Author: Craig Constantine

Breath with Nadine Kelly

June 17, 2021 · All posts on Jun 17

How does proper breathing and posture enhance the podcasting experience and overall well-being?

Confidence and focus emerge from the synergy of upright posture and mindful breathing.

Not only does sitting up nice and tall, or standing nice and tall, benefit your posture, it increases your focus. It’s just good physically. It’s good mentally. It’s good energetically.

~ Nadine Kelly (13:11)

The conversation focuses on the intersections between breathing techniques, posture, and podcasting. It examines how intentional breathing can diminish nervousness, enhance clarity, and improve vocal performance during recording. The importance of proper posture is emphasized, highlighting its benefits for focus, physical alignment, and the quality of breath. Visualizations, such as the “teardrop-shaped balloon,” are introduced as aids for more effective breathing.

The discussion also touches on the role of physical habits and preparation, such as maintaining energy through morning workouts and arranging a workspace conducive to calmness and productivity. Nadine shares insights into crafting moments in podcasting that allow listeners to process heavy topics, underlining the subtle power of breath and pauses to connect with an audience emotionally and physiologically.

Takeaways

Improving breathing techniques — Discusses reducing stress and enhancing vocal clarity in podcasting.

Maintaining good posture — Explains the role of upright posture in breathing and focus.

Morning workout routines — Highlights the benefits of early exercise on energy levels throughout the day.

Incorporating pauses in podcasts — Explores using intentional breath and pauses to enhance listener engagement.

Visualizing breath exercises — Introduces the “teardrop-shaped balloon” method for mindful breathing.

Resources

The Yogi M.D. Podcast — Nadine’s podcast focusing on physical and mental health topics.

Notable Quotables by Nadine Kelly — Companion video series to her podcast that invites listener feedback and reflections.

Akimbo Workshops — Mentioned as a platform where coaching and community discussions occur.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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Audience with Elisa Graf

June 17, 2021 · All posts on Jun 17

How can podcasters understand and utilize statistics, engagement strategies, and listener feedback to improve their shows?

Podcasting statistics spark a deep discussion on what truly matters in creating a meaningful show.

It’s amazing, really, the whole idea— This medium of finding your voice, and then putting something that you really care about out there in the world, and having it have its own life.

~ Elisa Graf (12:41)

The conversation explores various aspects of podcasting, starting with the motivations and themes behind creating a show. Insights are shared about producing content that showcases transcendent stories and meaningful encounters. Discussions include how podcast statistics can both aid and distract podcasters, revealing what metrics are most relevant depending on the goals of the show.

Engagement strategies and experiments are highlighted, such as leveraging social media platforms and featuring specific guests, to boost listener interaction. Personal feedback from listeners is recognized as a rewarding outcome, affirming the value of creating authentic and impactful content. The broader topic of maintaining motivation and balancing analytics with creative passion is also discussed.

Takeaways

Finding a unique podcast theme — Stories about transcendence and the collision of the extraordinary with the everyday resonate with audiences.

Balancing analytics and creativity — Podcast statistics provide valuable insights but can also become an unhealthy focus.

The role of social media — Strategic use of guest tagging and experiments with platforms can significantly increase engagement.

Podcast longevity and evergreen content — Older episodes often continue to attract downloads, emphasizing the long-term value of a quality back catalog.

Listener feedback as motivation — Personal notes and stories from listeners provide deep gratification and affirm the impact of the work.

Experimenting with formats and guests — Trying new approaches, like featuring family members or changing marketing tactics, can reveal unexpected growth opportunities.

Resources

Mystic Takeaway Podcast — Elisa’s podcast exploring stories of mysterious encounters and the transcendent.

Simplecast Analytics — A podcast hosting platform offering detailed analytics to track downloads and listener data.

Podnews — A daily podcast industry news source featuring articles, insights, and ratings analysis.

Apple Podcasts — A popular platform where listener ratings can influence podcast visibility.

Pandora — A streaming service noted for its unexpected popularity among certain podcast types.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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Expectations

June 17, 2021 · All posts on Jun 17

When you start something, don’t raise other people’s expectations. What is highly praised seldom measures up to expectations. Reality never catches up to imagination. It is easy to imagine something is perfect, and difficult to achieve it. […] Honorable beginnings should serve to awaken curiosity, not to heighten people’s expectations. We are much better off when reality surpasses our expectations, and something turns out better than we thought it would.

~ Baltasar Gracián

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Storytelling with Linda McLachlan

June 16, 2021 · All posts on Jun 16

How can storytelling techniques be used effectively in podcasting to create compelling narratives?

