20201228

Calm time at work, with fewer meetings and the change to think about the bigger picture

Those educational videos with animation perfectly accompanying narration. I've just discovered they are called Whiteboard Animations by the people who made the first ones I ever saw: https://www.wearecognitive.com/whiteboard-animation they have some research there, claiming it's generally better than an equivalent talking head with the same content - I'm happy to believe that! And yes the research is of course presented as a whiteboard animation, how meta.

Here's one about Outrospection: https://www.wearecognitive.com/rsa-work/the-power-of-outrospection
At 9m there is a suggestion that we create "empathy museums" to help expand our empathic horizons across space and time. One to think about!

And here's one about dishonesty: https://www.wearecognitive.com/rsa-work/truth-dishonesty
It's brought to my mind some recent tiny dishonesties of my own. I place a high value on truth, so want to get these at zero.

Outdoor walk and talks - had some great ones this year, including today. On the phone is good, but in-person is better. Great fortune to be friends with talented conversationalists.

xkcd, although I just went to have a look for the first time in a while and didn't laugh like I used to. Have I changed, or have they?

Digitally accessible meditation guidance. Think what people in the past would need to do to access these techniques (if it were even possible...). Special shoutout to Waking Up.

The European Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulations and associated developments within the EU: greenwashing is about to get a lot harder for many companies. This could genuinely help nudge our economic system in the direction it needs to go. I like that it's centered on transparency (disclosure).

The TV Series Friends (it's kinda my first time :D)

More recent versions of Bluetooth wireless connection technology. It used to be terrible, but now only fails connection ~1 in 30 in my experience. Thousands of engineers have created something pretty damn effective there over a couple of decades of gradual improvement - cheers for that!