Author: Craig Constantine

Collaboration with Cassandra Ellis

July 26, 2022

How can the experience of working collaboratively in podcasting inform and enhance creative and personal growth?

Supporting others’ podcasting journeys can provide surprising insights into personal creativity.

Listening to that has led me to situations and experiences and people that make—that have me feeling uncomfortable in a good way, uncomfortable in a, ‘Oh, this is the next thing.

~ Cassandra Ellis (19:52)

The discussion emphasizes the importance of relationships in fostering creativity and collaboration, especially in the context of podcasting. Cassandra shares insights about hosting a “creativity potluck,” an event that inspired a collaborative partnership in supporting another’s podcast project. This interaction highlights the value of seeing creative work as part of an artistic continuum rather than a solitary task.

The conversation also explores how discomfort can be a catalyst for growth, urging creators to lean into challenges and follow their intuition. Recognizing podcasting as a relationship-driven process rather than an isolating endeavor provides a framework for discovering blind spots, whether technical, emotional, or creative. The exchange advocates for embracing small acts of courage and openness to serendipity.

Takeaways

Relationships in creativity — Learning happens best in connection with others or with non-human elements like nature.

The value of discomfort — Growth often comes from stepping outside one’s comfort zone.

Collaborative roles — Reframing roles as partnerships enhances creative dynamics.

Continuum of creativity — Podcasting and similar endeavors are part of broader artistic expressions.

Intuition and serendipity — Listening to internal cues can guide transformative decisions.

Blind spots in podcasting — Identifying personal or professional gaps can lead to better outcomes.

Interpersonal growth — Supporting others fosters unexpected self-discovery.

Resources

Virtual birthday creativity potluck — An event concept designed to celebrate and share creativity among participants.

Support groups for newsletters — Initiatives that focus on helping individuals develop and maintain email newsletters.

Rule Breakers Support Group — A renamed initiative encouraging people to rethink self-imposed rules, especially in business.

Podcasters’ collaborative retreats — A concept where podcasters meet to share ideas and develop creative projects together.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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Forgetting

July 26, 2022

I think we are well advised to keep on nodding terms with the people we used to be, whether we find them attractive company or not. Otherwise they turn up unannounced and surprise us, come hammering on the mind’s door at 4 a.m. of a bad night and demand to know who deserted them, who betrayed them, who is going to make amends. We forget all too soon the things we thought we could never forget. We forget the loves and the betrayals alike, forget what we whispered and what we screamed, forget who we were.

~ Joan Didion

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Guilt loops

July 26, 2022

Guilt is the emotion that you feel when you believe you have failed to live up to your own moral standards. It is perhaps the most enervating emotion. It makes you want to curl up in a little ball to block it out and avoid it.

~ Jean Moroney from, Dealing with Earned Guilt Loops – Thinking Directions

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This raises an interesting question for me. There’s a lot I’ve considered in how I think when I’m depressed. (I mean, thinking when I’m not depressed, about how I think when I am depressed.) There are a lot of valuable ideas and actionable things in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. For all my efforts though (including professional therapy), I’ve never thought that guilt might be a source. I’ve surely considered it in passing. That phrase up there, “your own moral standards,” however slaps hard. Because I have insanely (using that word in the literal sense), high moral standards for myself. Seems to be that notching down to extremely high moral standards, and paying close attention to adding a modifier, “aspirational,” might be a wise maneuver.

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Transitions with Jessica Burdett

July 25, 2022

How can podcasting be used as a tool for exploring personal and professional transitions?

Exploring the potential of podcasting reveals its role in both research and personal discovery.

Transitions for me are about spaces of change. And they are exciting to me because there’s movement happening and so the fact that there is movement happening means that if you lean into the movement. You can have a lot of really lovely things come out of it.

~ Jessica Burdett (11:19)

The conversation explores how podcasting can serve as a medium for both personal and professional growth. Jessica discusses the role of podcasting in fostering creativity, allowing space for exploration, and potentially contributing to developmental research in coaching. She reflects on how podcasting can help capture stories that provide insights into transitions and identity development.

A significant focus is placed on transitions as moments of change and growth. Jessica shares her fascination with these periods, emphasizing their potential for identity formation and the role of coaching in navigating such changes. The conversation also touches on Jessica’s evolving perspective on auditory learning, noting how podcasting has helped her recognize new learning strengths and opportunities.

Takeaways

Podcasting as a creative space — Its flexibility supports exploratory learning and creativity.

Transitions and identity — They offer a unique opportunity for growth and identity development.