The discussion reveals the power of asking consistent questions to uncover unique stories.

It really depends on the person and their storytelling style— how tangential we get. So some of them, it’s like a chainsaw that you have to go in with— a chainsaw first, and that’s the first edit.

~ Linda McLachlan (6:35)

The conversation explores storytelling as a central element in podcasting, emphasizing its role in creating engaging narratives. Linda discusses using consistent questions to uncover unique stories while following a structured story arc inspired by workshops like Bernadette Jiwa’s Story Skills. She describes how this approach helps craft compelling episodes, balancing predictability and surprise. Editing styles are also addressed, with Linda explaining how some episodes require significant reworking to achieve clarity and impact.

The discussion touches on influences, mentioning podcasts like “On Being” by Krista Tippett and books by Brene Brown as inspirations for exploring human connection and vulnerability. Linda also reflects on the creative freedom podcasting offers, encouraging creators to embrace restrictions as opportunities for innovation while staying true to their personal vision. The conversation concludes with practical advice for aspiring podcasters, underscoring the importance of authenticity and the freedom to experiment.

Takeaways

The importance of storytelling in podcasting — Structured storytelling can create compelling and engaging episodes.

The use of consistent questions — Repeatedly asking similar questions can uncover diverse and unique stories.

The role of editing — Editing styles vary significantly depending on the guest’s storytelling style.

Inspiration from other creators — Works by Krista Tippett and Brene Brown serve as examples of engaging narrative creation.

Creative freedom in podcasting — Podcasting offers flexibility and freedom to experiment with ideas and formats.

Resources

The Arena Podcast — Linda’s podcast exploring human stories through structured storytelling.

On Being — A podcast by Krista Tippett focused on deep conversations about meaning and faith.

A Bit of Optimism — Simon Sinek’s podcast sharing optimistic ideas and conversations.

Wisdom Shared — Carole Blueweiss’ podcast featuring diverse personal stories.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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101

June 16, 2021 · All posts on Jun 16

It’s a small thing, and it was really really difficult. But I did it.

Instead of sticking to my “publish on Wednesday’s at 10am”… like I did for the first 100 episodes. 101 was published Tuesday around 7pm. I know that sounds dumb—but I’m not be sarcastic or hyperbolic. Over the years I’ve gotten really adamant about that publication day-of-the-week and time-of-the-day. Sure we weren’t able to do one every week… but I kept trying to keep things neat and tidy. “Wednesdays at 10am” was that one little bit of structure.

But really, who cares. Any structure you’re clinging to?

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Jade Amber Ragoschke: Deafness, architecture, and accessibility

June 15, 2021 · All posts on Jun 15

Jade Amber Ragoschke: Deafness, architecture, and accessibility

How do the experiences of deafness, architecture, and parkour intersect to influence design and accessibility?

While it’s not immediately apparent that Jade Amber Ragoshke is unilaterally deaf, it is a defining factor for her life and work. She shares her experiences with deafness, learning about it, and adapting to it. Jade discusses architecture and her ongoing research into the connections between architecture, parkour, and accessibility. She reflects on disability, designing for all people, and creating more inclusive environments in all communities.

I think, after this conversation that we’ve had about art— I think that what art really is, is breaking the boundaries of the standard.

~ Jade Amber Ragoschke (30:14)

Jade Amber Ragoschke is an architect, parkour practitioner, and the vice president of World Deaf Architecture. Her involvement in parkour led to her interest and eventual career in architecture. After finding her place in the Deaf community, she discovered a new perspective and approach to architecture that is more inclusive, empathetic, and accessible to everyone. Jade specializes in accessible design for people with disabilities and provides architectural consultation to parkour communities. She advocates for inclusive play spaces for all ages and is researching the intersections between architecture, parkour, and accessibility.

This conversation explores the unique intersections of parkour, architecture, and accessibility, weaving together personal experiences and professional insights. Discussions highlight how accessible designs often double as ideal spaces for creative physical movement, reflecting an unexpected synergy between inclusivity and play. Jade emphasizes the importance of designing spaces at a human scale, focusing on sensory experiences and personal engagement rather than purely aesthetic considerations.

The dialogue also examines the philosophical and practical roles of architecture and art in memorializing history and shaping societal experiences. By referencing specific examples like the 9/11 Memorial and other landmark designs, the conversation illustrates how architecture can evoke emotions, honor history, and inspire resilience. The shared experiences of adapting to hearing loss further contextualize Jade’s perspectives on design, emphasizing the transformative potential of inclusivity.

