Choose to be Curious

Some of what is kicking around in my head as I travel in Belgium and the Netherlands. Second in my periodic new series of "curiosity to go". [Editor's Note - perils of extemporaneous recording: the major bombardment (1300 bombs in 13 minutes) occurred in May 1940, not '43.]

Curiosity, say Perry Zurn and Dani S. Bassett, is a practice of connection: it connects ideas into networks of knowledge, and it connects knowers themselves, both to the knowledge they seek and -- perhaps even more importantly -- to each other. Twins, professors, and true curiosity connoisseurs, Perry & Dani return to Choose to be Curious for this delightful multidisciplinary distillation of this...

Inspired by a suggestion from dear friend, loyal sponsor and regular curiosity muse, Kate McCauley, I’ve been playing with the idea of an informal, supplemental dip into the stories behind and between my shows. I make no promises yet about how often or enduring this enterprise will be, but I thought I ought to give it a try. Never know until you do! Relying on that old 0.8 Prototyping once again…...

Curiosity is hot in the business world, but what does it look like on the ground, and for small businesses, away from the glitz of Forbes and Inc.? Tara Palacios knows. Tara is founder and director of BizLaunch, Arlington’s small business and entrepreneurial assistance network. She joins me to explore curiosity as a business tool -- especially as she and others discovered the power of a good and c...

"Urban Sketching" is an international movement of people who draw on location -- indoors or out-- capturing what they see from direct observation. The drawings tell the story of our surroundings, the places we live and where we travel. Todd Cumpston is both a practitioner and a teacher. I couldn't wait to talk with him about this delightful curiosity practice. Such power in sitting still, paying c...

All you need to know about Read Early And Daily (R.E.A.D.) and "Pajama Mama" Jennifer Sauter-Price is summarized in the organization's vision: "Empower families to foster empathy, curiosity, and self-confidence in their young children through the joy of reading together every day." This week it's all about the power of books to open eyes, minds and whole worlds, starting very, very early... Check...

What does it take to imagine worlds otherwise? Where do memory and curiosity fit into the creative process for a playwright, or in science fiction? Author Liz Coley indulges my curiosity in this warm conversation between old friends breaking new ground. Theme music by Sean Balick; “Entrance Shaft 11” by The Depot, via Blue Dot Sessions.

An entrepreneurial enterprise that has people looking for clues, thinking outside the box and seeing sights through new eyes? Yes, please! Creator Erik Neighbour joins me to talk about his new app/game "Capital Clues." You may never look at Abe Lincoln's hands the same way again! Theme and other music by Sean Balick.

Textile artist Andi Cullins considers herself the "Grandma Moses of quilts." Her lush and distinctive "2nd Life" quilts certainly support the premise. We explore the common threads connecting curiosity, her art, and Juneteenth. A joyful celebration of our collective and very human creative instincts. Theme music by Sean Balick. “Patched In” by Studio J, via Blue Dot Sessions.

Choose to be Curious intern Reed Weiler takes the helm, inspired by his own pandemic-era journey of reflection and spiritual insight. What might be possible if those efforts were made at scale? How is social justice advanced by our being spiritually curious? Reed turned to American University chaplain Rev. Bryant Oskvig to explore those questions and so many more... Theme and other music by Sean B...

Entrepreneur and former ad exec Michael Tennant founded Curiosity Lab to "spread curiosity, inclusivity, and empathy through storytelling experiences." One way to do that is with his "Actually Curious" playing cards, his attempt to gamify empathy and community. I think he's on to something... Theme music by Sean Balick; "Up, Up, Up and Over" by the Balloonists via Blue Dot Sessions. Photo used wit...

We'll only ever get one body, change tho' it may with time. Can we get to know our bodies better? What's going on, why, and how we might work with what we've got? Personal trainer and founder of The Line Method Eva Meier joins me for a conversation about putting curiosity to work for our bodies, and for ourselves. Theme music by Sean Balick. “Are We Loose Yet?" by Body Tonic via Blue Dot Sessions.

