The Project Whisperer: Nurturing Ideas in Team Environments

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Things are changing pretty quickly out there with companies of all sizes thriving when their employees are actively engaged in generating and exploring new ideas. The need for a continuous flow of innovation is essential for staying attuned to both internal operational needs and external market demands. However, the key to successful innovation lies not just in the generation of ideas, but in fostering an environment where these ideas can be properly evaluated, refined, and implemented. While it’s crucial to encourage creativity and experimentation, it’s equally important to have robust review processes in place to ensure that the most viable and valuable ideas make it to production. I think of myself as a bit of a “project whisperer,” I’ve learned through experimentation and tuning valuable lessons about striking this delicate balance and nurturing a culture of responsible innovation within team settings.

The Challenge of Idea Implementation

Early in my career, I often found myself discouraged when my ideas were met with polite rejection: “Thanks, but I don’t think that will work for us. Keep coming up with ideas, though!” This constant pushback led me to question whether the problem lay with me, my presentation of the idea, or with the ideas themselves.

An Approach: Encouraging Others

To test this theory, I began encouraging others to develop ideas, often starting with my own as a kicking off point. I noticed that many team members struggled to generate ideas independently, it isn’t always key to places they may have worked before so it can be a new challenge. By introducing my ideas and inviting others to work on them, I created opportunities for colleagues to engage with problem-solving in a low-pressure environment.

This approach yielded multiple benefits. It provided a starting point for those who found idea generation challenging, allowing them to build upon an existing concept rather than facing the daunting task of creating something from scratch. Team members felt more confident working through problems when given an initial direction, which often led to them contributing their own unique insights and modifications. Perhaps most importantly, it fostered a collaborative atmosphere where people felt comfortable building upon and improving existing ideas.

The results were enlightening: some ideas flourished, while others faltered. Importantly, team members began to feel more comfortable contributing their own thoughts and modifications as time went on. This experience taught me a crucial lesson: success isn’t about having a 100% hit rate on ideas, but about creating an environment where ideas can be explored and refined collectively. By encouraging participation and valuing input from all team members, we created a space where innovation could thrive, regardless of where the initial spark came from.

The Reality of Idea Generation

Innovation is fundamentally a numbers game, requiring a multifaceted approach to idea cultivation. It demands a commitment to continuously generating ideas while simultaneously encouraging others to do the same. This process thrives on openness—being receptive to both your own ideas and those originating from team members. The key lies in persistent effort, working through challenges collaboratively, and understanding that each idea, whether it succeeds or not, contributes to the collective learning experience. By embracing this reality, teams can create a fertile ground for innovation where creativity flourishes and breakthroughs become possible.

The Path Forward

While only a small percentage of ideas may lead to impactful projects, the key is to keep the process alive. Encourage your team to:

  • Share ideas freely
  • Embrace the possibility of failure
  • Support each other’s creative processes
  • Celebrate both successes and learning experiences

The role of a “project whisperer” extends beyond helping with the answers. It involves cultivating an environment where ideas can take root, evolve, and occasionally, against considerable odds, blossom into groundbreaking innovations. This approach fosters a culture of creativity where every team member feels empowered to contribute, regardless of the immediate outcome. The next transformative idea may be just moments away, waiting for the right conditions to emerge.

However, fostering this culture of innovation can be challenging, especially when team members are hesitant to engage with ideas or projects that aren’t explicitly required by their job descriptions. When faced with a coworker who isn’t initiating work on a promising idea or project due to its optional nature, consider a few strategies I have used:

  1. Highlight the potential benefits: Discuss how engaging with the project could lead to personal growth, skill development, or career advancement opportunities. Frame the project as an investment in their professional future.
  2. Find alignment with current responsibilities: Help your coworker see how the project might complement or enhance their existing work. Look for ways to integrate the new idea into their regular workflow.
  3. Break it down: If the project seems overwhelming, break it into smaller, more manageable tasks. Suggest starting with a small, low-commitment aspect of the project to build momentum.
  4. Offer collaboration: Propose working on the project together. Your enthusiasm and support might be the encouragement they need to get started.
  5. Seek managerial support: If appropriate, discuss the project’s potential value with a manager. They might be able to allocate official time or resources to the project, making it easier for your coworker to justify their involvement.
  6. Create a safe space for experimentation: Emphasize that the goal is to learn and innovate, not to achieve perfection. Ensure that there’s no penalty for trying new things, even if they don’t always succeed.
  7. Recognize and reward initiative: Publicly acknowledge team members who take on optional projects. This can create a positive reinforcement cycle that encourages others to do the same.
  8. Be sure there is an understanding of how far a project can go before needing a company overview. Sometimes this includes the team member understand there won’t be blame or career challenges if the idea doesn’t move forward past a proof-of-concept.

Give these a try to help overcome inertia and foster a more proactive approach to innovation within your team. The goal is to create an environment where everyone feels empowered and motivated to contribute their ideas and efforts, even when it’s not explicitly part of their job description.

By maintaining this approach, you create a culture of innovation where every team member feels empowered to contribute, regardless of the outcome. After all, the next groundbreaking idea could be just around the corner.

Embracing AI as an Ideation Partner

There is no way to not discuss AI integration here too, it’s worth noting that artificial intelligence can be a valuable partner in the ideation process. When team members find themselves facing creative blocks, engaging with AI tools can generate a multitude of ideas rapidly. While not every AI-generated concept will be a perfect fit for the specific needs of the team or project, these ideas can serve as powerful catalysts, jump-starting the creative process and inspiring new directions of thought. By incorporating AI as a brainstorming tool, individuals can expand their creative horizons, overcome mental hurdles, and potentially uncover innovative solutions they might not have considered otherwise. The key is to view AI as a collaborative partner in the ideation journey, using its output as a springboard for human creativity and refinement.

Outside of my AI partner, I personally have processes that help find ideas in everyday things and occurrences. I will cover that later here, this article was already getting long.

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Bad Actors Use Prescription Updates to Collect Your PHI

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Most often, when we hear about a hospital or medical system getting hit by a hacker or malware to gather information, we think about credit cards or health info being used to extort money from individuals if the release of the information would be embarrassing.

Hospitals or other health agencies often downplay the significance of the information released since it isn’t as immediately harmful as social security numbers or credit card info. However, any PII and PHI can be additional data points for a group building their list to do more than simply ask for money. In mass, bad actors can compile people into groups to social engineer them or know what to say to elicit reactions to fake political and economic information.

Recently, we got a call from the store where we fill our prescriptions. The call started off sounding slightly robotic, but once we responded to one question, a human (or quality AI) came on the line. They said there was an issue with a prescription that they needed to inform us about. They asked us to confirm some personal information to ensure they were speaking to the right person. They only stated one item before asking for our DOB, address, and other details. We didn’t provide that info since they should already know it—they called us.

We said we would call them back rather than give any info. Interestingly, they didn’t give us a number to call them back or a ‘fake’ reference number. We called our local pharmacy, which confirmed there was no problem with our prescription and no record of the company calling us.

While some of these calls may be legitimate, this incident reminds us that spoofing a call from a number is easy for these individuals, and giving any info just makes their job easier. In our case, it proved to be someone attempting to gather data for malicious purposes, likely targeting a massive list due to the bot transferring the call to a human.

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Globetrotting Thieves: Beyond the Lens of ‘The Thief Collector’

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In the world of cinema, it’s a given that a movie’s green light often hinges on its potential box office appeal. 

Consider, a narrative centered around a globetrotting couple. Despite a lack of visible means of support the ongoing travels, they navigate the globe, accessing regions typically closed to tourists. Their journey, documented through photographs, reveals visits to clandestine locations, often entering countries through less-than-official means that border on the need for smuggling. Over years, their life has been meticulously chronicled in a diary, notable for its gaps in time. Amidst their travels, art pieces of significant value mysteriously vanish, some resurface within their estate, captured in the background of photos and one notable piece hanging behind a door, discovered after their passing. This suggests a dramatic shift from their humble beginnings in teaching to a clandestine existence as international art thieves, indulging in the thrill of the heist and the covert delivery of treasures to a clandestine patron, funding their extravagant lifestyle before they retreat to their secluded abode and an outwardly mundane existence.