Story-based research — Exploring stories can reveal patterns and trends in human behavior and transitions.

Coaching and transitions — Coaching methods can align well with navigating periods of change.

Auditory learning growth — Podcasting enhances listening skills and expands learning modalities.

Challenges in academic exploration — Researching underexplored areas like transitions in coaching poses unique challenges and opportunities.

Resources

Brené Brown — Known for her work in story-based research, particularly in vulnerability and courage.

Babble concept — A metaphor for creative thinking and learning, highlighting the iterative process of refining ideas.

Polish proverb — “Not my circus, not my monkeys,” illustrating detachment from external stressors.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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Ryan Mallon: Bushwacking, Parkour, and Making Your Own Path

July 25, 2022

Ryan Mallon: Bushwacking, Parkour and making your own path

The journey from New Jersey to Asheville reveals how a Parkour athlete reshaped his movement training in the wilderness.

Ryan Mallon is a parkour athlete, coach, rock climber, and general outdoorsman. His personal journey includes being an American Parkour sponsored athlete, and an APK ambassador. He’s coached state champion and regional-placing gymnasts, and has competed in World Chase Tag USA. More recently, Ryan spends much of his time in the beautiful mountains outside of Asheville, North Carolina, hiking, climbing, and photographing nature.

[Impact is a complicated subject.] I think the best way I can whittle that down—and I think a lot of people tend to agree with this—is bringing things to the public attention always is a double edged sword. […] The more places people know about, and can spread out to, will lessen impact in a singular spot.

~ Ryan Mallon (30:00)

The conversation explores how movement disciplines like Parkour can integrate with natural landscapes. Starting from structured training in a gym, the discussion transitions to adapting techniques for outdoor environments, particularly in North Carolina’s mountainous regions. Topics include the creative process of identifying and utilizing natural challenges for training and the unique perspective gained from exploring untouched environments.

It also touches on ecological concerns and the impact of human activity on natural spaces. Ryan emphasizes a balance between sharing access to beautiful, lesser-known locations and ensuring minimal ecological disruption. Discussions about coaching and community-building underline the value of teaching methodologies that empower others while cultivating personal growth through exploration.

Takeaways

The adaptability of Parkour — Techniques evolve from structured environments to embrace natural challenges.

Coaching as a skill — The ability to break down movements to foundational levels is key to being an effective coach.

Integrating outdoor exploration — Wilderness exploration can serve as a dynamic training ground, blending movement disciplines with nature.

Ecological awareness — Balancing public access with conservation is critical in managing natural spaces responsibly.

Personal evolution through movement — Training in nature fosters growth, creativity, and resilience.

Building community — Combining technical skills and shared experiences strengthens connections among practitioners.

Resources

Ryan Mallon @ryanmallonpk

American Parkour — A community and resource hub for Parkour enthusiasts.

Gaia GPS — A mapping and GPS navigation app used for planning explorations.

World Chase Tag — A competitive tag event that highlights agility and strategy.

Leave No Trace — An organization promoting responsible outdoor practices.

Blue Ridge Mountains — The geographical area central to the speaker’s exploration and training.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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The moment

July 25, 2022

The moment that you feel that, just possibly, you’re walking down the street naked, exposing too much of your heart and your mind and what exists on the inside, showing too much of yourself. That’s the moment you may be starting to get it right.

~ Neil Gaiman

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Time amplifies

July 25, 2022

The small choices we make on a daily basis either work for us or against us. One choice puts time on your side. The other ensures it’s working against you. Time amplifies what you feed it.

~ Shane Parrish from, The Small Steps of Giant Leaps

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I don’t truly know if I’m unique. For me, the only way I can manage to feel as if I’ve enough time in my day is if I’m ruthless with myself about not giving my time away. I’ve spent so many decades feeling harried and busy… only to realize, duh, I did that to myself. I’ve spent so many dark days simply wanting some peace… only to realize, duh, all this craziness, I chose that. Somehow, I managed to slowly let this same idea Parrish mentions seep into my bones. Now I feel like I’m able to relax and simply experience being, through most of my days. Sometimes, I even take naps. My 25-year-old self would be horrified.

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The Internet

July 24, 2022

Ultimately, the goal is not to stop using the internet, or even minimize its use, but to put it back into a box in the basement where it belongs. The first step is to discover what I’m up against. If I find a way to make the internet small again, I’ll write a book about it so others can do it too.

