Scree

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

Maggie Spaloss: Coaching Journey, Transitions, and Consulting

Published March 1, 2022  ·  All posts on Mar 1  ·  

Maggie Spaloss: Coaching journey, transitions, and consulting

How does the experience of transitioning between different roles—such as coach, business consultant, and relationship coach—shape perspectives on community, creativity, and personal fulfillment?

For Maggie Spaloss, transitioning from coaching parkour into coaching relationships and intimacy felt like a natural progression. She discusses her connection parkour, and how it’s evolved from mom, to coach, to business consultant. Maggie shares her thoughts on coaching, and her transition into relationship and intimacy coaching. She describes her work on Kiskeya Athletics, and how she stays passionate about parkour and giving back to the community. 

I do want to also say, as a mom, that I think I can appreciate from a different perspective these kids whose lives were really very deeply impacted by parkour. Where they were able to develop, some self confidence, and some sort of identity with kind of a tribe they could relate to.

~ Maggie Spaloss (30:00)

Maggie Spaloss is a coach, project manager and mover. She has over 10 years of coaching experience including certifications as a personal trainer, parkour instructor, behavioral change specialist and relationship coach. Maggie is also project manager for Kiskeya Athletics, a multi-sport facility currently under construction in South Texas. Maggie splits her time between managing the development of Kiskeya Athletics and helping people build stronger relationships and deeper intimacy.

The conversation explores the journey from parkour coaching to relationship and intimacy consulting, reflecting on the influence of embodiment and community. Maggie discusses how her experience in parkour, from her origin story to coaching and gym management, shaped her ability to foster connections and build supportive environments. A recurring theme is the importance of adapting to physical and mental challenges, particularly as they evolve with age.

Another focus is the creative and collaborative aspects of parkour, both in training and in broader projects like gym design and event planning. The discussion highlights the shared obstacles within parkour as a metaphor for building camaraderie and fostering vulnerability. Maggie also touches on the transition from personal training to a more holistic, life-oriented coaching approach, emphasizing the importance of balancing personal passion with professional responsibilities.

Takeaways

Embodiment in practice — The guest emphasizes the value of being in tune with the body to guide decisions and uncover limiting beliefs.

The transformative power of community — Parkour’s tight-knit culture fosters vulnerability and mutual support.

Creativity in movement — Training parkour is described as an inherently creative act, akin to art.

Adapting with age — Challenges with physical limitations prompt a recalibration of expectations and approaches to training.

Balancing roles — Navigating multiple professional identities offers insights into personal fulfillment.

Integrating passions — A unified approach can merge interests in movement and relationship coaching.

Parkour’s broader potential — Expanding the sport’s reach through innovative projects like the Kiskeya facility.

Resources

Maggie Spaloss’s web site and @cultivate_movement on Instagram

Kiskeya Athletics — A planned parkour and athletic facility in South Texas, incorporating innovative design and community programs.

Lorena Abreu @lorenaparkour — Parkour athlete and collaborator on the Kiskeya project.

Unf*ck your brain — Podcast mentioned

Brandon Douglass — Designer of the parkour gym layout for the Kiskeya facility.

Art of Retreat — A gathering for parkour professionals and enthusiasts, instrumental in knowledge-sharing.

NASM Certification — The certification pursued by the guest for personal training expertise.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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That’s a moiré

Published February 28, 2022  ·  All posts on Feb 28

“You don’t need [machine learning,]” Bryan said. “What you need is inverse Fast Fourier Transform.”

~ “Shift Happens” from, «https://www.getrevue.co/profile/shift-happens/issues/moire-no-more-688319»

I stumbled over a blog post, containing a pull-quote where someone mentioned inverse Fast Fourier Transform. (A mathematician named Fourier invented a fast way to do a certain sort of transformation that comes up a lot in science; It’s called a Fast Fourier Transform. There’s also a way to undo that transformation, called “the inverse”. Thus, Fast Fourier Transformations (FFT) and inverse FFT. Well, FFT/IFFT is the first thing I can recall that I could not understand. It was shocking. Every other thing I’d ever encountered was easy. But there I was, 20-some-years-old, in graduate school, and I encountered something that was beyond me. I think I had it sorted about 6 times and every time, the next morning, upon waking, it had fallen out of my head. Holy inappropriately long parentheticals, Batman!)

Anyway. Blog post. IFFTs. Time machine to the early 90s. Emotional vertigo.

