Scree

noun : an accumulation of loose stones or rocky debris lying on a slope or at the base of a hill or cliff.

Reflection

Published July 3, 2022 · All posts on Jul 3

[…] if you applied this approach, there’s not a strengths-weaknesses binary. It’s, “is this particular skill where I need it to be or not?” […] That could be a skill—if I’m understanding this correctly—that you’re identifying, “I need to get this even farther to get where I want to get.” You might be at a skill level there that everyone would say that’s a strength of yours, you’re really good at that. And so it seems like the strength-weakness binary, is not that useful, at least in this framework. It’s just where you’re trying to get, and what skills are not where they need to be to get you there.

~ Cal Newport ~1h9m from, Deep Questions episode 39 with David Epstein, «https://www.buzzsprout.com/1121972/6035176?t=4140»

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David Epstein is, most recently, the author of Range. Newport and Epstein’s conversation ranges—sorry—widely, and nearer the end they get into talking about reflection as a mastery tool. Epstein mentions a particular reflection process as something he had included only in passing in his first book, The Sports Gene.

Newport’s point, quoted above, changed how I think about skill level. Epstein had been discussing how he’d learned of Marije T Elferink-Gemser‘s research. Based in the Netherlands, a team had been running these things called the Groningen talent studies for over a decade studying skills, proficiency and mastery in Soccer athletes.

These were questions that, the first time I asked, she sent and said, you answer these at least every month. What’s your goal has to be as clear as possible, but it doesn’t need to be realistic at this point. …dreaming is allowed at this point. Do you have any idea of what’s needed to perform at the level you aim for? How do I make sure how do I make sure that I get an even better idea of what’s needed to perform at that level? How am I going to arrange that? Who are the people I need to reach that goal? And how can I make sure that they’ll help me to reach that personal goal? Am I sure I want to reach the goal and why? Those were the original set of questions that I received.

~ David Epstein, ibid.

That’s a tremendous set of questions for self-reflection!

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Who is really in charge?

Published July 2, 2022 · All posts on Jul 2

In democracies, policies are correlated with public opinion, but why? The obvious explanation is that people choose representatives, and those representatives give them what they want. But maybe the causal arrow points in the other direction—maybe elites choose policies, and the public gradually figures that since that’s how things are, it must be right.

~ “Dynomight” from, The death penalty as a lens on democracy

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The death penalty is usually a third-rail—touching it means instant, well, death to reasonable discussion. In this case, the death penalty happens to be a rare topic for which good data exists, and is one upon which nearly everyone has a strong opinion. That combination enables the discussion in that article. It’s not about the death penalty being right, wrong, good, nor bad. Rather, the discussion is asking: Who indeed is really in charge in a democracy.

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Play with Mary Hendra

Published July 1, 2022 · All posts on Jul 1

What role does play have in professional spaces, and how can podcasting facilitate conversations about it?

Podcasting serves as a gateway to deeper dialogue about human connection and creativity.

I wanted to talk with people who brought play into their professional spaces in part because of the tension between the fun of play and the resistance from others saying, ‘If you want to succeed professionally, you have to be more serious.’

~ Mary Hendra (3:28)

The conversation centers around podcasting as a medium for creating meaningful dialogue and exploring deeper themes, particularly the concept of play in professional settings. Mary shares her journey into podcasting, explaining how an interest in intimate, conversational formats led to creating a podcast about integrating play into work environments. She discusses how play fosters authenticity and challenges societal norms around professionalism.

The discussion also goes into the technical and emotional aspects of podcasting, including preparing questions, handling unexpected moments, and maintaining natural conversations despite the constraints of recording. Mary shares insights from their experience interviewing diverse guests and reflects on how play transforms professional interactions and personal development.

Takeaways

Play in professional spaces — Play challenges traditional workplace norms and fosters authenticity.

Podcasting as a learning tool — Hosting a podcast provides opportunities to explore new topics and engage with diverse perspectives.

Conversation dynamics — Asking visceral, open-ended questions can create relaxed and meaningful dialogue.

The role of preparation — Balancing structured questions with spontaneous conversation enhances podcast quality.

Play and societal expectations — Discussing play uncovers tensions between fun and societal demands for seriousness.

Podcasting challenges — Navigating technical and interpersonal hurdles helps improve the craft of interviewing.

Authenticity through play — Play helps individuals reconnect with their true selves and approach challenges with clarity.

Resources

Mary Hendra’s Website — Contains links to her work, podcast updates, and details about her projects.

Lead with a Dash of Play Podcast — A podcast focused on the intersection of play and professionalism, launching soon. Will be linked on Mary’s website.

