Here’s the text of a speech Bill Watterson gave at Kenyon College, Gambier Ohio, to the 1990 graduating class. SOME THOUGHTS ON THE REAL WORLD BY ONE WHO GLIMPSED IT AND FLEDBill WattersonKenyon College CommencementMay 20, 1990 I have a recurring dream about Kenyon. In it, I’m walking to the post office on the way to … Read more
The Inconvenient Mind paper on the climate mind and the polycrisis, argues that in times of growing uncertainty, fear and anger we need to move away from facts and seriously start listening and engaging with emotions
This model for overcoming procrastination driven by anxiety illustrates some of the emotional and behavioural “knots” underlying some forms of procrastination. Solutions for anxiety-driven procrastination The dominant loop here is the cycle of anxiety and overwhelm. Anxiety is difficult to address directly. Thus, we have to look elsewhere for leverage points in this system. I … Read more
As a freelancer, you have to fight for your position in the industry. Besides a little luck, persistence is one of the key traits you need to succeed. However, most freelancers can feel out of place when they decide to take a venture in the freelance world. You’ve probably had a thought cross your mind … Read more
Like many freelancers, you’re probably insecure about your pricing. How do you accurately price non-commodity work? How do you compare one professional’s work to another? How do you determine what’s fair to charge when you’re dealing with abstract concepts like the effectiveness of writing, the cleanliness of code, or the beauty of a design? Truthfully, … Read more
Freelance rates can be hard to figure out and one of the main things people ask before they go freelance is how to work out their freelance consultant rate. Setting your freelance rates is difficult. Set your day rate too low and you have to work longer and harder to make a decent income. Set your … Read more
Interesting read in the Singapore Business Times from Anthea Ong, founder and chairperson of WorkWell Leaders, a non-profit collective of CEOs and leaders focused on championing workplace mental health and wellbeing. The key quote for me: "Employee mental health has never been given more attention by employers. However, experts say late-stage pandemic fatigue is also … Read more
You might feel that you’re ready right now, but there is definitely a wrong time to go freelance and a right time to go freelance. Make the move at the wrong time and you could find yourself regretting your decision and wishing you’d thought through your decision more. Here are the reasons I think make it … Read more
(Photo via Sean MacEntee) I’ve decided to come up with a privacy plan for myself. After hearing about the NSA’s surveillance scandals and now the details about Edward Snowden, the whistleblower behind the NSA surveillance revelations, I’ve been kicked into action. These events has got me (and several million other people) spooked by who is … Read more
My previous post on personal privacy following Prismgate, "My Privacy Plan", sparked a fantastic discussion over on Hacker News. The comment that most resonated with me – and had the most upvotes – questioned what the political aspect of a privacy plan would look like: "My privacy plan will involve learning more about politics. Who … Read more