by Marty Coleman | Mar 18, 2014 | William Feather |
Do you agree with this? At first I thought I did, but now I don’t think I do.
Kind and Like
I think I am naturally kind and I like most of the people I come in contact with ( or that are ‘attracted’ to me, since we are using that term here). I can imagine if I was in a romantic/intimate relationship, even married, to some of them they would bug me and we probably wouldn’t last. I can imagine if I were in a business relationship with some of them they may annoy me. But ‘don’t like’? I don’t think that is true. I like them plenty. I think being naturally kind actually mean you like most people. You might notice things that bother you, but that is not the same as declaring you don’t like someone.
The Server hating Serving
I remember back when I waited tables at Eulipia Restaurant in San Jose, CA. One of my co-workers really hated waiting on people. I couldn’t figure out why she stayed in the service industry if she was so bothered by serving. I think it’s the same with kindness. If you are naturally kind you don’t mind people and their uniqueness much. If you do, then maybe your kindness isn’t really all that natural. Maybe it’s just a burdensome feeling of obligation to be nice. That certainly comes in handy, but it’s not the same as being naturally kind.
but maybe I am missing something. What do you think, is the quote true? Explain.
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Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman
Quote by William Feather, 1889-1981, American Author and Publisher
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by Marty Coleman | Mar 13, 2014 | Marty Coleman, Simplicity - 2009-2014 |
SXSW
I am back from 6 days at SXSW Interactive in Austin, TX. I led a workshop then attended presentations and panels on a wide range of topics. Being there is the ultimate in complex reality. Between the overwhelming crowds and choices; the sheer logistics of eating, drinking, transporting, sleeping, and the intense focus of meeting, talking, learning, teaching, communicating, and remembering it all, it was anything but simple.
The Simplicity of Thinking Now
The only way I could keep it simple was to be focused on what was in front of me. Whether it was a person I was meeting for the first time, a slide on a screen, a lecturer, or a transportation moment, paying attention to that alone allowed it to stay as simple as it could be at the moment.
The Complexity of Thinking Not Now
Yes, I was multitasking. for example, I wanted to tweet (find me at @thenapkindad) what was being said but I also wanted to take notes. My solution? My tweets became my notes. When I got in trouble was when I thought ahead instead of stayed with what I was doing. For example, leaving my hotel in the morning. I never forgot my badge, thank God, but I did forget my water bottles one day. Doesn’t seem like a big deal, but when water is 3.25 a bottle? It’s a big deal. I forgot my schedule booklet one day and had to go over to registration (a long way in a big convention center) to get a new one, one not marked up with all my notes. I had left mine in the hotel bathroom when I went back in to make sure I was empty before starting my day. Twice while at the conference I left a water or coffee behind that cost way too much to leave behind. Yes, I went back and got them each time and it added frazzlement to my day.
Less Thoughts, More Thinking
All this made me think about Simplicity. I realized I didn’t need to think less, I needed to have less thoughts. When I limited the amount of thoughts or was able to unify those thoughts into a clear thread of thinking, then I was successful in getting the most out of my time and efforts. That’s simple enough, right?
Check out the rest of the Simplicity Series here.
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Drawing, quote and commentary by Marty Coleman
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by Marty Coleman | Mar 5, 2014 | Dorothea Lange, Photography |
An Apology
First off, my apologies if you tried to get to my site yesterday. It was hacked and down for most of the day. With the help of a great PHP coder, Jim Gillispie, I was able to get it back up and running just in time for a momentous week ahead. Thanks Jim!
SXSW
I am headed to the SXSW (South by Southwest) Interactive Conference in Austin, TX tomorrow. I am leading a workshop called, ‘The Compelling Image in the Age of Social Media‘ on Friday. I wanted one more napkin for my presentation so I drew this one.
If you are headed to SXSW and would like to attend my ‘workshop‘, get your name on the waiting list as soon as you can and hopefully a spot will open up. The best and quickest way to contact me there will be via twitter. My handle is @thenapkindad.
Seeing With a Camera
One of the best quotes about photography is this if/then proposition: “If you want to take a beautiful photograph, then stand in front of something beautiful and press the button.” This proposition is true but there is a variable within it. That variable is what you consider to be beautiful. For me, a series of questions follow from that variable: Is my mind open to seeing beauty that isn’t readily apparent? Can I see beauty in details, in unexpected and hidden places, within something larger that may not be beautiful? Can I escape judgment long enough to explore an alternative appreciation for something?
I believe my camera can often be a gateway to that freedom, both for me as the photographer in the moment of discovery and later for the viewer of the image in the moment of revelation.
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Drawing by Marty Coleman
Quote by Dorothea Lange, 1895-1965, American photographer
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by Marty Coleman | Mar 1, 2014 | Illustrated Short Stories |
Shades of Brown – An Illustrated Short Short Story
She was intensely focused on her writing as I had a Prague Mocha & Oatmeal Raisin cookie and drew her.
The End
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Drawing and story by Marty Coleman
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by Marty Coleman | Feb 26, 2014 | Illustrated Short Stories |
The Interview
Prologue
My car was being serviced. I was sitting at Starbucks.
Chapter 1
She was there a long time before he arrived. She had nothing to eat or drink. She had pale and rosy skin that glowed against the gray painting behind her.
Chapter 2
He arrived on the windy day. He immediately came over to her and shook her hand. He said, “You look just like your picture.”
She responded, “I’ve colored my hair since then.”
He said, “I like it. It’s fun.”
Chapter 3
They talked a long time. He gestured a lot with his left hand but never with his right. He had a small mocha and stirred it with his left hand when he wasn’t gesturing. She frequently looked down at her phone, using both hands to text. He didn’t stop talking or gesturing. She asked him some questions. She said “uh huh” and “like” often.
Chapter 4
He excused himself to go to the bathroom. When he got back she stood up and shook his hand. She said, “Thank you, it was nice meeting you.” Then he left. She watched him go out into the windy day.
Chapter 5
She put her phone to her ear and waited. Then she said, “Yea, it went ok. He’s not a good fit though. He doesn’t even use Twitter. Plus he wore brown shoes with a grey suit, who does that? When is the next interview for again?”
Epilogue
I saw her again a week later at the same Starbucks. She had a young man with her. He was dressed in purple and grey and they were going over a spreadsheet. She was doing the explaining and he was looking at her with awe. She had a Wired Magazine and a Vogue Magazine beside her computer. She had nothing to drink.
The End
Drawing and story by Marty Coleman
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