Applied Serendipity: March 13

CARE: I spoke at our town meeting this week about transparency and open government—was it #appliedserendipity that it turned out to be Sunshine Week, an annual week in mid-March that sheds light on the importance of open government? The aim of Sunshine Week is to empower citizens to improve their lives and communities by actively participating in their government through open access to information. I’ve filed my first FOIL (freedom of information law) requests and encourage data citizens to shine a light on matters you care about. Here’s info on the New York Freedom of Information Law process.

PREPARE: Continuing my public learning on AI as I prepare to be one of the first guests on a new podcast from a global company at the forefront of decarbonization. More to come soon…

AWARE: Wandered through the giant honeycomb hive at the Insectarium in the American Museum of Natural History. The hive is in the new Gilder Center, a wondrous, cave-like architectural marvel that serves as the museum’s hub, integrating old and new spaces. Became more aware of the importance of insects in the Extinct and Engandered: Plight of Insects photography exhibit.

SHARE: I love Pat McGrath’s style and beauty products—she’s called the Mother of Modern Make-up. McGrath draws her inspiration from her own mother, who said to her “if something doesn’t exist, make it.” She offers an inclusive, bold line for women of all ages, stages, and ethnicities and her tagline is “Use without caution.” And she loves sequins and sparkle!

DARE: I’m daring to cause chaos in my garden again this year. Who knew that the naturalistic and gentler approach to gardening I’ve been cultivating is called chaos gardening? Chaos gardening captures the wild and daring vibe I’m going for at Serendipity Gardens. I dare you to cause some chaos in your soil!