(Pulls down mask)
It’s been waaaay more than a minute, hasn’t it? Thanks for embracing my quiet streak during this crazy time, and also for sticking around for these missives. I hope these past 12+ months have found you stronger, more resilient, more compassionate, increasingly courageous, and closer to those you love.
Interestingly this period has been a time for experimentation and trying out new things, both personally and professionally.
On the personal side, I’ve recently taken up pickleball, the fastest-growing sport in America.*
I’ve been welcomed with open paddles to the local gang of neighbors who play daily. A few are my age. But many are grandmas and grandpas who Kick. My. Ass. Every. Single. Time.
I learned a brilliant lesson last week, as I was playing doubles with Felix, one my neighbors. Every time we missed a ball or blew a return he’d holler “dammit, it’s the wind’s fault!” But whenever he’d make a great shot and win the point, he’d declare “No mercy!"
Talk about a creative interpretation of reality.
I found myself laughing with Felix and doing the same: blaming the wind when I missed a ball, but taking full credit when I made the point.
This is a new game for me. And I’m not gonna lie. I’m a solid beginner. Which is just enough skill to make it fun for me to play, even when I’m hitting falafals, dead balls, or volley llamas in the kitchen (Hey, if you know, you know).
On the professional side, I did something new - and super fun! I recently had the good fortune to sit down for a conversation with creative director, friend, and occasional co-conspirator Theo Fanning. In front of a camera. In the same room!** And I want to share it with you here first, dear reader.
That’s the thing with me. Sometimes, I like to mix it up, keep things interesting. We can be lifetime students and have a growth mindset no matter what our age.
Doing something new is fun. Doing it with others is even funner.
So, click below to watch the 4-episode series as Theo and I chat about the relationship between research, strategy, and creative (don’t worry, no punches were thrown).
If you like what you see, then all the credit goes to my unbridled brilliance (“no mercy"!). If you don’t like it, then ….well then, I don’t wanna hear it.
If what Theo and I talk about is relevant and interesting, please share it with others. And more than anything else, I hope you enjoy it. Until next time!
*Just imagine tennis and ping pong met up at a bar one night, got super drunk, hooked up, and had a baby. That’s pickleball.
**(If you’re wondering, everyone was fully vaccinated when we filmed it).