Hindenburg Editing Software — Mentioned as a tool for post-production in podcasting.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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Evolution and six actors

Published July 1, 2022 · All posts on Jul 1

With our six actors all on stage, the play begins and my story ends. As an epilogue to the performance, I add some brief remarks about the practical lessons that we may learn from the story. Our species faces two great tasks in the next few centuries. Our first task is to make human brotherhood effective and permanent. Our second task is to preserve and enhance the rich diversity of Nature in the world around us. Our new understanding of biological and cultural evolution may help us to see more clearly what we have to do.

~ Freeman Dyson from, Freeman Dyson: 1923 – 2020 | Edge.org

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Arranged as a pleasant conceit, Dyson lays out a sweeping and crystal clear history of our understanding of evolution. That alone is worth reading. The real gems however, are to be found in his commentary in the final paragraphs; Don’t skip to the end.

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Freeman Dyson

Published June 30, 2022 · All posts on Jun 30

Remembering Freeman Dyson, assembled by John Brockman, is long read. If you know who Dyson was, you’ll be excited to discover the collection at the other end of that link. It contains a wide array of voices. Buried way way way at the end is an hour-long essay read by Dyson himself, (which I confess I’ve not yet listened to.)

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B-e-a-utiful

Published June 29, 2022 · All posts on Jun 29

Stone isn’t naturally malleable, and yet, Japanese artist Hirotoshi Ito (previously) carves his sculptures to make the material appear as if it can be unzipped or sliced with a butter knife.

~ Grace Ebert from, Deceptive Stone Sculptures by Hirotoshi Ito Unzip to Reveal Surreal Scenes in Miniature — Colossal

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I’ve only just recently learned of This is Colossal. Only a few weeks into following them—RSS for the win!—and they are definitely living up to their self-assessment.

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So many paths

Published June 28, 2022 · All posts on Jun 28

In early January, I started regular co-working sessions with a friend, Sumana Harihareswara. She read that post from 2013 about wanting to write more, and emailed me to see if I wanted to form an accountability team to work on our writing together. She’s making progress on her book, and I’m writing more here: we’ve been able to get a lot more done together than trying to work solo and power through.

~ Jacob Kaplan-Moss from, Coworking With a Friend to Write More – Jacob Kaplan-Moss

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There are many paths to the top of Mt Getting Stuff Done. If you find yourself currently off the beaten path, this article is a nice trail map. It mentions cadence in the sense of “don’t break the chain” or “routine is your friend.” I want to talk about a recent epiphany I’ve had about a different way to look at cadence.

There are several things I’m currently doing which require ongoing, incremental effort. And for a long time, each of them to varying degrees, just wasn’t getting done to my satisfaction. I had repeatedly set goals, blocked out time, etc. Recently—unrelated to my points here about cadence—I’ve been making superlative progress on these things. (Because, reasons.) And I find that now I can see the cadence is much faster than it needs to be to reach my long-term goal. When these things weren’t getting done at all, I had an idea of the amount of work that was required to make meaningful progress. Now I can see that I can actually slow down. I’ve known, for these projects, just a teeny-tiny amount of work, would work. But I didn’t really believe it, until I had a cadence, and truly apprehended how teeny-tiny I could actually scale my efforts and still make meaningful progress.

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Oblivion

Published June 27, 2022 · All posts on Jun 27

So begins her obsession with dominating the mind by dominating the body, which would follow her throughout her life in various guises — running, karate, yoga, cycling, skiing — always ambivalent and self-conscious, until it finally resolves into a glimpse of the larger truth beneath the mechanics of illusory perfectibility: that we exert ourselves so violently on keeping the package of the body intact in order to keep it from spilling its immaterial contents — the soul, the self — into oblivion.

~ Maria Popova from, The Secret to Superhuman Strength: Alison Bechdel’s Illustrated Meditation on the Life of the Body, the Death of the Self, and Our Search for Meaning – The Marginalian

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Ah yes, “oblivion.” Good stuff. Popova is referring to a graphic artist, and midway through the article is an exquisite cartoon example; the author drawing, figuratively and literally, a metaphor for life involving a hill and a bicycle. Reading that cartoon brought to mind my beloved practice of meditating on death. (Try this explanation.) Closely related I often call to mind the impermanence of things. Sometimes I mix the two, thinking…

This is my last sip from this [my favorite, morning coffee] mug. (Knowing it will one day be broken.)

This [regularly scheduled weekly] conversation with this person is our last one. (Imagining when priorities change and we’re no longer working together.)

This conversation I’m recording for a podcast is my last one. (Because I will die.)

This dinner with this person [my mom, my spouse, etc] is my last one. (Because one of us will die first.)

