to Make Your OOO More Human

– You can now see Instagram Stories on the web.

AR Experiments is a site that features work by coders who are experimenting with augmented reality (via)

Son secretly makes a video about his mom to help her find a boyfriend

– Practical:Sink Caddy.

– MIT researchers created a workout suit with ventilating flaps that open when you sweat and get hot.

– Instagram takes up 30% of mine: How to see which apps are wasting your iPhone battery

10+ Times Kids Came Up With Amazing DIY Inventions

Let Anthony Bourdain teach you how to fight food waste

Why Are Airplane Windows Round?

We the people.

Chinese Company Sets Guinness World Record for the Most Robots Dancing Simultaneously

– psst… Tattly is running a Labor Day Sale. Get 30% off on all pairs with code SUMMERVIBES30.