Life gets busy and there are times when we put off cleaning up after it – maybe because something else is more important… or maybe because we’re lazy or hate cleaning. Either way, this week, I encourage you to set aside some time to clear out the junk that has been collecting in your house, … Continued
Recently I’ve been reading In Other Words by Jhumpa Larhiri, a Pulitzer Prize winning author. After her success writing in English, she decided to start over and move to Italy to learn to write in Italian. Mastering one language inspired her to risk it all and start over again. In Other Words is her latest … Continued
This week’s theme is dedicated to the alter ego of one of my favorite TV characters…Burt Macklin. If you’ve watched Parks and Recreation you know all about Burt Macklin, but lets catch those who don’t up to speed. Burt Macklin is a crime-solving FBI agent, and Andy Dwyer’s alter ego. Even though he doesn’t actually solve … Continued
Nobody likes to fail. It can be embarrassing, hard, and a blow to your precious ego. And doesn’t it always seem like when you fail everybody can see it—unlike when you succeed and you’re often looking around going “Oh now nobody is watching?” How annoying. But failure happens. You think you’re capable of doing something … Continued
I don’t know about you, but I hate peas. They’re high in fiber, protein, and annoyance. I’ve decided to end the seed-pod tyranny: I simply won’t have peas any more. This week’s theme: Don’t Eat Your Peas. Take some time to reflect on the things you’re doing that take up a lot of your time, … Continued
My youngest starts kindergarten next week. I’ll spare you the emotion that comes with this milestone (#😭), but it has me thinking about our earliest life lessons. We don’t start our school careers with math problems or reading assignments. We start with the basics: listening, sharing, sitting still. Once these skills are mastered, we can … Continued
The degree of accuracy with which scientists can predict when, and precisely where, a total solar eclipse will occur is amazing to me. After many years of using the scientific method, testing hypothesis, proving (or not) and learning, they’ve revealed many of the once mysteries of the universe are quite easily explained phenomena. I also … Continued
Resistance is comforting in 2017, but systems change cannot occur through opposition alone. Resistance is a powerful force, but it’s only one part of a liberatory toolkit. Even ‘anti-‘ movements that work to change the world also have a vision for where their opposition will take them. What are you for? What do you believe … Continued
This summer, Software for Good welcomed its second intern cohort into the office as part of the award-winning SfG Internship and Giving Program. Our first intern cohort, which concluded in May, worked on a project for iMatter Youth—a youth-led nonprofit that helps young adults across the country petition their local governments to take action against climate change. The inaugural team … Continued
We’re busy, you’re busy, everyone is busy! Things are bustling around here at Software for Good, and while we’re all for being busy, it can lead to unwanted stress at times. This week your job is to try to help improve someone’s day with a simple gesture. What gesture is that, you ask? The high … Continued
We all have our fears. A few of mine are spiders, snakes, and heights. Fears can be limiting. If I let my fear of heights take over, I wouldn’t have done half the cool things I’ve done over the years: zip lining over a rainforest in Mexico, riding one of the tallest rollercoasters in the … Continued
Ahead of Twin Cities Pride 2017, we decided to make some changes to our accompanying iOS app that would take advantage of new iPhone features. The Pride app serves as a guide for the festival and parade, and is written in Swift 3.0. One newly implemented feature is known as Home Screen Quick Actions. This feature gives … Continued
Home. A home can be many things, but what it should be is your sanctuary. A place where when you close and lock that door you feel an instant wave of relief. Relief from the relentless grind of each day. A place where you can decompress from the stresses of work, friendships, family. A place … Continued
As humans, we have a tendency to dream and to worry about what we don’t have, and it can be easy to lose sight of the really wonderful things that are present in our lives. Many of us are lucky enough to have a job, access to clean water, and the freedom of knowing where … Continued
If you’re feeling overwhelmed or you have a problem that feels too big to solve, pause for a moment and take a deep breath. It won’t melt all stress away at once, but it will still help you confront your problems with clarity. Scientific studies have found that breathing exercises helps in dealing with stress, … Continued