The goal is not to be morbid and depressed; The goal is to maintain a realistic perspective to enable wringing the absolute maximum enjoyment and appreciation from every single waking moment.

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Upper bounds

Published June 26, 2022 · All posts on Jun 26

If we play our cards right, we could live hundreds of thousands of years more. In fact, there’s not much stopping us living millions of years. The typical species lives about a million years. Our 200,000 years so far would put us about in our adolescence, just old enough to be getting ourselves in trouble, but not wise enough to have thought through how we should act.

~ Toby Ord from, We Have the Power to Destroy Ourselves Without the Wisdom to Ensure That We Don’t | Edge.org

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I find it beneficial to have my perspectives stretched. This article walks through scales of time in a delightful manner. It pauses to ask questions, and to point out people who did certain things at precise points in our history. There are countless opportunities to shift perspective. For example: I’ve been alive for 1/100 of recorded human history. And recorded history is only 3/100 of the age of our species. The aggregate progress of humanity is simply the sum of our individual efforts, and my life represents 1/100,000,000,000 of humanity so far. Stretched perspectives indeed.

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More light

Published June 25, 2022 · All posts on Jun 25

There’s also a long list of advertisers who rely on this confusion to abdicate their ethical responsibility in terms of their money winding up in the pockets of bottom-dwelling grifters and bigots. The murkiness makes it easier to pretend it’s not happening, and it’s this accountability gap the group hopes to target

~ Karl Bode from, Nonprofit Takes Aim At Fox News By Demystifying Ad Exchanges | Techdirt

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Caution: Depending on your viewpoint, that article will make you cheer, or will enrage you. What I want to focus on is, “murkiness” and I want to split a fine hair.

I believe there’s visibility, (in the sense that it is clear who is accountable for some speech [advertising is speech],) anonymity, and murkiness which obscures the dichotomy of visibility versus anonymity. My position is that murkiness is never a positive thing. The knowledge that something is being said with accountability, (who said it is clear,) versus with anonymity is critical for one to be able to evaluate some speech for oneself. That knowledge is removed when there’s murkiness.

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Wait wat?

Published June 24, 2022 · All posts on Jun 24

Since around 2009, methamphetamines have been made with phenylacetone (P2P). Is there a chemical different causing schizophrenia?

~ “Dynomight” from, The main thing about P2P meth is that there’s so much of it

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As I was reading those two sentences, my world was just fine… until that very last word. I was ready for death, overdose, addiction, and there are probably a dozen more words that I don’t expect would fit there, but which wouldn’t make me go, “wait wat?” So i started reading…

I quickly realized this article is basically the science behind Breaking Bad. There’s also an enormous amount of “this is not good” information in there. For example, an apparently exponential-function graph of deaths is never a good thing. There’s also a bit of industrial chemistry, and a large scale sewerage treatment plant data collection . . . well, it’s worth the read.

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Gömböc

Published June 23, 2022 · All posts on Jun 23

So in a nutshell, Gömböc is cool, Hungarians are proud of it greatly. So naturally, they made a 4.5-ton statue replica of the shape.

~ Atlas Obscura from, Gömböc – Atlas Obscura

I could probably write a blog post about other interesting math-related puzzles and shapes that come from Hungary… or about the number of Hungarian mathematicians… but instead, I’ll just point you towards this particularly interesting thing.

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Incomplete with Janne Laurila

Published June 22, 2022 · All posts on Jun 22

Incomplete with Janne Laurila

How does movement influence personal change and adaptability in life?

Movement evolves from a tool for improvement to a means of adapting to life’s challenges.

I think that when I started doing Parkour, the movement was a kind of like— it was constant exploration. […] But as more time has gone, I started to feel that that change isn’t just trying to improve. [It’s] more to adapt on how you can perform? Or how would— How do you see a challenge? Or how do you process a challenge?

~ Janne Laurila (1:47)

The conversation explores how movement intertwines with personal growth, adaptability, and energy management. Starting with parkour as a way of improvement, Janne shares his journey of evolving to see movement as a tool for adaptation rather than mere enhancement. Factors such as physical energy, time management, and life changes, like raising children, shape his relationship with movement.

Living in Finland adds layers to this experience, with long periods of light and dark influencing mood and activity. Balancing responsibilities as a parent, entrepreneur, and student while managing ADHD highlights the challenges of maintaining schedules and finding moments of recharge. The conversation concludes with reflections on compassion, curiosity, and the acceptance of being incomplete as guiding principles.

Takeaways

Change and movement — How parkour shifts from improvement-focused to adaptation-oriented.

