Connection Archives

An angry customer complaining to a harried grocery store clerk.

The Best Way to Complain – 7 Takeaways No. 233

Effortless knowledge. So awkward. Good in the world. Clearing the path. Chaos and calm. Communicating clearly. Complain with purpose.

A treasure chest half-buried in golden sand on a tropical beach.

Repositories of Buried Treasure – 7 Takeaways No. 224

Say hello. Small steps. Truth vs. Convenience. Creativity as antidote. Not all stories are true. Lean into aging. Am I enough?

A group of people walking past a traditional library. All the people are looking down at their phones, absorbed in their screens, while the library behind them stands mostly unnoticed. The library building is grand and classic, with large columns and a sign that clearly identifies it as a library. The people are dressed in modern, casual clothing, and their attention is entirely on their smartphones. The scene is set in daylight, with a slightly melancholic tone, highlighting the contrast between the focus on digital devices and the neglect of traditional reading spaces.

Reading Is Not As Necessary As It Once Was – 7 Takeaways No. 193

Mud-colored glasses. Playing in the street. Connections are complicated (and important). Telling yourself stories. Dare to see stupid. Does reading matter? (YES!) Taking risks.

A chimpanzee standing upright on its hind legs, with a confident expression, throwing a shiny metallic dart with a bright green flight at a wooden dartboard hung on a rustic, earth-toned concrete wall in the distance, the board's surface worn and scratched, surrounded by a subtle gradient of shadows, with the chimpanzee's fur a mix of dark brown and lighter tan hues, its facial features defined by a prominent forehead, almond-shaped eyes, and a small nose, its skin tone a warm, golden brown, the entire scene illuminated by a soft, natural light with a hint of warmth, capturing the dynamic movement of the dart in mid-air and the chimpanzee's focused intensity, with a shallow depth of field to blur the background and emphasize the subject.

Poorer Predictions Than Dart-throwing Monkeys – 7 Takeaways No. 192

Confidence means little. We’re all just making it up as we go. New technology is scary. Depression is scary. Being wrong is scary. Phone calls are scary. Personal change is scary.

Silhouette of a couple, presumably naked, against a sunset.

Everybody Used to Be Naked – 7 Takeaways No. 180

Are we doomed in mediocrity? Impermanence is permanent. Science vs. opinions. Your next chapter. Sharing your worldview. I hate networking. Naked and afraid.

A photorealistic image capturing the moment 'One Saturday morning last October, my friend Greg and I were running down the North Kaibab Trail in the Grand Canyon, close to halfway through 26 miles of trail.' The image shows two runners, Greg and the narrator, in mid-stride on a rugged, picturesque trail within the Grand Canyon. The vast canyon landscape stretches around them, with its iconic red and orange rock formations and a deep blue sky overhead. The runners are depicted with expressions of joy and exhilaration, emphasizing the awe and beauty of the moment. The scene conveys a sense of adventure, friendship, and the grandeur of nature.

Everything is Cool – 7 Takeaways No. 161

Sure, there’s other stuff, but let’s not overlook how amazing things are.

Cartoon illustration of two corgis joyfully dancing together in a lush grassy meadow, with vibrant green grass beneath their feet and a clear blue sky overhead. The corgis have animated expressions of happiness and their tails

Maybe Only Our Pets Are Happy – 7 Takeaways No. 150

Happiness, Should, Connection, Proximity, Colonoscopy, Clickbait, Communication

Details All The Way Down – 7 Takeaways No. 147

Connection, Personalization, Beliefs, Details, Aging, Attention, Busyness

Jumping for joy, clicking heels together.

The Work I GET To Do – 7 Takeaways No. 132

Communication, Connection, Skepticism, Compassion, Growth, Work

Two hands putting peices into a jigsaw puzzle heart.

Therapy, Lots of Therapy – 7 Takeaways No. 130

Work, Burnout, Connection, AI, Text, Opinions, Friction