Rather than a checklist, this is more a way of passing down lived experience—more about judgment and humanity than rules and technique.
Curtis and I started this exercise together but didn't finish our picks. I wanted to come back and run through mine in a more holistic way—what I think they mean, and why they feel especially relevant right now.
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The feel of cool marble on bare feet
I think we over-glorify the virtual. I'm trying to remind myself (and you) that we're analog beings shaped by physical sensation.
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The distance of a whisper
Ideas start fragile. I've seen too many good ones get stamped out because they don't sound rational fast enough. I think designers have to protect the whisper.
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Something about Vastu (or Feng Shui)
I trust the body's read on a space. When the energy is off, we usually know immediately—then we talk ourselves out of it.
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The color wheel
I think we're becoming afraid of color. I want us to relearn its emotional and energetic power—especially in a product world that's getting increasingly bland.
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What the brick really wants (material intelligence)
I care deeply about material intelligence—what a material wants and doesn't want. Just because we can manufacture something doesn't mean we should.
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Why
I try to stay connected to "why" because it changes. If I can notice when I've drifted, I can pivot earlier and with less pain.
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The reason for your tenacity
This one reminds me to ask: am I persisting out of courage—or ego? Not every hill is worth dying on.
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The need for freaks
I believe design needs to be weirder again. And teams need antibodies—diversity of mind, temperament, culture, and background.
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It is possible to begin designing anywhere
I love this because it gives permission. I don't think there's a single correct starting point. You can begin with a detail, a hunch, a sketch, a whisper.
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How to ride a bicycle
I see the bicycle as a near-perfect system: simple, efficient, elegant, joyful. It's a great metaphor for what good design can feel like.
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The thrill of the ride
I've learned that the process matters. If I can access play, I get access to better ideas—especially in high-pressure environments.
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Several other artistic media
Some of the best designers I've worked with create beyond design. I think working in other media expands taste, questions, and range.
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What to refuse to do even for the money
This one is personal. I've watched people stay for the paycheck while everything else in them says "leave." I think knowing when to say no is a core life skill.
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The golden (and other) ratios
I don't think we should worship proportions as dogma—but I do think we should learn them, challenge them intelligently, and break them on purpose.