Energy and time management — Balancing energy and available time in a demanding schedule.

Impact of light cycles — Navigating the challenges of extreme light and darkness in Finland.

ADHD and scheduling — The difficulty of adhering to schedules despite careful planning.

Family integration — Using Pokémon Go as a way to bond with children and stay active.

Self-compassion — Recognizing the importance of being kind to oneself amid life’s chaos.

Continuous growth — Embracing curiosity and the idea of being incomplete as motivations.

Resources

Daniel Vitalis — A podcaster discussing movement as nutrition.

Pokémon Go — A mobile game blending outdoor exploration with technology.

Art du Déplacement — Referenced as a movement practice.

Kurt Vonnegut — Quoted for mindfulness in appreciating simple moments.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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Because enough people know

Published June 22, 2022 · All posts on Jun 22

there are enough users who understand how it is supposed to work. They expect to be able to listen to any podcast anywhere they want. Most probably don’t understand why they have this ability, about the history and technology design that made it possible, but they understand that they have the ability. And it doesn’t have to be all of them or even most of them, just enough of them, whatever that means. And for right now, at the end of 2021, there are enough. Podcasting has always been and remains an open platform. I can’t say it will be for the future, but so far so good.

~ Dave Winer from, Why podcasting isn’t dominated

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I like Winer’s point that the web (websites, web browser, blogs—not asocial media platforms) and podcasting are not dominated by any one large company. He’s pointing out that we’ve two examples of things not centrally controlled—two examples of success (so far, things could always change.) And therefore it’s quite possible that we could build something else, another new media format, which is also free, open, and not centrally controlled.

But I don’t like that Winer has glossed over the fact that podcasting only appears to be open, (in the way that the web is open.) Podcasting appears to be open, and isn’t yet dominated by one large company, because the podcast creators individually go to great lengths to make their shows available everywhere. There are multiple large companies trying to leverage the listeners against the creators. I’ve given up on trying to lead podcasting to be open, the way the web is open; I simply hope that someone else sees what I see and that I live to see podcasting grow to be a first-class, truly open, platform, (the way the web is.)

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Temperature matters

Published June 21, 2022 · All posts on Jun 21

The other evidence we have is animals who live in the cold have higher metabolic rates, higher activity levels, yet higher body fat and body mass than those that live in the warmth. This suggests that fluctuations in body fat may be tied to changes in temperature exposure, and not just to protect us from famine. The bottom line is temperature matters.

~ Brad Pilon from, Does Temperature Affect Weight Loss? – Brad Pilon’s ‘Eat Blog Eat’

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My pull-quote is from the very end of Pilon’s article. Overall it lays out a delightful overview of the main systems that regulate our body composition. I love this last point—the part I’ve quoted—because it has nothing to do with humans; It’s a nice “and the same thing seems to be true for other mammals” that provides a great reality check on the models he’s presented in the article.

Pilon is the author who made things clear and simple enough for me to try intentionally manipulating the window of time each day when I stuff food in my face. Being intentional about that greatly increased my awareness of subtle signals from my body. At 8:30am, when I’m day-dreaming of blueberry pancakes, am I actually hungry or am I simply having a craving for carbohydrates? And when I wake up at 1am with a massive cramp in my left calf… I should probably have remembered to take my magnesium supplement before bed, and I better eat a banana first thing in the morning.

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Rescuing life from productivity

Published June 20, 2022 · All posts on Jun 20

And so we get to the crux of our human predicament — the underbelly of our anxiety about every unanswered email, every unfinished project, and every unbegun dream: Our capacities are limited, our time is finite, and we have no control over how it will unfold or when it will run out. Beyond the lucky fact of being born, life is one great sweep of uncertainty, bookended by the only other lucky certainty we have. It is hardly any wonder that the sweep is dusted with so much worry and we respond with so much obsessive planning, compulsive productivity, and other touching illusions of control.

~ Maria Popova from, Escaping the Trap of Efficiency: The Counterintuitive Antidote to the Time-Anxiety That Haunts and Hampers Our Search for Meaning – The Marginalian

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For years I’ve been finding myself judging my day, each evening as I go to sleep. I lie down, and try as I might, my thoughts go beyond simply reviewing. I tried to stop doing the judging part, to no avail.

There’s a Steve Jobs quote about asking himself a question each morning, and that’s great, (but not something I do.) I realized that I’m asking myself that question at the end of each day after closing my eyes to beckon sleep:

If that was the last day of my life, am I satisfied with what I did?