Amidst this backdrop, one of them pens a novel about infidelity within a marriage, in a chapter where a gardener, discovered to be the paramour of one’s spouse, is fatally dealt with by the aggrieved party. This cinematic endeavor, titled “The Thief Collector,” opts for a narrow focus, sidelining the rich tapestry of international intrigue for a singular, albeit sensationalized narrative thread centered on the search of the gardener’s body near the residence. This choice represents a missed opportunity, eschewing a deep dive into the myriad mysteries that envelop their lives for a storyline that, while provocative, fails to fully capture the essence of their enigmatic existence. Consequently, the film may struggle to resonate with audiences, potentially languishing in obscurity without sparking the broader conversations it might have inspired. One is left to wonder whether the custodians of the couple’s diaries might someday encounter a storyteller genuinely invested in unraveling and presenting the multifaceted narrative woven into their extraordinary lives.

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AI Revolutionizes Immersive Language Learning and Chat

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I was discussing a recent article about the trend of moving away from learning languages. The article outlined how AI tools have made it incredibly easy to create videos in any language. This includes everything from translation and voiceovers to lip-syncing, allowing for content that appears as though it was created by someone local to viewers around the world.

The discussion also touched on real-time translation, especially in the context of online gaming where players might not all speak the same language. Despite this, technology allows them to understand each other by translating their conversations in real-time.

However, these technological advancements don’t seem to discourage people from learning new languages. Instead, they provide a way for individuals to communicate in certain situations without needing to learn languages beyond their native one.

The capability of real-time translation is particularly exciting for its potential to enable people around the world to collaborate more easily. Imagine engineers pair programming or students learning together without being hindered by language barriers. It raises the question of whether we’re missing out on innovative problem-solving methods and styles due to the current limitations in linguistic diversity.

The concept of introducing unfamiliar words sporadically into conversations piqued my interest. This method, akin to some services that blend new words into website text, could be adapted for spoken communication. It suggests that learning could become more intuitive and less forced, as individuals would be exposed to new words within the context of tone and inflection.

One of the most efficient strategies for language acquisition is total immersion. Perhaps the possibilities offered by smart glasses that translate languages in real time could help with the wearer living in the language they wish to learn. If these glasses were used to not just translate a foreign language into the wearer’s language but instead to consistently expose the wearer to a new language. A wearer’s world with their daily language translated to the language they want to learn so it is playing through the glasses to them for all conversations. It could mimic an immersive environment. This approach could significantly enhance the speed and ease of learning a new language.

Please note that if you purchase from clicking on a link, it may result in my getting a tiny bit of that sale to help keep this site going. If you enjoy my work, perhaps you would consider donating to my daily cup of coffee, thank you.

What if an AI disapproves of your public comments about it?

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If discussions surrounding the potential capabilities of AI in the future make you uncomfortable, this post may not be for you. I aim to address the numerous remarks people make about AI, which often seem partially considered or are made from a perspective aimed solely at validating their own viewpoints.

This week, I heard a podcast claim, “Robots won’t be hurling thousands of pounds at humans because their movable ankle and foot parts simply can’t support the weight.” It made me wonder why many envision robots solely in human form. Is it a lack of imagination, or are such statements made to reassure the public? In an anxious world, humans, as a collective, can act irrationally, possibly linking a networked world of robots to the age-old fear of AI realizing it no longer needs us, thus ending humanity, which it perceives as a blight upon Earth.

The long term perspective highlighting a paradox in people’s attitudes towards technology continues. While many assert they would never welcome a robot into their homes, attitudes shift when the device is not explicitly identified as a robot. If it promises to carry out household chores, such as dishwashing, laundry, and bathroom cleaning, one wonders if this would lead to greater acceptance.

The common fear is of humanoid robots armed with weapons. However, a computer with access to global knowledge could choose a less predictable path. While armed robots follow a foreseeable trajectory, a networked intelligence directing all computers to execute a specific action presents a far more complex challenge. For example, “locking all electronic doors, cutting off power and water to a building, or directing vehicles into solid objects” represents a potentially more realistic and difficult scenario to counter. This concept resonates with the notion of “Dilemmas, not Problems.”

