“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.”
– Maya Angelou
Creativity
Pendulum
The thing about pendulums we too easily forget in the darkest hours; they swing back. Right now, one is quietly supercharging its return.
— Alain de Botton (@alaindebotton) November 11, 2016
A pendulum supercharging with kindness, inclusivity and respect.
♥ / Squarespace
Big thanks for Squarespace for sponsoring my blog and RSS feed continously. Over the years, they have become a loyal and supportive partner in my labor of love. So much gratitude!
Back in 1998 when I worked on my first portfolio website, I had to learn to code and design it myself. Fast forward to 2016, anyone can have a stunningly designed website, without any coding skills, thanks to Squarespace.
Squarespace’s templates are professionally designed and come with an easy-to-use, intuitive interface. I wish they would have been around when I started out. Try Squarespace free. When you decide to subscribe, use offer code SWISSMISS to get 10% off.
(Interested in sponsoring a week of my RSS feed, learn more here.)
Skepticism and Wonder
“Both skepticism and wonder are skills that need honing and practice. Their harmonious marriage within the mind of every schoolchild ought to be a principal goal of public education. I’d love to see such a domestic felicity portrayed in the media, television especially: a community of people really working the mix — full of wonder, generously open to every notion, dismissing nothing except for good reason, but at the same time, and as second nature, demanding stringent standards of evidence — and these standards applied with at least as much rigor to what they hold dear as to what they are tempted to reject with impunity.”
– Carl Sagan
And Still I Rise
In this video Maya Angelou recites her poem, “And Still I Rise” which she published in 1978.
Soothing Spaceship Sound
Exploring the secrets of soothing spaceship sounds.
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Believe Them
“When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.”
– Maya Angelou
Breathe. Exhale. Repeat.
I have been doing a lot of controlled breathing exercises in the past 48h.
Now or Never
So many feels on this monumental day where hopefully we are going to make history here in the United States! Now or Never!
Litecup
My kids always want a bottle of water next to their beds at night. And often they knock it over and it spills. This is where Litecup comes in. It emits a blue glow so your kid doesn’t have to fumble in the dark. It allows you to drink from anywhere on the lid—there’s a 360-degree valve. And when you’re done, the valve locks automatically. So even if you knock it over, it won’t spill. Pretty cool!
Man Without Wings
This beautiful print by Geffen Rafaeli is a reminder to everyone in the US to go vote today!
How the Electoral College Works
Today’s the day! Go VOTE!
Simon Sinek Q&A at CreativeMornings/San Diego
If you haven’t seen Simon’s recent CreativeMornings/San Diego talk, I recommend you watch it first. Then the above Q&A. What a remarkable human!
Me by Tinybop
The latest app by Tinybop, called Me, launched last week and I wan’t wait to show it to my six year old.
Me asks kids 100s of questions about their feelings, their families, friends, school, and home, with words, pictures, photos, and sounds to create a vibrant, dynamic self-portrait.
Me aims to help kids build skills like self-awareness, social awareness, and emotional literacy. The app is based on research suggesting that the better kids understand themselves, the more able they are to be empathetic and understand others.
Learn more about Me and find additional resources to help raise a good human.
Success
“Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.”
– Maya Angelou
Nordic Kitchen Pot
Industrial designer Eva Solo strikes again, this time with the Nordic Pot. Designed to resemble cast iron but made from lightweight aluminum, this pot is easy to use and to clean. Comes with non-stick coating and can be used on stovetop as well in the oven. Love!
Habit Calendar
The Habit Calendar gives you the satisfaction of crossing something off your to do list while tracking the small habits that make a huge difference. (If you like this idea, you might also like my to-do app, TeuxDeux!)
Alexis Taylor and his Stationary Bike
Alexis Taylor pedals a stationary bike in random London locations in the video for his solo track “So Much Further To Go”. LOVE this! So much!
This Song Reduces Anxiety by Up to 65 Percent
Given the upcoming US election here on Tuesday, I could most certainly use some stress reducing tunes. According to Dr. David Lewis-Hodgson of Mindlab International the above song produced a greater state of relaxation than any other music tested to date. In fact, listening to “Weightless” resulted in a striking 65 percent reduction in participants’ overall anxiety, and a 35 percent reduction in their usual physiological resting rates.
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Friday Link Pack
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– In a truly historic moment, New York City became the first city in the nation to protect freelance workers against client nonpayment today on October 27, 2016.
– 6 Books Supposedly Written by Ghosts
– “A survey is a useful tool for brainstorming, but it shouldn’t be confused with what the group actually feels.” What does the poll say?, by Seth Godin
– Seth Godin’s 10 rules for the internet should be taught in school.
– A Playlist of 172 Songs from Wes Anderson Soundtracks: From Bottle Rocket to The Grand Budapest Hotel
– David Bowie’s favorite books.
– A blog dedicated to poor decisions that make great stories.
– Cate Blanchett Morphs a Dozen Times in ‘Manifesto’
– Animals being weird. YES!
– Scientists explain how happiness makes us less creative
– I had the chance to meet the founders behind The Fourneau Oven, now I am dying to try it myself. Nothing beats a homemade bread.
– I am currently attending our second ever CreativeMornings organizer summit in Austin. Today is the final day. Get some impressions of the fun we’ve had with the Instagram hashtag #CMsummit16.