May 2013
14 posts
May 25th
May 25th
May 24th
May 24th
The Big Flip: Open source this 2! Creative brief... →
thebigflip: Continuing on our streak of inspiration from Ted Hope and the SF Film Society’s Artist-to-Entrepreneur spirit, we’re sharing the creative brief we’ve written for the dream website we want. NOTE: THIS IS STILL OUR “BEFORE” SITE! A point of clarification—at the time of posting, the… Open source this 2! The art of writing a creative brief from Izzy Chan
May 22nd
1 note
5 tags
The Big Flip: Open source this! The Big Flip's... →
You are not discovering gold or creating a patentable process. Determining best practices to have a sustainable & rewarding creative life is a group endeavor. We can build it better together, but if we hide our failures and the powerful information we collect, we will not advance. Gather & share… Open source this! Social media strategy for crowdfunding—Big Flip example from...
May 22nd
2 notes
May 16th
1 note
May 15th
The Big Flip: LOOKING TO NATURE FOR CLUES ON HOW... →
thebigflip: A Design Thought Piece for The Big Flip by Jessica Gates THE EVOLUTION OF PARENTING Working with The Big Flip team, it has been eye-opening to be on the front lines of a major cultural shift. More dads are staying home with the kids as moms take on the role of primary…
May 14th
2 notes
May 13th
1 note
The Big Flip: Why design thinking matters for the... →
thebigflip: So, why do we need a product designer for a documentary project? Because real change and improvements start in our everyday lives. HOW DESIGN SPREAD THE GREEN MOVEMENT BEYOND TREE-HUGGERS TO THE PEOPLE The evolution of the green movement is an inspiration for what we want to accomplish.
May 13th
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The Big Flip: VIDEO—BONNIE & CHIP LOOK FORWARD →
thebigflip: In this 3rd installment, Bonnie and Chip share their excitement (and anxieties!) as they anticipate the arrival of baby number 4. As before, let’s start with a big thanks to Bonnie and Chip—for their courage and generosity in sharing their story. We are grateful for their trust in us the…
May 8th
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The Big Flip: VIDEO—BONNIE & CHIP'S BIG FLIP →
thebigflip: In this 2nd video on Bonnie and Chip, they open up about the personal struggles and triumphs they experienced in their decision for Bonnie to take up the breadwinner role, and for Chip to step back from his business to focus on family and home. The Big Flip—Bonnie and Chip—Part 2 from
May 7th
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The Big Flip: MEET BONNIE & CHIP →
thebigflip: Let me introduce Bonnie and Chip. Pioneers from the modern home front where wives are breadwinners while husbands take care of family and home. But first, a big thank you to Bonnie and Chip—for their courage and generosity of spirit in volunteering for the documentary. It is not easy to open…
May 6th
1 note
April 2013
2 posts
The Big Flip: Home Guardian Husbands Luncheon |... →
thebigflip: GUYS’ BRUNCH HANGOUT IN BEVERLY HILLS When: Sat Apr 6, 11am to 1pm Where: Private room at Via Alloro in Beverly Hills Who is invited? Men whose wives are the primary breadwinners. If you’re a stay-at-home dad, in transition with work, or are employed but just not…
Apr 3rd
1 note
The Big Flip: A few things we learned in Seattle... →
thebigflip: Our first test shoot for the Big Flip. 3 families, 1 luncheon, 3 days. Here’s a taste of what we learned. We learned that it gets cloudy in the Pacific Northwest. We saw the magic that happens when we bring people together, and how much we learn just from sharing and listening to…
Apr 1st
2 notes
March 2013
2 posts
5 tags
Mar 28th
7 tags
Make a Stranger Believe in You - Anne Kreamer -... →
Great HBR post I couldn’t stop thinking about.  Probably because I’m in pitch mode myself for the Big Flip, my documentary film project.  It’s relevant not just to job-seekers, but also folks rallying support for a project or cause, or launching a Kickstarter effort. Make a Stranger Believe in You by Anne Kreamer  |  12:00 PM February 19, 2013 I recently received an e-mail sent...
Mar 1st
2 notes
February 2013
4 posts
4 tags
Feb 24th
20 tags
DIY "season pass" for the arts
“You shower, don’t you?  You eat, don’t you?  It’s just the same, feeding your creative mind and soul.  It’s just something you do.” That’s what my dear friend (and design god!) Paul Curtin told me.   I wanted to know how he finds time to surf, go to the opera, the ballet, baseball games, Commonwealth Club talks, Nicaragua—all while nurturing a...
Feb 13th
3 tags
Feb 9th
9 notes
The Big Flip: WHY WE'RE DOING THIS →
Casting call for BREADWINNER WIVES and HOME GUARDIAN HUSBANDS for an indie documentary I’m making!  Check it out, reblog, tweet—share however you can :-) thebigflip: There’s been a shift. 40% of American working wives now out-earn their husbands. That number is projected to keep climbing, with more women earning college degrees than men now, and young women’s ambitions for high-paying...
Feb 1st
2 notes
January 2013
7 posts
1 tag
Jan 29th
1 tag
Jan 27th
2 tags
Jan 27th
1 note
1 tag
Jan 26th
17 tags
Izzy's Big List of Lists for 2013
It’s that time of the year. First the nostalgic & wise year-end recaps.  Then the hopeful resolutions.  And now, the myriad predictions for the year ahead.   Below is my big list of trend lists.  And for what it’s worth, here’s my short list of the most interesting themes I pulled out of everything Pop-up stores and experiences—importance of physical and tangible...
