Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 10hNext week, Venice for 12 days. Art Biennale is still on all over the city which always creates a mixture of astounding and confounding work. Then, the Venetian masters still hanging in the churches and confraternity halls for which they were commissioned between 1400 and 1700. It’s an education. 020
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 01/10/2026It’s not the United Way, but rather a United way member agency. But at least in Toronto, there are many organizations that do very good work, but for various reasons don’t belong to the UW. Library could be a great source. Worth talking to them. 010
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 01/10/2026I send myself emails. Old school but it works for me. Them make folders by subject matter. #FreelanceFriends 130
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 01/10/2026Keith Richards on songwriting: The melodies are floating in the air. You just have to sit still and snatch them before they float away. #FreelanceFriends 020
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 01/10/2026I used to sit on the board of Volunteer Toronto, an agency that helps connect volunteers and United Way agencies. Also helped agencies professionalize their operations. Maybe there’s something like that near you? 130
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 01/10/2026Yeah, you need time. You have to go alone with no agenda. Sad about those paintings that seem to have totally disappeared. Fun reading about Isabella Gardner. For a while she lived in Venice (a big palazzo right on the Grand Canal) and had the museum modelled after Venice. #FreelanceFriends 140
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 01/10/2026Here’s my #1 tip about cameras: find one that feels good in your hand so you’ll want to pick it up and use it. It’s different for everybody, and yes you can get used to new things, but if the camera pushes you away because it doesn’t feel good in your hand, you’ll never take pictures. 010
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 01/10/2026Oh, lots of great art in Boston. It’s a city that has/had lots of wealthy families, so good museums now. #FreelanceFriends 140
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 01/10/2026#FreelanceFriends what really inspires me? Art. Seeing it, reading about it, which often gets into history. Going on another art trip in less than 2 weeks. 12 days in Venice for Art Biennale. Will be our third time. It’s every two years. Always come back from there, mind blown. It’s too much. 150
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 01/10/2026Ah inspiration… I’m rediscovering a camera I have had for 15 - 20 years but never did anything with it but shoot in auto mode. It’s a little Lumix camera, and hey it has loads of features which I’m just figuring out. Sometimes tech can hold us back, but it can be inspiring if you take the time. 130
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 01/10/2026Nope, not here. Overcast but dry. We live ”up high” so not in the many Toronto river valleys which do get flooded. #FreelanceFriends 110
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 01/10/2026Hey #FreelanceFriends it’s Andy in Toronto, glad to be here. We’re talking about inspiration? Ok… 150
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 24/09/2026Believe it or not, I’m in a client meeting. Our usual coffee to discuss the high-level docs for me to understand and make relevant to the average investor. As for open mic, 🇨🇦 hopes 🇺🇸 doesn’t invade us. According to our Prime Minister in an interview with the NY Times, we’ve prepared for it. 🤷♂️ 021
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 17/09/2026#FrelanceFriends I think community building has always been hard, and now more difficult than ever, especially if an organization thinks the community is all about them. In their minds they often know it can’t be, but in their hearts and on their bottom line, they would like it to be. 010
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 17/09/2026Sorry my day started sideways and carried on that way. A quick point about talking to your audience. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney addressed the European Parliament about closer Canada / Europe relationships. He started with an excerpt by Goethe from Faust knowing Europeans would get it. 000
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 20/08/2026Thought for a minute you’re talking about the Jays…. 🤷♂️ 120
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 20/08/2026Yeah I’ve heard that. It ain’t the gluten, it’s all the other stuff. But here’s the deal with Venice. It’s not like the rest of Italy. Yes, you can get pasta and pizza, but Venetians eat rice and seafood. 101 variations on risotto… Pasta? Likely with clams, shrimp, not meat or tomato sauce. 110
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 20/08/2026Hmmm, careful. Don’t confuse people. You don’t want them thinking they came to the wrong place. 110
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 20/08/2026Sovereignty is a big topic in 🇨🇦 these days, let me assure you. It’s sovereignty 24/7/365 here. 😉 030
