Your inbox is full like mine, right?

It’s that time of year when everyone is sending out emails with their Black Friday specials… remember when it used to be just one day?

Last night, while sitting on a beach with friends, we discussed how text messages have become the default method for celebrating birthdays. We discussed how it feels less intentional, less effortful, and less personal.

We reminisced about the old tradition of Christmas family cards with a printed newsletter tucked inside. It was a lovely way to catch up on the year’s events with friends and family we hadn’t seen in a while.

Then, Facebook came along and enabled us to keep up passively. The end-of-year newsletters became fewer. The ads, memes, and videos took over the personal updates on social media. By then, habits had shifted, and we never went back to the old way of reaching out.

Now, we have a pile of newsletters in our inboxes every single day. It’s no wonder we feel overwhelmed.

I work hard to bring intentionality into how we design websites. If we are overstimulated, distracted, and stressed by the world today, how can websites accommodate this?

More calm and space. More guidance and fewer choices all at once. (The paradox of choice is exactly why it takes so long to pick a show on Netflix.)

More personal and real. We are tired of sales pitches, contrived stories, and wondering if something is fake. We can sense when someone is authentic, even if we can’t put our finger on why.

***

If you’re celebrating Thanksgiving this week, I hope you experience moments of unexpected joy. This is our first time cooking a Thanksgiving meal for a friend from the US and his family. It’s lovely to be able to do this for someone living so far from home. Here’s what we’re having:

• Cornbread (Tastes Better From Scratch)
• Sourdough bread (Modern Sourdough)
• Cornbread Stuffing (Tastes Better From Scratch)
• Green Bean Casserole From Scratch (Sally’s Baking Addiction)
• Sweet Potato Casserole (Once Upon a Chef)
• Mashed Potato (Once Upon a Chef)
• Dry Brine Turkey (Once Upon a Chef)
• Homemade Turkey Gravy (Once Upon a Chef)
• Cranberry Sauce (Costco)
• Pumpkin Pie (Costco)

***

How do you know when it’s time to redesign?
Watch my interview on Eat Blog Talk.

Do we really need food blogs anymore?
Listen to my interview on Tastemaker Talk.

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