…and then I clicked thru to the magnificent post which is brilliant. And then I realized the by-line was, “Shift Happens.” o_O This entire thing. I’m in nerd heaven.

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PS: Sorry, what? Oh, you read my title, heard the Italian word, “amore,” and wanted a, That’s Amore! pun? Okay, here: When an eel climbs a ramp to eat squid from a clamp… Yes. Really.

Control

Published February 27, 2022  ·  All posts on Feb 27

We have far more control in our lives than many embrace. We create or co-create our experiences in life, and each day is a new opportunity to be fully engaged in the present moment. It’s the present moment where glimpses of our potential are revealed and expressed. A living masterpiece is not drawn on a canvas or etched in stone or inked by pen. It’s the pursuit and expresssion of applied insight and wisdom.

~ Michael Gervais

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I disagree with, “[w]e have far more control…” because clearly we actually have no—absolutely no—control. If that strikes you, I suggest you pause. Imagine something you have control of. Now imagine the scenario where your control is taken away. I’m not trying to scare you; there’s nothing here you don’t already know. All of the “control” is fleeting; that’s not actually control. That an illusion of control.

If I could change that quote I’d just quibble with that first, “control,” and suggest it be changed to “choice.” Because the rest of that quote is frickin’ powerful. Literally every person has choices. For me, my “worst case” choices are quite rosy. (“First World Problems” is the meme.) There are certainly people who are literally only able to choose among various evils.

The illusion of control is toxic. But the reality of choice is empowering.

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Ancestry with Denys Allen

Published February 25, 2022  ·  All posts on Feb 25

What makes genealogical research unique compared to traditional historical studies, and how do these approaches differ in Pennsylvania?

Genealogists uncover micro-histories that reveal intimate details of everyday life in Pennsylvania’s past.

Historians often look at the records of people that are wealthy and famous and own things, while genealogists pursue the stories of just everyday folks.

~ Denys Allen (3:23)

The conversation highlights the differences between genealogical research and traditional historical studies, focusing on Pennsylvania’s unique historical and geographical context. Genealogy often emphasizes microhistories—detailed accounts of everyday life—while traditional history frequently revolves around prominent figures and broader narratives. The discussion explores how Pennsylvania’s rich diversity of religions influenced its records, as well as the challenges posed by fragmented historical documents.

The geographic and political history of Pennsylvania also comes under scrutiny. The state’s rugged terrain and varied cultural heritage led to intricate county boundaries and decentralized records. Efforts by local groups, including Facebook communities, help genealogists connect and share insights. The conversation further reflects on William Penn’s founding principles and their long-term effects on the state’s culture and inclusivity.

Takeaways

Genealogical research—emphasizes stories of ordinary people and their communities.

Microhistory as a tool—connects genealogical research to broader historical themes.

Religious diversity in Pennsylvania—shaped records and marriage practices, requiring specific knowledge for research.

Pennsylvania’s county boundaries—were influenced by political and geographic factors.

Local historical societies—serve as crucial hubs for genealogists in Pennsylvania.

Virtual spaces—such as Facebook groups, foster collaboration and exchange among genealogists.

William Penn’s influence—allowed for early religious freedom in Pennsylvania, creating a unique cultural legacy.

Challenges in genealogical research—arise from the scattered and incomplete nature of historical records.

Resources

Your Pennsylvania Ancestors Podcast — Interviews on Pennsylvania history and genealogical records.

Historical courthouses in Pennsylvania — Repositories of genealogical records and architectural history.

William Penn’s personal writings — Primary source material on his beliefs and founding principles.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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Parkinson’s Law

Published February 24, 2022  ·  All posts on Feb 24

Ferriss popularized the personal version of Parkinson’s Law, which correctly notes that our work expands to fill the time we give it. The original Economist essay on the topic also embeds an organizational version of the law, which I read to say that if you leave a group, or a team, or a company to operate without sufficient structure, they may converge toward unexpected and unproductive behaviors.

~ Cal Newport from, Revisiting Parkinson’s Law

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Pithy sayings are punchy. (For example: Parkinson’s Law states that work expands to fill the allotted time.) But they’re also woefully inadequate; there’s no room for depth or surety. In this case though, it turns out that Parkinson’s Law is based on actual research… into the bureaucracy of the British Navy. Who knew that this pithy little phrase is actually a real model based on actual research. (…uhm, Parkinson, that’s who.)

