Adrian’s Microblog

thefutureisbuiltofdreams:

Design Thinking: ‘devising ways to change existing situations into preferred ones’.This is a really great introduction to design thinking, and contains some gem quotes, such as:—The “making” step combines reflection, imagination, and reflection to expand what we know, and therefore what we can do.—We can’t simply “decide” our way to the future, we have to “design” our way to the future.—Design thinking involves spending time in the “dragon gap” — that unknown space between vision and reality, between what is and what could be.—Good design exhibits virtues: e.g., responsibility, courage, honesty, substance, curiousity, thriftiness, helpfulness, and wit.—To know truth. To make beauty. To do good.—We have to adopt a new management model that has a moral dimension.—True innovations become platforms for progress.I was really struck by the observation that good design exhibits virtues: that what we create should be a reflection of the values we hold dear. How well do we do that? Or for that matter, how well do we know our values? It reminds me of a quote I read in a book recently (more on that at a later date), which said:I am convinced that the pursuit of excellence sincerely undertaken, in even the most humble of legitimate occupations, is a way to encounter the whole truth of the universe—an inchoate search for God. Sirico

Whoa.(via @jasonmblumer; Marty Neumeier’s Innovation Workshop (by holdon67)

soultips:

Humanity’s future depends on people who rely on the truth and whose lives are enlightened by lofty moral principles that enable their hearts to love to the point of sacrifice. - Blessed Pope John Paul the Great

I dunno why, but the processes people create I find interesting:

ayjay:

In our exciting and information-rich Internet Age, everyone needs a readflow: a way to get to the things you want or need to read, and then a way to sort through them once you’ve read them. For me, Instapaper is the key to my readflow. My system works especially well on iOS, because the key apps are all hooked to each other.

First, I figure out what I want to read via the web, my Twitter feed, and Google Reader. (On my iPad and iPhone I read my RSS feeds on Reeder; on my Mac I use NetNewsWire.) Anything that looks interesting gets sent to Instapaper.

Then, usually two or three times a day, I visit Instapaper to read all this stuff. If it’s something I want to share with others, I send it to this tumblelog; if it’s something I want to keep for future reference myself, I send it to Pinboard; and if it’s of no particular interest I send it to the trash.

So, basically, I have three inputs to Instapaper and three outputs from it. Simple, yet effective.

by yours truly

Can We Thrive On 7 Hours Of Sleep?

When we want to walk tall, we’d best get down on our knees. And the minute we think we’re without sin, we’ve just committed the biggest one! — via @cardinaldolan

by yours truly

photos by your truly, from the Jefferson Memorial, Washington, DC

Fortnight for Freedom.

“God Who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that his justice cannot sleep forever. Commerce between master and slave is despotism. Nothing is more certainly written in the book of fate than that these people are to be free. Establish the law for educating the common people. This it is the business of the state to effect and on a general plan.”

If we’re not willing to suffer for freedom, we don’t deserve it. — thought that occurred to me recently

Civilizations fail. … When civilizational virtues are eroded from within, people lose the capacity to defend the good things those habits enabled previous generations to achieve. — Robert Sirico, in Defending the Free Market

A really solid talk by photographer Zack Arias about being honest with yourself and where you are, and creating out of that honesty – makes for powerful stuff. 39m

(via CreativeMornings/Atlanta)

Simon Sinek talks about how to lead people and the role of management. Disclaimer: this is not your typical business management talk.

by yours truly

Haven’t actually verified the numbers, but I think there’s a lot of truth to this.

(via katykelley, washingtonpoststyle, Health care vs. spending on health)

Accounting Today TV

Can you say: “Watch out Skype?” This looks like it has the potential to take off. The interesting element is that it has a way for you to discover people you don’t already know - taking happenstance meetings virtual.

(via gary; by Airtime)

All that is not given is lost — unknown

Always been a fan of this quote…and then there’s the pipe. ;)

quotevadis:

“Not all those who wander are lost.” — J. R. R. Tolkien, an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.

If We Feel Too Busy, It’s Probably Due to Having Too Much Free Time