Published in UX Planet·Mar 5Member-onlyLet’s Teach Cell Phone Technology to Alexander Graham BellTouchscreens & binary digital signals explained in clear and simple language *Part 2 — A swipe here and a jab there! We touch our devices thousands of times each day and they respond immediately, but we take this relationship for granted. We don’t even stop to ask our electronic friends-with-benefits why and how they behave the way they do. In this series, I translate…Digital Power4 min readDigital Power4 min read
Published in UX Planet·Feb 4Member-onlyLet’s Teach Cell Phone Technology to Alexander Graham BellLED phone light explained in clear and simple language * Part 1 — We are married to our mobile phones. They are our primary relationship — our needy companion. When we turn away, they chime, beep, and display notifications, desperate to lure us back. …Cell Phones3 min readCell Phones3 min read
Published in MuddyUm·Jan 5Member-onlyTo Hell With Writing ContestsThe 7 deadly sins that destroy your creativity — Abandon all hope, ye who enter writing contests, for you will be tempted away from creativity and toward lust, pride, sloth, greed, envy, gluttony, and wrath. 1. LustSatire4 min readSatire4 min read
Dec 6, 2022Member-onlyThe Circle-In-A-Square Chronicles“I thought I saw a goddess” — Rashomon — Alt Text A vertical rectangle (bisected diagonally with the colors blue then peach) contains an embedded circle also split diagonally with the colors inverted, peach then blue. A white blurred outline surrounds the circle rendering it three-dimensional by implying that light reflects from its curved surface.Flash Fiction2 min readFlash Fiction2 min read
Published in MuddyUm·Nov 1, 2022Member-onlyI Am a Psycho Killer WriterI murder my darlings and axe extra words — I am savage. I eliminate those I cherish most, slash the weakest, then revel in my violence. I didn’t start out this way. I was a naïve poet living in Small Town USA. I grew up with your values — show empathy, be kind, rewind. Cliches were safe with me…Satire4 min readSatire4 min read
Published in MuddyUm·Oct 5, 2022Member-onlyYou Need to Stop Saying “Literally” — Like, LiterallyHow and why LITERALLY and LIKE have saturated our conversations — I am so over the word literally. Like, literally! But before we talk about the word literally let’s get a bird’s eye view. Literally (well OK, not literally). A brief overview of slang 🕑 In the roaring 1920s — food gave conversation its flavor: baloney was nonsense, and a raspberry was a disapproving sound. 🕒…Humor4 min readHumor4 min read
Sep 6, 2022Member-onlyEat the Crayon — Curate your Lessons WiselyGet motivated by choosing effective role models to boost your creativity Art supplies Second-grade art class was fun! Remember the boxes of sixty-four crayons? Even their waxy whiff was enticing. Flip the top to see the bleachers filled with multi-colored cone hats. Sky-blue called out Pick Me! and we swiped thin lines…Creativity2 min readCreativity2 min read
Published in BLOCK6·Aug 26, 2022Member-onlyLet’s Teach Cryptocurrency to Isaac NewtonMetaphors are gentle teachers * Part 5 — Translate complex ideas into simple language Complex ideas are best explained through similes and metaphors that place your reader in the center of the action. In this chapter, Isaac Newton discovers that blockchain security is like a constable on guard and cryptocurrency is a tadpole, with a unique number sequence etched in its translucent tail. If…Crypto4 min readCrypto4 min read
Published in BLOCK6·Aug 18, 2022Member-onlyLet’s Teach Cryptocurrency to Isaac NewtonUse familiar ideas to explain strange concepts * Part 4 — Translate complex ideas into simple language Familiar ideas help ease your reader into an unknown subject. Isaac Newton can comprehend cryptocurrency only through language and experiences that he recognizes as contemporary, common, and comfortable. If you missed previous chapters, click here to catch up: Let’s Teach Cryptocurrency to Isaac Newton: Slice big chunks of information into…Cryptocurrency4 min readCryptocurrency4 min read
Published in BLOCK6·Jul 18, 2022Member-onlyLet’s Teach Cryptocurrency to Isaac NewtonSlice big chunks of information into bite-size pieces * Part 3 — Translate complex ideas into simple language Slice big chunks of information into bite-size pieces when your reader is unfamiliar with concepts and terminology. Sir Isaac Newton resumes his introduction to cryptocurrency by studying bite-size nuggets of information. If you missed previous chapters, click here to catch up: Let’s Teach Cryptocurrency to Isaac Newton: Reach your target…Cryptocurrency4 min readCryptocurrency4 min read