Learning Log, July 2024
Summer is in full swing over here in Seattle! In July I attended a couple food festivals with friends (the 50th annual Ballard Seafood Fest; Bite of Seattle), hiked my first trail of the year :lol-sob:, and sketched en plein air.
A friend of mine also invited me along to an artist talk and exhibition opening with Jai Sallay-Carrington at Pottery Northwest (sculptures at link are slightly NSFW). Their ceramic sculptures are so impressive, and I really enjoyed hearing them speak about their creative journey and process. Ceramics enthusiasts in the audience asked novel questions I wouldn’t have thought to ask, yet I found myself curious to hear the answer.
Quarterly Quests
Mid-July, I decided to try out—in Ali Abdaal parlance—Quarterly Quests. How I’m using this:
- Looking at my major life areas, which I’ve defined as Health, Relationships, Work, and Play.
- Picking a couple things I want to focus on in a quarter.
- Reflecting daily/weekly on what I might want to do in that period to advance my Quarterly Quest.
- In addition to this, I’m also trying to get in an “Artist Date” or a “Side Quest” each month—basically injecting some ✨ novelty ✨ and ✨ whimsy ✨.
There are two wolves inside me: the one that sets all these goals and rules and habit cadences for myself, and the other wolf that burns all my energy at work. So far I like that this system leans on thoughtful reflection instead of Rules and Disappointing Myself When I Don’t Keep Up My Streak.
Here’s how my Quarterly Quests went in July:
| Area | Quest | July updates |
|---|---|---|
| Enjoy seasonally on-theme movement | Went for a first hike, tried out a class at the local pool with a friend, went on sweaty walks. | |
| Redacted, I don’t have to tell the internet everything | — | |
| Take breaks during the work day (a necessity, not a luxury) | Mixed success, I’m working on it! Coffee walks with my husband help. | |
| Learn how to sew clothes | Started working on a pair of Carolyn pajama bottoms | |
| Sketch on location | Did this twice! |
Reading
A theme you’ll notice is that Mandy Brown has been publishing some GREAT articles.
Product
Accessibility
- How the European Accessibility Act (EAA) Will Impact Product Accessibility
- European Accessibility Act (EAA): Top 20 Key Questions Answered
Design & development
Web
- Directory enquiries
- EU Says Apple's App Store Is in Breach of Rules
- Highlighting Blogging on Mastodon
- Surprise! The Latest ‘Comprehensive’ US Privacy Bill Is Doomed
AI
- Amazon Is Investigating Perplexity Over Claims of Scraping Abuse
- Google’s Emissions Climb Nearly 50% in Five Years Due to AI Energy Demand
- Figma pulls AI tool after criticism that it ripped off Apple’s design