~ David Cain from, How to Make the Internet Small Again

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I’ve been beating this drum for years, (eg, here’s a search for “use you”.) I don’t want to put the Internet literally into a box and then stuff it in the basement. (Even setting aside that I don’t have a basement.) The Internet is nothing more than a tool. The Internet, but also TV, food, politics, religion, music, your car(s?), books, or even hoarding [sometimes misspelled “collecting”] things… one can have a dysfunctional relationship with anything. (Truth in blogging: My addiction is TV and snacking.)

Don’t think my little paragraphs here are meant to diminish what Cain wrote. Go read that, it’s better than what I’ve written here. Rather, my point is simply that we each need to figure out—for each of those things I listed above, and every other thing—are we using it, or are we letting it use us.

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Our relationship with death

July 23, 2022

We now live in a world where [our relationship with detah] is the complete opposite. We have to repress the very thought of it. We can’t see it anywhere. It’s put into hopitals where it’s sanitized, where it happens behind closed doors. Nobody ever talks about it. Nobody tells you this is probably the most important life skill that you could have—to know how to deal with that fear of mortality. Nobody teaches that. Your parents don’t talk about it. Your girlfriend or boyfriend—they don’t talk about it. Nobody. It’s a dirty little secret. But it’s the only reality we have. We’re all going to die.

~ Robert Greene

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Radically brilliant

July 23, 2022

Maria Montessori’s ideas about education stem from the principles of choice, individual dignity, spontaneous order, experimental discovery, and freedom of movement. They stand in radical contrast to traditional schooling, too often based on authority, central planning, rigid instruction, and force. She once described children in such schools as “butterflies stuck with pins, fixed in their places.”

~ David Kirby from, Maria Montessori’s ‘Libertarian View of Children’

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This is a great introduction to Montessori, both the person and her ideas about education. Back in the Precambrian Era, my school district did a few decidedly Montessorian things. Did those make a difference for me? …were they the most important things in my primary education? Great questions for which I’ve no answer. I will say that my greatest memories—the ones that are about education, not the ones which simply happened in and around my schooling as great as those are—from primary education are from those decidedly unusual-for-that-time methods. The proof is in the pudding, as they say.

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Editing with Christi Cassidy

July 22, 2022

How does expertise in book editing influence podcast production and storytelling?

Podcasting challenges traditional storytelling approaches from book editing.

It’s hard finding that story, and everybody of course talks about it— all the [professionals], you know, in their newsletters and books— and I’m like where is it? Where is it?! Help me out. I know it’s here somewhere.

~ Christi Cassidy (6:30)

The conversation centers on the relationship between book editing and podcast production. It explores how skills in editing text, such as identifying verbal tics and structuring content, translate to editing podcasts. A notable challenge is finding a coherent story arc within the fluid and nonlinear format of audio conversations.

Further discussion touches on the creative aspirations for podcasting, including integrating layered audio elements such as music and sound effects to enrich the listener’s experience. The practicalities of podcast artwork and the psychological impact of visual elements in audio media are also examined.

Takeaways

Editing techniques from books — help identify and remove verbal tics in podcasts.

Finding story arcs in podcasts — remains a challenge despite parallels with book editing.

Creative ambitions in podcasting — include layering sound and voices for richer audio.

Visual elements in podcasts — serve as a crucial bridge between social media and audio platforms.

Hardwired human tendencies — show strong attraction to visuals, like faces and album art.

Practicalities of production — involve balancing creative desires with technical realities.

Resources

Moving Along podcast — Hosted by Christi Cassidy, available on major platforms like Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts.

Descript — A software tool for podcast editing, utilized for transcript-based workflows.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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Investigation with James Adams

July 22, 2022

Investigation – with James Adams

What role does problem-solving and creativity play in the intersection of programming, parkour, and personal growth?

The discussion reveals how creativity and self-discipline shape one’s approach to challenges in life and movement.

Sometimes the right thing to do is to walk away from the problem or to recognize that it’s not the right time or you’re not in the right place for it.

~ James Adams (14:39)

The conversation explores the intersection of programming, parkour, and personal growth, highlighting the common thread of problem-solving. A discussion unfolds about how programming serves as a versatile tool, akin to a multipurpose screwdriver, allowing for efficiency and creativity in tackling challenges. This framework extends to parkour, where physical and mental obstacles mirror problem-solving in technical domains.

The social dynamics of parkour play a significant role in fostering confidence and personal development. The practice’s non-competitive, collaborative nature offers opportunities for self-improvement and resilience. Topics of balance and burnout emerge, with reflections on the importance of stepping back when challenges become overwhelming. Additionally, James shares insights into his Parkour Clinic project, which provides free sports therapy consultations, blending his technical expertise and passion for movement.