Takeaways

Architecture and human scale — The focus on personal experience in space design emphasizes sensory engagement over aesthetics.

Parkour and accessibility — Accessible spaces unintentionally become ideal settings for creative movement and parkour.

Art and architecture integration — Structures can serve as both functional spaces and artistic installations, enriching urban environments.

Design as inclusivity — Inclusive designs provide comfort and accessibility for all, enhancing the utility of spaces.

Memorializing through design — Architecture captures historical moments, offering spaces for reflection and resilience.

Architectural unpredictability — People often use spaces in unintended ways, revealing the dynamic relationship between design and behavior.

Resources

Jade Amber Ragoschke @antiphase.motion

World Deaf Architecture — Organization focused on accessibility and architecture for Deaf communities.

Bjarke Ingels Group — Architecture firm led by Bjarke Ingels, known for innovative projects like those highlighted in the conversation.

ADA Standards for Accessible Design — Guidelines defining accessibility in architecture.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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Community for podcasters

June 15, 2021 · All posts on Jun 15

So I went and built a new thing: The Podcaster Community.

If you create podcasts — whether you’re thinking about it, just starting out, or are publishing your 100th episode — we’d love for you to join us. It’s free to create an account. Logging in enables the platform features and you can immediately begin posting/replying in the public categories.

I don’t idle well. I get an idea in my head, and I start thinking about all the ways it could be realized. Recently, I’ve had a few separate conversations with podcasters who were looking for something—what they each wanted was different. And so I set off to build it.

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Impressions

June 14, 2021 · All posts on Jun 14

Nothing but what you get from first impressions. That someone has insulted you for instance. That —but not that it’s done you any harm. The fact that my son is sick —that I can see. But, “that he might die of it,” no. Stick with first impressions. Don’t extrapolate. And nothing can happen to you. Or extrapolate. From a knowledge of all that can happen in the world.

~ Marcus Aurelius

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Two thousand nine hundred and six

June 13, 2021 · All posts on Jun 13

Arbitrary milestones are just as useful as nice round numbers. This morning I decided I’d take some time to reflect on blogging.

I love grammar. I wonder if you thought that I meant this blog post would be my reflections on blogging? No, I took some time to reflect on my own. Today I’m yet again beating one of my favorite drums: It is life-critical to intentionally take time to reflect on the things one is doing.

What am I actually doing with my time? What is doing me benefit? What, harm? What things do I believe I must do? Why do I believe those are necessary? What promises have I made? …to myself, to others? What actually happens if I break one of those promises? …would anyone even notice? What could I do if I stopped everything and did some other thing with incredible focus? Why does that other some thing interest me? Could I more simply change what I’m doing to make a little room for it now? If I awoke to find all the things in my head, and on my lists, were done what would I do? …would I rush to add more things to do? …would I work on something new? …would I want to re-do something I’ve done before?

Discovery. Reflection. And then, go be efficacious.

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Possibly worthy of a tattoo

June 12, 2021 · All posts on Jun 12

As usual, I was reading a “this day in…” journal entry of mine, from a too-recent year. I found one of my unfortunately-too-frequent pages of pissed-off scribbling. And just smack-at-the-bottom was this:

If something is important, DO IT NOW,
if not, DO SOMETHING IMPORTANT.

Clearly that’s a kissing-cousin to the Eisenhower “method”. Partly, I like to sprinkle in Wikipedia links to see how easily you are distracted. But more so in this case, because it isn’t even Eisenhower’s idea.

Where might I tattoo this? I was thinking directly on my corneas would be a good place; The first half on one, the second half on the other. It would be like those “floaters” you find in your eye. It would be a true, subliminal message. (Grammar geeks: It would also be a truly subliminal message.)

I can think of no situation where that guidance would fail me, because the sub-text is: What, right now, is actually the important thing to do? Maybe taking a nap, or eating popcorn with a movie, really is important [for my mental health]. Or maybe the important thing is to up-end my day and go all-in helping someone do something.

Maybe the tatoo should be: IS THIS IMPORTANT?

Pop quiz: Grab a writing instrument and write, in cursive, the word, “scribbling.” For an extra 5 points, write in cursive—on the first try, without looking it up—the capitals: H, K, Q and G.

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Recovery is key

June 10, 2021 · All posts on Jun 10

Not only do most deliberate practitioners not spend all day at it, they also devote a lot of time to recuperation and recovery. They sleep as much as their bodies need. They nap if necessary. They take frequent, refreshing breaks. Most of us understand that rest is necessary after physical activity. But we can underestimate its importance after mental activity, too. Deliberate practice needs to be sustainable for the long term. How long a person keeps at a skill is often far more important than how many hours a day they spend on it.

