New stuff

An open suitcase containing denim short, a top, and an open toiletry bag with bottles spilling out of it. Next to the case, shoes, sunglasses, a laptop and a camera.

Weeknotes 33

February 13, 2026February 23, 2026
New stuff

It’s Friday 13th, dun dun duuuuun. Been flat out this week getting things tied up… Read More »Weeknotes 33

The cover of Llais' People's Manifesto for the Senedd Election 2026, which shows a map of Wales made up of faces of lots of different people.

Citizen voice is important

January 16, 2026January 16, 2026
Case studies, New stuff

I was invited to do a 5-minute speech at Llais’ event at the Senedd yesterday.… Read More »Citizen voice is important

A photo darkroom illuminated by red light, with the equipment and trays of chemicals laid out neatly on a table.

2025 goals in review

December 27, 2025December 27, 2025
New stuff

During the 2024 winter break I did some reviewing of what’s important to me and… Read More »2025 goals in review

A green clothes line with coloured plastic pegs, on a grey background.

End of year housekeeping (2025)

December 27, 2025December 27, 2025
New stuff

As part of my end of year reflecting and forward planning, I’m tidying things up,… Read More »End of year housekeeping (2025)

Black and white photo of feet standing at the edge of a puddle which reflects the sky, buildings, and a passing plane.

A round up of 2025 projects

December 26, 2025January 2, 2026
Case studies, New stuff

Looking back at a year of work and drawing some lessons from the reflective summaries… Read More »A round up of 2025 projects

A bunch of post-its photographed on a desk. (The content of the post-its is detailed in the blog post.)

Archived post-its 2025

December 26, 2025December 27, 2025
New stuff

In this end of year period I am doing some reviewing and forward planning, and… Read More »Archived post-its 2025

Screenshot from Tumbl, by @brightwanderer "I think a lot about how we as a culture have turned “forever” into the only acceptable definition of success. Like... if you open a coffee shop and run it for a while and it makes you happy but then stuff gets too expensive and stressful and you want to do something else so you close it, it’s a “failed” business. If you write a book or two, then decide that you don’t actually want to keep doing that, you’re a “failed” writer. If you marry someone, and that marriage is good for a while, and then stops working and you get divorced, it’s a “failed” marriage. The only acceptable “win condition” is “you keep doing that thing forever”. A friendship that lasts for a few years but then its time is done and you move on is considered less valuable or not a “real” friendship. A hobby that you do for a while and then are done with is a “phase” - or, alternatively, a “pity” that you don’t do that thing any more. A fandom is “dying” because people have had a lot of fun with it but are now moving on to other things. I just think that something can be good, and also end, and that thing was still good. And it’s okay to be sad that it ended, too. But the idea that anything that ends is automatically less than this hypothetical eternal state of success... I don’t think that’s doing us any good at all."

“Forever” is a poor metric

December 16, 2025
New stuff

brightwanderer on Tumblr I think a lot about how we as a culture have turned… Read More »“Forever” is a poor metric

Lots of different coloured cables and jacks plugged into an electronics board with dials and knobs. It looks complex (but it might just be complicated!)

Simple to complex systems

December 1, 2025December 1, 2025
New stuff

Just capturing a bit of one of Seth’s blog posts here because, well, complexity is… Read More »Simple to complex systems

Notes from the Decelerator

October 23, 2025October 26, 2025
New stuff

I went to the Deceleration Assembly last week, and here is what I captured in… Read More »Notes from the Decelerator

Two white cranes face each other in a snowy landscape, against a backdrop of leafless trees. Their wingtips and necks are black, and the top of their heads are red.

Measuring (not) relationships

October 22, 2025October 22, 2025
New stuff

I joined the Relationships Project for a discussion on Relational Readiness today (they’re developing a… Read More »Measuring (not) relationships

An extremey complex visualisation of the whole system of factors that affect obesity. It's a mass of labels and connecting lines and coloured areas.

Measures and targets

October 6, 2025October 6, 2025
New stuff

I recently saw a post on Mastodon to the effect that when a measure becomes… Read More »Measures and targets

About a dozen people are standing in front of a huge aquarium, which is basically a whole wall of blue with large fish swimming past in it. You can only make out the silhouettes of the people, dark against the luminous blue background. A couple of them are filming on their phones, mirroring the deep blue of the tank.

Community is strength #2

August 11, 2025August 18, 2025
New stuff

Adrianna Tan, who I follow on Mastodon, posted something today that I want to remember.… Read More »Community is strength #2

A close up photo of a leaf, showing its intricate vascular system.

