In Search of the Lost Word — I have an odd love of harmonizing minor human interactions. Here’s an example. Rather than thinking about how to get through an intersection first, it feels best to maximize throughput (an information systems term that should be self-explanatory.) I know this sounds kind of goofy, but if everyone did it…

What’s wrong with this picture? This diagram above is from a course on user interaction design. The teaching: Motivation is tied to emotion. (Agreed.) It’s important to understand that when designing user experience. (Agreed.) And here are all the relevant emotions in one useful diagram! (Seemed right…until I started thinking about it.) The Tribe My gut feeling…

Why? It’s a great way to build community. In addition, it has significant health benefits to everyone that joins in: The single best thing for brain health is exercise. The second best thing is social interaction. Being out in nature provides another boost. The smart move is to combine them all. Simplest: Go hiking. Invite people. …

(Editors note: AmalgamatedAmalgamations is a family project aimed at providing hand-holding for building community. We’ll be adding information on recipes, disaster planning, etc. Some will be here but most will be on our website.) Why potlucks? Simply: potluck dinners scale. More people showing up = more food. …