Arlington County Sustainability Planner Helen Reinecke-Wilt joins me to explore how choosing to be curious about our environmental impact helps Arlington achieve its goal of carbon neutrality. Might curiosity literally save the world? Theme music by Sean Balick. “A Certain Lightness” by Migration via Blue Dot Sessions.

Curiosity theories abound. How might curiosity contribute to their growth and attractiveness -- or/and how might it be an antidote? What happens when genuine curiosity is applied to these theories? Political scientist and University of Chicago professor Eric Oliver joins me to explore what happens when curiosity goes down the rabbit hole. Theme music by Sean Balick. “Shadow Plan” by Dorica via Blu...

The wise and wonderful healthcare advocate and equity champion Nicole Rochester, MD, founder and CEO of Your GPS Doc LLC, returns for a conversation about what the last two years have done to how curiosity shows up in medicine -- and society at large. Theme music by Sean Balick. “Rabbit Hole" by Love & Weasel via Blue Dot Sessions.

Information design consultant Alli Torban believes visuals can help anyone understand anything. Data visualization has undergone a seismic transformation in recent years. What role does curiosity play in how we collect, present and absorb information?  A morsel: "As a general rule of thumb, if I have a strong emotional response to a chart, I’m going to spend more time being skeptical of it." Theme...

Psychologist Todd Kashdan wrote his new book The Art of Insubordination to "elevate the value of curiosity, intellectual humility, and courage in public discourse, and to teach people how to amplify their voices and help others do the same." Todd is intent on cultivating principled insubordination and pushing back against incuriosity. I figured we should talk... Check out Todd's work here: https:/...

Research suggests that journalism focused on solutions outperforms problem-focused news. "Solutions Journalism" feels more interesting, trustworthy, uplifting -- and inspires people to get involved. Marie von Hafften of the Solutions Journalism Network joins me to explore the role of curiosity and all-important trust in finding and telling those stories. Today's Curiosity Practice Harvest: Ask "wh...

This started as a conversation about how curiosity shows up in mental health, but New Delhi-based independent journalist Tanmoy took us to post-colonialism property ownership, sussing out the boundaries of allowable questioning, our bias toward answers, and what we can learn from our kids. Sanity, through a whole new set of lenses. Theme music by Sean Balick. “Mind Body Mind” by BodyTonic via Blue...

Arlington County's restorative justice efforts strive for an equitable, empathetic community that honors the dignity and humanity of all people and creates pathways for belonging, healing, accountability, and growth. Restorative Arlington coordinator Kimiko Lighty explains how central curiosity is to the work. Theme music by Sean Balick. “Turning on the Lights” by Speakeasy via Blue Dot Sessions.

"Architecting Curiosity" turns out to be a pretty fabulous way to think about choosing to be curious. It is also a community and school with which to practice and train our natural muscle of inquiry. I decided to enroll. Architecting Curiosity founders, experience designers all, Pim Schachtschabel, Monica Canfield-Lenfest and Anthony Rocco were my most marvelous teachers and guides. This is but a...

This week we visit that uncomfortable place that curiosity can create as we wrestle with the courage of our questions. Social justice music-maker Crys Matthews illuminates the power of music to open hard conversations. And, oh, what a voice! "Exactly Where You Are" used with permission of artist.

How do the stories we read as children inform our curiosity about our environment? How do we "read" our landscapes wherever we are, no matter what age? Choose to be Curious intern Lydia Perry leads this rich conversation with environmental scientist Liam Heneghan. Theme and other music by Sean Balick.

Community engagement is a critical piece of our democracy puzzle -- a piece Dulce Carrillo, Supervisor of Public Engagement for Arlington Public Schools, is eager to help put into place. Curiosity in service of finding and asking the right questions! Theme music by Sean Balick; “Town Market” from Onesuch Village, via Blue Dot Sessions.

Do horror movies serve a purpose? Where do you draw the line between revulsion and wanting to know more? These are the questions that drive the research of Coltan Scrivner, PhD. Coltan investigates the evolutionary and psychological underpinnings of our fascination with the darker side of life, including horror, true crime, and all types of scary play. Just in time for Halloween, but with fascinat...