Everything is complexity

July 19, 2025July 20, 2025
New stuff

Not too long ago, I wrote a proposal for some relationship building for the senior… Read More »Everything is complexity

A bushy tomato plant grows out of a grow bag. It's laden with many green fruit, one branch already reddening to ripeness.

Community is strength #1

July 13, 2025August 18, 2025
New stuff

I was in the garden (fiddling with the plants, repotting, tidying, and so on) and… Read More »Community is strength #1

Barn raising in the USA - a group of people are working on the roof of a barn under construction, the wooden structure is in place for the walls and roof. In front of the building, a row of black buggies, without the horses.

Psychologically safe spaces

July 8, 2025July 13, 2025
New stuff

The Mint House invited me to facilitate a breakout room on the theme of ‘Creating… Read More »Psychologically safe spaces

5 books on a yellow trolley, stacked spine down so that the pages are facing up. A great number of small coloured markers stick out of the pages.

I stopped annotating my books

June 9, 2025September 10, 2025
New stuff

Recently I picked up off my reading pile a book I’d purchased second hand (most… Read More »I stopped annotating my books

A sheep is nosing across a wire fence, showing interest in a black cat crouching close by on the other side. All around is green grass. I wonder what communication is passing between them.

What is this civic mediation thing

June 8, 2025June 9, 2025
New stuff

When they hear the word “mediation” most people think of sitting still and focusing on… Read More »What is this civic mediation thing

A small plant is sprouting 4 green leaves in between a bunch of rusted rebar.

Choosing active hope

May 31, 2025June 8, 2025
New stuff

I have been reading and processing a lot of material about dying and grief, as… Read More »Choosing active hope

A star studded sky with the milky way running across it, and underneath, the silhouette of a person looking up in wonder.

A constellation of endeavours

May 28, 2025June 9, 2025
New stuff

I have a quote pinned on the wall above my desk because it resonated so… Read More »A constellation of endeavours

The entrance of a subway, underground, or metro tunnel. To the left of the shot, a wall tiled in very functional pale yellow rectangular tiles, with a fire extinguisher and signage. At the edge of the wall and above the end of the platform, a round alert sign sticks out, showing a person standing arms open inside a red circle on a yellow background. It means "no access". Behind the sign and to the right of the platform, the tunnel is nothing but darkness.

Coming out about grief

May 21, 2025June 9, 2025
New stuff

Having had a little less work this month after the end of the massive 6… Read More »Coming out about grief

Picture taken looking out to sea from outside the RNLI station in Penarth, in between the two slipways. The tide is quite close to the promenade, with a few meters of pebble beach uncovered. Two children are playing near the water's edge, examining something in the pebbles. There is the white sail of a dinghy going past, and smaller white and blue sails in the distance. On the horizon you can just about make out the coast of England. The sky is mostly clear and it is sunny. It is early afternoon in late spring. The sea is calm.

Bobbio yn y môr

May 4, 2025June 7, 2025
New stuff

I know I said this isn’t a travel blog but I am going to share… Read More »Bobbio yn y môr

Cover of the book Uktra-Processed People by Chris van Tulleken, on a wooden table and with bookshelves out of focus in the background (in a bookshop).

Ultra processed people

April 27, 2025June 8, 2025
New stuff

I went on holiday this year! An actual holiday. For the past few (actually many)… Read More »Ultra processed people

A bunch of a dozen daffodils in a glass jar, on a wooden table, in front of a plain white wall. They are open and gloriously yellow, above straight stems of a deep green.

The 59 days of Janbruary

March 6, 2025June 5, 2025
New stuff

The first two months of this year have been so dark (weather-wise) and hectic (work-wise)… Read More »The 59 days of Janbruary

A hand holding a pencil is making n otes on a table littered with papers, notebooks and a cup of coffee.

A round up of 2024 projects

December 29, 2024December 26, 2025
Case studies, New stuff

Looking back at a year of work, and drawing some lessons from the reflective summaries… Read More »A round up of 2024 projects

A journal is open on a table, with coloured pens and a sprig of dried flowers beside it. The spread shows on the left hand page, "a year in pixels" with a grid of 365 days and a colour-coded key indicating a mood for the day (happy, excited angry, anxious, stressed, productive, sad). Two months and one day are coloured in. On the right hand page, the title reads "books to read 2022" above an illustration of bookshelves with books, decorations and plants. A small board in the picture reads "goals: read at least 20 books", some books are coloured in with a title, and many are blank, waiting to be completed.

