The Dilettante Diaries

Original Words

Writing about the ephemera that beckons me: tech, identity, power, literature, fashion, parenting, philosophy, and more.

founder coach head of people dilettante

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Everything

The Future Is Already Unfolding

How Work and Society Evolve by 2030: We’ve lost sight of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. As we all discover what those things mean, work gets a redefinition. Over the next few years, I expect technology to outpace ethics, human creation to be novel, and a retreat from the grind into fractional, part-time, or even off-the-grid existences. A new world emerges that’s feminine, cooperative, connected, and interdependent.

May 15, 20257 min read

I’m Not a Wounded Bird: Navigating Infantilization

What happens when being warm, feminine, and approachable makes people see you as less capable? Courtney Branson explores workplace infantilization, gender bias, and the strange cost of being perceived as someone who needs protection. A candid personal essay about being underestimated, navigating power dynamics, and redefining what leadership can look like.

Apr 15, 20256 min read

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There’s a cleverness in letting yourself be misunderstood in favor of palatable attributes. You get away with things.

I'm Not a Wounded Bird: Navigating Infantilization at Work

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coming soon

a weekly "manager maintenance" email that breaks down all the bits & bobs of being a beloved manager into small repairs that add up over the year.

A NOTE ON HOW THIS SPACE IS MADE

Everything you read and feel on this website is crafted by my own hands and brain.

My articles come from real-world experience, deep research, and curiosity. While I believe AI has its place, that place isn’t in my thinking. I don’t use it for outlines, writing, or the like.

Even many of the visual details come from photos of my home, art, collages, and the icons are custom stamps that my daughter made. I wanted this website to be a digital reflection of the care I put into everything. I’m unapologetically thoughtful. Anyone who works with me will feel that.

Because I put my soul into this work, and because content theft is a real and long-time issue, I do not allow my writing to be scraped or used to train AI models. And, if you’re a human please don’t copy it.