Books for personal development

Dope Design: A New Book Explores The Aesthetics And Activism Behind Contemporary Cannabis Culture 

Despite global efforts at legalization, marijuana remains a tricky

 topic: In some places, smoking pot can land folks in jail, with Black folks making up a disproportionate amount of those arrests, while in others it’s part of everyday life.

 As more states and countries open up to legalizing cannabis for both medicinal and recreational purposes, a parallel wave of aesthetic innovations has risen to cater to a particular subset of cannabis

 consumers: well-heeled, design-savvy users who seek and appreciate the wellness benefits of cannabis. 

Thanks to legalization of efforts and the rise of “Big Bud,” the worldwide market for cannabis was $10.60 billion in 2018 and is expected to grow to $97.35 billion by 2026. Meanwhile, global demand for marijuana has surged during the COVID-19 crisis, particularly for edibles.

 Against this backdrop arrives High on Design (published by Gestalten), a new coffee-table book that highlights many of the top brands and key players now defining the high-end marijuana products industry.These players are launching  products that appear more like design pieces than hippie accoutrements. High on Design takes readers through the history and science behind this controversial plant, while showcasing projects that every design-and-cannabis aficionado will appreciate. The cover of the soon to be released High on Design High on Design, gestalten 2020 The book is more than an exploration of the cannabis lifestyle, it’s a source of inspiration for artisans or impresarios exploring this rapidly growing business.

 And activists will enjoy it too: Each chapter echoes a cry to review drug prohibition policies and normalize marijuana in an age where demands for social justice are percolating at every level.

 Touching upon the essential elements of cannabis culture, the book is filled with images from visually striking cannabis companies. There are the retro-style branding references used by Old Pal—a California-based cannabis purveyor—along with upscale handblown glass pipes like the those produced by Laundryday and the ceramic bongs created by Summerland, which can double as decor objects (i.E. Flower vases) or the elegantly tasty goodies from Défoncé infused edibles.

 Story continues High on Design also features herb dispensaries like West Coast leaders MedMen and Serra—which look and feel stylish like boutiques selling perfumes or the latest tech gadgets—along with media publications such as Broccoli and Gossamer, two platforms that are redefining the way we write about ganja. 

Broccoli Issue 4, cover art by Adrienne Kammerer and Aurelians by Nong Rak, Broccoli Issue 6 High on Design, gestalten 2020 

 This book was born out of a need to place cannabis in a new light—from both a political and a legal perspective, but also in a cultural sense. Whereas cannabis consumers were once stereotyped as lazy stoners and criminals, today people from all walks of life—from the creative to the entrepreneurial—have rediscovered the plant and its purported medicinal and psychological

benefits. Consumers are also beginning to discover the physio-social aspects of marijuana—from the all-important endocannabinoid system, which can regulate sleep and appetite, to aroma-impacting terpene profiles, to the religions that consume weed as a sacred ritual to connect with the gods. They’re all chronicled in High on Design next to products and pieces that we may one day soon begin seeing at the next Salone del Mobile or Maison Objet.  

Long gone are the days of flower-power paraphernalia:

 The future of weed is here. Preorder now; official launch September 8, 2020. For more information, follow @gestalten and @rodrigueztarditi. Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest

Rewriting The Book On Voluntary Benefit Sales 

Eventually, we will move past the pandemic and enter a “Wild West” scenario due to the hit to the industry’s in-force book of business. In the first month of the COVID-19 outbreak, more than 26 million U.S. Workers lost their jobs and filed for unemployment benefits; that equates to about 1 in 6 American employees. To give a parallel, COVID-19 accomplished in 30 days what took a year to reach in terms of job losses during the 2008 recession. And things have only gotten worse from there. If your revenue collection method is payroll deduction—as is voluntary benefits—this is a life-changing event as a producer, broker or carrier. Your access to unlimited BenefitsPRO.Com content isn’t changing.Once you are an ALM digital member, you’ll receive: Critical BenefitsPRO.Com information including cutting edge post-reform success strategies, access to educational webcasts and videos, resources from industry leaders, and informative Newsletters. Exclusive discounts on ALM, BenefitsPRO magazine and BenefitsPRO.Com events. Access to other award-winning ALM websites including ThinkAdvisor.Com and Law.Com Register Now Already have an account? Sign In Now