There are plenty of ways to turn Parkinson’s law into actionable direction: Ship it. Iterate and course-correct. Show me your discard pile. (That is to say, do sub-par work until your work is up to par.) Minimum viable noun. (Which urges one to chop off everything not absolutely necessary in order to get that noun into the world sooner.) All of which, I’m semi-surprised to note, are about constraining the time allotted to do the work. It’s all about moving the goal posts closer.

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Connection with Saurabh Mithal

Published February 22, 2022  ·  All posts on Feb 22

How can podcasting and creative practices enhance personal growth, connection, and professional development?

The practice of mindful creative work transforms personal and professional growth.

Podcasting, for me, seemed […] is a much more enabling platform than asking someone for a cup of coffee. It allows you to go deep into conversations because it’s a more exploratory kind of a medium.

~ Saurabh Mithal (2:28)

The conversation discusses the transformative potential of podcasting as a medium for personal and professional growth. Saurabh highlights how podcasting fosters connections by facilitating meaningful conversations and enabling creative exploration. He explains how this medium provides a platform for community building and encourages a growth mindset in various aspects of life.

Another key topic is the impact of shifting creative practices from private (e.g., morning pages) to public (e.g., dailies), which increases mindfulness, empathy, and the quality of the output. The dialogue also touches on the importance of intentionality in interactions, the concept of anti-fragility in careers, and the role of curiosity as a self-sustaining force for continuous learning and growth.

Takeaways

The importance of fostering genuine connections — Podcasting offers a unique way to form deeper connections with others.

The concept of anti-fragile careers — Designing a career that thrives in uncertainty requires consistent creativity, learning, and connection.

The shift from private to public creative practices — Moving creative work into the public sphere enhances its quality and mindfulness.

The role of curiosity — Being passionately curious drives both personal and professional growth.

The impact of recorded conversations — Knowing that a conversation will be recorded and shared raises its quality and depth.

The value of calling out rationalizations — Encouraging people to face their real priorities helps them achieve their goals.

Generosity in creative work — Mindful creation generates value for all participants and audiences.

The interplay of mindfulness and creativity — Awareness of the purpose and context of creative work enhances its effectiveness.

Resources

Passionately Curious — Saurabh’s platform for helping individuals build careers centered around their individuality.

The Akimbo Community — A network of creatives and learners connected through Seth Godin’s workshops.

Seth Godin’s Creative Workshop — A course focused on daily creative practices, such as dailies.

Morning Pages — From The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron), a tool for unfiltered, private creative writing.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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Acceptance with Sam Ardery

Published February 22, 2022  ·  All posts on Feb 22

How can individuals approach conversations more effectively to foster understanding, manage conflict, and overcome fear?

The illusion of control deeply influences how we approach conversations and conflict.

People really like the idea of control, and I think a lot of things we do in our lives are to live under the illusion of control.

~ Sam Ardery (1:16)

This conversation explores the nature of control, fear, and personal accountability in conversations and conflict resolution. A central theme is the illusion of control and how it shapes our responses to unexpected situations. Techniques such as the “P-A-R-C” framework—pause, assess, reflect, and choose—offer practical tools for navigating conversations more thoughtfully.

Other significant topics include the role of compassion and self-compassion, particularly in the context of conflict and personal growth. The discussion emphasizes the importance of understanding one’s own role in disputes, highlighted by the idea of “accepting your 5%.” Additionally, the fear of rejection and failure is dissected, with insights into how embracing these fears can lead to greater resilience and better outcomes in personal and professional interactions.

Takeaways

The illusion of control — People often act under the false belief that they can control outcomes, which influences how they handle conflict and conversations.

The “P-A-R-C” framework — A method to pause, assess, reflect, and choose, providing a structured approach to challenging interactions.

Self-compassion as a foundation — Recognizing and practicing self-compassion is essential for genuinely empathizing with others.

Radical listening — Listening without agenda and being open to the possibility of being wrong is critical for meaningful dialogue.

Accepting responsibility — Taking accountability for one’s share of the conflict, even if small, can shift the dynamics of disputes.

Fear of rejection — Overcoming the fear of rejection is crucial for effective outreach and building connections.

Discomfort in growth — Embracing discomfort as a natural part of personal and relational development leads to lasting growth.

The dichotomy of control — Separating what one can control from external circumstances helps manage expectations and reduces anxiety.

Resources

Sam Ardery’s website — Features writings and resources on mediation, negotiation, and personal growth.

