“Nonviolence is a powerful and just weapon, which cuts without wounding and ennobles the man who wields it.”

WIRED published and updated their guide to safe protesting with specific advice wrt rights and protections. #nokings

RIP Bill Atkinson

My son watched a YouTube retrospective on General Magic and asked if I knew any of the great people featured. I told him I did, and shared this with him.

Life moves pretty fast.

A couple of weeks ago, I returned to post on Linkedin after an 18 month hiatus. I’d decided I’d said what I wanted to say about work, and need to detach from that in retirement.

But I was wrong: the recent layoffs at Microsoft resulted in a deluge of messages from those impacted and hit a nerve.

This from Tren Griffin. +100

“My 93 year old father gave me permission to reveal a family secret: You create incredible value without any monetary cost, fiat or otherwise, by being kind to people, being trustworthy, showing up for causes you believe in and standing up for what's right.”

Listening to @NPR today and history around Dorothy Thompson’s commentary leading up to, during, and after World War II, and immediately thought of @maddow.msnbc.com in modern times.

My new favourite rare-earth metal is Neodymium, a hard, slightly malleable, silvery metal that quickly tarnishes in air and moisture.

Sounds just like my retirement, but with a splash of Baileys. 😹

So, I’m not an efficiency expert much less one with federal government experience. But having worked throughout my career in tech (much at a fairly successful company) I learned that when you need expertise to find areas of improvement, you hire experts.
www.governing.com/management-a...

Just as in Ray Bradbury’s ‘Fahrenheit 451’, where books are burned by ‘firemen’, the DOGE team have certainly demonstrated their overall lack of technical understanding and inefficiency expertise in a space that the GAO has traditionally focused.

“The key question to keep asking is, Are you spending your time on the right things? Because time is all you have.”
-- Randy Pausch

A few thoughts on time and priorities:
www.linkedin.com/posts/m3swea...

Resilience isn’t a trait. It’s a skill.

Resilience isn’t something you’re born with: it’s something you learn, practice, and improve. Our connections help us be more resilient when we run into major challenges in our lives.

Resilience is a muscle. Developing it is a workout.

Be mindful of how you set your personal and professional priorities. I keep this Toni Morrison quote on my phone:

"You are not the work you do; you are the person you are."

Whatever your work is, do it with integrity, and be proud of the efforts, impact, and accomplishments.

Miyazaki said that he was retiring with “The Wind Rises” a decade ago. Seeing “The Boy and the Heron” tonight with my youngest reminded me not only how much I enjoy and appreciate this master’s work, but that you’re never too old for a comeback. 💯

TFW you realize the cat is a full fledged member of the family as they have their own stocking. Merry Christmas and a happy new year 🎊

All partisanship aside, Merry Christmas.

“The obituary describes her travels, her passion for the outdoors and her generosity to nonprofits, “particularly organizations that protect the environment, feed the hungry and support immigrants in our community.”

A photo from Christmas Eve Past…

“Who, and what are you?” Scrooge demanded.
“I am the Ghost of Christmas Past.”
“Long Past?” inquired Scrooge: observant of its dwarfish stature.
“No. Your past.”

Which superpower role do leaders regularly leverage that helps them navigate ambiguity and achieve impact and success?

There are many unsung heroes behind the scenes at many companies around the world – hidden roles essential to any organization’s success.

www.linkedin.com/posts/m3swea...

For an ever increasing number of AI generated pastoral images and scenes on social media, a reminder how lovely it can be to enjoy time away and IRL.

That’s it. That’s the post.