Great Minds: Book Club Benefits Brain Injury Survivors 

A key pillar of Krempels Center’s approach to helping brain injury survivors heal is providing opportunities for members to gather around a common goal and share in their growth together. Krempels Center offers a dozen or more groups and workshops each week, specially geared toward brain injury survivors. Group topics include cognitive skill building, mental health, creative expression, communication skills and more. One popular group offering - book club - helps participants with all of these themes and more. Earlier this year, the group embarked on the reading of "The Soul of an Octopus" by Sy Montgomery, a New Hampshire author and naturalist. Each week, the group gathered to discuss the wonder and majesty of octopuses, as well as Montgomery’s tales of interaction and connection with these majestic sea creatures at the New England Aquarium, and in their natural habitats in the reefs of French Polynesia and the Gulf of Mexico. Upon completion of the book, the group reached out to the author inviting her to a virtual visit to talk about "The Soul of an Octopus." While she had to "ink" about it, Montgomery graciously accepted the invite and met with 12 Krempels Center members and staff in June via Zoom. The meeting followed a Q&A style as the members had come up with many questions throughout their time reading and discussing the book together. Montgomery shared many wonderful sentiments during the meeting. One such story that stood out to the members was her journey of learning how to scuba dive in order to interact with octopuses in their natural habitat. As she described the challenges she faced and how she persevered to overcome them, the members were able to reflect on their own challenges, adaptations and triumphs as they navigate their lives after brain injury. "I so admire what you have all done," shared Montgomery on the Zoom meeting. "I have immense respect for all of you re-growing and coming back from injury. All great men and women have come through trial and come out of it as a new person. It is clear you are a community of great healers and I’m honored that you chose my book." Former Krempels Center intern Mariah Masse returned for the special author meet and great as she facilitated the book club’s meetings during her tenure with the organization earlier this year. Masse shared that the group enjoyed fun debates and discussions. They shared tidbits from the book and posed fun questions to the whole Krempels Center membership at their weekly community meetings; trivia such as, "What is the plural of octopus?" Masse wasn’t even at Krempels Center yet when the club selected the book, but she was so impressed by its subject matter and the author’s authenticity. "Today was a fun way to come full circle [with the book club]. I have now moved forward from my internship, but love coming back to Krempels Center as a volunteer!" said Masse. In the wake of COVID-19, the book club and all of Krempels Center’s programs and community meetings have gone virtual. Krempels Center continues to work to bring brain injury survivors together in a safe, welcoming community, and are able to provide support for its members who were attending in-person programming prior to the pandemic and also those who could not attend for a variety of reasons, most notably transportation challenges, but are now logging in. Krempels Center member and book club participant, Scott Ludgin, shared this about the online Krempels Center program, "[Virtual Krempels Center] gives me something to look forward to. I feel that there’s something going on that’s worthwhile. The thought of having something to do eases my mind. Krempels Center is like family." Krempels Center’s mission is to improve the lives of adults living with acquired brain injury. Established in 2000, Krempels Center has built a reputation for offering high-quality, therapeutic programs for brain injury survivors. Located at the Community Campus in Portsmouth, the Center is unique to the Seacoast; in fact, it is the only service of its kind in New Hampshire, and only one of a few in the country. Brain injury survivors often experience difficulty returning to their previous roles at work, home, and in the community. Krempels Center offers opportunities for social connection, skill building, and exploration of new life interests to improve quality of life following brain injury. In this vibrant learning community, survivors heal through shared experiences, peer support, and therapeutic programming. Research in partnership with the University of New Hampshire has shown Krempels Center members have higher quality of life, lower stress, and stronger social connectedness than typical brain injury survivors. Visit www.Krempelscenter.Org to find out more about Krempels Center.