Using the simplest language possible

Use the simplest possible language. Above all, remember how it was before you yourself grasped whatever it is you're explaining. —Carl Sagan Do you remember? I rarely do, and it's often one of the biggest problems I face in writing. What Sagan observes here is essentially the practice of empathy for our reader in writing. … Continue reading Using the simplest language possible →

When was the last time you admitted you were wrong about something?

As someone who leads way too many meetings for work, I'm always on the look-out for good icebreaker questions. This one popped into my head the other day: When was the last time you were wrong about something? Too hard, of course, for a casual icebreaker. And—potentially—with answers a little too revealing for the workplace... … Continue reading When was the last time you admitted you were wrong about something? →

Have I been using weasel words?

"Some people say...""I have heard that...""It's well known...""In most respects...""It's somewhat true...""I've seen research..." At one time or another, I have said all of the above—and they're all examples of "weasel words." "Weasel words" are words and phrases that "are aimed at creating an impression that something specific and meaningful has been said, when in … Continue reading Have I been using weasel words? →

Orienting myself out in the world

Having recently read through two of Tristan Gooley's "how to read" books—How to Read Nature and How to Read Water—I have spent the past couple of weeks in awe of how little I notice about the natural world around me. (A few months ago, after reading Rob Walker's The Art of Noticing, I felt similarly … Continue reading Orienting myself out in the world →

The slippery slope of asking too many “why” questions

As someone who took to learning more about the sciences later in my life—really, meaning after my collegiate career had concluded and I was off on my own—I have run into a consistent problem in the course of my learning: my inability to simply accept a scientific fact as such and then move on. Like … Continue reading The slippery slope of asking too many “why” questions →

Second-guessing “Chesterton’s Fence”

"We have to close the gate, because you always leave things as you found them." I must have been eight or nine years old, and we was headed to "the ranch"—a dude ranch in southern Arizona that my family had been vacationing at for going on four generations. The road to the ranch was a … Continue reading Second-guessing “Chesterton’s Fence” →

What if you adopt the wrong image for yourself?

For as long as I've known him—and it's been nearly two decades—one of my friends insists on introducing me in the following way: "This is my friend Taylor—he's a writer." I find this introduction both flattering and mildly embarrassing at the same time. "Well, sort of," I offer. "He's being generous with that word writer. … Continue reading What if you adopt the wrong image for yourself? →

Being aware of metaphors that we live by

A few months ago, I skim-read Metaphors We Live By, by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson, a fairly academic treatise on the use of conceptual metaphor in language, a book regarded as seminal in the field of metaphor studies (it's a thing!) and in the more broader field of cognitive linguistics: . This short but … Continue reading Being aware of metaphors that we live by →

How much more time should I spend on this project?

I think about this graph all the time. I first encountered a version of this graph in the Ballast ARE Review Manual, where it accompanied a description of what the authors termed "Project Perfection Syndrome": In their efforts to complete a job, a project team spends time working toward some established or idealized level of … Continue reading How much more time should I spend on this project? →

How to make difficult decisions easier with the Six Thinking Hats

Do we want to buy this house? My wife faced this question over and over again on our house hunt last year. No surprise there, exactly. What was surprising was how quickly we needed to answer that question. The speedy Denver market allowed little, if any, time for reflection. A desirable house would appear on … Continue reading How to make difficult decisions easier with the Six Thinking Hats →