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Things I wrote.

Here’re a few words I’ve written. Maybe you’ll like them? I hope you do.

And hey, if you do, feel free to subscribe! You can get new blog entries emailed directly to you, or you can subscribe to my RSS feed.

  1. 2019

    1. April

      • Theorized.

        I’ve been at Theorizing The Web for the last few days. I really liked it; I think you might, too.

      • Trainers.

        How the data gets made, and by whom.

    2. March

    3. January

  2. 2018

    1. December

      • I’m writing a new talk. This is how I do it.

      • Azeban.

        Let’s talk a little about automation, design, and work.

      • Release.

        I went to Demo Day for the latest Resilient Coders bootcamp. The students left an impression on me.

    2. November

      • It can feel overwhelming to design for a new device, a new context. Maybe there’s an alternative?

      • Syenite.

        I’ve attended a few community sessions at Resilient Coders. It’s a wonderful organization; maybe you’d like to support them, too.

      • Vox pop.

        I’m going to work at Vox Media. I’ll be working with them on their design systems. I’m very excited.

      • What would happen if the law required us to design fast websites?

    3. October

    4. September

      • My favorite design tool.

        What if someone doesn’t browse the web like I do? Or like you do?

      • I was asked to write an introduction for Mat Marquis’ new book on images and performance, which I loved. (I think you’ll love it too.)

      • Revamp.

        Google’s Accelerated Mobile Project (AMP) has announced it’s moving to a more open governance model, which is great. I still have some questions.

    5. August

    6. July

      • Notes from a market.

        The sun was hot, the smiles were wide.

      • In the pocket.

        “The first level of reality is that nitty-gritty stuff, the direct action and immediate experience, the sort of thing I like to call vernacular reality.” — Ursula Franklin

      • Chimpin’.

        I use Mailchimp’s “RSS campaigns” to email new blog entries to subscribers. I also use responsive images. Here’s how I got them to play well together!

      • Fractional.

        The more I work with CSS Grid, the more I’ve realized I’m a big fan of the fr unit. And it’s subtly changed how I think about grids.

    7. June

      • Just work.

        How I work, and how I want to.

      • My three steps.

        I’ve been thinking about how I learn new technologies.

      • World wide wrist.

        WebKit’s coming to the Apple Watch, in some fashion. In my own fashion, I’m excited to see what that means.

    8. May

    9. April

      • I just flew in from Florida, where I’d spoken—and workshopped!—at the 2018 Front End Design Conference. And boy, are my arms tired/sunburnt.

      • Spinning jenny.

        A few thoughts on the task, and the tool.

      • Framed.

        When offering advice, be careful how it’s offered.

    10. March

      • This was the vehicle; these were the people.

      • Campaign.

        The Google AMP team has announced they’d like to make the web faster—even for folks who don’t use AMP. That’s wonderful news. But I have some questions.

      • She stood back up, running to catch her friends, her sign held high.

    11. February

      • I, for one.

        We’re used to corporations stepping in to fix the problems they see on the web. But what would happen if we could fix the web?

      • Design, system.

        Your design system’s more than the sum of its patterns. (It’s all about the people, maaaaannnn.)

      • Stupid Jekyll tricks.

        Right now, my site runs on Jekyll. Here are two little things I find useful.

      • AMPlified.

        I don’t think there’s much you or I can do about Google’s AMP project. However.

    12. January

      • A little advice.

        On occasion, people starting a career in web design ask me for advice. Here’s what I currently say to them.

      • Cardigan.

        Farewell, Dean. And thank you.

      • War rig.

        I come here not to praise 2017, but to bury it.

  3. 2017

    1. December

      • Rated zero.

        Google AMP, and services like it, are a kind of “zero-rating.” I worry about that.

      • Entitled to.

        A few thoughts about losing net neutrality protections in the United States, and what happens next.

    2. November

      • A new bag.

        On a friend’s recommendation, I bought a Tom Bihn backpack for traveling. I really like it.

    3. October

      • In range.