Analog data visualisation

October 18, 2024June 8, 2025
New stuff

I’m finally settling into a bit of a regular rhythm as a full time freelancer… Read More »Analog data visualisation

On a vibrant orange background, a diary is open on the table, displaying the whole week on the page spread, with space for a to-do list and some additional notes. A pen rests in the fold. Near it, a cup of coffee stands on a wooden coaster.

Shifting my working day later

October 17, 2024March 13, 2025
New stuff

On Wednesday 21st August 2024, I started The Experiment: moving my working day from 8am-6pm… Read More »Shifting my working day later

A signpost in Welsh at a Welsh-language festival in Cardiff in July 2018, with 13 signs pointing in all different directions (kids' area, exits, toilets, yurt, and some other words I don't know yet!). In the background and out of focus, festival tents and people.

1 of a million Welsh speakers

September 21, 2024October 18, 2024
New stuff

I attended the first lesson of my first year of Welsh classes this week. It… Read More »1 of a million Welsh speakers

A photo of a young lime tree, taken looking upwards along the trunk towards the crown. The sun is shining through the leaves and producing dappled patterns of green.

An exercise in noticing

August 24, 2024March 13, 2025
New stuff

In a recent workshop on nature and mindfulness, I set the participants the task to… Read More »An exercise in noticing

A hand is resting on someone else's hand, which is resting on fabric. Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash.

How to visit a friend in hospice

July 21, 2024July 21, 2024
New stuff

Notes from an online conversation. Why am I writing this? Because I don’t offer advice… Read More »How to visit a friend in hospice

A forest of mixed conifers and deciduous, with sunshine slanting through the trees and into the undergrowth. There are plants at ground level, bushes and saplings, and taller trees. Photo by Sebastian Unrau on Unsplash.

Digital gardening

July 15, 2024October 19, 2025
New stuff

A long(er) read. Over the past few years I’ve been on a journey of disillusionment… Read More »Digital gardening

A group of people sitting in various chairs and sofas (and some on the floor) in a colourful yard space, listening to a speaker who's off camera.

Relationship-centred practice

July 12, 2024October 24, 2024
New stuff

I had a fantastic day today at an event all about Relationship Centred Practice, the… Read More »Relationship-centred practice

White smoke on a black background. (Photo by Pascal Meier on Unsplash.com)

Making the important visible

June 27, 2024June 28, 2025
New stuff

I’m thinking about this today, prompted by the latest post on Seth’s Blog: “If it’s… Read More »Making the important visible

Example of alphabet, numerals and symboles in Inclusive Sans, a text typeface designed for accessibility and legibility in digital and print. By Olivia King, from her website.

Accessible typeface

June 25, 2024March 13, 2025
New stuff

My new obsession is the Inclusive Sans font by Olivia King. https://www.oliviaking.com/inclusive-sans (EDIT: ooh that… Read More »Accessible typeface

The pack of cards on my desk, 7 are presented in their entirety and the rest are stacked beside them. The illustrations are colourful and made up of abstract shapes in primary colours.

An abstract icebreaker tool

June 17, 2024September 22, 2024
New stuff

An eternity ago, my uncle gifted me with a set of cards developed by a… Read More »An abstract icebreaker tool

Photo of a whiteboard wall covered in post-it notes of various sizes and colours (photo by Hugo Rocha on Unsplash.com)

Sustainable facilitation

June 14, 2024July 15, 2024
New stuff

One of the feedback comments on a recent workshop was: “So much waste. Is there… Read More »Sustainable facilitation

Two people sitting across from eeach other at a small table with coffee and laptops, talking and laughing. (Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash.com)

Creative icebreaker questions

June 13, 2024July 27, 2025
New stuff

I recently used an icebreaker with a group which involved them coming up with up… Read More »Creative icebreaker questions

(Photo of the page in the book) Nosy Parkinson Suitable for: groups of any size Outline: each person is given a clipboard (or improvise an equivalent) and has 5 minutes to come up with 20 innovative interview questions. They then have 10-15 minutes to "interview" the others in the room, asking one question per person and recording their name and answer. Prizes (small chocolate bars, etc.) are given at the end for the three (or any number) most unusual questions and the (three) most unusual answers. Facilitator prep. time: negligible Running time: 15-25 minutes in total Medium-high energy

Icebreaker: creative interviewing

June 12, 2024July 27, 2025
New stuff

Icebreaker for a strategic away day (staff team + board members, about 20 people).

What is this logo?

June 1, 2024October 19, 2024
New stuff

In case you were wondering: