Journal your good sh*t...
Hello there :)
Welcome to issue fifty nine of Manufacturing Serendipity, a loosely connected, somewhat rambling collection of the unexpected things I’ve recently encountered.
This newsletter is free to receive, but expensive to make :)
If you’d like to support me, and can afford to do so, please consider buying me a coffee. Your support means the world to me, and keeps this newsletter free for everyone.
Speaking of coffee, grab yourself a suitable beverage my loves, let’s do this thing...
Part I: Unsolicited Advice: Journal your good shit
I am a person who loves a “to do” list. I use trello (the free version) - to plan out which tasks I need to do on which day, and move each individual task to a “done” list once it’s complete. Friends, I put everything down — work stuff, personal stuff, all the things.
In the past, I would simply archive all the tasks in the “done” list at the end of each week, but recently I’ve been doing something a little different.
Now, at the end of the week, I review my “done” list, and also my calendar; then spend a few minutes writing out a “good shit” list —essentially it’s a highlights reel of the week. Various things make the list: mundane adulting (e.g. got the radiator fixed); work stuff; progress made on personal projects; films or TV I’ve watched and enjoyed; books I’ve read; and any lovely things I’ve done with my friends and family.
I have a notebook I use expressly for this purpose, because I like to handwrite things, but you could easily use something like Google Docs or similar if that’s your jam.
Why am I sharing this with you?
I got Covid in October last year, and honestly, I’ve not been the same since. I think I’m likely struggling thanks to some form of long Covid (I’m awaiting some blood tests to make sure there’s nothing else going on — but I’m pretty sure that’s what it is).
As a result, I’m simply not able to do the amount stuff I normally would; which honestly, totally sucks.
I started writing these “good shit” lists in an attempt to be a little kinder to myself — rather than lamenting all the things I’ve not been able to get done, this weekly exercise nudges me towards focusing on the things I have. For clarity, this is no way solves the problem (if only things were that simple!); but I have been finding it helpful.
I’m sharing this with you because I’m sure I’m not the only one who has a tendency to slip into a pattern of focusing on what I haven’t done, rather than what I have; so if you’re finding yourself in a similar headspace, I’d encourage you to give this exercise a go.
Serendipitous finds:
I’m still reading a bunch of stuff about ChatGPT. If you’re not already thoroughly exhausted by this topic, here are a couple of articles which I think are worth your time:
The internet of maps and oracles - here, Matt Locke posits that ChatGPT (and other large language models) ought perhaps to be viewed as maps, rather than oracles:
“Maybe this is what LLMs can do best - map knowledge spaces to reveal their biases and assumptions.”
Noam Chomsky: The False Promise of ChatGPT - this article is co-authored by Dr. Chomsky and Dr. Roberts (professors of linguistics), and Dr. Watumull (a director of artificial intelligence). I found it really interesting, and I do think the article is worth reading, even though I’m not convinced I fully agree with all the points raised.
A wonderful collection of AI generated art — none of these vintage toys exist, but I wish they did.
Amelia Earhart’s glorious letter to her fiancé and publicist, George Putnam
“I may have to keep some place where I can go to be myself, now and then, for I cannot guarantee to endure at all times the confinements of even an attractive cage.”
An amazing resource for anyone seeking to tell stories with data. I love a bunch of things about this — the range of visualisations, and also the notes on each individual one; they highlight the story (or stories) each visualisation does a good job of communicating; and also the stories that get lost.
The filters are a lovely touch too: you can also filter by the story (very useful), and also the property, and the shape (less useful in my opinion, but still pretty cool).
Thomas Medicus’ Glass Sculpture: Human Animal Binary
Depending on which direction you approach from, you may encounter a lynx, a bee, a kingfisher, or a river trout in Thomas Medicus’s new public installation. Moving around the work, one image gradually dissolves into abstract strips of color before a different creature assembles on another side. “Human Animal Binary” interlocks more than 144 strips of glass and focuses on four species native to the Tyrol region of Austria. All are endangered or threatened due to the increasing impacts of the climate crisis.
