Craig Constantine

Andrew Suseno: Ancestors, Parcon Resilience, and Racism →

Published June 10, 2020 · All posts on Jun 10 · Movers Mindset

Andrew Suseno: Ancestors, Parcon Resilience, and Racism

How can movement practices like Parcon Resilience foster connection, empathy, and anti-racism in diverse communities?

Andrew Suseno’s Parcon goes beyond the physical to create community and fight racism. Andrew discusses his family, ancestors, and their role in his identity. We explore what Parcon is, why he created Parcon Resilience, and his vision for the anti-racist work it does. Andrew unpacks various pieces of racism in modern America, how Parcon Resilience addresses it, and shares why the work he does inspires him.

When somebody is Parcon’ing with somebody who might be in a chair— who might have the ability to maybe do a couple steps if they had somebody in kind of a dynamic balance with them or helping take off some of their weight— Then all of a sudden it becomes possible! There’s this invitation across ability to be able to create new possibilities for being in public, for being in the world, and it’s not just a singular thing.
~ Andrew Suseno (17:48)

The discussion explores Parcon Resilience as an innovative practice combining movement, community, and anti-racist principles. Andrew goes into the origins of Parcon Resilience, blending influences from contact improvisation and parkour to create relational and environmental somatic experiences. The practice emphasizes inclusivity, enabling people of all abilities to connect and express themselves, often in public spaces, to challenge societal norms about movement and relationships.

The conversation also addresses broader themes of racism, intersectionality, and ancestral connections. Andrew explains how Parcon Resilience helps people embody anti-racism by fostering empathy and honoring diverse experiences. Discussions include the socio-political implications of movement and the transformative potential of connecting with one’s environment, others, and ancestral history.

(more…)

Interrupt driven →

Published June 10, 2020 · All posts on Jun 10 · Internet Tech

Think about this question for a moment. The Apollo program was massive in size and complexity. It was executed at an incredible pace (only eight years spanned Kennedy’s pledge to Armstrong’s steps) and it yielded innovations at a staggering rate.

And it was all done without e-mail.
~ Cal Newport from, How We Sent a Man to the Moon Without E-mail and Why it Matters Today – Cal Newport

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Not just without email, but without computers or networks or cell phones or even hand calculators. They did it with paper, drafting tools and slide rules. Meetings, planning, and most importantly:

Communication.

All these tools that I have are only useful if I understand how they work. When you first start working in some field, you get the most basic tools—two manual, screwdrivers; one straight-blade and one Philips head. When you can tell me why the Philips head was invented, you can have a hand driver with interchangeable driver heads (“bits.”) When you can use them all… When you see a screw-head and pick the right bit… When you’ve exhausted your forearm from driving screws, then you can have a power driver. When you use the friction clutch correctly, you can have a larger power driver. And so on. (You can tell the quality of the craftsman by the way they maintain their tools. Yes, skilled persons can do great work with shitty tools. But at mastery level, the art is expressed in the tools themselves. Yes, all arts.)

So yes, you really do need to understand the different between wifi, cellular and Ethernet; between Apple’s IM, carrier SMS, and WhatsApp; between email, Google Docs, and Word.

As Carl Sagan wrote, “We live in a society…“

Nikkie Zanevsky | Partner Games & Mobility →

Published June 10, 2020 · All posts on Jun 10

On Castbox.fm — Nikkie Zanevsky | Partner Games & Mobility

How can engaging in partner-based movement games and external variables enhance physical adaptability and uncover gaps in personal movement practices?

Exploring how others shape our environment can lead to unexpected breakthroughs in movement and training.

[T]he point for me is, it’s someone else changing the environment. So you—as the person coming in and interacting with that environment—you can’t default to your patterns, because you have to react to something someone else is doing.
~ Nikkie Zanevsky (6:57)

The conversation explores the use of partner games and external tools, such as PVC pipes, to enhance movement and adaptability in physical training. The session focuses on creating scenarios where participants cannot rely solely on habitual patterns but must respond dynamically to changing environments. This approach draws from disciplines like Parkour, fighting monkey, and natural movement practices, aiming to challenge participants’ movement in new and unpredictable ways.

