Lessons from a Tailor. Directed by Galen Summer from Ed David on Vimeo.

“… there are no tailors today. For to be a good tailor it takes a young person 6 years of apprenticeship…”

It’s a real shame that skills like these are getting lost in this global economy of factory mass production.

The first guest was none other than Seth Godin, whose free e-book I had mentioned back in December. He has very interesting ideas on taking initiative in your career and the growing importance of community and giving back.

The second guest, Matthew B. Crawford, is a PhD who runs his own mechanic shop. The dichotomy of the two definitely makes for an interesting perspective on the working world in this day and age, and if you don’t feel inclined to listen to the interview or read the transcript, he also wrote an article in the New York Times that is a good read.

Here’s a quote from the interview:

It does seem like it’s become more difficult to be self-reliant. I also think that we feel bereft of those occasions to be self-reliant. And I wonder if the growth of the do-it-yourself movement, which seems to be pretty big in these days, is partly an attempt to reclaim that. You know, also that effort to reclaim it is, in part, a response to changes in the world of work. You know, working in an office is often that the case that the chain of cause and effect can become a bit confusing, and responsibility can often get spread around. And so, people come home from work and they knit a sweater, say, or build an addition on their house in an effort to reclaim that.

I think it resonates with me so much because I am that person who comes home from work and knits a sweater (that I totally meant to take a picture of this week-end when there was some daylight so I could blog about it, but didn’t get around to).

Godin makes the point that knowledge jobs these days may not necessarily involve hard labour, but what they do involve is emotional labour which is also hard work. Contrast that with that trades jobs, the ones Crawford argues should not be overlooked, that do involve labour maybe the question a career searching person has to ask themselves is what kind of labour appeals to them?

Needless to say, I think this Tetris dress is totally awesome. And of course I had to know where one would find such a fabric. The answer is as wonderful as the dress. Mix Etsy and Spoonflower and great things can happen. It’s an amazing world we live in my creative friends, not only did those talented folk work together to get that fabric made, it’s also available for use under the creative commons. So if you’ve always dreamed of a Tetris dress of your own, it’s within your reach!

I love these handmade camera straps from etsy shop lilybug in Ottawa. What a great way to personalize your camera! My coworker got one for her mom for Christmas, a great gift idea and of course a great way to support independent designers.

For some inspiration or insights, check out Seth Godin’s free e-book What Matters Now. It’s a collection of ideas of things to think about. It sounds trite to put it that way, but really, have a flip through it.