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The only rule

Published June 19, 2022 · All posts on Jun 19

What I learned from reading about writing…

~ “Dynomight” from, What I learned from reading about writing

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This was a fun read and is mostly not the usual titles one sees suggested to read on writing. Among many things, I am a writer. I enjoy learning what appears—in others’ view—to be the right way to do things. The more I read, write, and read on writing, the more I’m convinced it’s just like any other mastery practice: The only rule is that there really are no real rules. Understand the best, accepted practices, (often labeled “rules” to get the newbies to start in the correct direction,) and then later move on to do whatever you please.

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How to be productive

Published June 18, 2022 · All posts on Jun 18

For me the pattern is now perfectly clear: the later I come at the task, the more time I’ll spend dancing around it before beginning in earnest. If I can make contact at an earlier hour, the urge to dance away from it is diminished, because I only have so many dance moves, and I’ll run out long before lunchtime.

~ David Cain from, 9 Things I Learned About Productivity This Year

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About once per year I trot out a, HOLY CRAP!

This entire article is jammed full of insights, only one of which did I quote above. I’d say that I have learned those same things. But absolutely I have not learned them in a single year. Where’s my time machine? I need to get this to my 16-year-old self.

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Longevity with Bryce Clarke

Published June 17, 2022 · All posts on Jun 17

Longevity – with Bryce Clarke

How is Parkour evolving as a practice and community in New York City and beyond?

New York City’s architecture naturally creates countless Parkour challenges waiting to be discovered.

The way that these kids will surpass us one day is going to be amazing.

~ Bryce Clarke (8:48)

The conversation explores the evolution of Parkour as both a practice and a community in New York City. Bryce reflects on how the city’s architecture and public spaces, including playgrounds and scaffolding, provide natural challenges for practitioners. He highlights how grassroots initiatives like Parkour NYC aim to foster community engagement, create awareness, and secure dedicated spaces for training. This effort has led to the development of new Parkour parks and increased recognition of the discipline.

The discussion also touches on the generational progression in Parkour, noting that younger practitioners are starting earlier and achieving greater proficiency. There is optimism that normalization will create opportunities, such as coaching careers and safer training environments. Despite commercialization, the essence of Parkour as an exploratory and inclusive activity remains intact, fueled by shared passion and innovation within the community.

Takeaways

Public spaces in NYC — The city’s condensed layout and diverse architecture provide countless Parkour opportunities.

Parkour NYC initiative — Aims to create awareness and promote community-driven growth.

Youth progression — Young practitioners starting earlier are advancing the discipline’s potential.

Normalization of Parkour — Growing acceptance leads to more resources and opportunities.

Community-driven parks — Dedicated spaces signify progress in public perception.

Coaching opportunities — Normalization opens pathways for careers in Parkour instruction.

Cultural authenticity — Despite commercialization, the core spirit of Parkour persists.

Intergenerational growth — Established practitioners continue to inspire and train.

Resources

Lapset Parkour Park — A newly developed Parkour park in the Upper West Side of NYC.

Parkour NYC — A grassroots organization promoting the Parkour community in New York City.

NAPC (North American Parkour Championships) — A major event showcasing Parkour talent.

World Chase Tag — A competitive Parkour-based event gaining global recognition.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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Three habits

Published June 17, 2022 · All posts on Jun 17

The thing about really deep learning is it actually changes the structure of your brain. You are breaking an old pathway and creating a new neurological pathway. […] The three habits I’ve talked about—seeing in systems, taking multiple perspectives and asking different questions. Those are the natural habits of people who are farther along in this adult development path. If we can encourage ourselves to develop some of those patterns in ourselves, and we can be learning those things in ways that create new neural networks, then suddenly, we are living our way into these more advanced forms of development as we are just going about our daily lives.

~ Jennifer Garvey Berger from ~1h 13m into, The Mental Habits of Effective Leaders with; transcript edited for clarity; The Mental Habits of Effective Leaders: My Interview with Jennifer Garvey Berger

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This episode from Shane Parrish’s, The Knowledge Project, podcast is excellent. About two-thirds of the way through the 90 minutes, they start going really deep into mental habits including specifics of how to change one’s mindset. The title of the episode could well be expanded to, …of Effective People.

I’ve been asked how it is that I do what I do, in podcast conversations. Here Berger and Parrish have explained it; Frankly, I better understand how I do it, now having listened to Berger. These three habits she points out are the magic that I use to power my conversations. I’ve always had the habit—my parents would say, “to a fault”—of asking good questions. About 35 years ago, when I became immersed in engineering, physics, computers, and the Internet I perfected the habit—here I would say, “to a fault”—of thinking in systems. And 10 years ago, as I began my journey rediscovering my personal movement, I realized the magnificent knowledge and experience available to me through others’ perspectives.

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