A significant emphasis is placed on the value of collaborative practice, as working with others exposes blind spots and encourages creative adaptation. The discussion highlights specific drills involving throwing, catching, and navigating around PVC pipes, with variations that challenge agility, coordination, and responsiveness. The role of environmental context, whether in natural outdoor settings or urban spaces, also plays a crucial part in shaping how participants engage with the exercises.

Takeaways

Engaging with partners — Training with others exposes blind spots and reveals movement weaknesses.

Environmental adaptability — Changing environments forces practitioners to break habitual patterns.

Simple tools — Objects like PVC pipes serve as effective catalysts for complex movement challenges.

Play and competition — Incorporating game elements enhances learning and makes repetitive drills engaging.

Collaborative learning — Observing and imitating peers enriches personal practice and encourages creativity.

Unpredictable variables — Introducing randomness through partners or tools helps improve reaction time and adaptability.

Softness and flow — Learning to soften and receive energy during partner exercises enhances movement fluidity.

Resources

getwildlyfit.com — Official website for Wildly Fit, offering movement-based coaching and resources.

Get Wildly Fit @getwildlyfit — Nikki Zanevsky’s movement coaching practice, showcasing partner drills and movement games.

Art of Retreat — Organization hosting leadership and education retreats focused on Parkour and movement disciplines.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

No and yes →

Published June 9, 2020 · All posts on Jun 9 · 7 for Sunday

Because we can’t say no—because we might miss out on something if we did. We think “yes” will let us accomplish more, will give us more of what we want, when in reality it prevents exactly what we seek. All of us waste precious life doing things we don’t like, to prove ourselves to people we don’t respect, and to get things we don’t want.
~ Ryan Holiday from, How To Say “No”: Advice From The World’s Most Powerful Man

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Accepting and rejecting are two sides of the same coin. A lot—I contemplated writing “all”—of my problems came from being unable to intentionally say, “yes,” or being unable to intentionally say, “no.” When completely lacking the skill from either side of this coin, I’m a puppet for others. I’m one of those doormats that says, “WELCOME,” come on in and use me.

But simply developing both of the skills is not enough. I needed to learn to balance the skills; To balance the requirements of life with the pursuits of pleasure, leisure, and creativity. That requires a finer control of these, “yes,” and, “no,” skills.

I occasionally encounter people who speak of, “always saying, ‘yes and…’.” That’s utter nonsense. One can only say once to the pan-handler on the street asking for money, “yes, and take my house.” Or to the myriad of people clamoring for one’s attention online, “yes, and…” scrolling scrolling scrolling and… the whole hour is lost.

The mastery level of, “no,” and, “yes,” is to go beyond reacting to life—figuring out which tool to deploy in this situation—to intentionally using, “no,” and, “yes,” to navigate life.

Distraction, Busyness, Hurrying: No.

Discovery, Reflection, Efficacy: Yes, and…

Desire and aversion →

Published June 8, 2020 · All posts on Jun 8 · Quotes

Desire and aversion, though powerful, are but habits. And we can train ourselves to have better habits. Restrain the habit of being repelled by all those things that aren’t within your control, and focus instead on combating things within your power that are not good for you.
~ Epictetus

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Equipment matters →

Published June 7, 2020 · All posts on Jun 7 · Podcasting, Conversation

I have a confession to make: even though I love sound, I don’t really like sound equipment. […] Unfortunately, my bad attitude clashes with an important truth about audio storytelling: your equipment matters.
~ Andrew Wardlaw from, Recording Kit Tune Up

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Today, more of a bookmarking post than deep thinking. If you do anything with recording interviews—or even if you just own ONE cable to charge your phone—this article is chock-full of neat ideas.

