There are particular features of programming which suck me in. Edge cases and error handling and making it as functional as possible… I can become engrossed for hours. Not one thought beyond the task at hand. Not one sound heard. Not one visual noticed beyond the edges of the screen. If it’s imperfect, it’s not done. It’s not useful until it’s done. The real world is fuzzy, programming and computers are not, and thus all the remainders stay in my head. None of that is good.
Programming, like architecture, is both art and science. Code must run, as buildings must stand, without crumbling. Alexander wrote about things which make us feel more whole in their presence, like the peach growing against the wall. In San Jose, he referred to that quality as “living structure.”
But sometimes I can build something for my own use which elegantly solves a problem. (Imagine here an Ionic column, for example.) But most of the time, software is just the machinations “behind” the screen. Alexander was (in my opinion) asking us to aim a little high.
When I remember all the friends so link’d together, I’ve seen around me fall, like leaves in wintry weather; I feel like one who treads alone some banquet hall deserted, Whose lights are fled, whose garlands dead, and all but he departed.
How do creative professionals refine their craft and maintain energy and perspective while balancing preparation, performance, and feedback in their work?
Explore the need for creative breaks and stepping away from a project, as Karen Morgan and Craig Constantine discuss the value of gaining fresh perspectives and reevaluating their work. They explore the world of stand-up comedy and beyond. Encouraging others to take the plunge, they emphasize the significance of initiating creative projects and letting go of technical worries.
In their engaging conversation, Karen and Craig explore various aspects of the stand-up comedy world. Touching on performance styles, Karen discusses her personal approach, revealing her preference for leaving the microphone in the stand. By doing so, she frees up her hands to incorporate gestures and act out certain elements of her stories, adding a visual component to her comedic performance.
You just have to talk into the microphone. You know, the rest of it is logistics and technology which you can figure out, but the part about talking in the microphone or interviewing people, you just gotta do it and then the technology kind of goes away.
~ Karen Morgan ~21’40”
They also discuss some of the challenges faced by new comics. Karen reflects on her own beginnings in stand-up comedy, recounting her participation in a comedy workshop twenty years ago. She fondly recalls how the instructor immediately pushed the students to stand up and talk into the microphone on the first night, instilling a sense of courage and determination. Drawing parallels to her own podcasting journey, Karen highlights the initial intimidation she felt towards the equipment and technical aspects. However, she emphasizes that ultimately, the most important part is simply talking into the microphone or conducting interviews, and the rest can be figured out along the way.
At some point, you need to take a little break, go for a walk, get some fresh air, then come back and you’ll see it differently or you’ll hear it differently. Sometimes after a show, I won’t listen to my stuff until the next day because I need a break from it. Like, ‘Oh, I can’t physically listen to this with a studious mind. Clearly, right now I’m too tired.’
~ Karen Morgan, ~23’15”
The conversation gets into the importance of taking breaks and gaining fresh perspectives. Karen draws parallels between her experiences in graphic design and comedy writing, explaining how stepping away from a creative project can bring new clarity. She emphasizes the importance of physically removing oneself from the work environment, taking a walk, or engaging in other activities before returning with a fresh mindset.
Craig adds to this notion by sharing his tendency to postpone listening to his recordings, recognizing that exhaustion can hinder the ability to evaluate and appreciate one’s own work objectively. This discussion highlights the importance of self-care and allowing oneself time and space to recharge, ensuring a more effective and insightful creative process.
Take-aways
Individuality in performance — The conversation highlights the diverse approaches that comedians take when performing stand-up comedy. This reminds us that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to comedy (or podcasting!), and performers have the freedom to develop their unique styles and methods to engage the audience.
The importance of mentorship — Karen mentions how she mentors a new comic who is just starting out in stand-up comedy. This emphasizes the value of mentorship and guidance in the comedy industry. Having an experienced comedian to offer advice, share insights, and provide support can be incredibly beneficial for newcomers, helping them navigate the challenges and refine their craft.
Taking breaks for a fresh perspective — Both Karen and Craig discuss the need to step away from their creative projects at times. They mention the importance of taking breaks, going for walks, or engaging in other activities to gain a fresh perspective and avoid getting too immersed in the details. This highlights the creative process and the significance of giving oneself space and time to recharge, allowing for new ideas and perspectives to emerge.
What is the impact of physical injuries and personal loss on an individual’s identity, community engagement, and resilience, particularly within the context of parkour and movement practice?
Join Eric Rubin and Craig Constantine as they reflect on the role of uncertainty in recovery and the need to accept and adapt to life-altering injuries, offering a glimpse into the emotional struggle of finding a new sense of self and purpose amidst uncertainty.
Parkour, and being part of the parkour community… was one of the few times where I felt this solace from the grief and a connection to people.
~ Eric Rubin, ~20’10”
Eric shares his personal journey of how parkour has played a significant role in his life, teaching him valuable lessons in persistence, adaptation, and creativity. He recounts how parkour became a source of solace and connection during a challenging time marked by the loss of his brother to suicide and a debilitating Achilles tendon injury.
