now
Some of the things that are inspiring my work right now in the studio: tools, books, YouTube channels, podcasts and more.
Cape Cod National Seashore - September 2022
My wife and I took our first mini-vacation without kids in four years. We headed back to one of our favorite towns, Provincetown, Massachusetts to relax, recharge, and reconnect on the beach. The quiet of the beach was a welcome respite from our busy lives, but it was hard not to miss our boys which made the quiet feel - well, lonely too. This is a transition point for our family as we watch our oldest son build a new life on his own in college and our youngest need less and less of his parents. Excited for them and us, but wanting to hold on to it just a little bit longer. Whatever lay ahead, I hope to remain, always a student.
READING
The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman. An examination of the basic building blocks of good design. A highly revered text in academic design circles, but I’m about 75 pages in and struggling. Scratching my head to see the appeal. I might be archiving this one.
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankel. Many of my book recs come from Tim Ferriss’ podcast and his guests, this book is amongst the most recommended by his guests. It didn’t disappoint. A good reminder of the power of the mind to endure, the value of setting goals in the face of impossible odds and the determination of the human spirit to survive.
LISTENING
Music for Animals Nils Frahm. Vintage + analog synth ambient music. Shortest track is 7m28s and average is 15+ mins. Perfect for focused, deep work.
Die with Zero by Bill Perkins. My focus of my other YouTube channel + podcast ( Two Sides of FI ) is personal finance. This focus on money hasn’t always been healthy. I’m hoping this provides a fresh perspective and reset.
The Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss. Rereading (listening) to this seminal book. I read this originally in 2012 just prior to opening 30X40. It’s fascinating to compare the things that hit differently ten years later and the things that don’t resonate. Still an inspiring, actionable read.
LEARNING
Portugese. I’ve been researching long-term stays abroad and Portugal has caught my eye. Digging back in to Duolingo to see if I can finally build some fluency in another language.
Morpholio Trace. I love what this team are doing for the architecture community. They’ve just released some new features and brushes…I’m eager to try them out.
Audible has helped me increase the number of books I’m able to ingest by listening. Join Audible and get my audio book for free here.
cape cod bay sunsets - september 2022
Sunsets - Cape Cod Bay, September 2022