…of course, if you’re into recording, I recommend handing your cash/cards over to someone you trust before reading it. I confess I was off on a few sites hovering over the buy button on a few new toys. ;)

Knowing when to stop →

Published June 6, 2020 · All posts on Jun 6

This editing continues until the painting is finished. The criterion for what constitutes a “finished” work is reaching the stage at which you are no longer sure whether applying additional changes makes it better or worse. So there is a real possibility of making things worse than they were by not stopping at the right moment. Incidentally, this is the main argument for taking frequent breaks from your work, even at the risk of interrupting a flow state. Doing so allows you to take a more detached, if not completely objective, look at the current state of your work and thus avoid making costly mistakes.
~ Peter Oshkai from, Ways to fail

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This is a brilliant way to tell when to stop.

I also believe that stopping while in the flow state is a good way to set oneself up for the next working session. I call it “parking on the hill”—which is a reference to strategically parking one’s car, nose downhill, on a hill so that it can be jump-started using the manual transmission. When stopping a work session, it’s obvious how to pre-position all the physical materials, the space, etc.. But stopping mid-flow also means, in my opinion, your mind is “parked on a hill” as well.

Hey remember that time when… →

Published June 5, 2020 · All posts on Jun 5

Do you remember how you felt, and what you said, when you were trying to put forward the best version of yourself to win someone’s amorous attention? Really think about that for a minute.

Now, presuming you are lucky enough to be in a relationship at the moment—perform the following exercise:

Sit down with that person and start bragging about all of your shared stories as if they were things you did before you met them…

“One time, I went to the Grand Canyon in the winter and saw the most awesome snow squall blow up the valley!”

…then they counter with, “Neat! I once was strolling up a side street in Paris and I stumbled over a famous bakery that I’d read a book about—the Madelienes were to die for!”

“Wow! I once saw the sunset from the top of the Tokyo tower and then ate the best sushi…”

“I was in Trafalgar Square for Guy Fawkes night and then I went and listened to a Vespers concert in a church…”

“omg that reminds me I saw the Salisbury Cathedral and had this conversation with a random person who was crazy-passionate about how they built the cathedral…”

“…huh, I once hiked miles into the forest, to the top of a mountain in Kamakura Japan—oh, the mist and the wind and the trees where amazing.”

“wow! I spent a week in the French Alps with a couple of the people who created Parkour—except that’s not what they call it…”

“Really? I once rented a car and drove all over the Cottswalds in England…”

“Neat! I took a road trip to Boston and walked the entire Freedom Trail and had a picnic lunch at Bunker Hill in the shade.”

…and so on and so on.

Let me know how it works out.

Change →

Published June 4, 2020 · All posts on Jun 4 · Conversation

What’s the shortest question that can make a difference?

I really don’t mind the noise →

Published June 3, 2020 · All posts on Jun 3 · Conversation

I’ve always had poor hearing.

(Yes, it’s been looked into. No, there’s no specific reason. Pro-tip: Some humans have sub-average hearing.)

So so so many things I could unpack about my personality, and who I am, which I now think are related to my hearing. For example, I’ve always been loud and gee, I wonder if being louder was related to my hearing. :) Put cotton in your ears and see how loud you start talking… Anywho.

Exactly three years ago I went and got hearing aids. Now most people who need them, hem and haw and fight their wives—oops, did I just call out the men? I flipped to the “team hearing aids” in one conversation.

I was at someone’s house, in the evening after a wonderful meal. Bunch of us hanging out and we’re having an incredible conversation. I was about 8 podcast episodes into my [what would become the] Movers Mindset project. One of the people in the conversation was someone I really wanted to interview; not that night, but soon.

And I was seriously pissed that I couldn’t hear half of what was being said.

Next day I made an appointment for the following week. I bought a pair (they aren’t cheap) at my first appointment. I call them my cyborg implants; I am Craig of Borg. Everyone who knows me well, was like, “hey what happened to Craig he suddenly got drastically quieter?”

What does any of this have to do with my title?

OH. MY. GAWD. BECKY the world is loud! The birds and the planes—did you know jets make noise when they fly over?—and the highway a mile over and the road when you drive and people… holy cow are some people REALLY LOUD! And podcast interviews… when I’m interviewing people, with headphones on, or talking in person, or strolling down the street where I can’t see their lips (aside: I read lips very well)… ambrosia through my ears. But the world is LOUD.

…and I love every second of it.