Two Little Letters
I felt the need to escape the office today, so I’m off to see Christopher Nolan’s latest, The Odyssey. I have zero expectations because I haven’t seen the trailer and it’s been a few decades since I read Homer’s epic. I’m not a diehard fan of Nolan, I think he does a fine job, I just feel like going to the cinema. I’ll report back depending on how it hits for me.
Addicted to Two Little Letters
The work of purging books from my library continues. As I was clearing out a shelf of old design and photography books, I came across a few that reminded me of what I love about design: communication beyond expectations. David Carson and Hillman Curtis were two designers that showed me what breaking rules looked like in the early digital age. I wanted to emulate what they did. I longed to create art that stopped people in their tracks and made them think. Instead, I played it safe and focused on clarity over mystery.
I let two little letters “focus group” my creativity instead of focusing on what the work demanded of me: clear or clever, art or design, film or movies, business or hobby, form or function, problem solving or communication, originality or conformity...the list goes on and on.
When we say that work can only be one thing, we create false dichotomies that serve everything but the work. The result? Boring work that might capture a moment but lacks the punch to dent the world.
What if we threw the rule book out the window and started making work that had something to say?
Is there anything left to say?
Back of the Door Notes
I like to think I’m clever, so every time I say a phrase that gets a laugh, I write it down on a post-it note and put it on the back of my office door. Here’s a sampling:
One is not done.
Your mindset isn’t the problem, you are.
You can’t SEO a concept album.
Like and comment to win a new life.
Mindset: The porn of self-help.
Don’t forget to ring the f*cking bell of your life.
I think I was going through a phase when I wrote these. Some still make me chuckle, others not so much, to the trash they go.
“The Uncommon Hero” with Michael Hunter (GWTW904)
The best conversations not only have interesting questions, but also the necessary time and space to think and respond when answers present themselves. From “What most often brings you joy?” and “What are you endlessly curious about?” to “What is the space you need to give yourself today?” and “Why does where you are matter?”, today’s guest and I dive deep into ourselves and share what we discover. Michael Hunter is the Founding Mentor of Uncommon Teams, a Coach, Podcaster, and Author of The Resilient Tech Leader: Harness the Power of Mind, Body, Spirit, and Heart to Lead with True Balance and Joy. Beyond the questions, we explore topics such as communication and science, why AI will never replace him, the solid foundations that allow him to have fun with change, what it means to be an uncommon hero, tiny experiments, resilience, and the simplest possible process.
“Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus” with Kelley Baker (BYIS3E28)
How do you know you’re getting the real story when you go someplace new? If you’re a documentarian, how do you tap into the reality that stories are everywhere, as long as you have the key, the very object that provides access to the storytellers? In Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus, directed by Andrew Douglas, the South came alive with a 1970 Chevrolet Impala. Kelley brought this film to my attention as an example of a movie that immediately makes you question, “What the hell is going on here?” It messes with the documentary form, makes you work to understand the underlying meaning, let alone who the people in the film are, and speeds beyond stereotypes. Ultimately, it is a film that many people will not like, will struggle to even see because of its limited availability, but should experience. If you need a shot of artistic courage, this film represents the guts required to make a film the way the director wants to.
Newsletter Notes:
Today’s sonic soundtrack is Welcome Oblivion by How to Destroy Angels.
The photo in the graphic above is Road Passing Through a Barren Desert Landscape from Envato Elements.
I set the title type above with Swartz Gothic, designed by Daniel Swartz.
