The split personalities of spaces

Plan Your Next: Letter No. 19

Aug 02, 2020

Good morning, and welcome to this Sunday’s Plan Your Next.

Last week I shared my failed attempt to kill this newsletter and my not-so-secret goal of writing more on my site.

This week, I published a new article about the effect the pandemic is having on our environment. It's called, "An unnatural collision of spaces and routines.” Like many of you, our homes have been compressed. Kitchen tables become offices, countertops are standing desks, and bookshelves become zoom backgrounds.

How are you dealing with it?

Your next video: Everything is a Remix Reality

Since our realities are now being mixed in a blender, Kirby’s latest short video feels relatable.

First, if you haven’t watched Kirby Ferguson’s first flick, Everything is a Remix—I beg of you—please watch it first.

I watched Everything is a Remix in the summer of 2010. I sat in a small studio somewhere in South Minneapolis, while it was being projected onto a white sheet. My ass planted in an old, flimsy, plastic folding chair. My expectations were z-e-r-o.

I walked out of that studio blown away by how he seemed to poke holes in the controversies around remixing creative content. It’s a timeless topic, something that he’s well known for now.

Kirby’s latest talks about how critical thinking is required if we want to prevent ourselves from getting lost, being pushed to the fringes of the conversations around us. Don’t believe everything that you read.

Your next pen

I've got a love-hate relationship with pens. My favorites up until now have been Muji's gel pens, which truly are fantastic. But after sitting out a while, they tend to dry out easily and not write nearly as smoothly out of the box.

Enter the lovely fountain pen. It flows without applying an inch of pressure. It's a rad design and uses refillable ink if you buy the reusable container. It's also a great starter fountain pen that makes my signature on medical IVF forms look exquisite. I own the black version. You can also find this on Amazon.

https://www.lamy.com/en/lamy-safari/

Your next Coronavirus story

I can’t imagine you want to hear more news about this right now, so I’ll leave this on the lighter side. Tim Urban of Wait but Why is one of the most creative writers on the internet. He recently published this fictional tale titled, “You Won’t Believe My Morning.” It’s his own about his own Honey I Shrunk the Kids moment to hold the coronavirus in the palm of his hand. It’s fun, lighthearted, and a perfect way to end this newsletter.

Creative 1:1

I’m once again opening my calendar up to talk. I miss these conversations. If you’re feeling uninspired or want to chat through a project or an idea, we’ll hop on a Zoom call to talk it out.

📞 Book a 30 min call with me

Have a great week and I’ll see you next Sunday!