Constructed of glass, concrete, and metal, Medicus nods to human-built structures and the urban landscape encroaching on natural habitats. The vessel itself “addresses a dilemma in which a large part of humanity finds itself: human habitat largely contradicts coexistence with non-human animals,” Medicus says.
Find more of Medicus’s work on his website and Instagram.
Part II: Books I’m Reading Right Now
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin - A boy meets girl story (our protagonists are children when they meet, and bond over a shared love of video games); then later, go on to design and create video games together. It is not a romance (YAY!), it’s a story about friendship, identity, creative endeavour, and dealing with our own imperfect world. It’s not without its flaws, but I really enjoyed it.
Delphi by Clare Pollard - It is 2020, and in a time more turbulent than any of us could have ever imagined, a woman is attempting to write a book about prophecy in the ancient world. Darkly comic, acerbic, and utterly brilliant.
The Shards by Bret Easton Ellis - this autofictional novel (his first in thirteen years), sees a teenage Bret and his uber-privileged friends cruise around 1980s LA while a serial killer stalks the city. I felt like it was kind of bloated and would have benefitted from serious editing; but if you liked American Psycho, you’ll likely enjoy this too.
Bonus! If you’ve accidentally found yourself mainly reading books written by white dudes, then check out this list: 62 Books by Women of Colour to read in 2023.
Part III: Things I’ve Been Watching
Here’s a couple of films I’ve watched recently and would recommend:
The Banshees of Inisherin (Disney+) - If you like your comedy dark, chances are you’ve already seen this fable-like tale of a bromance-gone-sour. It definitely won’t be for everyone; and whilst I’m not sure I loved it quite so much as the critics, I do think it’s worth watching.
Everything Everywhere All at Once (Amazon Prime) - hopes and dreams; otherness and belonging; hot dog fingers; racacoonie; rocks — this multiverse rollercoaster is an absolute delight, and I loved it.
Part IV: What I’ve been up to…
I spent a lovely night away in a hotel with my friend Jude; braved the queue to eat at Dishoom with Laura (totally worth it); had an incredible time emcee-ing WTS Fest (such an honour!); and I got to attend Re:commerce.
What’s next?
I’m attending Oliver Burkeman’s Designing Your System for Creativity course (over Zoom) which I am very excited about.
Also there’s this:
BrightonSEO Training Course: Advanced Content Creation for Digital PR
On April 19th I’ll be running a training course in Brighton. Here’s a primer to help you figure out if this course might be right for you:
Course Overview
You’ve been tasked with gaining linked coverage on top tier sites like the BBC, the Guardian, USA Today & more; but how on earth do you do that?
Perhaps you’ve seen the success of others, and are wondering why your campaigns languishing, unlinked to and unloved. Or maybe you’ve seen some success but it all seems to be a bit hit and miss, and now you’re now under pressure to deliver results more consistently.
If you’re struggling to figure out what to do next, this is the course for you.
In this course you’ll learn:
What makes a good story from a journalists’ perspective
How to identify compelling topics and gain a deeper understanding of the media landscape
How to come up with ideas
How to figure out whether or not an idea is likely to generate coverage
Whether or not it’s a good idea to remake that campaign that got a bunch of coverage a few years ago
When and how to go about “saving” a struggling campaign, and when it might be best to just move on
& much, much more…
Attendees will leave the course:
With a renewed confidence in their own skills
In a happier and more productive mindset
Feeling rejuvenated and excited about their work
Still not sure if this course is for you?
Here’s a nice thing that someone who previously attended my course said:
“Hannah was excellent. Knowledgeable, and engaging, she really brought the course to life and kept everyone’s attention in the room.”
~Joe Cox, Superb Digital
Thanks for the kind words Joe!
You can find more details on the course, and book your spot here.
That’s all from me for now :)
If you enjoyed this newsletter, please consider sharing it, and if you would like to support me you can buy me a coffee.
Big love,
Hannah x
PS Wanna find out more about me and my work? Head over to Worderist.com