Journal

“We must therefore rediscover, after the natural world, the social world, not as an object or sum of objects, but as a permanent field or dimension of existence.” – Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Phenomenology of Perception If you choose to entertain the vantage point that everything is connected, literally everything, it can lead to the idea that … Read More

March 3, 2016, I enter Pedro Gomes Design, a product design studio overlooking downtown Aveiro, Portugal. It’s a busy, sunny day. There’s an overwhelming wall of sketches in my peripheral vision, two men shouting in Portuguese over the sound of their drills, and a wad of Bostik in my hand. What’s Bostik? We’ll get back … Read More

I can hear the concern when people ask me questions about Experience Institute. I understand why people worry how my year is going to turn out. They’re concerned about me being safe and finding a place to stay. They picture my path becoming derailed or people taking advantage of me. They cannot imagine surviving a … Read More

For those who read my last post, you know I was on the hunt for an apprenticeship for Term 2. Much to my (and my mom’s and dad’s) relief, I have started with Conifer Research in Chicago as a Design Researcher! I had a running start last Wednesday, March 9th. I came into the office … Read More

This fall I worked as a physical storyteller at Civilla, an IDEO-type design firm in Detroit, MI. In my role I was a builder of sorts, taking design insights from our various projects and making them into experiential installations and objects. I traveled all over the city – from hardware stores to maker-spaces, theaters to … Read More

For almost 4 years, I lived in rural Southern Vermont. There, I had the unexpected pleasures of being able to grow my own food and of having friends who owned small farms. It was easy to make my husband a plate of pasta and know that the tomatoes and basil were from my garden, that … Read More

Five months ago, I left familiarity to chase curiosity. To test my definition of home and follow new conversations. To see if I could find pieces of myself scattered elsewhere. Anywhere, if I looked hard enough. I thought that this was the scariest decision of my life. I thought it was the choice that would shape my … Read More

I spent the fall in Hong Kong, one of the most densely populated cities in the entire world. Now, I’m in Aveiro, Portugal: a city less than 77 sq. miles in area that looks like a ghost town when students go to their homes in neighboring cities on the weekend. My role has transformed from … Read More

An author’s greatest asset is the ability to shape what details the audience can see. This insight came to me during a talk by Experience Institute all-star photographer Kevin Von Qualen. Kevin showed my class how a great photo really comes down to choosing your focus. A creator, in any art form, must decide what … Read More

I’m pursuing the beautiful intersection of where work meets love. As depicted in my flight plan, this involves the convergence of consciousness, communication and commerce. It also involves deliberate focus on expansion of my own consciousness. I view this as fundamental to discovering and releasing my potentials as well as accessing the most effective channels … Read More

It’s 9:27 on Sunday morning. My dad sits in the driver’s seat in front of me dragging our minivan 45 mph along the highway. My sisters are rag dolls falling asleep on one another and bouncing with the road’s bumps and curves, another sister plays games on her phone, my mom taps virtual cards in … Read More

I’m in a shed in the middle of nowhere. There is a small wood-burning stove that is falling short of its only duty, and the girl next to me just pulled out an extra pair of socks to place on her feet. The wind has been howling for hours. I’m on my third cup of … Read More