Writings

12
Jun
On pocket symphonies and ear candy.

On pocket symphonies and ear candy.

I agree with Rob Walker: Radiolab is a beautiful thing. An experiment in auditory aesthetics (kind of Fluxus-y), its
2 min read
12
Jun
When you're in love with a beautiful dog.

When you're in love with a beautiful dog.

Photos by Callie Neylan. This is Mies, the younger of my two Weimaraners. To make a long story short, he
4 min read
12
Jun
How a pretty thing inspires me to write.

How a pretty thing inspires me to write.

It’s always winter when I write. Beautiful, calm, soothing white winter. As a child growing up in Colorado, there’
3 min read
12
Jun
On Kant, aesthetics, and consumption.

On Kant, aesthetics, and consumption.

I’ve been bantering back and forth with designers about aesthetics in design, via this fascinating discussion. Someone suggested that
1 min read
12
Jun
Life is beautiful on public transportation.

Life is beautiful on public transportation.

When you think about it, we are all affordances. The word “affordance” was originally invented by the perceptual psychologist J.
1 min read
12
Jun
On Pearl Jam and wedding rings.

On Pearl Jam and wedding rings.

It was agreed. We would wear platinum. A metal known for strength and permanence. The perfect metaphor for “’til death
2 min read
12
Jun
Cmd-Z, white space, and the alpine interface.

Cmd-Z, white space, and the alpine interface.

I like to write about unconventional user interfaces. Like cities and ski resorts. I don’t know about you, but
4 min read
12
Jun
Gowalla begets meaning; meaning begets beauty.

Gowalla begets meaning; meaning begets beauty.

After a morning interviewing bright, nervous Linehan Scholar candidates, I found this amazing mid-century modern furniture near campus. When
2 min read
12
Jun
On gangsters, mental models, and beautiful interactions.

On gangsters, mental models, and beautiful interactions.

To create beautiful interactions, maybe interaction designers should learn ASL and make friends with gangsters. In Losing the Language of
3 min read
12
Jun
Nasty Golden Retrievers and the MFA.

Nasty Golden Retrievers and the MFA.

I love that I get home before Will sometimes now that I no longer spend three hours a day on
2 min read