Positively Conflicted — Sam’s book exploring conflict resolution and personal development through practical stories and frameworks.

Sam Ardery’s on LinkedIn

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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High-quality information

Published February 21, 2022  ·  All posts on Feb 21  ·  

I get paid to read and comment on the news for a living, and I still wake up every morning completely overwhelmed by all that’s going on. I can feel my blood pressure go up as I try to figure out what to focus on first. The way I manage it is to remember that the world will go on if I don’t read everything. Newspapers will publish again the next day. I will always be better off consumg a smaller amount of high-quality information that trying to consume it all.

~ Tommy Vietor

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The primary cause

Published February 21, 2022  ·  All posts on Feb 21

The numerous influences of the shoe heel on the foot and body column are not fully understood by most medical practitioners. The practi- tioner commonly speaks of “sensible” heels. Such a heel does not exist. Any elevated heel under a shoe automati- cally initiates an altered series of foot and body biomechanics.

~ William A. Rossi from, Footwear The Primary Cause of Foot Disorders

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And sometimes I use my blog as a personal out-brain data storage system. I’m trying to link to a more definitive source—but you’ll find that link is pay-walled, (and of no relation nor benefit to me.) It’s a short read, well-worth finding a copy of.

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Remember sweetness

Published February 20, 2022  ·  All posts on Feb 20  ·  

It’s so hard to forget pain, but it’s even harder to remember sweetness. We have no scar to show for happiness. We learn so little from peace.

~ Chuck Palahniuk

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I continue to practice shifting my perspective. Instead of “pain” and “pleasure” though, I struggle with “failure” and “success.” The danger of setting clear goals, is that it’s equally clear whether or not they are achieved. Not reaching a goal is clear, and real. And to pretend otherwise is foolish.

The trap is that I forget that each goal contains a degree of arbitrariness. Success (reach the goal) and failure (not reach the goal.) Do not admit of shades of grey. But I systematically make the error of moving those adjectives onto my own self-assessment. Did I reach that goal? No. Then: I’m a failure.

A friend of mine once said that it takes a special person to be able to set a goal they cannot achieve. The cleverness—in my opinion—in there is that to be that special person, you have to set a goal that you believe you can achieve… and then discover your belief was wrong. I had a belief—some piece of a model of reality, a map of a territory, a piece of knowledge—and I’ve now realized, as I fail to reach a goal, that I was wrong. That’s literally learning.

…so really, every time I fall short on a goal, I’m literally learning and getting better. Every time I set a goal and “succeed,” not so much.

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What information consumes

Published February 19, 2022  ·  All posts on Feb 19

In an information-rich world, the wealth of information means a dearth of something else: a scarcity of whatever it is that information consumes. What information consumes is rather obvious: it consumes the attention of its recipients. Hence a wealth of information creates a poverty of attention and a need to allocate that attention efficiently among the overabundance of information sources that might consume it.

~ Herbert Simon

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It may be, as he says, obvious to Simon, but it really was not obvious to me. Until I read this I had always thought of myself as giving, or perhaps spending, my time on information. In recent years I’ve begun reminding anyone who’ll listen, that we all have large Oxo grips that extend from the ancient systems cobbled together which today form our intelligence, our fear, and our psyche. It’s easy to grab someone by those handles and lead them. That’s fine because everyone doesn’t try to grab me by those Oxo handles. But software is good at grabbing those handles. Hardware is good at it. And companies run by people who haven’t thought through the morality of what they’re building using software and hardware are really good at it.

So when I read Simon’s comment about information consuming my attention. I sat bolt-upright.

…and then I renewed by efforts to swat away anything that I catch gazing lasciviously at my weaknesses.

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Principles

Published February 17, 2022  ·  All posts on Feb 17  ·  

As to methods, there may be a million and then some, but principles are few. The man who grasps principles can successfully select his own methods. The man who tries methods, ignoring principles, is sure to have trouble.

~ Harrington Emerson

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This is strikingly accurate for all the domains I’ve tried so far. I believe it’s useful to begin by trying some method-work; To explore conversation as a mastery practice, it would be insurmountably boring to sit in my research library reading about conversation. But trying a few different experiments provides invaluable experience. Some things are reproducible, and some things aren’t. Why is that? Some things work as I expected, and some things don’t. Why is that? Some things aren’t connected the way I’d expected, (imagine if the light switches in your house worked lights in other rooms, instead of the one you expected.) Why is that?

