Arigata-meiwaku is a Japanese phrase that doesn’t really have a simple English translation. It means the not-so-great feeling of having to thank someone when they’ve done something for you that you didn’t really even want them to do. When I first heard about this phrase, I immediately started thinking about […]
Month: November 2020
Marketing Raffles
If you’re going to raffle anything off, or have a contest of some sort, when you’re running it, there will be temptation to give it to your best customer, or someone you know will sing your praises to the rooftop. Whether you’re trying to cement a long-term contract or are […]
Sump Pumps
Sump pumps are motorized pumps that pull water from a lower place and move it to wherever the hose ends. So even if your home’s foundation is subject to flooding, you can install one of these pumps to suck out the water and spit it out someplace that’s less damaging. […]
Jack In The Box
I’m not talking about the fast food chain that my friends and I would hit up at 2am during college, but the old school toy that you wind up until something pops out of it. The jack in the box was pretty terrifying to me as a kid, mainly because […]
Gratitude
It can definitely feel like there’s not a whole lot to be grateful for. Fires, typhoons, hurricanes, COVID. Ooooff. #2020, amiright? But if you’re reading this, you’re still better off than the 43% of the globe that still doesn’t have regular internet access. I’m not going to go on and […]
Traditions
Traditions can be nice. They can build connections to our past, bridge generations, and give us the feeling that we’re part of something bigger. Traditions can also be oppressive. They can celebrate outdated morals, sanitized histories, and social structures that don’t fit us. Traditions can be nice for some, and […]
Exclusion
Generally, being excluded can feel terrible. But as a leader and/or creative, you need to exclude people. Whatever it is you’re building needs to be for someone. By necessity, it’s not going to be for some other people, since there is nothing that people like universally. By choosing who it’s […]
In The End
You may have tried so hard, and gotten so far, and it might feel like in the end it doesn’t even matter. Are you focused on the outcome – perhaps falling and losing it all – and now you’re in a nihilistic state that wants to give up? Or is […]
The Internet is Forever
The saying goes that once something goes on the internet, it is there forever. Given that, is the problem that photos, videos, tweets, etc. will stay online to plague us long past we’re dead, or is the problem that we judge people based on outdated viewpoints, single lapses in judgement, […]
Big Ears
When I was younger, I used to get teased as my ears seemed to stick out of my head much more than they do now. I’m not sure how my ear shape has changed, but my ears haven’t been remarked upon for decades now. Regardless, I’m now thankful for my […]