Author: Craig Constantine

Awareness with Dori Fern →

Published May 16, 2022  ·  All posts on May 16

How can one effectively initiate and navigate meaningful conversations about race to foster understanding and progress?

Exploring the “messy middle” of personal change brings an unfiltered lens to life’s transformations.

A lot about this time in my life has been to move towards deeply important things where I think I can make a difference.

~ Dori Fern (29:52)

The conversation begins with reflections on a podcast project about navigating the “messy middle” of life transitions. This project explores the emotional and logistical challenges faced during significant changes, particularly focusing on authenticity and openness rather than expertise. Conversations also touch upon societal issues such as race and inclusion, emphasizing the need for candid dialogues to address personal biases and systemic inequities.

A significant part of the dialogue explores the challenges of initiating meaningful conversations about race. Dori recounts personal experiences, including the hypocrisy observed in progressive circles and the transformative impact of diverse friendships. These experiences inform a commitment to fostering understanding and purpose, particularly through confronting difficult topics and engaging with varied perspectives.

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Balance with Sam Sweet and Ben Klein →

Published May 16, 2022  ·  All posts on May 16  ·  

Balance – with Sam Sweet and Ben Klein

What unique insights and experiences do practitioners of partner acrobatics and group acrobatics share about their journey, techniques, and community-building?

Partner acrobatics is a very deep discipline where you can get into very, very advanced poses that take a long time. […] I’d say it’s got a very friendly start to the learning curve. And then it gets harder from there.

~ Ben Klein (2:11)

Partner acrobatics offers a unique blend of trust, technique, and teamwork rarely found in solo practices.

The mental game of acrobatics, partner acrobatics specifically, is something that I struggle with because I had a stronger… solo practice when I was younger.

~ Sam Sweet (6:17)

The conversation explores the unique aspects of partner and group acrobatics. The discussion highlights the discipline’s friendly learning curve, allowing beginners to perform seemingly advanced maneuvers quickly. Sam and Ben emphasize the mental challenges, such as overcoming fear and adapting to being upside down or off-balance. The dynamics of partnership require trust, communication, and synchronization between participants.

Another major theme is the difference between solo and group movement practices. Group acrobatics introduces challenges of collaboration and safety, especially when multiple participants form complex structures. Ben and Sam also describe the cultural and community aspects of acrobatics, showcasing the blend of creativity, interpersonal skills, and physical strength required in these practices.

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Moderation →

Published May 16, 2022  ·  All posts on May 16  ·  

Moderation resembles temperance. We are not so unwilling to eat more, as afraid of doing ourselves harm by it.

~ Rochefoucauld

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Chesterton’s Fence →

Published May 16, 2022  ·  All posts on May 16

As simple as Chesterton’s Fence is as a principle, it teaches us an important lesson. Many of the problems we face in life occur when we intervene with systems without an awareness of what the consequences could be. We can easily forget that this applies to subtraction as much as to addition.

~ Shane Parrish from, Chesterton’s Fence: A Lesson in Thinking

I’m going to ‘fess up and say that I don’t recall ever hearing of “Chesterton’s Fence.” If you too just went, “who’s what?” then do check out that article.

That said, I’m nervously thinking everything about it—his fence, that article—seems obvious to me. Not simple, but obvious. Any time I find myself with such thinking, rather than stand on my megalomaniac soap box and yell at “those kids”, I instead begin searching for a clear reason for why I know, what I am claiming seems obvious.

In this case, the knowledge comes from learning systems thinking. Somewhere along my way I learned to think about everything as systems of things. I’m always trying to see how this thing is related to, dependent on, and causative of, some other things. Somewhere along my way I found Chesterton’s fence, (but the fence system didn’t include long-term planning for owner identification and so the fence I apparently found wasn’t labeled.)

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Routine →

Published May 14, 2022  ·  All posts on May 14  ·  ,

Routine, in an intelligent man, is a sign of ambition.

~ W. H. Auden

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Discipline →

Published May 14, 2022  ·  All posts on May 14  ·  ,

The end for self-discipline is personal improvement; the end for discipline lies beyond the self. This distinction helps explain why individuals can be incredibly self-disciplined and yet see very little external achievement as a result. Sure, they never miss a day writing in their journal and never lose their temper, but those displays of self-mastery don’t automatically lead to outward success.

~ Brett McKay from, Are You Disciplined or Just Self-Disciplined?