Niels Bohr said something similar about Painful experience, and I agree. The experiences serve as guides on either side of the roadway. In the beginning, everything is unknown and the road is seemingly boundless. Some exploration however soon finds a guide limiting one side. Farther exploration moves along the road and perhaps finds the other side’s guide. Progress continues in a serpentine fashion along the road. As principles are learned, the road becomes clearer. Armed with the curiosity and inspiration born of experimentation, progress along the road accelerates as the guides become more clear.

In the end—or the end of the beginning?—things again seem simple. One might even say they seem principled.

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Trade-offs

Published February 13, 2022  ·  All posts on Feb 13

When we try to do it all and have it all, we find ourselves making trade-offs at the margins that we would never take on as our intentional strategy. When we don’t purposefully and deliberately choose where to focus our energies and time, other people—our bosses, our colleagues, our clients, and even our families—will choose for us, and before long we’ll have lost sight of everything that is meaningful and important.

~ Greg McKeown

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In the last year, I’ve been regularly returning to my personal mission. It’s a blazing beacon on the horizon. Every time I am aware that I should make a choice, I can honestly say this choice right here is in service of my mission. (The corollary of course is that those times when I’m not aware that I’m making a choice, my mission doesn’t help me at all.)

And I do literally mean all the things are in service of my mission. My choices about my commitments to people, family responsibilities, taxes, friendships, volunteer work, rest, relaxation, food, and many more things are all intentional choices now made in service of my mission. All those things, which others might say seem to be off-mission, are in fact making me a functioning, decent person who is then able to pursue a mission. There’s a whole suite of things that people incorrectly talk about as “home” life, (or “personal” life, or sometimes just “life”,) which they need to balance against “work” life. No. No no. No no no. I tried splitting my universe into work and life and that’s simply not reality.

There’s only “life” time. Stare unflinching at those choices that seem to be on the margins, for they too are just as much important choices about your life.

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A synthesis of sleep

Published February 10, 2022  ·  All posts on Feb 10

I’ve written a lot about sleep. But when I found this “article” about sleep from 2016— well, at 361 pages, it’s definitely not an “article.” Now that I found this article, I feel comfortable that in recent years I’ve not been writing about sleep. This topic is already well-covered.

And you really should go look at the PDF. Eight-hours a day? —wrong. Same time to-bed/to-rise each day? Wrong. Single-phase, biphase, … it’s all so complicated!

I hope that this article compiles all the basic ingredients of knowledge that are helpful in accomplishing refreshing sleep. As for the sacrifice, it is important to begin with the understanding that one cannot eat one’s cake and have it too. Healthy sleep may be incompatible with some modern habits, some cravings, or some lifestyle choices. At worst, refreshing sleep may be incompatible with one’s job or even long-term goals.

~ Dr Piotr Wozniak, May 2012 from, «https://www.supermemo.com/en/archives1990-2015/articles/sleep»

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Inconsistent yet persistent

Published February 7, 2022  ·  All posts on Feb 7  ·  

TK is an all-around mover, a dancer, rock climber, traceusse and earned her degree in athletic training. In addition to her movement practices, TK is a certified authentic Tantra instructor, teaching holistic healing of body, mind, spirit and sex. TK considers herself a sex activist and is the founder of LoveCraft, a sexual coaching and empowerment collective.

Tantra was the obvious place to begin since we were surely going to end up talking about tantric sex. My fear was that most people’s—myself included—knowledge of Tantra would be something to do with the artist, Sting. We immediately agreed that leaving the world only knowing about “men in linen pants” would be a disservice. “Tantra means, literally, to weave light and sound with form, the light being visualizations of your chakras in your body, sound being chants that you’re making, and then the form being your body, your physical body. That’s it, in a nutshell. The way that often looks is meditating. The way a lot of people do that is they’ll meditate and then have sex; they’ll meditate during sex; they’ll meditate on their own without any sex. Yeah, that’s kind of that, which means nothing, right? It’s like a, ‘Cool, and then what?’ which is what got me into having a coach.” — ~ TK from, ~4’40”

(more…)

Also useful

Published February 6, 2022  ·  All posts on Feb 6

How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. What we do with this hour, and that one, is what we are doing. A schedule defends from chaos and whim. It is a net for catching days. It is a scaffolding on which a worker can stand and labor with both hands at sections of time.