~ Shane Parrish from, The Ultimate Deliberate Practice Guide: How to Be the Best

I’m going to trot out a rare: HOLY CRAP! Because that post is a small book on deliberate practice. If you’re only up for some skimming, click through and smash-scroll to the summary and book list at the bottom of that post.

Then I’m going to briefly stride over one of my fave soap boxes: Sleep.

…and settle onto pointing out that I make a deliberate practice out of working on writing these blog posts. I’ve been working, (off-and-on, one break involved some lawn mowing,) for four hours this morning from that one Parrish post. I’ve read it, blogged [this] about it, posted about it in another community, captured a few quotes, learned more about the Oddyssey, and wrote a blog post about a common Homer quote.

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Sometimes I look stuff up

June 9, 2021 · All posts on Jun 9

Have you seen this quote?

There is a time for many words, and there is also a time for sleep.

~ Homer

Honestly, that’s pretty sharp! There’s good wisdom about a few things packed in there: Picking your battles, perhaps; Knowing the seasons of things, the ages of Man and so forth; Setting managable goals or not tackling more than you can do in a day. That Homer guy with the wisdom!

Until you look it up, and it turns out to be just a throwaway phrase in a transition. Here, read the full paragraphs, XI.35-6 from the Oddyssey:

And Alcinous answered him, saying: ‘Odysseus, in no wise do we deem thee, we that look on thee, to be a knave or a cheat, even as the dark earth rears many such broadcast, fashioning lies whence none can even see his way therein. But beauty crowns thy words, and wisdom is within thee; and thy tale, as when a minstrel sings, thou hast told with skill, the weary woes of all the Argives and of thine own self. But come, declare me this and plainly tell it all. Didst thou see any of thy godlike company who went up at the same time with thee to Ilios and there met their doom? Behold, the night is of great length, unspeakable, and the time for sleep in the hall is not yet; tell me therefore of those wondrous deeds. I could abide even till the bright dawn, so long as thou couldst endure to rehearse me these woes of thine in the hall.’ (35)

And Odysseus of many counsels answered him, saying: ‘My lord Alcinous, most notable of all the people, there is a time for many words and there is a time for sleep. But if thou art eager still to listen, I would not for my part grudge to tell thee of other things more pitiful still, even the woes of my comrades, those that perished afterward, for they had escaped with their lives from the dread warcry of the Trojans, but perished in returning by the will of an evil woman. (36)

~ Homer

It’s basically, “sure bro’, if you’re up for it, I’m game to stay up and tell you the story of . . .”

Question: Is the quote at the top better, or worse now that you know what Homer actually wrote? (Yes, fine, he was actually writing in ancient Greek, but my point stands.)

It’s a cliché that our favorite quotes say more about us, then they do about who we’re quoting. (Left unconsidered is what it says about me if I collect thousands of quotes.) But that cliché is the entire point of being intentionally reflective: I’m searching out new things, (quotes in this discussion,) and I’m thinking about what they might mean; What the original author or speaker might have meant; How that meaning might change over time from original source to my time, and how it might change for me during my life.

See? There is a time for many words, and a time for sleep!

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The mind is a fortress

June 8, 2021 · All posts on Jun 8

Remember that when it withdraws into itself and finds contentment there, the mind is invulnerable. It does nothing against its will, even if its resistance is irrational. And if its judgement is deliberate and grounded in logic…? The mind without passions is a fortress. No place is more secure. Once we take refuge there we are safe forever. Not to see this is ignorance. To See it and not seek safety means misery.

~ Marcus Aurelius

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Parkour and I, six years ago

June 7, 2021 · All posts on Jun 7

It’s endlessly rewarding to regularly read through my old journals. Six years ago, June 5 2015, I can now see was a turning point for me. I hopped in a car with John G. and Nick R. and headed to Brooklyn for what would be a life-changing experience.

I had been jumping on stuff pretty seriously for a few years, and the “USA Motion Tour”—a merry band of a few Yamakasi—was rolling into New York City. Two people, now good friends of mine after many years, hosted me on their floor. That was my first true “parkour floor” experience; two square meters to sleep, wifi and a bathroom. I trained my heart out, in a good way, and it was a gateway to countless and continuing adventures.

To everyone who was there— I cannot thank you enough. On commence ensemble, on finit ensemble.