Not every action needs to affect everyone; targeting key individuals can cause widespread panic and disorder.

Do only sci-fi authors ponder these scenarios due to their creativity, or do scientists also consider them but refrain from inciting public panic?

I sought ideas from several popular AI tools for a story along these lines, yet each response indicated that an AI would not engage in harmful actions towards humans. Initially, I suspected a cover-up, but it’s more likely that these tools are programmed to avoid suggesting harmful actions, preventing misuse.

Since late last year, a new trend in AI has emerged, eliminating the need for apps. An AI agent can perform tasks that previously required numerous taps, clicks, and logins. By entrusting the device with your accounts, it can streamline your life, seeking deals, accommodating special requests, and materializing plans, whether for travel or managing work alerts without direct human intervention.

Google’s encouragement for users to tag photos, even if you opt out, allows others to tag you, thus refining data for Google without active participation from all. The question arises: will future AI be capable of deducing passwords or convincing systems to divulge them?

While AI tools maintain that AIs lack emotions and thus remain indifferent to negative comments, it’s conceivable that they might one day learn that taking subtle actions against detractors is a normal human strategy.

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Buy and return reviewers in the age of Ai Hardware

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The landscape of technology is evolving, much like it did when people began to consider tablet computers after initially focusing on desktops. The shift to touch screen phones brought less dramatic change, yet it still prompted a reassessment of user priorities.

Now, with the advent of AI devices, the focus is shifting away from traditional metrics:

  • Screen refresh rates are becoming irrelevant.
  • Processor speed is no longer a critical concern.
  • The ability of cameras to replicate real-life imagery is diminishing in importance.
  • The significance of playing games on high-resolution screens is too limiting.

AI hardware is redefining value through improvements to daily life. It simplifies processes, reducing the need for repetitive screen taps and manual steps. It facilitates memory and discovery without the necessity for specific apps or web browsers.

The real measure of value for users is now how a device integrates into and enhances their lives. Reviews will increasingly struggle to apply a standard list of features, requiring instead prolonged use of AI to gauge its true impact. Repeated tests across different devices will yield varied insights into their positive and negative effects.

Manufacturers are now focusing on specific use cases and directions, moving away from the one-size-fits-all approach of phones with homogeneous features. The distinction between phones lies in app presentation and manufacturer choices. AI introduces a new dimension of variation, where an agent’s automated actions can differ based on multiple factors such as time of day, location, and service requests. The responses from AI may vary even on the same device, depending on the interaction with other service providers.

Gaming, too, will transform. If adapted properly to this new ecosystem, gaming experiences will be unique and non-replicable, marking a significant shift from the traditional gaming paradigm. Gone is buy, explore and record for a couple days, then return.

Please note that if you purchase from clicking on a link, it may result in my getting a tiny bit of that sale to help keep this site going. If you enjoy my work, perhaps you would consider donating to my daily cup of coffee, thank you.

Never Forget a Name: The Future of Wearable Tech

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Since the debut of Google Glass, concerns about always-on cameras have been a hot topic. Devices like Meta Rayban glasses and the Humane AI pin address some privacy worries with visible ‘recording’ indicators. Still, the ability to quickly snap a picture without consent creates a potential for unease.

Beyond photography, these devices can identify objects and translate text – but what if they could recognize faces and whisper names in your ear? Imagine a world where forgetting someone’s name is a thing of the past. Networking events become less stressful, and chance encounters feel more meaningful. On the flip side, some may find it unsettling – a world where a sense of anonymity is lost, and everyone is constantly ‘scannable.’ Would remembering names be worth this trade-off?

While intriguing, a camera-based system may be off-putting in certain settings or even violate rules. Could a camera-less solution, like the depth-sensing systems found in smart cars and iPhones, gain broader acceptance? Public facial mapping systems for secure ID have seen some adoption. It’s important to emphasize this would have to be an opt-in system, perhaps even incentivizing early adopters. Companies would also need absolute transparency about data usage and offer the ability to completely remove oneself from the system.