        Three outlines, each smaller than the last.

      • Seven into seven.

        A few more thoughts on AMP, on Ursula Franklin’s questions, and on just technology.

    4. September

      • I was asked to write an introduction for Alla Kholmatova’s new book on design systems, which I loved. (I think you’ll love it too.)

    5. August

      • AMPersand.

        There’s a price to using Google’s “Accelerated Mobile Project.” I’m not sure the web can afford to pay it.

      • At dawn.

        Waking up, half-dreaming, before the sun’s up.

    6. July

      • Upward and worn.

        The new Legend of Zelda is a gorgeous, fun game, but it’s also an isolation simulator. And I love that about it.

      • Designed lines.

        Designing a lightweight, inexpensive digital experience is a form of kindness.

    7. June

      • We’ve been trying something new on our little responsive design podcast. I’ve enjoyed the experiment; maybe you will, too.

      • The value of a pattern library is tied directly to how much—and how easily—it is used.

      • For me, the real value of a device lab isn’t in testing. A device lab is a design tool.

    8. May

      • Notes from a chair.

        They work kindly, quickly but steadily, under lights cold and bright.

      • Going offline.

        I’ve started taking parts of my site offline. Here’s how it works, right now.

    9. April

    10. March

      • A sticky situation.

        Ran into a little design bug, involving position: sticky and Chrome. Maybe it’d be of interest to you.

      • The bricks we lay.

        Design is not neutral.

      • Notes from a couch.

        I’ve got a week of rest lined up, so here’s what I’m reading and watching. (Riveting stuff, I know.)

      • On container queries.

        A number of prominent web folks have been asking for “container queries.” I think they’re right to do so, and here’s why.

    11. February

      • New work: Source

        A new design for Source, a non-profit that makes journalism code more visible.

    12. January

  4. 2016

    1. December

      • The good by.

        A few notes on farewells, and on coming home.

      • Pattern patter.

        On the web, can our patterns be more than just front-end code?

      • Hyper text.

        A few notes on political anxiety and Twitter, and how sentences turn into paragraphs.

      • Thread.

        Welcome to my new website.

  5. 2015

    1. November

  6. 2014

    1. December

    2. August

      • Along with Karen McGrane, I’m getting into that “pod-casting” game! (Guess what it’s about.)

    3. February

      • Platformed.

        The web isn’t a platform. When we design and build for it, we should remember that.

    4. January

  7. 2013

    1. November

    2. February

      • Hello, Editorially.

        I’ve cofounded a startup with some dear friends. It’s called Editorially. I’d like to tell you a little about it.

  8. 2011

    1. September

      • The Boston Globe

        The first large-scale responsive website just launched, and I helped. Here’s how we did it.

    2. June

    3. March

      • Henry.

        A few words I quite like.

      • Toffee-nosed.

        Many criticisms of responsive design are based on faulty logic. Let’s look at a few fallacies.

  9. 2010

    1. October

      • With good references.

        Every responsive design begins with a reference layout, either small- or widescreen. Which should you choose?

    2. September

      • On being “responsive.”

        What makes a responsive design “responsive,” anyway?

      • Oversewing

        I’ve moved on from working at Happy Cog, and I’ve started up my own design practice again.

  10. 2009

    1. March

      • On fluid grids.

        I have a new article on A List Apart. It’s about creating complex grid-based layouts that are fluid. I hope you like it.

  11. 2008

    1. October

      • Bradley.

        A story about my late uncle, who I didn’t know as well as I wish I did.

  12. 2007

    1. February

      • Squee.

        I’ve written my first article for A List Apart. I’m so excited.

  13. 2005

    1. August

      • Day zero.

        Last Friday was my last day at a full-time job.

  14. 2004

    1. August

  15. 2003

    1. July

      • On emergency rooms.

        We were in the process of haggling over which desserts my grandmother should order when the seizure hit.

    2. June

      • In progress

        A former teacher and his former student, and a house to paint.

      • She.

        Happy anniversary, to my one and lovely.

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