The conversation dives into the emotional impact of personal loss and how it can affect one’s physical and mental well-being. Eric and Craig discuss the potential connections between emotional upheaval, such as grief, and the tendency to push oneself too hard in an effort to overcome challenges.
Finally, Eric expresses his struggle with uncertainty regarding his nerve injury and its long-term effects on his physical abilities. He shares his journey of acceptance, resilience, and finding ways to be a fulfilled individual regardless of the outcome, while still striving to give his best.
Throughout the conversation, the power of shared experiences, seeking inspiration from others who have faced similar challenges, and the importance of emotional support are emphasized. The transformative impact of parkour and the resilience it instills in individuals are central themes that emerge from Eric’s story.
Takeaways
The transformative power of parkour — Parkour is portrayed as a practice that instills perseverance, adaptability, and creativity, offering valuable life lessons beyond physical skills.
The interconnectedness of emotional and physical challenges — Eric’s experience with grief and his subsequent injury raises intriguing questions about the relationship between mental state, motivation, and the ability to overcome physical obstacles.
Embracing uncertainty and seeking new possibilities — Eric’s acceptance of uncertainty regarding his recovery emphasizes the importance of resilience and finding alternative paths to fulfillment, even in the face of unforeseen challenges.
These details may seem trivial to the foolish, but to the thoughtful they will not seem trivial. The proper, wise balancing of one’s whole life may depend upon the feasibility of a cup of tea at an unusual hour.
Back at the start of January I mentioned, “Indeed. If it is to my advantage tomorrow, it is much more so today.” My touch phrase, “choose today” for 2023 continues to be a poignant reminder. I’ve now written it at the bottom of every journal entry this year, it often comes to mind in moments when I most need it, and it always reminds me of this:
Stick to what’s in front of you—idea, action, utterance. This is what you deserve. You could be good today. But instead you choose tomorrow.
“If it is to my advantage tomorrow, it is much more so today.” is a direct quote of Epictetus. Aurelius was born shortly after Epictetus’s death. But Aurelius makes a point of thanking one of his teachers, Rusticus saying in part, “[…] And for introducing me to Epictetus’s lectures–and loaning me his own copy.”
Which leads me to the first thing “choose today” reminds me of each day: Knowledge, and in particular wisdom, are gained through others by seeking out those who have something you wish to learn. These people which I’m mentioning lived thousands of years ago. Others (in other traditions from other regions of the world in other centuries) have separately discovered these same ideas, which makes it clear to me that these ideas are worth considering.
The second thing “choose today” reminds me of is to be forward-looking. Certainly I want to observe and consider my past (and the past of others!) but I should be looking towards the future. If something feels urgent, then where exactly is that sense of urgency coming from, and is the urgency real? If something feels important— same questions. If something feels _insert_whatever_here_— same questions. And then, what can I choose today?
What are the challenges and approaches to developing oneself as an effective and compassionate Parkour coach?
Insights into balancing personal growth and teaching are shared by an experienced Parkour coach.
I like to say that not all athletes are good coaches, and not all good coaches are good athletes. And one of the things you run into, and this is also a huge part of what my talk was about is the ego. And these high skilled athletes oftentimes can run into this perspective of working with people who maybe aren’t as like, super interested in learning Parkour… If you’re trying to help people, and if you’re trying to help people grow, which is kind of the role that a coach plays, then you really got to step aside from that ego.
~ Niko Pal (2:16)
The conversation centers on the experiences and philosophies of an experienced Parkour coach. It explores the significance of self-awareness, ego, and intention in coaching, emphasizing that coaches must align their methods with their students’ goals rather than imposing their own perspectives. Niko discusses the theoretical aspects of coaching, particularly the importance of understanding why one coaches and what outcomes are desired for students. The pitfalls of ego in coaching are highlighted, particularly among high-skilled athletes transitioning to coaching.
Challenges like burnout, injury, and the loss of passion due to overcommitment are discussed as common obstacles for coaches. Niko advocates for developing support systems, setting boundaries, and maintaining a balance between coaching and personal training. The value of mentorship is also emphasized, with the speaker reflecting on their own lack of a mentor and their desire to support others in avoiding similar struggles. Ultimately, the conversation underscores the need for coaches to connect authentically with their students and community.
Takeaways
Not all skilled athletes make good coaches — coaching requires distinct skills like compassion and adaptability.
Ego management in coaching — stepping aside from personal pride to meet students where they are.
Burnout prevention — the importance of setting boundaries and maintaining a balance between coaching and personal goals.
Mentorship value — having a mentor can help navigate the challenges of coaching and accelerate growth.
Impact of injury — physical limitations can affect both personal training and coaching effectiveness.
Authentic connection with students — aligning coaching goals with students’ aspirations fosters genuine growth.
