Now

Where I’m at, from a few different angles.

Now! Now? Now. Nowwwww.

Okay, it’s been a long while since I updated this page. Just over two years. Oops.

So, well, it’s been quite a time, hasn’t it? I’ve been between Ottawa and Waterloo, mostly keeping to Ottawa as the COVID-19 situation has worsened.


Professionally, I’m still having a good time at the Canadian Digital Service as a policy advisor. I plan to focus on a few things over the next few months:

  • honing our advice on interventions for large-scale technology projects;
  • improving our data management practices;
  • supporting a platform delivery team.

But last time I made plans, everything went out the window and we delivered COVID Alert, so who knows what’ll happen to these three activities.


Personally, I’m getting ready for winter. (I used this sentence two years ago. stet) Though I love winter, I reckon this one’ll be harder than most. But we’ve trained for this, built up new social practices and so on. It’ll be okay.

I hope to dig into some of the many books on my shelves. In particular, a few I look forward to:

  • Middlemarch
  • Parable of the Sower (and its sequel, if I can muster the emotional energy)
  • Emergent Strategy
  • Beowulf
  • A Civic Technologist’s Practice Guide

But who knows—reading can take you in weird and wonderful directions! If you want to follow along, I’m on Goodreads. (Or, as I call it, “the wholesome social network”—Amazon ownership aside.)

I’ll probably also be watching lots of Star Trek! As of the other week, there are over 800 pieces of Star Trek content, across its myriad series. So much good to enjoy. Maybe I’ll watch some more recent TV, but let’s be real—I’m a sucker for rewatching.


And oh, hey, this site! Last time I updated this, I’d just created a new links section. It still feels new, because I only kept at it for a bit. But going back through recently, I remember more from those links than most others I’ve encountered over the years. So I hope to give it another spin. (This, along with a redesign I’m toying with, should keep this site plenty interesting.)

If you’d like to catch up, please reach out. If you’d like to hear more of where I’m at, I publish a weekly email newsletter. Every week I wonder whether I’ll know what to say next, but something always tumbles out (whether for better or for worse I’m not quite sure).


This page is inspired by Derek Sivers.