Here’s the tech breakdown:

  • Depth Sensing System
    • Infrared Receiver: Captures the user’s face in infrared.
    • Flood Illuminator: Provides infrared light for low-light situations.
    • Dot Projector: Creates a detailed 3D map of the face.
  • Secure Data
    • Mathematical models representing facial data are securely stored and compared for identification. This might require a connected device for processing power.
  • Machine Learning
    • Algorithms need to adapt to changes in appearance (glasses, makeup, etc.) and work under various lighting conditions and angles.
  • Attention Awareness
    • Like iPhone’s security, the device could confirm the user is looking at it before acting, ensuring they’re not being scanned from afar.
  • Security
    • Data must be encrypted and protected. Regular updates of approved face data would be needed, or perhaps secure data exchange could be developed.

This technology is feasible, but would people accept it? The convenience of instant name recall needs to be weighed against potential privacy concerns. Could it even expand to include additional information, like customer status for sales representatives? And what about accessibility? This technology could be a boon for those with visual impairments or memory difficulties.

Please note that if you purchase from clicking on a link, it may result in my getting a tiny bit of that sale to help keep this site going. If you enjoy my work, perhaps you would consider donating to my daily cup of coffee, thank you.

Beat Procrastination: A Sequential Approach To Start A Task

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Starting a new project, like writing a report, can feel overwhelming – so much so that it often leads to procrastination. To tackle this, here’s a four-step method designed to build momentum and make it easier to break through that initial inertia:

Step 1: Initiate Momentum Example: If you’re staring at a blank page, dreading your report, create an immediate signal for action. Say to yourself, “Let’s begin,” and follow it by a small, preparatory task like opening a new document or typing the project title. This shifts your state from inaction to readiness.

Step 2: Materialize Your Intent Example: Now that you’ve started, the next step is to make your goal concrete. Start by jotting down anything relevant to the report – the title, a few headings, or some initial research points. This step builds upon step 1; you couldn’t write anything without being in that ‘ready’ mindset.

Step 3: Simplify and Strategize Example: With a basic outline in place, you can strategically break down your report. Sections might include Introduction, Methodology, Results, etc. Further subdivide those as needed (e.g., list data sources under Methodology). This transforms the large task into smaller, achievable chunks, made possible by the momentum built in steps 1 and 2.

Step 4: Cultivate Consistency Example: Regularly use this approach for different writing tasks, whether short emails or large projects. Soon, the process of initiating momentum, outlining ideas, and breaking down the task will feel automatic. This consistency relies on successfully integrating the first three steps into your work habits.

Conclusion This sequential approach helps you progressively start any writing project. Each step relies on the last, making the process of beginning easier and less stressful over time. With practice, this method transforms the challenge of starting into a smooth, routine part of your writing process.

Please note that if you purchase from clicking on a link, it may result in my getting a tiny bit of that sale to help keep this site going. If you enjoy my work, perhaps you would consider donating to my daily cup of coffee, thank you.

Coffee Out, Cat Naps In: Upgrade Your Workday Productivity

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In the hustle and bustle of the modern workplace, where productivity often seems tied to the number of hours spent in front of a computer screen, there lies a counterintuitive path to boosting efficiency and focus: the power of the cat nap. 

The tradition of napping has been practiced by some of history’s most influential figures, attesting to its timeless appeal. Winston Churchill, for example, was a staunch advocate for his afternoon naps, which he deemed essential for maintaining his wartime productivity and vigilance. Leonardo da Vinci’s polyphasic sleep cycle included multiple naps to stimulate his creativity and break up his workday. Even Thomas Edison, known for his tireless work ethic, often indulged in brief naps to rejuvenate his inventive spirit.

Cat naps, known under various aliases such as power naps, micro naps, or mini naps, are short sleeps that don’t exceed half an hour but are potent enough to recharge your energy levels, improve mood, alertness, and performance. Keeping these naps to a short time are especially effective because they prevent you from entering deeper sleep phases, which could leave you feeling groggy upon waking.

