May Moments: Birds, Wine, and Bears, Oh MY!

Wow - I can’t believe we are already halfway through the year! I hope you’ve found some valuable information in these updates. A huge thanks to my current supporters for sticking with me.

As we move through May, I am excited to share some personal highlights, sustainability efforts, and productivity tips that have shaped my month. Let's dive right in!

Personal Updates

🐻 Up Close and Personal with Nature

Over the holiday weekend, my family and I went up to the beautiful town of Arnold, CA. We have a lot of history with this place, notably my wife and I got married here. Additionally, we have a connection to some family friends who owned a cabin here, which we visited for several years before getting married.

Well, this specific trip included an unusual visitor to our cabin—a bear! We happened to leave our car doors unlocked overnight because WHY NOT? The next morning, it was clear that our car had a visitor, with all the doors left open and some nice paw prints all over the back seats. Hopefully, he at least found a decent meal. 🤮

🍷 Long Lost Meeker Relatives in Wine?

I recently took my family on a trip to Healdsburg, CA to pick up a case of wine from the Meeker Vineyard. We’ve been members there for several years, enjoying routine shipments of various wines - I personally enjoy their “Handprint” Merlot; a literal handprint by head winemaker Lucas Meeker on each bottle!

I also enjoy using these bottles to connect with friends and clients, jokingly handing them a bottle of "my wine." It's a fun way to share a good wine and create lasting impressions. Apparently, the owner of this vineyard claims there were two different Meeker families that immigrated to America, so the chances we’re related to one of them are good!

🤝 Good Tech Fest

This past month, I attended the Good Tech Fest, an event that brings together practitioners from nonprofits, grantmaking foundations, tech companies, and service providers. These professionals focus on how individuals or businesses can responsibly use emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. I attended one particular talk by a speaker who successfully transitioned their product management skills into the nonprofit sector—something I’m becoming more and more interested in. One of my questions is actually captured in the recording (go to the 23:00 min mark to hear). Tremendous strides are being made in this field and the connections to be made for those who want to bring tech to the non profit sector is a ripe landscape to explore.

Sustainability Spotlight

🦅 Annual Birdathon Celebration:

I attended this year’s Birdathon celebration event, held along the MLK shoreline in Oakland. It was a wonderful opportunity to witness the incredible work the Golden Gate Audubon Society does for the community, especially in protecting habitats and birds. There are many ways to support birds and conservation efforts:

1. Participate in education programs through Audubon (where I earned my master birding certification).

2. Volunteer with habitat restoration projects (I’ve done several).

3. Travel to cool places and go on field trips (which I have been fortunate enough to lead as a Field Trip Leader).

📱 Data Collection for Sustainability:

Apps like eBird and iNaturalist have made huge strides in tracking patterns of observations in nature. These platforms not only have a social component but also play a significant role in sustainability. This is a great way for someone starting out in the citizen science space to be more connected to their environment. For instance, eBird can predict migration patterns of specific birds with great accuracy, providing invaluable data for conservation efforts. I write about my own experience using eBird and iNaturalist in my blog post, which I highly encourage you to check out.

Productivity Corner

💡 The Power of the “Win-Win” Scenario:

Dr. Stephen Covey said in his book, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” that life is a “cooperative arena, not a competitive one.” To truly succeed in both our personal and professional lives, we should aim for win-win scenarios. This can lead to more meaningful and lasting outcomes. When trying to achieve this, consider the different scenarios:

• Win/Win (or No Deal): This is the most ideal path. Either both parties benefit, or they agree not to proceed.

• Win/Lose: One party benefits at the expense of the other.

• Lose/Win: One party concedes to benefit the other.

• Lose/Lose: Both parties suffer.

We should strive to pay attention and document what others see as a win and what a win looks like for us. By understanding and aligning these perspectives, we can create more harmonious and successful interactions.

When was the last time it worked for you?

Looking Ahead

As we look forward to June, I'm excited to give you a sneak preview of a new consulting business I'm launching. For those who have been paying attention to the name of my newsletters, this venture is something I'm very passionate about. I will soon have a fully functional website where I can promote my brand and allow people to book services directly on the platform. Stay tuned for more updates—this is an adventure I can’t wait to share with you all.

Thank you for your continued support and engagement. Here’s to an inspiring May filled with growth, discovery, and meaningful connections.

Stay inspired and grounded,

Patrick🫡

About Feather Frameworks

Feather Frameworks, led by Patrick Meeker, is a Digital Transformation Strategy Consultation Firm deeply committed to harnessing the power of technology to meet at the intersection of mindfulness, sustainability, and innovation. Taking a user-centric approach and planet-first mentality, we deliver powerful digital tools that solve the most important problems facing our planet.