5L Issue #012
(I really tried hard to find a ‘Graffiti Santa’ or something similarly Christmassey but came up short - street artists take note there’s an opportunity there!)
Pull the Ripcord
One of the better parts of this year (in my view at least although I accept others might disagree) has been the acceptance of remote working and in particular the video call. I really like being able to attend meetings following a short commute from my living room to my home office. But the big problem with these Zooms and Skypes and BlueJeans and Teams and all the others is the awkward 10 seconds at the end of the meeting where we say our goodbyes and then have to watch each other try to work out where the ‘End Call’ button is. It’s humiliating - and a long way from the closure that came with being able to slam down a rotary phone, for example.
Well, because people are awesome, a bloke named Brian Moore developed a ripcord system where all he need do is pull down on a chain to suddenly end his video call. It looks very effective.
Others have come up with similar solutions. I don’t have the handyman skills to make this happen for myself but no doubt Apple will sell me an overpriced solution before too long.
(via The Verge)
The Club Comes a Long Way Second
I loved reading this article by Chantella Perera on her experience as a part-time professional athlete, juggling her corporate job, her maternal job, and her athletic job with the West Coast Eagles.
(For the non-Australian readers, the West Coast Eagles are the superior team within the Australian Football League, which is itself the superior football code throughout the world. You should absolutely become a fan of the AFL and the West Coast Eagles in particular).
I wasn’t familiar with Perera specifically before the article but I was broadly aware of how difficult it must be for the players in the female teams, who all have to juggle their playing careers with another traditional career (as opposed to the male teams, who just get to be full time footballers). I was blown away by the discipline and the achievement she described in this article though.
I flew in and out constantly throughout pre-season; I had remote programs to keep up my strength and conditioning; and had local support in Melbourne from former AFLM Eagle Sam Butler to keep my skills up. When I traveled for work, to all sorts of venues preparing to deliver a summer of cricket for Aussie fans, I’d find the nearest gym and local ovals to get my sessions in before the day began.
It was certainly different, perhaps not ideal, and I don’t think the AFL or many sporting teams would provide setups like this, but the girls and the club embraced me from day one and made me feel like I had been there for years. For an inaugural team and group of people coming together for the first time, it felt like the culture had been built for years on end - something obviously strongly driven by their leadership and the club’s overarching culture.
This reference to the club’s culture jumps out at me. Something I’ve heard Adam Simpson (one of the coaches) say even before his time at the West Coast Eagles is that ‘family comes first, the club comes a long way second’ and I’ve tried to adopt that into my own professional values. It hasn’t steered me wrong so far.
Great read. Recommend.
Pick 101 to the West Coast Eagles
Light ‘em up
I stumbled upon this innovative way to decorate a house with Christmas lights, and then the Sydney Morning Herald linked to this bloke’s Australiyana COVID-themed Christmas lights display, and it got me thinking, what else have people done around the World to decorate their house and create festive fire hazards?
And Here Are The Absolute Funniest Christmas Decorations Ever
Classic Perspective
Not Christmas themed at all, but check out this clever street art turning your average concrete wall corner into a classic [Rolls-Royce / Car]. Very talented.
(via Reddit)
A Whale of a Time
So here it is! The final link for 2020. You can imagine the thought and preparation that went in to such a link - delivered on Christmas Day, no less. Well... When I thought about all the momentous things that occurred this year, I couldn’t go past this special 50th anniversary. Please enjoy.
Exploding Whale 50th Anniversary, Remastered
We made it! On 23 December we hit 100 subscribers! Thank you so much to all the friends and family and friends of friends and friends of family that have subscribed to and supported my little pet project. I think the next goal will be 500 subscribers by this time next year, but I think I’ve exhausted my own personal networks now and so, don’t stress, I’ll stop harassing you all to sign up a friend for a little while :)
Merry Christmas, have a great New Years Break, and I’m looking forward to sending you all more Five Links in 2021!
If you enjoyed any of these links, the best way you can help me is by forwarding this email on to a friend. They can sign up at this link and they can browse past issues here.
Thanks for subscribing!
Bennett.