Happy 2025, everyone.

Hold on.

Many years ago, at a previous job, one of my co-workers walked into the office and wished everyone a good morning. The office curmudgeon (swear to baby Jesus this wasn’t me) barked back from his desk “What’s good about it?!” Whereupon the co-worker who’d issued the greeting calmly walked to his desk and said “It’s not a status report, Brad. It’s a wish. I am wishing that all of my co-workers, including and perhaps especially you, have a good morning. It’s meant as a gesture of kindness, grace, and a desire that we manage to make the best out of today, no matter our circumstances.” Then she walked to her desk, sat down, and got to work. Like the hero she was.

From that day forward, we all wished everyone a good morning as we walked through the door. (Except Brad, who eventually quit and probably still hates his life. Fuck Brad.)

So again I say: Happy 2025, everyone.

WE ARE YOUR FAVORITE BOOKMONGER

We’ve been having fun making shitty pulp editions of our books. So far we have Design Is a Job, Just Enough Research, and Ruined by Design. With more on the way.

Mind you, we are doing this because it is stupid.

The books are small, printed on crappy paper, tightly laid out, hard to read, and that spine wouldn’t survive a read-through. Plus, highlighting anything means you’re highlighting at least five pages underneath. Just a horrible experience overall. You should absolutely but them though!

But if you actually want to, you know, read them? I suggest the nice pro plus max versions available on our site.

We also still have DIAJ zines.

COME TO ERIKA’S REASEARCH WORKSHOP

These are some wild times! Most organizations are doing at least some research these days. And yet so many decisions are still based on personal opinion, groupthink, and reactive tactics while insights from studies pile up (and good people get let go) because knowing things about the real world feels…optional?

It’s this Wednesday. Yes, it’s short notice. So what? Heed the call to adventure! SIGN UP!

COME TO MIKE’S PRESENTATION WORKSHOP

Of course you have good ideas. But it takes more than a good idea to command attention. You need to package your message and project confidence. Mike will show you how.

February 13 and 14. Yes, it’s a two day thing. SIGN UP!

SOME GOOD ADVICE

“The only way to defeat a narcissistic sociopath is to starve them. Protect yourself from their bullshit, of course, but move away from it. Let them have their stage, but refuse to be their audience.”

That’s a quote from Mike’s newsletter. (Actually, this is Mike. I don’t know why I’m writing about myself in the third person, but then again I’m also quoting myself, so I dunno. Anyway, that quote was making the rounds last week, so that felt nice.) You should sign up for that newsletter too. Mike (Again, that’s just me, man.) answers a question every week, and that question might be yours!

Here’s a good picture of a Cybertruck.