Takeaways

Programming as a tool — Provides efficiency and a creative outlet for problem-solving.

Social aspects of parkour — Enhances confidence and creates a supportive community.

Importance of stepping back — Recognizing when to pause instead of pushing forward on challenges.

Combining interests — Merging technical skills and physical movement to create unique solutions.

Parkour’s mental impact — Encourages resilience and a problem-solving mindset in both physical and abstract contexts.

Non-competitive environments — Cultivates collaboration and individual growth.

Parkour Clinic project — Offers free, remote sports therapy consultations, focusing on conversation-based solutions.

Resources

Parkour Clinic — Offers free online sports therapy sessions.

James’s Blog — Personal blog discussing various topics, including programming and parkour.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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Human existence

July 22, 2022

Make your interests gradually wider and more impersonal, until bit by bit the walls of the ego recede, and your life becomes increasingly merged in the universal life. An individual human existence should be like a river — small at first, narrowly contained within its banks, and rushing passionately past rocks and over waterfalls. Gradually the river grows wider, the banks recede, the waters flow more quietly, and in the end, without any visible break, they become merged in the sea, and painlessly lose their individual being.

~ Bertrand Russel

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The price of the ticket

July 22, 2022

What a journey this life is! Dependent, entirely, on things unseen. If your lover lives in Hong Kong and cannot get to Chicago, it will be necessary for you to go to Hong Kong. Perhaps you will spend your life there, and never see Chicago again. And you will, I assure you, as long as space and time divide you from anyone you love, discover a great deal about shipping routes, airlines, earth quake, famine, disease, and war. And you will always know what time it is in Hong Kong, for you love someone who lives there. And love will simply have no choice but to go into battle with space and time and, furthermore, to win.

~ James Baldwin from, The Light Between Us – The Marginalian

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I’m not sure how many things I’ve linked to over on Popova’s Marginalian project. By now you should be directly following it and reading everything she’s publishing. I’m frozen by indecision; there are so countless many superlative books, and Nothing Personal is yet another one. Drat!

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Priorities

July 21, 2022

Lack of time is lack of priorities. If I’m “busy,” it is because I’ve made choices that put me in that position, so I’ve forbidden myself to reply to, “how are you?” with “busy.” I have no right to complain. Instead, if I’m too busy, it’s a cue to reexamine my systems and rules.

~ Tim Ferriss

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Reasons and persons

July 21, 2022

You’ve probably heard this scenario before. It originally comes from Derek Parfit’s 1984 book Reasons and Persons, where he actually answers the question. (Though you may not like the answer.) To answer it, he has to go though a set of even weirder scenarios. Here’s most of them, edited aggressively.

~ “Dynomight” from, Reasons and Persons: The case against the self

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This article turns a number of complicated thought experiments into a disorienting dash through a hall of mirrors. I’ve not read Parfit’s book, but I’ve encountered these sorts of thought experiments before. On one hand I’m drawn to thinking about them because I feel I should be able to have some foundational, (although not necessarily simple,) principles that I can use to answer them. Which is a working definition of, “I want to be rational.” Until I start really digging into the experiments and things get really complicated. Why, it’s as if being a limited-in-resources mind forced to interact with in an intractably complex world, may not be something with a clear, correct, let alone singular, solution.

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Always a good reminder

July 20, 2022

We often turn it into something bad: I suck for not being disciplined, I suck for not being able to focus, I’m not strong enough, etc etc. But it’s just a part of being human — we all have fear, uncertainty, doubt, resistance built into our survival instincts.

~ Leo Babauta from, Working with Your Inner Resistance – Zen Habits Website

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My “I suck” dialog has different vocabulary, and I have a penchant for petulance. Nonetheless, it’s always a good reminder to be aware of it. I can sabotage myself, without fail, by setting expectations—any expectations—for anything I’m working on. The only way I can stay balanced on the narrow, mountaintop spine of rock that is sanity is to pay attention to the next steps. There’s not really much option about where the path along the ridge leads. In recent months I’ve been tinkering on a new project creating something I’ve been curious to try for a long time. It’s interesting, but not particularly difficult work. It’s definitely creative, and I’ve repeatedly found interesting little twists in the path. Am I going somewhere in particular with the project? …not really. I have ideas of what might be farther along the path, but that’s more an interesting additional possibility, rather than the reason for doing the work.

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