…as we flee the discomfort of the wild without, so we flee those of the wild within, estranging ourselves from the power and beauty of the uncharted life…
~ Bryan Ward from, What Happens When Men Flee The Wild
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What happens when men flee the wild →
Sometimes everything just falls into place →
So I went for a walk to shake off the aches from two solid days of training at the new LVPK Academy. And I got to the part where I normally loop back and I thought, “I’ve never actually walked up to that upper parking lot…” So I did. Above the lot, another level higher, is a wide open soccer/football field with brilliant green grass, and those 5-tier, ubiqitous, aluminum bleachers. I laid down on the top-most, narrow bleacher– just basking as the bright sun, and the cold wind argued back and forth about wether it was warm or cold weather. Just staring up at this gorgeous blue sky containing one of those new-fangled aeroplanes and one of those old-beaked vultures– the teeny tiny black speck near thebottom, just a bit to the right, …you thought it was a mark on your screen didn’t you? Ever do that yoga pose where you cross your legs and lay back on something alinged along your spine, put your hands behind your head, crack open your entire chest, pull your shoulder blads back and just streeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeetch?
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You Need People →
When you’re stuck in a black hole where it’s impossible for you to reach escape velocity, your only hope for escape is to find an even stronger gravitational field to pull you out. People act a lot like gravitational fields, and when you put enough of them together, all tugging at you in a consistent direction, you’re going to move.
~ Steve Pavlina from, You Need People
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This is a vastly better version of the old adage, “you are the average of your five closest friends.” I very intentionally use the people I find and train with in the Art du Dèplacement universe in this way. (Semantic detour: I may have you plotted in the ADD space even if you would say you are in some other.) If I’ve trained with you, you now know why I am sincerely appreciative of _your_ contribution to my journey.
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Epilogue →
As I mentioned many times, taking a picture was the hardest part. If (when?) I do this sort of silliness again, I will have to come up with a way to make the photography easier. A lot of times I just didn’t want to carry my phone with me (e.g. running). And for the things that were visually interesting, capturing the 3rd-person point of view usually required me to setup a small tripod and use the self-timer or my remote. All of which — everything about taking the photos — seriously detracted from the fun of “just be active every day.”
How did it turn out physically? Meh. No particular weight loss. No particular weight gain. No particular increase in strength. (Other than my usual, generally upward slope of improvements this time of year.)
Mentally? Meh. It turned completely into a chore and took the fun out of it. Sure, it was fun to post things, and to see people’s likes and comments. But on the grand scheme of things, it was a large distraction. I would do much better to — and this is what I will be doing — simply find things which inspire me and do them regularly. Then move on when I feel like something new.
So. There you have it.
FIN
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Carl Sagan on the Power of Books and Reading as the Path to Democracy →
Books are key to understanding the world and participating in a democratic society.
~ Carl Sagan
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I don’t think it has to be physical books — recall Mr. Sagan is from the pre-Internet epoch — but definitely *reading*, and definitely you have to be doing the hard work of deciding for yourself what you are reading.
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Concept-Shaped Holes Can Be Impossible To Notice →
Put these together, and you have cause for concern. If you learn about something, and it seems trivial and boring, but lots of other people think it’s interesting and important – well, it could be so far beneath you that you’d internalized all its lessons already. Or it could be so far beyond you that you’re not even thinking on the same level as the people who talk about it.
~ Scott Alexander from, Concept-Shaped Holes Can Be Impossible To Notice
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If there’s one thing that makes my brain lock-up every time, it’s this conundrum.
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miss! →
:(
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Matthew Poprocki: Artistry, challenges, and personal expression →
What motivates individuals to transform their lives and turn challenges into opportunities for growth and creativity?
Matthew Poprocki does what he loves. Formally a visual artist, he is now a movement artist who likes to play and overcome obstacles. He discusses the challenges he’s faced and how he rediscovered his artistic expression through Parkour.
I realized after a few years, I didn’t lose it, I’m still an artist, I’m a Life artist.
~ Matthew Poprocki (7:16)
The conversation explores the profound journey of an individual who transitioned from a career in graphic design to becoming a movement artist and coach. Struggling with dissatisfaction in a desk job, addiction, and health challenges, Matthew found solace and purpose in Parkour. This shift allowed him to embrace creativity and play, not only as an outlet but as a way to teach and inspire others.
Key topics include the philosophy of overcoming obstacles, the transition from visual to movement arts, and the role of Parkour in cultivating resilience and mindfulness. Through personal anecdotes, Matthew shares insights on viewing challenges as opportunities and finding joy in being present, creative, and connected to life.
The spiritual disciplines: solitude and silence →
The need for silence and solitude obviously seems incredibly relevant to the over-convenienced citizens of the modern world who feel saturated with the ceaseless noise that issues from every corner of their lives. But as mentioned at the start, men have in fact craved these states for thousands of years, long before anything digital, or electronic, or urban ever existed.
What accounts for the timeless, seemingly universal appeal of quiet seclusion?
~ Brett McKay from The Spiritual Disciplines: Solitude and Silence | The Art of Manliness The Art of Manliness
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Richard Feynman’s extraordinary letter to his departed wife →
PS Please excuse my not mailing this — but I don’t know your new address.
~ Richard Feynman from, Love After Life: Nobel-Winning Physicist Richard Feynman’s Extraordinary Letter to His Departed Wife – The Marginalian
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If you click thru, DON’T skim… read thru to the end.
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