These smart fridge magnets saved our marriage
- How many times do I need to repeat? No headsets at breakfast.
She puts her hands on her hips, awaiting a reaction, her eyes squinting. He angrily removes the visor, revealing a sticky mop of teenage hair.
- Your behaviour, my dear, must be an example for your younger...
- But they are at grandparents today!
- Rules are rules.
He stuffs his mouth with a whole pancake.
- Why are you previewing your trip? Save something to experience together.
- Nope. It's too important to leave it to chance. And it’s not a trip. It’s a date disguised as a trip with friends.
- Even better. Making shared memories is the fastest way to build a connection.
She points at one of the fridge magnets with palm trees.
- Music.
The kitchen fills with the thick, electric rhythm of baile funk.
- These smart fridge magnets saved our marriage. Spontaneity and surprises, even unpleasant ones, are easier to remember than perfection. The more experiences you share, the faster your relationship grows, as remembering shared memories reminds both of you how important you are to each other’s lives. It’s also useful in difficult moments.
- Thank you, but no thank you. I like her and want to focus on our conversations, not on finding the way or thinking about what to order. My plan is perf…
He silences himself with another pancake. The front doors shut with a bang, and the music tunes down a little.
- I’m home.
A panting man in sweaty activewear enters the kitchen and tries to kiss her. She steps away.
- Eww. Get a shower.
- Proteins first.
The fridge door rattles with glass as he grabs a bottle filled with a gooey shake. He leans on the countertop, takes a sip and sighs deeply.
- Reliving some memories, are we? You young man won’t believe this, but that summer was 500 years ago.
They smile as he points at another magnet with an ugly turtle.
- Photos.
A slideshow lights up the kitchen wall with photos and videos from a seaside trip.
- Do you remember lunch at that remote beach when it was so hot we made swimming breaks between the courses?
He points at the turtle again.
- Recipes.
He waves his hand, browsing recipes on the oven door.
- I’m cooking moqueca for dinner tonight.
- I’m in.
- And I’m on a trip.
- Ok. Moqueca for two. Order the missing ingredients for this evening.
The teenager gets up as the shopping list and estimated delivery time appear on the oven door.
- I need to go.
She looks at the fridge.
- Can you take the trash on your way out? Binbots are collecting glass and paper today.
Hello Practical Futurists,
Welcome back from the future where home is a machine for living in.
Let's jump into our weekly practice, where we use futures thinking and product sci-fi to enhance your strategic imagination and prepare your leadership for the future.
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Start here to make the most of your time if this is your first
rodeoedition.
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Weekly Self-Reflection Prompts
Let's start by making products and services mentioned in the story more relatable by grounding them in your personal life.
You can start with this quote for extra inspiration.
“The future belongs, not to those who have the most, but to those who do the most with what they have.”
Eugene Odum
Personal life reflection prompts
What was your favourite technology-related family experience, and what is it today?
Automating which 2 household tasks would most likely give you more time for personal growth?
In your experience, does planning and researching personal experiences minimise the stress or reduce the joy of spontaneity and a sense of discovery?
Which 2 personal occasions are worth using low-tech productivity tools?
Is the memory-worth situation worth taking a picture of, or does taking the picture make the situation memory-worthy?
What 3 technology-related rules do you stick to with your loved ones?
What is the one story you keep sharing at dinner parties? What does its main theme tell you about your personal life goals?
Do you keep a “smile file” storing personal achievements and joyful moments that can improve your mood and motivation when you feel under the weather?
Great work!
Let’s move on to the context of the industry, organisation, team, service, or product you are working with.
Professional life reflection prompts
Being the most prepared person in the room works wonders in business. When was the last time you were that person, and how big was the crowd in that room?
Which 2 shared memories do you recall to boost the team’s morale in a difficult situation?
What robotic solution would you like to see integrated into business operations in your industry?
In what 2 ways can visual reminders of past successes and team achievements be used in your workspace to motivate and inspire your team?
If your team had a cook-off, what 3 meals would be guaranteed winners?
Is the team’s adaptability resulting from leaving space for spontaneous wiggle room or careful planning?
In what 2 ways could smart devices create a more engaging and dynamic work environment in your industry?
If your team could pick a famous leader as the voice of an integrated workplace assistant, who would it be?
You did great!
Enjoyed this edition? Try the recommended follow-up story next:
This edition was written in Seoul.
Next time you visit, save time for the fabulous Starfield Library, where 13-metre bookcases make every book lover shiver in awe, and the number of books on display makes you feel dizzy with choice.
Have a great week, think bright and see you soon.
Pawel Halicki
Join strategic thinkers preparing to lead in the age of AI. Ten minutes a week is all it takes to start.
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