Grist for the mill
Welcome to the very first edition of Wanderfull. I’m so happy to have you here! A very special thank you to those who subscribed right out of the gate. After reading my initial post, you put some trust in me, and I’m not going to let you down. So, on with the show!
A Tip for the Modern Worker
Don’t underestimate the power of likability. Do you think your reputation as a good worker matters more than your likability? The latter may make more of a difference to your initial hiring and your continued success at work than you think. It’s not necessarily a skill you’re born with, either – you can learn it. Search your favorite learning platform for ‘likability.’ You may be surprised at how many options there are!
I tweeted that out exactly a year ago and it’s part of my Handbook for the Modern Worker. I always thought this was a bit of a conversation-provoking tip. Do you struggle to balance being likable with being genuine? I don’t think these are always congruent characteristics, and I know it can be a struggle to project likability when I really want to give someone a piece of my mind instead. But, I can tell you that likability makes a difference. Here’s a counterpoint: I recently listened to an episode of Art of Manliness titled How to Stop Being a Nice Guy. Importantly, they “discuss what the opposite of nice is, and no, it’s not being a complete jerk.” Definitely worth a listen if you struggle with being assertive, standing up for yourself, and feeling responsible for things beyond your control.
#365DayDraw
I drew this as part of my #365DayDraw project 6 years ago today.
It'd be cool to see skeuomorphism come full circle. Like a pushpin-shaped hotel called "You're here"
Skeuomorphism is a design concept of making items resemble their real-world counterparts. It’s like wood grain in the user interface of GarageBand. Or a toggle switch that looks like a physical switch from an airline cockpit. I could go on. Can you imagine a hotel that looked like a giant pushpin? You’re Here would provide such wonderful shade to the public spaces below. The owners could offer bungee jumping from the underside. And the top could be an epic roof deck! Uh, well … c’mon. It’d be an eyesore, I think. Bad idea. This led me to search for improbable buildings, though, which led me here.
Grist Iron
The Finger Lakes region of upstate New York is well-known for its wineries, but it also has its fair share of breweries. One particular weekend, Amy and I went to Grist Iron Brewing Company and split a pretzel over a pair of pints. As we enjoyed our fare, we noticed a couple nearby, seated at a small cloth-covered table. The table was decorated with fresh flowers and an array of finger foods. I was envious of their setup, since the rest of the seating was simple picnic tables with no such accoutrements. So, Amy and I started theorizing what must be so special about them.
“Maybe they’re staying here as guests?” I offered. They did appear to have some rooms in a nearby lodge.
“Or maybe … they’re food critics,” Amy said.
We went on for a few minutes like that and then shifted our conversation to other matters. On the way out, though, we stopped to say hello. They were a friendly couple and we told them we thought their setup looked very inviting and relaxing. We shared our theories as to why they were enjoying such treatment, provoking smiles and laughter from them. They’d actually been confused as food critics while eating in California and had great fun with that ruse, but that wasn’t the case here.
Turns out they were long-term patrons of Grist Iron, making a frequent drive from nearby Cayuga Heights with their dog. But last night, they said, their dog died. It was not entirely unexpected but still was a very sad occasion. They’d shared their sadness with the Grist Iron’s owners — friends of theirs by now — and they had in turn set them up with this very special table. They had been enjoying their casual afternoon, relaxing and reminiscing about their dog. They said that the owners were good people. Good people, indeed.
We’ll always think of this story when we visit Grist Iron now, and about their kindness in relaying their story to us.
Miscellanea
I’ve been listening to Party Starters Radio with Rebecca Judd and Dj Suavecito. I haven’t used it to start any parties, but it has been a great background for running, making metric tons of pesto, and driving on errands. Mid-run, right in the middle of Episode 98, they played We Are the World. Not quite running music, but it worked in the moment. Ah, nostalgia!
We watched Elvis on HBO Max, starring Austin Butler and Tom Hanks. Wow. Really well done with superb acting.
After a delightful dinner with friends that featured bison burgers and kale salad from Run Fast. Eat Slow., I had to ask our hosts for the recipe for the Summer Peach and Tomato Salad that also graced our table. Summertime eating is delightful in the Finger Lakes. We’ve had several meals where 100% of the ingredients were within 3 miles of our house.
We spent a lot of our summer running the roads and trails of our fine county as part of the Finger Lakes Running Club’s Challenge. It was just as fun as last year! A particular highlight was the crazy challenge-in-a-challenge I did with my wife and our friend Teressa. 64.45 total miles (100K+) over 21 hours with a heat advisory for indices between 95 and 100? Yeah, we did that.