Jan 21st
4 tags
Jan 7th
5 tags
Jan 4th
5 notes
December 2012
3 posts
4 tags
Dec 31st
4 notes
2 tags
Dec 18th
4 tags
3 Steps to a Scotch Tasting Party
1. Assemble some interesting flights for tasting, for example… BEYOND SINGLE MALTS—WHISK(E)YS OF ALL SORTS Maker’s Mark—Bourbon Knob Creek—Bourbon Whistle Pig—Rye Johnny Walker Black Label—Blended Scotch Whisky OUR FAV SCOTCH REGIONS Glenmorangie Original—Highland Aberlour 16—Speyside Ardbeg Uigeadail—Islay A TASTE OF CASKS Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban 12 year—finished...
Dec 18th
3 notes
August 2012
1 post
5 tags
Kickstarter: a study in how to make people part...
Who Deserves the Money: Smart Business or Feel-Good Ideas? I’ve been thinking obsessively about the psychology behind Kickstarter ever since I read this heated commentary exchange on a project.  (For context, the project is started by Hapa Ramen in SF, which is in transition from a successful pop-up noodle business to a brick-and-mortar restaurant.  They’re asking for funds to...
Aug 2nd
1 note
July 2012
5 posts
2 tags
Jul 29th
1 note
3 tags
What I'm running for
Tomorrow is race day. A PR is out of the question with my plantar fasciitis injury unresolved.   It’s been disquieting, not having a goal I can sink my competitive teeth into.  What if my injury never completely heals?  (It’s been a frustrating 7 months already.)  Do I still want to run, without the thrill and possibility of making goals like qualifying for Boston?   More...
Jul 28th
7 tags
3 weeks to race day!
July 2-8 running report for Coach Jeff eCoaching (Next race: San Francisco First Half Marathon, July 29, 2012) Santa Monica, where I’ll be running for the next 2 weeks Headline: TIME TO GET SERIOUS FOR RACE DAY! Prepared my tapering schedule! Time to get serious!  Stick to a good wake early/sleep early schedule, eat mindfully, stay positive Will be tapering my drinking too!  This...
Jul 9th
1 note
2 tags
Jul 4th
10 tags
W/o Jul 2: feeling balance, achieving integration
WEEK OF JULY 2-8 Theme: integrate family/interior lives, and career/external responsibilities We’ve passed mid-Summer and the midway point of 2012 to enter the heart of summer vacation, the heart of cardinal-water sign Cancer’s influence.  Time to immerse in and fortify our home-base, the inner circle of family & friends who support us, the house that shelters us. This includes...
Jul 2nd
2 notes
June 2012
11 posts
12 tags
Jun 26th
2 notes
5 tags
Jun 21st
10 tags
Where’s your coworking match?
Chemistry.  A positive vibe.  Personality fit.   Call it what you will.  But like any work place, what’s key to your long-term happiness at a coworking spot is the intangible but critical element of cultural fit.  When the basic “hygiene” factors of price, amenities, and convenience of location are more or less equal, culture is what differentiates one coworking space from another.   It comes from...
Jun 20th
8 tags
Weekly running report: 25 solid miles
June 11-17 running report for Coach Jeff eCoaching (Next race: San Francisco First Half Marathon, July 29, 2012) Alcatraz, mid-way point for my 13-miler Headline: KEEPING THE PLANTAR FASCIA QUIET! Felt a couple of warning “pre-PF” throbs on a few days but staved off any irritation by walking immediately whenever that happens Pace/speed not what I’d like, but tried not to think...
Jun 20th
8 tags
Please RT (n+1 magazine article) →
Painfully apropos observation of our twittering habits. For example: “Possibly it’s the automatism, the compulsiveness, that’s depressing. Because another variety of bad tweet is the one that would actually be pretty good if the tweeter hadn’t taken it upon himself to shtick-ify his personality. Thus a funny person, alive to the wisdom of building your brand, calcifies into a humorist,...
Jun 18th
10 tags
W/o June 18: Feast on your life
Week of June 18-24 Theme Summer Solstice (Wed, June 20), new moon, new sun sign.  Time to reaffirm our goals, and reinvigorate our passions.  The things that fire us up, that make life worth living—let’s not lose sight of the loves of our life in the busy-ness of daily living.   New Moon A new moon begins Tuesday, June 19, as the moon rises and sets with the sun. A good day to...
Jun 18th
1 note
3 tags
Jun 14th
1 note
6 tags
Weekly running report: 24 pain-free miles
June 4-10 running report for Coach Jeff eCoaching (Next race: San Francisco First Half Marathon, July 29, 2012) View of Potrero Hill shipyard on my long urban runs Headline: INJURIES HOPEFULLY HEALING :) Plantar fasciitis ache mostly gone by now Related inner thigh pain has subsided substantially Pace/speed not what I’d like, but hopefully we can slowly build that back up as healing...
Jun 12th
1 note
10 tags
W/o June 11: Be still, and let the dark come upon...
Week of June 11 to 17 Theme We move closer to mid-year.  Time to harvest spring crops, and take comfort in the accomplishments and blessings of the year so far.  Time to let go of what hasn’t been fruitful, learn from it, understand it, and compost it as we prepare the soil for the next crop. Balsamic Moon The moon enters the last quarter on Monday June 11, and continues to...
Jun 10th
1 tag
Jun 8th
8 tags
COME COWORK WITH ME
Coworking.  I tried it recently.  A short fling to experience an intriguing concept, I thought.   A few weeks later, I’m madly in love, addicted, and so besotted that I want everyone to know how beautiful it is.   So if you’re independent, serious about your work, and ready to up your game—it’s time you gave coworking a try. THE PRACTICAL BENEFITS—NICE TO HAVE BUT NOT ENOUGH Perhaps, like me,...
Jun 7th
1 note
May 2012
7 posts
7 tags
May 30th
1 note