Letter from the Internet #3
My casually curated collection of neat things from around the internet. Fridays at π o’clock.
Today’s letter is brought to you by the letter E and the words Empathy and Engagement (Kermit, I apologize).
For a bit of fun
A historian separates the truth from fiction with Gladiator II (go see it for the rhino scene & Denzel Washington). [Link]A compelling visual story
Check out Sportsball on Instagram. Analytics experts say you should start your visualization with a blank piece of paper. But what if you completed the visualization on that paper? BY HAND?? PREPOSTEROUS. And, super-compelling!! [Link] NB: If the links 404 on you, it’s because of your ad blockers. Eero, especially.Something awesome I’ll be playing with
Napkin turns your text into visuals so sharing your ideas is quick and effective. [Link]Bubbling under Why Lawyers and Designers represent the future of software [Link Draft!]
Someone wrote something interesting
How Good are American Roads: Did you know you cared greatly about Construction Physics? Me neither, but Brian Potter writes with a clarity I admire that creates engagement in his audience. [Link]A podcast I enjoyed
Joy, A Podcast is Craig Ferguson speaking with KD Tunstall on the purpose of what we do, and the way in which our audiences encounter our work. Mission & Empathy [Link]What I’m reading
How to Read a Book. First published in 1940, it was revised in 1972, giving guidelines for critically reading good and great books of any tradition. [Link]ICYMI
The hidden perils of small numbers. When does 40 years and 90% not mean that much? [Substack]This week I’m grateful for
The grace of strangers. In my professional life, I had an encounter earlier in the week with someone who went out of her way to show me a little consideration. The world can be lonely out there. Each of us has the opportunity to make it less so.
New section: Job Hunt Guide
Job hunting is hard. Each week I’ll provide a couple of references that I’ve found helpful.
For many of us, the job hunt starts with networking.
Did you know that it’s actually your weaker or former contacts who will be the most helpful to you?
In his book Friend of a Friend, David Burkus provides practical advice on how to grow your network in a meaningful way.
About the title of this note
Alistair Cooke was a beautifully polished writer whose content, “Letter from America,” was a cornerstone of my weekends. He was a master of his craft and wrote for over 60 years until he was 95.
Gratitudes
“No man is an island and no author writes alone — John Donne.” Thank you to everyone who inspired me this last week, including Ian Werris, Colin McCubbins, and Nick.
Comments & Feedback
What do you think? Where am I wrong? Informed debate can be a beautiful learning process. I'd love to hear from you. Here's my calendar.