July 2015 – ORGANIZING CREATIVITY

Writing Software Needs a “Highlight Fluffy” Option (some apps already have it)

2015-07-30

Good scientific and technical writing is concise writing. "Every word must tell." Yet writing software usually falls short here. It gives no hints on removing redundant words, reducing fat phrases, or eliminating writing zeroes. Strange, because it should be easy -- and a default option.
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Another shout-out to “Zombies, Run!”

2015-07-29

Interesting presentation: “How to Win a Nobel Prize” by Sir Tim Hunt

2015-07-28

Beautifully done presentation with a lot of warmth and openness. It gives science a human face, and provides good advice for young scientists. Not only those who want to get a Nobel prize.
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Caring to much — A few thoughts on Haidt’s moral foundations framework

2015-07-25

Haidt's presentation about the different moral foundations got me thinking. Before I read his book, I've played with the material of his presentation a little and applied it to online outrage. The problem with care as prime motivational foundation seems to explain a lot.
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A look at a really good game: “The Witcher 3”

2015-07-20

Given the occasional rant on this site, I'm always happy to point out when something is really right. And Witcher 3 is such a thing. A brilliant game for a lot of reasons. Here are eight of them.
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Standing Desk/Workspace Update

2015-07-20

After trying out my standing desk for a year or so, it's time for an update.
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Loopholes

2015-07-20

I'm usually one to bypass problems. Why bang your head against a wall, when you can just walk around it. But ... woaw, this is a loophole that's ... creative. (NSFW, but very funny)
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Interesting talk by Jonathan Haidt and YourMorals.org

2015-07-17

An interesting talk about why some people dislike social justice and a great website to learn more about your values.
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Get a Drawing of Yourself

2015-07-13

Seriously, if you want to get an interesting avatar picture, or just an image of you on a slide, get someone to draw you. Someone who knows how to draw.
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Insightful (and helpful) reflection by Noah Bradley on his journey to become a professional artist

2015-07-09

A recommendation of two impressive postings about an artist's journey to become a professional, and why you shouldn't go to art school.
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This is a private blog showing my opinions. If you have an issue with what I write here, either don’t read it or talk to me directly. Don’t waste your time — or mine — dragging my employer into matters where they hold no authority.

The institution I work for, or rather the people officially representing it, have already distanced themselves from this blog. I find this unnecessary, as I’ve clearly stated in the «About this Blog» section that this is a personal blog.

Frankly, I have nothing but contempt for those who lack the backbone to address their concerns directly and instead resort to passive-aggressive tattling to others. Such behavior strikes me as not only cowardly, but also spineless, gutless, and wholly unprincipled. Moreover, these efforts are as pathetic as they are futile.

That said, I might listen if you present compelling arguments and evidence, as constructive feedback is always welcome. Who knows? We might even both gain something valuable from the interaction.

A comment for those seeking to use this site for personal gain: Given the increase in requests, let me be clear. I write on this blog because I want to. It’s my hobby, my playground. Sometimes people point me to interesting products/services and I write about them. But any request regarding ads or sponsored placements ends up the trash without a reply. And if you think something would be of interest, differentiate yourself from the spammers by referring to a posting — in an intelligent way. (I get enough auto-generated mails to identify them immediately.)

BTW, posts can get updated after I published them if I spot spelling errors (not a native speaker) or think a different wording might improve precision and clarity.

This blog is not focused on a single topic, or method. As long as it is relevant to improving creativity (or allowing it in the first place), it's fair game.
Some postings on this blog deal with freedom, as I think that we need freedom of thought, of speech, of association, etc. pp. to solve mankind's problems. Thus, some postings may seem a bit remote when it comes to organizing creativity. Freedom is, however, the bedrock of creativity.
The heterogeneity of the postings can make reading this blog a bit cumbersome, at least if you are only interested in one topic. You can either use the search function (above), or use the categories or the tags to narrow down the postings you see.

ORGANIZING CREATIVITY

How to generate, capture, and collect ideas to realize creative projects.

Month: July 2015

Writing Software Needs a “Highlight Fluffy” Option (some apps already have it)

Another shout-out to “Zombies, Run!”

Interesting presentation: “How to Win a Nobel Prize” by Sir Tim Hunt

A look at a really good game: “The Witcher 3”

Standing Desk/Workspace Update

Get a Drawing of Yourself

Insightful (and helpful) reflection by Noah Bradley on his journey to become a professional artist