Stuff I'm Reading...

Professionally: I just picked up a copy of Effective Data Storytelling: How to Drive Change with Data, Narrative and Visuals (affiliate link), by my old coworker Brent Dykes (Twitter @AnalyticsHero). It continues to build on Brent's area of expertise: Turning data into a compelling narrative and story that drive action.

Culturally:

I'm enjoying reading

the stories at the #MoreThan: A Movement website

. The #MoreThan movement was started last year by my boss and his wife, and just launched

their first podcast

(with my boss John Frank as the featured guest.)

Faith-Related:

One of the texts for our Christology & Mariology course,

There Is No Rose: The Mariology of the Catholic Church

(affiliate link), is an accessible dive into some of the biblical, historical, and theological bases for much of Magisterial teaching as it relates to Mary. It was a fascinating read, and especially timely considering our celebration of the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God on January 1 (the Octave of Christmas.)

Stuff I'm Listening to...

I've really been enjoying listening to Black Barrel Media's

"Infamous America" series on Billy the Kid

. I first ran across them via their series on the Black Sox: The 1919 World Series Scandal a few months ago.

Stuff I'm Writing...

Last month I published, "

How do you leave a job you love?

", reflecting upon navigating the emotions of jumping from one role to another. 

Other Stuff & Updates...

My old fellow scout & OA Shows collaborator David Heimann is the General Manager of the Valiant Theatre in Chicago, and they're about to hold their

New Works Festival

, a festival of original one-act plays on various figures of note. If you're in or around Chicago in late January to mid February, check it out!

At work, we're launching back into our fiscal year after the annual "winter break." We're wrapping up our college hiring for the year and re-writing our Academy program for the new college grads joining our team this summer. If you know of anyone going into their junior year of university in a marketing or business program (with a technical minor) who might be interested in a summer internship with our team in Adobe Consulting, let me know!

In diaconate formation, I'm continuing my pastoral internship assignment while also balancing the academic, spiritual, and human aspects of formation. We're also launching "Servanthood Projects," and mine is testing out a new, one-day, encounter-style retreat format for our diocese, aimed at helping to boost stewardship and discipleship in the parish. I'm starting preparation to "beta test" the retreat in a parish setting late this spring.

In scouting, I just returned from a trip to Dallas over the winter break for the

Order of the Arrow's

National Planning Meeting, helping the youth of scouting's national honor society as they plan for this summer's biennial

National Conference

. This year, I'll be advising the team generating all written content for all communications at the conference. It's exciting to be back and helping with NOAC, and even more exciting that our oldest Thomas will be attending this year as a first-time participant. I have fond memories of my times on NOAC staff in '92, '94, '96, '98, '00, '02, '04, '06, and '15.

Ideas? Want to chat? Want to catch a cup of coffee or a beer? Just reply or reach out!

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