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 20/08/2026For those of you younger than me (all of you), this becomes more and more true as you get older (if you make it to “older”). Going for a walk on a sunny day is a win, especially if it leads to an espresso and almond cookie at a Sicilian cafe. Just saying… 😉 Have a great week. 🙏 130
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 20/08/2026West coast Canada to see the boy and his family next week, then two-week art and music trip to Venice in October. Pretty excited about both. 140
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 20/08/2026Great goal. Don’t have any tickets right now. Last we saw was Nick Lowe here in Toronto and Elvis Costello at Royal Albert Hall, London. Nick was in the audience, and then we saw him on the street the next day. 020
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 20/08/2026Back when I was seriously freelancing I was the worst at this. My wife and son have had a few vacation adventures in Mexico etc that I know very little about. Truly pathetic. Making up for it now, I hope. 130
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 20/08/2026They’re all dead now… who cares… 🤣🤣🤣 Yeah, checking AI is still a big deal. 010
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 20/08/2026Nice! Saw them years ago at Jazzfest in NOLA. Brought up a few guests… Billy Gibbons, Jimmy Vaughn, and one more (?)… Fun times. 100
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 20/08/2026I think you’re right. Good will? We don’t need no stinkin’ good will… Do no evil? That was then…. 000
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 20/08/2026Yeah. I’m a spring/summer guy. I know many look forward to fall. Not me. Everything dies… 🙁 120
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 20/08/2026It went on to say, let’s see if we can find the houses they lived in and then posted one currently for sale by a great, great uncle. But what got me was the little report. Tight, tidy, didn’t read like AI flab. 120
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 20/08/2026Hi Greg, just read your post. Nice! Why is Google doing this? My old company used this setup. 100
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 20/08/2026A1/2, I do wonder about the future of a lot of writing, given AI. You can’t help but marvel at some of it. Our son was looking up family history on my wife’s side. Chat found a few people no one knew about, then wrote a tidy little report. Have to say, pretty good. 120
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 20/08/2026A beautiful day in Toronto. We’ve had a spectacular summer avoiding the worst of the heatwaves. Had some smoky days from the fires up north, but generally wonderful. 140
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 20/08/2026A1 #FreelanceFriends Years ago, summer would be slower and everyone would wake up around Sept 1. But that started to change so it was fairly busy during the summer. Could have been the client mix. 🤷♂️ 140
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 20/08/2026#FreelanceFriends Andy in Toronto here, late as usual… 150
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 16/08/2026How are you liking the Viking history book? I’m somewhat interested, but not enough to read a poorly written book. 100
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 13/08/2026I think I’m good now. We go out more and celebrate at home more. Having a modest wine cellar helps. Here’s this guy learning about wine and buying by the case. New in the last decade. #FreelanceFriends 140
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 13/08/2026Well, duh. At a minimum, right? These days, I would have arranged it. 230
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 13/08/2026A2 #FreelanceFriends Do I tell the world about it? Not in my freelance days. We worked a bit harder at it in the agencies. We also got on vendor lists which helped put us in front of the right prospects. 030
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 13/08/2026A1 Re celebrating wins, I’m terrible at it. I’m on to the next project. How terrible? When we sold our first agency to an IT company, do you think the four partners would get together for a celebratory dinner? Nah… #FreelanceFriends 150
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 23/07/2026Oh sorry, totally distracted. Figuring out photo editing issues. 250
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 09/07/2026Prime example, the artist David Hockney who died just last month. 020
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 09/07/2026Yeah, but it’s ok. There are some things you can’t talk about with some people. Leave them to whatever they’re doing. 030
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 09/07/2026Agreed. I am sometimes surprised by “creative” people who don’t go to art galleries, read books, study movies etc. They’re choosing a very narrow path. 120
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 09/07/2026#FreelanceFriends I think it helps to think of possible solutions as experiments. Try something, see whether it works. If not, try something else. It’s not a failure, it’s just one option of many. 152
Andy Strote @strotebook.bsky.social · 09/07/2026A3 #FreelanceFriends Going forward, I think creative problem solving and strategic insights will be more important than the final creative delivery which can be done with AI. I know that’s overly general, and please stop throwing things at me! 🤣 160