May. 24 2009

The Case for Working With Your Hands

When we praise people who do work that is straightforwardly useful, the praise often betrays an assumption that they had no other options. We idealize them as the salt of the earth and emphasize the sacrifice for others their work may entail. Such sacrifice does indeed occur — the hazards faced by a lineman restoring power during a storm come to mind. But what if such work answers as well to a basic human need of the one who does it? I take this to be the suggestion of Marge Piercy’s poem “To Be of Use,” which concludes with the lines “the pitcher longs for water to carry/and a person for work that is real.” Beneath our gratitude for the lineman may rest envy.

Feb. 08 2009

If you work on something for five years, that’s more than 20 percent of your productive work life. Most people don’t think about that, but it’s the main thing I think about. I think about it all the time, much more than money. Because the only thing we can’t make more of is time.
Dean Kamen, in the fascinating fly-on-the-wall book by Steve Kemper, Reinventing the Wheel: A Story of Genius, Innovation, and Grand Ambition (via jackcheng)

Dec. 31 2008

You have to communicate what the mission is all the time — and how meaningful someone’s contribution is to the mission.
Charlie Rose

Nov. 20 2008

pile:

(via pmcarthur)

So meta!!!

this is right by my office. happens a lot apparently.

Nov. 04 2008

WHEREAS By the authority vested in us by us, all employees in the U.S.A. are encouraged to forward this proclamation to their supervisors and if there is some doubt about said supervisors agreeableness to follow the guidelines stated herein they are further advised, in the great tradition of American Democracy, to take matters into their own hands and sneak out the back door at lunchtime leaving this web page open on their computer as a statement of their whereabouts and intentions.
A Proclamation - Coudal Partners (via df)

Oct. 28 2008

tlc:

You know you are work early when you are watching the sun rise from your office window.

this is the best part of the day.  i relish these moments.

Oct. 22 2008

Obama’s Grandmother and the Risk of Regret

regret is paralyzing. i’ve seen situations like this play out right in front of my eyes, first-hand.  dedication has to be a sliding scale.  yes, you’re “in it to win it” but what, exactly, will you win?

“right decisions” are one of life’s biggest challenges.

Jack Cheng On Permanence

My personal take is that for any given task, our minds constantly shift between two modes: review and do. Review-mode give us perspective on the big picture and keeps us on track toward reaching our destination. Do-mode is focused on implementation—building, typing, moving pixels and making changes.

Oct. 14 2008

[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]

peterbaker:

I’m going to be in NYC for a week starting next Wednesday (the 22nd) for PhotoPlus Expo. Anyone else going?

(Notorious B.I.G. + Frank Sinatra, from the Blue Eyes Meets Bed-Stuy album)

i’ll be there on the 24th, recording a podcast for work.  pete - would love to meet you.  big fan of your photos.

Oct. 13 2008

tlc:

myownmelt:

(via soupsoup)

funny how all of this is overlooked so much by so many.