Support systems — having peers or mentors helps coaches recover from setbacks like burnout or injury.
Resources
Parkour Visions — Organization focused on Parkour training and coaching.
There are two types of ignorance, the pure, natural ignorance into which all people are born, and the ignorance of the so-called wise. You will see that many among those who call themselves scholars do not know real life, and they despise simple people and simple things.
One reason I write here, is because I think it’s healthy for me to work with the garage door up. My choice of the guideline that herein I write about myself and things I find lying about reminds me to stick with sharing my subjective experience. Long ago I began suppressing my urge to share my opinions, and gosh, that turns out to be liberating.
This is the birth of “epistemic humility” in Western philosophy: the acknowledgment that one’s blind spots and shortcomings are an invitation for ongoing intellectual investigation and growth.
The confetti gun of opinions seems always to be spewing. For a while I was concerned that my expanding humility would create a sort of power vacuum into which even more opinions of others would drift and settle. But, nope. Removing my contribution has made no difference in the fluttering mess. None the less, it’s simply nice not to feel urgency to contribute to the mess.
Is there a term for applying the Socratic method on oneself? Maybe, autosocraticism? Not simply self-examination or self-inquiry, but rather when you find yourself speaking with someone and realize you’ve just deployed the Socratic Method on yourself? Because this happens to me. I’m explaining something I’m thinking about, and I realize I actually don’t understand what I’m thinking about. (This is very close to “rubber duck debugging” where you can sometimes find the source of a problem by explaining it to a rubber duck. Yes, really.)
Also, a pull-quote is a self-quotation; a selection from the thing itself, presented earlier to suggest reading on is worthwhile.
And of course, I also need the past tense verb-form of that noun, just so I can write the sentence I really want to start with:
The other day I autosocratisized myself into realizing I had no freakin’ clue what the difference is between a pull-quote and a blockquote.
All of which confirms the (usually unspoken) truism about humans – we’re often wrong but never in doubt. We’re as sure of the future of our relationships as we are that 2+2=4.
Never say never. I’m often wrong and frequently in doubt.
Also, a pull-quote is a self-quotation; a selection from the thing itself, presented earlier to suggest reading on is worthwhile. Versus a blockquote; something quoted from another source, but which is too large to be just dropped inline wrapped in quotation marks.
I spend large amounts of time just thinking. That’s not so terrible, all things considered since there’s lots of actively anti-useful stuff I could be doing.
People have different personalities, goals, experiences, and levels of chance and serendipity, all of which make universal truths hard to find and difficult to teach. No matter how smart the world becomes, the best answer will always be, “You’ve got to figure it out for yourself.”
A lot of things work like that. Some of the most important topics are the hardest to teach, and real world experience is the only school.
There are certain traps for my mind. One insidious example is when I notice I’ve been doing prolonged thinking. …and then I start thinking about how I was thinking about whatever-it-was. …and might there be some underlying principle or knowledge that I don’t understand? …and maybe I should read more about that? …and maybe I should seek out others who know more about that?
Sometimes, I can manage to shake myself out of that. But usually, I have to simply lean into it for another hour, sometimes even the rest of the day (or week!) “Okay, I’m hung-up on this” and I have to try to go all in. After a real attempt at figuring it out, when I can apprehend just how bonkers-complex it would be, my mind simply let’s go of it.
Instead of feeling complacent about what you know, you must expand your knowledge to related fields, giving your mind fuel to make new associations between different ideas. You must experiment and look at problems from all possible angles. As your thinking grows more fluid, your mind will grow increasingly dimensional, seeing more and more aspects of reality. In the end, you will turn against the very rules you have internalized, shaping and reforming them to suit your spirit.
An eternal question which I find myself frequently pondering: When to stick with something and when to dramatically pivot (or outright quit)? Pondering this problem is not a recent development. I have countless stories going back as far as I can remember—all the way back to little-kid baseball at, perhaps, age 10.
[…] there’s not a lot of readily available answers to the question of what the meaning of life is. The only answer I’ve been able to come up with for myself is this: to ensure that my presence on this earth makes it better than if I hadn’t lived at all. Whether or not I’ll have managed to achieve that is an unknowable calculation. All I can do is try to love this stupid, cruel, wonderful, gorgeous world I’ve been given through an accident of entropy, and hope that I can give it a better than equivalent exchange.
When I find I’m staring into space, pondering the stick-or-pivot question, a two-part test has been getting me moving again: If I keep doing the thing (upon which I’m pondering sticking or pivoting) are my efforts making the world a better place, and does what I’m doing have a clear end-goal?
The perhaps counter-intuitive part is that while I want a ‘yes’ (obviously!) for the first part of that test, I want a ‘no‘ for the second part. When I have a clear end-goal things don’t work out well. I find I generally misunderstand in the beginning of a thing what would be a good end goal, and worse, I lose interest once I understand what done looks like for the long-arc of the thing. Far better it seems to point myself in a makes the world better direction, and wonder onward.