But epidemics are rare enough that these people clearly didn’t realize this was even a possibility. Instead they just continued to use their ordinary m.o., which, as the epidemic has made clear, is to talk confidently about things they don’t understand.
Our friend’s four-year-old son was supposed to have a birthday party yesterday. Surprising him with a (very loud) birthday parade was a highlight of the last four weeks.
It’s been a joy to trawl through some long-forgotten corners looking for old project screenshots. Looking at the handful I dug up for Goalie, it’s hard to not miss the days of pre-iOS 7 app design. Just a little.
As Zoom explodes in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic, Doc Searls has done a fantastic job of documenting Zoom’s many privacy concerns and publicly holding them accountable.
I’ve been going through the archives and putting together a list of my old projects. More than a decade’s worth, at this point. There’s still details to add. For some, old news articles and blog posts are the only evidence they ever existed.
GHOSTS V: TOGETHER IS FOR WHEN THINGS SEEM LIKE IT MIGHT ALL BE OKAY, AND GHOSTS VI: LOCUSTS… WELL, YOU’LL FIGURE IT OUT.
Over a year ago, I decided to close my Facebook and Twitter accounts. It’s done wonders for my mental health. Browsing a heavily-curated Instagram feed still feels mostly positive (concerns about Facebook as a company notwithstanding), but I don’t really contribute anymore.
You can always find my social media-worthy photos at briangilham.photo.
A deeply impactful and important read. I was close to tears once or twice. I’d suggest making sure you’re in a good spot mentally before clicking.
We had to visit a hospital yesterday — everyone is fine, thankfully — and it further solidified the deep appreciation I have for the work being done by front-line doctors, nurses, and other staff. Folks who have managed, somehow, to maintain an air of positivity through everything they’re facing. Thank you, all.
The International 4x4 Pushchair Formation Final might be my favourite.
If you’ve been following me for a few years, you might remember when I wrote the Monday Mailer — an email newsletter about productivity, side projects, and feelings. I’m really proud of some of those articles. Some of them make me cringe. Regardless, you can find the archives here.
A full calendar stocked with interesting meetings, and curious people fills me with productive joy. In these non-normal times, I am thankful that the calendar is full, but my most significant learning from the first full week of distributed work is the immense accumulated value of short breaks.
Almost two weeks ago, TWG asked employees to not come into the office unless necessary. It’s been a difficult adjustment — much harder than I was expecting — but it’s slowly becoming routine. We’ve supported remote work for years, so the infrastructure (and culture) were already in place. I feel blessed to work at a company, in an industry, friendly to working from home. A lot of companies are struggling to make the transition. Some can’t at all.
We’ve stocked up on some extra food and supplies. Nothing over-the-top, just things we’d normally buy. The baby is due in May, so we’re making sure we have those essentials too. Just in case.
Aside from a daily walk to stave off cabin fever, we’ve been trying to avoid places where lots of people gather. I don’t know what the rest of the city feels like right now, but our neighbourhood is noticeably quieter. We went to the pharmacy yesterday and everyone did a great job of maintaining social distancing.
We’re operating under the assumption this is what life will be like for a while. Canada hasn’t had the glut of cases seen elsewhere, but testing is a week or two behind, at best. Everything points to this getting worse before it gets better. How much worse remains to be seen.
I feel extremely fortunate to have a good home, good health, and the ability to be prepared regardless of what comes next. I worry about those in our community who don’t.