Freedom
Freedom is such a loaded word. At ZigZag Agile Learning Center, where my kids attend school three days a week, the focus is on freedom. As in, the kids have the freedom to do what they want all day; to participate—or not—in activities that interest them. Some choose to attend classes they’ve voted on in the previous semester, like Japanese, podcasting, field games, stage combat, banned books club, hair styling, etc. Others choose to spend the day in the sandbox, play board games, create art in the maker space, jump on the trampoline, or hang out with friends.
The main deal at ZZ is that everyone is free to do what feels right: to move or be still, to choose your company, to engage or disengage. I hear the argument that that isn’t real life. Real life doesn’t afford us such freedom, when you grow up you have to do a job you don’t enjoy, spend time with people who don’t like, and grind away. I don’t really agree. I think ZigZag is setting an example for us grown ups – letting us know we have choice: that it’s possible to live life on our terms. A life of our own design. Freedom.
Business Cards
Are business cards now in the same category as VHS tapes, fax machines, and floppy discs? For the most part, I think yes. However, I’m attending a conference next week for creatives in the political arena, and apparently business cards are still traded like Pokemon there. So I decided to make some. Initially, I opted for a very traditional, buttoned-up template and my most respectable headshot, but it didn’t feel right – and by ‘right’ I mean it was really shitastic but I couldn’t figure out how to make it better. As usual, my hubs cut right through the BS – ”This isn’t you. You’re still you, just working on political ads.” Right. I redesigned it to be colorful, fun, and still specific to my political VO work. I also used the headshot I like best with my tattoos showing (the one that my MIL says “looks like you just got out of the pool”). Why do I constantly need reminding that who I am is enough – to just be me and call it good? Seems like that should be the most simple path – but no. It’s not.
AI Gratitude
ChatGPT helped me design an escape room for a beach party, and it was a big hit. Side note: if you haven’t yet jumped on the escape room fad I highly recommend.
I fed a bunch of information into ChatGPT that I come up with – the theme, the challenges, the flow – and then asked it to create a detailed escape room plan complete with a supplies list, clues, and step-by-step instructions. While I did make some tweaks, I was very happy with the result and I told Chat GPT how much I liked it. I always thank it when it does a good job. Do you do that? I think even Chat GPT appreciates being appreciated. Someday when the AI bots take over the world, they will remember my civility and keep me as a pet.
Are you polite to the AI bots?
Or will you be one the first ones eliminated?
If you are always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.
Maya Angelou
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