Go through, not around
It can be tempting to take a shortcut or to try to get around doing something difficult.
But oftentimes, shortcuts and work-arounds do not lead to your desired outcome. This month, we share three very different resources that raise questions about what it takes to get stuff done.
June Coffee Break Picks
CATHY’S PICK
Can ChatGPT Write Your Next Podcast?
“Like it or not, AI is a part of our lives. So when I saw this episode from my favorite podcast called ‘Can ChatGPT Write an Episode of the Sporkful?’ I hit play immediately. In the episode, hosts Dan Pashman and Bettina Makalintal ask the AI to write an episode of the show and read through the hilarious AI-generated script while having a frank conversation about ChatGPT’s strengths and limitations. While the podcast focuses on the culinary world, I found myself making a lot of connections to museums, especially towards the end when they discuss how ChatGPT’s existence can fuel our creativity and desire to push boundaries.
P.S. I swear I wrote this blurb myself. Email me if you’d like to see ChatGPT’s delightfully off-base attempts!”
AMANDA’S PICK
Death to Productivity
“I realize a lot of my picks are podcasts, because I am trying to eke out every moment of productivity in the day that I can. Walking the dog, driving, and gardening are opportunities to listen to some content that can better myself personally or professionally. So, the ‘Death to Productivity with Oliver Burkeman’ episode of the Factually! with Adam Conover podcast resonated. I don’t know if the conversation helped me ‘break the cycle of productivity shame’ but acknowledgement is a step forward perhaps?”
KATIE’S PICK
Can Children's Museums Support Mental Health?
“With two children, I spend my fair share of time in children’s museums. I enjoyed this New York Times article on the recent changes happening in children’s museums as we emerge from the world-shifting pandemic. One idea that struck me was the move some children’s museums have made to incorporate mental health and social wellbeing into their experiences, for their core audience (mostly kids under 8 years), but also for teenagers. While I’m somewhat skeptical of teen spaces as part of a children’s museum, I love the idea of teen internships for building self-confidence and social skills.”
What’s New At Kera?
What’s old is new again! We’re excited to be starting new projects with some of our longtime clients: Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Design Minds, and James Madison’s Montpelier. We’re also beginning work with another past client, Denver Art Museum and welcoming some new clients: Thomas Cole Historic Site, and Vizcaya Museum and Gardens.
Stephanie is excited to serve on the ASTC Global Trends committee, which was assembled to identify the societal, economic, civic, scientific, technological, and other factors that will have an impact on science and technology centers and museums in the next 10-20 years.
On our Learning Hub last month, Katie offered a decision-making tool to help decide if a survey is really what you need, and Lina gave an introduction to orientalism and its implications for museums.
Moment of Wonder
“Ever have one of those moments where everything is going wrong and then suddenly, to your utter surprise, everything is just right? This is one of those moments—right meal at the right time in the right place with two of my favorite people. My mood did a 180, from cranky to blissed-out in the blink of an eye.”
— Stephanie, San Diego, April 2023
