Hiya, I’m Eric — a designer, strategist, and voracious music lover currently living and working in the Chicago metropolitan area. I help teams build (and break) digital products and experiences with a focus on quietly improving people’s lives, one thoughtful interaction at a time.
Trust me, I’m no expert.
The world doesn’t need any more thought leaders, gurus, or theoretical purists. We need more amateurs — those eager to playfully explore both new and well-worn paths with curiosity, kindness, and a willingness to be the carefree fool. For “nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood.” 2
I’ve spent over 20 years as a professional amateur. That’s a long time experimenting and appreciating the beauty, connection, and unpredictability that makes us human — beyond algorithms, analytics, and the latest trends. I believe in people before profit, and our shared need to learn, teach … and just tell good stories.
These are the things currently occupying my attention.
A blog? Kinda … maybe, not really. Either way, please enjoy some intermittent musings on design, music (a lot of music), tech, and other tangentially related things. Some of it might even make you laugh.
As of late, I’m revisiting my favorite Loscil albums (specifically, First Narrows, Plume, and Endless Falls), reading Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower, and watching Murderbot on Apple TV+.
Album of the Week: Flickering Resonance by Pelican
Looking back, I can recall specific phases in my listening habits where I would lean heavily on a particular vibe or genre. In the late 2000s and early 2010s, I listened to *a lot* of post-rock — almost exclusively. Like most intense obsessions, things ran their course, and I moved on to other pursuits. But I frequently return to a few evergreen favorites: the mighty Russian Circles, If These Trees Could Talk, and hometown favorite, Pelican.
Six years after their previous album, Flickering Radiance heralds the welcome return of founding member Laurent Schroeder-Lebec. Featuring eight tracks of tectonic, meditative riffs – along with Bryan Herweg’s thick, rumbling bass – that feel both warmly familiar yet fresh, I get a sense that the band is both invigorated and genuinely enthusiastic about making music again.
If you only listen to one song, try “Indelible.”
Pelican
Be strange, but don’t be a stranger.
I’m not on social media much. It wasn’t always this way, but nowadays I mostly rely on good ol’ RSS and a few exceptional newsletters to keep me informed and entertained. Quality over quantity, always.
Reach out anytime if you’d like to ask a question, share a recommendation, or hear about my latest Bandcamp Friday spending spree. 3