~ Annie Dillard

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Annie Dillard is right. Also useful for defending against chaos: Principles. Morals. Visualization. To be clear: My first word, “also,” is critical. I’m completely onboard with a schedule. But for me, since I’ve got schedule (and process and optimization and organization) dialed in, I’ve moved inward to more difficult topics of consideration. I find I’m asking myself—continuing Dillard’s metaphor—did I put the scaffolding in the right place?

And even more chin-scratchingly interesting: Am I done with this labor? And should I take the scaffolding down, so that I can set it up somewhere else?

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Unstuck with Robbie Swale

Published February 4, 2022  ·  All posts on Feb 4

How can individuals overcome barriers to starting and continuing creative projects?

A 12-minute train ride sparks the idea for a method that helps people overcome procrastination.

The creative hell of having something that you know you want to do and haven’t done, is much worse than having done it and it gone wrong.

~ Robbie Swale (2:26)

The conversation explores the challenges and processes involved in creative work, starting with the guest’s ambitious goal to appear on 100 podcasts within a year. This goal is tied to promoting a book and sharing a method designed to help people overcome procrastination. The “12-minute method,” inspired by quick train commutes, emphasizes short, focused creative sessions followed by immediate sharing, reducing the barriers to starting and completing creative projects. The discussion includes reflections on the emotional struggles associated with creative paralysis and the relief of simply beginning, regardless of the outcome.

Another topic discussed is personal branding, as Robbie shares how his identity has evolved across multiple roles—author, coach, and podcaster. He discusses the difficulty of balancing different audiences and platforms while maintaining a cohesive brand. This is paired with insights into the art of having meaningful conversations, whether in podcasts or personal interactions, and the transformative power of stripping away non-essential elements in both creative and conversational practices.

Takeaways

Overcoming procrastination — A structured, time-bound approach like the 12-minute method can break the inertia of creative blocks.

Sharing ideas without perfection — The act of publishing or sharing unfinished work can be more valuable than over-refining it.

Personal branding evolution — Presenting multiple facets of oneself requires careful thought to maintain coherence and accessibility.

The power of focused work — Even a short, focused effort repeated consistently can result in substantial achievements.

The value of conversations — Generative discussions can lead to new insights and deeper understanding, often surpassing solo reflection.

Balancing roles — Managing separate but overlapping audiences demands strategic decisions about branding and communication.

The impact of challenges — Setting ambitious goals can drive growth and learning, even if the goal itself is not fully achieved.

Resources

Robbie Swale’s website — Includes information on coaching and personal projects.

The 12-Minute Method — A series of books focused on creativity and overcoming procrastination, based on the guest’s personal writing journey.

The Coach’s Journey Podcast — A podcast created by the guest to support and inspire coaches in their professional journeys.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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Refuge for cowards

Published February 3, 2022  ·  All posts on Feb 3

We all have so much power that we don’t use. And I think it’s because of cynicism, which is a toxic spiritual state. Cynicism is a refuge for cowards.

~ Cory Booker

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I’m not sure what to think about the “spiritual” bit. I’d need to hear Booker explain what he means by that. This week, it seems, I’m on a language bender. And here’s something that really freakin’ matters…

Does Booker mean “Cynicism”, as in the proper noun, the state of being a Cynic…

For the [ancient] Cynics, the purpose of life is to live in virtue, in agreement with nature. As reasoning creatures, people can gain happiness by rigorous training and by living in a way which is natural for themselves, rejecting all conventional desires for wealth, power, and fame, and even flouting conventions openly and derisively in public. Instead, they were to lead a simple life free from all possessions.

~ Wikipedia from, Cynicism (philosophy)

…which isn’t my cup of tea, but doesn’t sound that bad. Or does Booker mean the contemporary adjective “cynicism”, simply capitalized because it’s starting a sentence…

Cynicism is an attitude characterized by a general distrust of others’ motives. A cynic may have a general lack of faith or hope in people motivated by ambition, desire, greed, gratification, materialism, goals, and opinions that a cynic perceives as vain, unobtainable, or ultimately meaningless and therefore deserving of ridicule or admonishment.

~ Wikipedia from, Cynicism (contemporary)

…also not my preferred cup of tea, although I do sometimes partake.

When I first read that quote I wondered if he was referring to Cynicism, before deciding he clearly meant cynicism. I’d wager you read that quote and didn’t wonder at any time which he meant. (I’m not criticizing, only pointing at the marvelous process of understanding language.) My question for myself today is:

While I see the nuance around that word in this quote, where am I not seeing nuance that I should be?

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