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World Domination Summit: I Was Wrong

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The World Domination Summit (WDS) is a provocative conference with a provocative title put on by Chris Guillebeau, an understated provocateur who runs the website, The Art of Nonconformity. The first WDS happened last June. The second WDS happened this weekend. Both were excellent.  And yet I felt conflicted about being there for two reasons. I’m an Read more...

Find Your Tiger on the Train or What’s Your Story?

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One day I walked to my usual train on my usual platform with my obligatory cup of coffee. I stepped on the train and as the train doors ding — dinged and closed behind me, I had a severe and immediate urge to leave… fast. Why? Because a full-sized tiger sat listlessly in the middle Read more...

Designing for Serendipity in the Real World or How Change is So Close at Hand: Melea Seward at TedX

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My TedX Talk is below. It’s embedded in a handy little YouTube player. You can sit back and spend the next 18 minutes (that you won’t ever get back) watching it. Be warned: the sound is shitty and the camera angle is a little weird. Frankly, I’m a little bit ‘fat Elvis’ in February, 2011. Read more...

Happy Anniversary to Three Years of Polyfidelitous Employment

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This post is brought to you by the C train and 36-minutes of commuting quiet reflection between meetings. Today is my third anniversary of starting my own big thing.  On March, 1, 2008, I became fully polyfidelitously employed–my term for non-monogamous employment…er, working for myself. Chief Amusement Designer, the title, happened later: November, 2008. And Read more...

Dollar Bill Business Cards: A New Way to Think About “Social Capital” & “Viral Marketing”

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When I was first starting out post-jobby-job, Chief Amusement Designer was a kernel of an idea (b. 11/20/08). And I was just me trying to find meaningful work without working within an organization. Back then I had a lot of clients–doing odds and ends–writing speeches and city proclamations, marketing, creating internet strategy, making fun experiments Read more...

Let’s Play CAD Libs: And Bonus Playful Way to Introduce Strangers Who You Think Should Know Each Other

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Hi There. Want to play? Down and to the right, on the sidebar it says, “Let’s Play CAD Libs”. It’s like Mad Libs – only you’re playing with me. Here. How it works: You give me a noun, a verb, an adjective, or an adverb. And I use it in my next post. So, for Read more...

Meaning Scales: Story, Meaning and Connection is the Currency on Which Social Media Runs.

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1. Story, meaning, and connection is the currency on which social media runs. You have that in spades. 2. On Time – Building relationships and providing real engagement take an investment of time and energy. Be intentional always. 3. Local is the new frontier of the internet. People can find each other by semantic/ideological locality Read more...

Softest Launch Ever.

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Welcome. It’s Chief Amusement Designer. And it’s not done–it’ll never be done. And my ideas can’t breathe behind the coming soon sign–and I’m not following my own advice that products and processes are one and the same. And I’m not having much fun playing alone, so I’m just launching Chief Amusement Designer with you watching. Read more...

DIY Dating: Creative Dating Ideas Like the Chinese Menu Date — Not My Shu Pork = Bowling

Ever go trolling around online for dating ideas and end up on creative dating idea sites like this? It doesn’t have to be this way. Here is something you can try at home for someone you like. A lot. Or already love. I don’t advise doing this with someone you’re just sort of into. This Read more...