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There are lots of ways to talk about this distinction; the particular way described by McKay comes from an author he’s interviewed. I’d never thought about is as “discipline” versus “self-discipline.” I’d always thought of discipline as a thing, and then the “self-” prefix in “self-discipline” means that thing done to myself. And I’m not going to change how I use the words, “discipline,” and “self-discipline.” I see why they’re using “discipline” and “self-discipline.” I think I’d prefer to use, “inward-directed,” and, “outward-directed,” discipline. Everything I do to myself is self-discipline, but when my goal is to change myself, then it’s “inward-directed,” and when my goal is to change the world, then it’s “outward-directed.”

But the point of the distinction is very interesting. Do I actually have goals which are the, “why?” behind my self-discipline? Are those goals an appropriate mixture of inward- and outward-directed?

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Collaboration with Ben Franke →

Published May 13, 2022  ·  All posts on May 13  ·  

Collaboration with Ben Franke

What insights can a photographer share about the collaborative process of capturing movement, particularly when working with athletes?

Discover the intersection of art and athleticism through the lens of a movement-focused photographer.

Having been around so many different athletes, I think what’s really fascinating to me is the process, where you get a front-row seat to the process of them breaking a jump. And working through the challenges. And I can’t get enough of that. That is— I find that so amazing, where someone just gets in a zone. And then they can do this thing.

~ Ben Franke (16:11)

The conversation highlights the intricate collaboration involved in capturing dynamic movement in photography. Ben shares his approach to working closely with athletes, emphasizing the importance of understanding the movement art they practice. This partnership allows him to create compelling images while respecting the athletes’ physical limits. The interaction between artist and subject enriches the process, enabling both to come away with something meaningful.

A significant portion of the discussion revolves around the creative process, from compositional choices made in the moment to post-processing decisions. Ben also reflects on the evolution of their practice, highlighting a preference for collaborative and thoughtful work over impersonal or candid photography. Practical advice is offered to aspiring photographers, encouraging experimentation and active exploration as a path to discovering personal style.

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Challenge with Ken Kaus →

Published May 13, 2022  ·  All posts on May 13

What motivates and challenges individuals when starting and developing a podcast?

Posting a daily question for years transforms a personal habit into a creative legacy.

I am a creator, like— I have this creative— …how did I do this? I just— …just made a decision one day.

~ Ken Kaus (28:35)

The conversation explores the challenges and motivations behind starting a podcast. It begins with reflections on technical aspects such as editing, which surprisingly becomes manageable for Ken due to previous experience with audio software. Imposter syndrome and self-doubt are discussed as significant obstacles to creativity, alongside strategies for pushing through discomfort, like publishing imperfect episodes and focusing on growth rather than perfection.

Another theme revolves around self-expression and communication. Ken reveals how podcasting helps clarify their thoughts and improve everyday communication. He share his practice of posting daily questions as a way to cultivate creativity and build a consistent habit, which now informs his identity as a creator. Both Craig and Ken agree that small steps and persistence are crucial in creative pursuits, offering listeners insights into overcoming personal and professional barriers.

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Slow →

Published May 13, 2022  ·  All posts on May 13  ·  

The superior man wishes to be slow in his words and earnest in his conduct.

~ Confucius

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Screens and screen time →

Published May 13, 2022  ·  All posts on May 13  ·  

I read and hear a lot about how excessive “screen time” is bad. But there’s a distinction that has to be made: Is the “screen time” tool-use to accomplish something meaningful? …because tool-use is not bad for you. We don’t begrudge the time a mechanic spends wielding his tools; we call that “working.”

Today I spent nearly every waking minute in front of one of four different computer screens. For reasons of sanity and physical health, sometimes I was sitting, sometimes standing, sometimes indoors and outdoors for long stretches too. I also take intentional “vision breaks” to allow my eye muscles to relax—literally relax to infinite focusing distance, which they would otherwise never do facing a screen, or anywhere indoors.

What did I do? I did an enormous number of things. Here are a few examples from today: I submitted a presenter application for an in-person event in September. I worked on my presentation notes for a different, in-person event in 2 weeks. I researched and experimented with exporting the contents of a WordPress site, and then read and interpreted the massive data which was output, to verify that I could later write a program to parse it. I then planned out the work needed to disassemble the project, of which that WordPress site is but one piece. I estimate I spent three hours reading text articles I’d previously queued up to read later. I helped a member of a community sort out a problem they were having.

I, truly, don’t know about you. I however, am an excellent mechanic, with the finest tools, and there remain far more things worth doing than I can ever get done. My problem is not, “screen time.”

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