"NOT Working From San Francisco" The software industry in the United States is certainly a lucrative one. I've been fortunate to have worked in many great companies and with many great teammates - and I'm beyond grateful to everyone for helping me get to where I am now. After 10 years of working in software … Continue reading On Retiring from Tech
Author: Simon
Scenes in Scandinavia
Much has been said about the high quality of life enjoyed by folks in northern Europe and Scandinavian regions. As an aspiring urbanist, I had long wanted to visit - keen to learn how their built environments might contribute to their high livability scores. So last month, I took my work on the road and … Continue reading Scenes in Scandinavia
Indignation in India
This is going to come off as a #humblebrag, but I consider myself relatively well-traveled and capable of integrating comfortably in most countries. (I was able to live on my own for more than half a year in Vietnam after all!) So when I recently had the opportunity to travel to India to celebrate a … Continue reading Indignation in India
How to get to Machu Picchu
I recently went on a trip to Peru where the itinerary included (of course) a visit to Machu Picchu. It was not the only ancient ruin we visited, but it was by far the hardest to travel to despite having done plenty of research beforehand. Note that we weren't trying to hike the Inca Trail … Continue reading How to get to Machu Picchu
Thanks for the Feedback
I just finished reading Thanks for the Feedback, the widely acclaimed book by the same authors of Difficult Conversations. It was quite an illuminating experience, so I thought I'd share some of the more salient themes that resonated with me personally. Feedback Triggers Receiving feedback well is a process of sorting and filtering—of learning how the other … Continue reading Thanks for the Feedback
Class Warfare (in Cape Town)
I recently took my first trip to South Africa. It’s an astoundingly beautiful country, with an astoundingly sad history. After returning to San Francisco, I wanted to reflect on what I had seen through the lens of the current situation in the Bay Area. Heads up - this isn’t your average travel blog post. South … Continue reading Class Warfare (in Cape Town)
Do Ikigai Right
If you've been on the Internet anytime in the last few months or so, you likely have seen this image floating around: Most shared image on social media since the blue/gold dress It is essentially the latest attempt to answer humanity's perennial question: What is the meaning of life? What's my purpose? This time, the … Continue reading Do Ikigai Right
Surprises in Shenzhen
If I told you I went to Shenzhen (China) recently, what first comes to mind? Fishing villages, blocked Internet access, iPhone factories, smog? If you’re an average US citizen (and given the current political climate), you probably don’t have a favorable opinion and might be wondering why anyone would visit at all. I’ll admit I … Continue reading Surprises in Shenzhen
Thoughts on the Sidewalk Labs Vision for Waterfront Toronto
If you're an urban planner, city official, or just an aspiring urbanist like me, you'll no doubt have heard the big news from Toronto – Waterfront Toronto recently chose Sidewalk Labs as their partner to redevelop Quayside, a neighbourhood with enormous potential right to the east of the downtown core. I've followed Sidewalk Labs for … Continue reading Thoughts on the Sidewalk Labs Vision for Waterfront Toronto
Talking Past Each Other 1: Guns
This is the first in a (hopefully) series of posts called "Talking Past Each Other" - where I attempt to distill both sides of a political argument to make it easier to empathise with people you disagree with. For more background, see this introduction. Yet another mass shooting happened in Las Vegas recently. And as … Continue reading Talking Past Each Other 1: Guns
