Weekly Notes #2
Well, I’ve managed to dispatch another set of weekly notes. Wow, this could become a thing. Ps there’s a few unnecessary flourishes but I am feeling exuberant today, so indulge me, dear reader :)
What I’ve been reading -
This week has been dominated by Thinking in Systems: A Primer by Donella H. Meadows. I love the simplicity of the explanations and the thoughtfulness of the author. The bathtub thinking it promotes to understand systems has really helped me get my head around what is a difficult subject. I love stuff like this, stuff that challenges me to think, that I don’t always get the first time, that compels me to keep reading until that lightbulb moment when it finally clicks.
I’ll leave you with a bit of Dana wisdom — that’s what those in the know call Donella :). Think about this, which made my tiny mind pop like a Poundshop party popper.
‘If A causes B, is it possible B also causes A?’
I’m still rummaging around The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate by Peter Wohlleben. My evergrowing love of Trees continues unabated. So many connections with humans and how we thrive and survive. One thing that caught my eye was the concept of the Pioneer Tree. These are the trees that strike out on their own, they live outside the forest and like starting new communities. They love the forest and that, its comforts and social interactions, its shade, but they definitely prefer to live on the outside and pioneer in the open space. It’s more dangerous and less stable, but they grow a lot quicker.
What type of tree are you? A pioneer or a forest dweller? I’m deffo a pioneer, but that’s not to say I don’t love and respect those that like to live in the forest.
What a noob aka You’d think I’d know better -
I made a BOO BOO this week, ripping the plaster off a healing wound. In my haste, I sent an email about costs which didn’t read well and, as a result, booked myself in for a short working holiday at the Hotel De Client Confusion. Now a further meeting is needed to untangle the ball of confusion I have made. So, next time you (or I) need to send something important, get someone else cast their eye over it. IT SAVES TIME.
There’s nowt as kind as folk -
A rant of mine on that there Twitter about Steve Jobs wannabes sparked a conversation with a Twitter friend who I’ve yet to met in real life. They — I won’t name them — always look to offer balance when I rant about Agencies and paint the digital sector in a kinder light — which it needs for sure. They are a reminder that kindness is better than acerbity. Something I need to do better.
I hope to meet with them at the #CampDigital event.
Are you going to Camp Digital, dear reader? Say hello, but expect no eye contact and massive awkwardness.
A definition of done -
Will we ever be done with the definition of done? I think not, but this is one of the best I’ve heard for a while via Mike Burrows over yonder on Twitter -> A good working definition of “Done”: Someone’s need was met -> https://twitter.com/asplake/status/693120263446269952
Can you think of a better one, my solitary friend?
I hope someone somewhere finds this useful. I’m off for a rest, and then a wedding reception tomorrow evening — yes, on the same night as the Champions League final. I shall keep my phone sheathed throughout the proceedings, but will others?
