Here are 3 things from this week.
Posting this a day early as I’m off to a cabin in a wood with no mobile coverage, wifi, or electricity for a little while.
Curiosity and hybrid forms
I recorded a podcast interview with the award-winning Annette Mees on Tuesday.
I’ve known Annette for a little while now (we’re doing a creative R&D project together) and I always find her perspective on things so joyful and invigorating.
We talked about the essential role of curiosity in understanding how you could and should engage with new technologies (and equally to know when you don’t need to).
And on the exciting possibilities that start to open up when you truly embrace hybrid forms of thinking and programming.
“Now we call it remixing, we used to call it inspiration”
I know Annette is advising lots of interesting organisations on how they might evolve their thinking around programming digital work so I hope that will result in some good and exciting things.
Ask questions, have ideas, make connections
In addition to the interview I did with Annette, this morning I also had Kati Price back for her second chat on the podcast.
I think Kati is one of the smartest and sharpest digital brains in the sector, she has mastery not just of the strategic conversations that should be taking place around digital, but is also incredibly effective at making good stuff happen.
My conversations this week with Annette and Kati reminded me of just what a generous and enriching place the cultural sector can be (this is often something that folks who are new to the sector remark on).
This might just be a personal thing but through these conversations I’ve also reminded myself of just how inspiring, clarifying and exciting it is to meet and chat with smart, interesting people.
Not only does it expose you to new perspectives and ideas, but it also forces you to get better at articulating your own points of view on things.
I’d recommend everyone gets some smart people in their life, it really forces you to up your game.
Disconnection
As I mentioned at the top, I’m having a holiday of enforced disconnection. I’ve stocked up on books to read, I’m taking my running shoes, and I’m going to spend a week not doing much else.
Over the past two years I’ve noticed (understandably) that people have got out of the habit of having regular time off, whilst simultaneously going through the most stressful collective experience.
If it’s been a while since you took some time away from the day-to-day I’d encourage you to do so, even if it’s a staycation, almost everyone I meet needs to be kinder to themselves.
See you in a few weeks.