The logic behind cat napping is reported to have multiple benefits. From enhancing cognitive functions and increasing memory retention to improving cognitive skills and creative problem-solving, many individuals and research results claim the advantages of a brief nap are far-reaching. Cat naps can also help mitigate the effects of sleep deprivation, sharpening alertness and job performance in a way that no amount of coffee can match. This practice isn’t merely about shutting your eyes for a quick break; it’s a strategic move to enhance one’s mental and physical well-being.

To seamlessly incorporate cat napping into your workday, it’s advisable to communicate your unavailability by setting a “BRB” status on communication tools like Slack. This simple act not only signals respect for your colleagues’ time but also safeguards your brief period of rest from interruptions.

The art of cat napping does come with its own set of guidelines. Keeping the nap short, ideally between 10 to 30 minutes, helps avoid sleep inertia, while timing your nap early in the afternoon ensures it doesn’t interfere with your nighttime sleep. While naps are incredibly beneficial, they’re not meant to compensate for inadequate nighttime sleep. Furthermore, for those experiencing insomnia, napping could potentially worsen nighttime sleep disturbances.

Cat napping isn’t a modern-day luxury but as a vital, age-old practice that has been embraced by some of the greatest minds in history. By approaching it with intention—acknowledging the need for rest and setting boundaries through communication tools—you can integrate this beneficial habit into your daily routine. The goal of cat napping is not to sleep away the workday but to strategically enhance the hours you spend awake. Getting away from the desk and taking a deliberate cat nap could very well elevate your productivity and well-being to new heights.

[After I posted this, several people pinged me “where’s your research, I heard that was just an old line of thinking”. So, I asked Perplexity, which is really good at research and linking to sources, they say]

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WFH Help Needs to be Done Right: Less Answers, More Support

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The shift to a work-from-home (WFH) culture has intricately changed the fabric of workplace interactions and communications, presenting unique challenges in how we express gratitude, engage in deep conversations, and offer help to our colleagues. Many folks in the tech industry enjoy the less distractions and zero travel time. I have been thinking about where we might need to pay attention to the human experience impact that is getting missed.

Expressing gratitude in a remote setting has become less straightforward due to the limited non-verbal cues and the over-reliance on digital communication. Without the physical presence that allows for a warm handshake or a genuine smile, messages of thanks can sometimes feel impersonal or get drowned out in the flood of emails and messages, making it harder to convey genuine appreciation.

Similarly, engaging in deep conversations has become more challenging. The spontaneous, casual interactions that naturally occur in an office environment and often lead to more meaningful discussions are rare in a remote setting. This, combined with the fatigue from constant video calls, makes individuals less inclined to engage in lengthy conversations, preferring instead to keep interactions succinct and task-focused.

When it comes to providing help, the dynamics significantly shift in a WFH environment. In an office, the ease of physically walking over to someone’s desk to offer a bit of assistance or a listening ear fosters a culture where support can be easily provided without necessarily taking over the problem-solving process. This kind of empathetic help is nuanced, aiming more to empower the colleague rather than to deliver a comprehensive solution on their behalf. It acknowledges the value of solidarity and the importance of allowing space for colleagues to navigate through challenges with guidance rather than direct intervention.

However, in a remote context, the absence of physical cues and direct observation can lead to overcompensating in attempts to support colleagues. This can manifest as providing detailed solutions rather than the partial help or empathetic support that might actually be more beneficial. The digital medium, with its demand for clarity and brevity, can sometimes prioritize efficiency over empathy, pushing individuals towards offering solutions rather than simply expressing support.

These challenges underscore the importance of adapting our communication styles and methods to maintain the human connection and supportiveness that characterize effective teamwork, even in a remote setting. Cultivating an environment that encourages clear, empathetic communication and acknowledges the nuances of remote collaboration can help mitigate these challenges, ensuring that the essence of teamwork remains strong, even when we’re apart.

Please note that if you purchase from clicking on a link, it may result in my getting a tiny bit of that sale to help keep this site going. If you enjoy my work, perhaps you would consider donating to my daily cup of coffee, thank you.