This week, I decided to read the Russian classic, Fathers and Children.
Everyone’s comparing America to the fall of Rome: a republic on the brink of despotism. But after reading Fathers and Children, I see aristocratic Russia as a better comparison.
The main character, Bazarov, is a nihilist advocating for the overthrow of Russian society through a philosophy of rejection and detachment and represents the “children” of 1850s Russia.
The “fathers,” on the other hand, were Russia’s first wave of liberals. They lived through a failed liberal revolt and then under the reactionary conservative Tsar Nicholas II.
Naturally, the book centers on the conflict between the two.
It also happens to be Father’s Day this weekend, and I unintentionally or subconsciously found myself working on the “project” of finding a gift for my father.
Note: I removed my father from The Minutes for this issue so that I don’t ruin the surprise of his Father’s Day gift below — don’t mention the new issue to him or around him!
Growing up in Miami, much of my family time was spent on the water with my fourth unofficial sibling: my father’s boat.
This summer, we’re reuniting to take our first family vacation in several years on this same boat, the Hook ‘em Dano.
One thing led to another, and our discussions led us to redesign, update, and repaint the boat’s name design.
The family boat was always a family project, with my aunt designing the initial name art below 20 years ago:
So who better to take over this project than her daughter?
My cousin actually had the know-how of graphic design, and all I had was a vision: a minimalist yet modern update, incorporating more “Miami” and color through an Art Deco, Miami Vice-style aesthetic.
I used my friend Chad (GPT) to drum up a concept:
My cousin got back with a first draft:
I presented it to my stakeholders (excuse big bro’s Android):
And so we iterated:
And presented for feedback. And iterated. And did it all again:
I even developed an innovative and effective nomenclature system:
Until we arrived at the final designs with my favorite below:
My cousin deserves all the credit and then some for the final product. She not only has the technical skills that made it all possible but also a job to balance on top of this project.
It felt similar to my days communicating customer feedback to a team of technically capable developers. I can’t create logos using graphic design, code software, or even develop coherent nomenclature.
Yet, I like to think that I add value by outlining a vision, collecting and communicating feedback, and continuing to iterate.
It’s been a while since my last issue of The Minutes.
After narrowly missing out on an opportunity at the beginning of April, I slipped into the doldrums of unemployment. I stopped writing, setting up coffee chats, and interviewing for jobs.
I reconnected with a very early-stage, solo startup founder I knew from Penn through a chance meeting in a bar. Since then, I’ve spent the last month and a half “consulting” or working part-time with him.
As my Father put it, “It doesn’t matter what you do, but you need to do something.”
The structure of going to an office and creating work for myself reinvigorated me. I am applying for jobs again. I’ve found opportunities that excite me as much as my near miss back at the start of April.
I’m also deciding whether to commit to more creationary work with this very early-stage startup or a sales-focused role at a later-stage startup.
Point is, I am ready to risk getting hurt again to “hook” the right one.
-WKD
"It is better to go wrong in one's own way than to go right in someone else's."
— Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime and Punishment
What stood out to me on this thread was that you had 247 unread messages! Knowing (and admiring) your dad his text count is probably always at 0. Hope all is well with you, Will. Your Dad is proud of all of you.