photo credit: Ian Hayhurst

So this happened today.

A couple of months ago I wrote a post inspired by a piece in Slate all about literal titles and how they may or may not destroy narratives. We got around to talking about the Slate article and my interpretation of it during a team meeting at work today. It was a really interesting chat – one that covered a lot of ground and ultimately ended with me declaring “the internet sucks” just as time elapsed and we all went back to our work.

Cheery proclamation for a web consultant, no?

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My maternal grandfather is an exceptional storyteller. He has a quiet demeanor about him (or it least it seems that way at first blush as he’s usually surrounded my mom and her siblings – a group that’s never been accused of being subtle when they’re together) but he has a way of spinning the most remarkable tales. Never one to let facts get in the way of a good yarn – I often cite his assertion that “it’s not lying if you don’t expect anyone to believe you” – Grandpa can keep your attention and delight you at every turn.

I often like to think I’ve picked some of that up from him. My interest (and relative success, I guess) in my field stems from my love of telling a story in a way that the audience can appreciate. It’s a different beast to write a speech for an accountant to deliver than what Grandpa does but it comes from the same place, I think. Read more

This post is my own response to the challenge I posed to several bloggers: What if you could only write one more post? What would you want to say? For more information on the thought experiment or to read other people’s theoretical “last posts,” check out If you could only write one more post.

What would I say if this was the last post I’d ever write? Unlike Bob, who was the first person to take on this challenge, I’m not going to tackle it as a question of mortality (if for no other reason than the fact that I couldn’t come close to being as eloquent and moving as he was). But I will try to take it on as a question of legacy – what would I want people to take away from having known or encountered me? An “advice to future grads” for the broader audience.

In short, I’d implore you to think critically and be compassionate. Read more