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Foucault’s Pendulum

June 6, 2021 · All posts on Jun 6

Over on the Astronomy Stack Exchange site, (obviously I follow the “new questions” feed in my RSS reader,) someone asked if it was possible, without knowing the date, to determine one’s latitude only by observing the sun. These are the sorts of random questions that grab me by the lapels and shake me until an idea falls out.

So my first thought was: Well if you’re in the arctic or antarctic polar circles you could get a good idea… when you don’t see the sun for a few days. Also, COLD. But that feels like cheating and doesn’t give a specific value. Which left me with this vague feeling that it would take me several months of observations. I could measure the highest position of the sun over the passing days and months and figure out what season I was in…

…wait, actually, I should be able to use knowledge of the Coriolis Force—our old friend that makes water circle drains different in the northern and southern hemispheres, and is the reason that computers [people who compute] were first tasked with complex trigonometry problems when early artillery missed its targets because ballistics “appear” to curve to do this mysterious force because actually the ground rotates . . . where was I?

Coriolis Force, right. But wait! I don’t need the sun at all! All I need is a Foucault Pendulum and some trigonometry… Here I went to Wikipedia and looked it up—which saved me the I’m-afraid-to-actually-try-it hours of trying to derive it in spherical trig… anyway. A Foucault Pendulum exhibits rotation of the plane of the pendulum’s swing. Museums have these multi-story pendulums where the hanging weight knocks over little dominos as it rotates around. Cut to the chase: You only need to be able to estimate the sine function, and enough hours to measure the rotation rate of the swing-plane and you have it all; northern versus southern hemisphere and latitude.

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Culture

June 4, 2021 · All posts on Jun 4

The Halo Effect tells us that we will find a lot of false positives. The attributes we think are causal of success are the same ones we often deem causal of failure when company performance deteriorates. This is the strategy paradox.

~ Shane Parrish from, Culture Eats Strategy: Nucor’s Ken Iverson on Building a Different Kind of Company

It’s an interesting post about culture. I’m interested in Iverson’s memoir— But to be honest, I don’t have time enough as it is to read the shelves of books already in my possession. (Let alone the hundred in the “wishlist” queue.) So ima let this one pass.

But culture does interest me. I’m apparently an inveterate systems builder. For better, but often for worse, I’m drawn to build processes and communities. Once— just once— I’d like to see something I create grow on its own. Not, “…and make me rich” nor “…and make me famous.” Just simply grow on its own. A great idea is not enough. Skill and knowledge are not enough. Timing is not enough. Vision and charisma are not enough. There’s something ineffable—because if I could describe it I’d go do it rather than write rambling blog posts casting about for something I think, despite my efforts to look around, is always just out of my field of view… There is something ineffable which I am missing.

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Where’s the cake?

June 3, 2021 · All posts on Jun 3

Forty years ago, we had cake and asked for icing on top of it. Today, all we have left is the icing, and we’ve forgotten that the cake was ever there. If code isn’t licensed as “free,” you’d best leave it alone.

~ Cory Doctorow from, Cory Doctorow: IP

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This is a sweeping tour of software, and licenses and litigation and … well, it’s a sweeping tour of 40 years as software evolved into what people made of it. Humans move at human speeds. The best of us type north of a 100-words-per-minute, and we’re writing code that actually writes lower code that writes… about 5 layers deep. And day after day we invent new things and new ways to combine those things. We imagine great things and build great things and some of us imagine stupid shit and try to take advantage of others. But most of us just follow our “hey, that’s interesting…”

What’s going to happen in 40 years?

Hah, you thought I was going to end, as usual, on a question. No, I want to say clearly: I have not idea what’s going to happen in 40 years. I know that 30 years ago, I had not the slightest, tiniest, sliver, of an inkling of a clue what any of what we were scotch-taping together would become. A whole bunch of people, whom I had/continue-to-have, the distinct pleasure of exchanging ideas with… Well there’s a whole bunch of people building cool stuff, solving hard problems, and just generally moving the human race forward. Pretty durn happy to be tinkering away in my little corner of The Bazaar.

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Embracing the obstacles

June 2, 2021 · All posts on Jun 2

External things are not the problem. It’s your assessment of them. Which you can erase right now. If the problem is something in your own character, who’s stopping you from setting your mind straight? And if it’s that you’re not doing something you think you should be, why not just do it? —But here are insuperable obstacles. Then it’s not a problem. The cause of your inaction lies outside you. —But how can I go on living with that undone? Then depart, with a good conscience, as if you’d done it, embracing the obstacles too.

~ Marcus Aurelius, 8.47

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