We Are Verbs is Starting
background + project goals
What do you do? I’ve never liked that question, but it’s the most common small talk opener that most of us encounter. Usually we answer with a noun — our job or profession. It’s not a great conversation starter. A noun just sits there, like a statue on a pedestal, with everyone bringing their own interpretations and misunderstandings as they stare at it. So you’re a doctor? A teacher? An artist? I’m sorry, but what is it that you actually do? How often do we probe down to that next level?
We Are Verbs is a newsletter that asks interesting people a slightly different question: what are you doing lately? The goal is to get some detail, to picture the scene, and most importantly to include a broader spectrum of activities that fill our lives. We are not our jobs. But in a very real sense we are the things we choose to spend our time doing.
“I seem to be a verb” — Buckminster Fuller
This newsletter has a simple format, inspired by the long-running Uses This project. I plan to ask interesting people the same few questions and let them provide a glimpse into what they’ve been doing.
We Are Verbs is for curious readers, who find inspiration in the details and minutia of other people’s lives. People’s verbs might be big, something that relates to their identity or profession, or small, like a hobby or daily routine. You won’t learn everything about someone, but it should help you better picture a few specific moments in their life right now. It may even inspire you to do something new.
The success of this project, of course, will rely on interesting and diverse contributions. If there’s someone you’d like to see featured, please send me an email with their name, or better yet, make an introduction for me.
Subscribe now to get We Are Verbs in your inbox. Once I get up and running I’m hoping to send 1-2 entries a week.