Connections between it all →

Published September 19, 2021  ·  All posts on Sep 19

Digital gardening is the work we do to make an organic mess less messy and more useful. It’s certainly not a new idea but I think it’s something that is becoming a major problem for may digital spelunkers. We’ve never had a greater variety of information inboxes and it has never been easier to capture new information into these boxes. The problem now is with recalling the information and making connections between it all.

~ Gabriel Weatherhead from, On Digital Gardening, Blogs, and Knowledge

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Weatherhead goes on to list several specific problems, but not much in the way of solutions. And that’s perfectly fine; Having a clearly defined problem, (or two, or three,) demonstrates a lot of thinking and a lot of hard work has been done in search of a solution. We even have an adage for that: A problem well-defined is half-solved. He mentions in passing that a lot of his bookmarking, (saving, marking for later reading, staring, adding to lists, etc.,) is done as an aspiration. Becoming aware of this was a key turning point for me.

At some point, someone will carry the last of my worldly possessions… and deposit them in a dumpster. At some point, all of my digital files will be given a shrug and summarily deleted. I currently aspire to stop collecting things “for later” and instead use, read, compose, share, create and inspire now.

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Proper training →

Published September 18, 2021  ·  All posts on Sep 18  ·  ,

What, then, is the proper training for this? Firstly, the highest and principal form of training, and one that stands, so to speak, right at the entrance way to the enterprise, is, that when you become attached to something, let it not be as though it were to something that cannot be taken away, but rather, as though it were to something like an earthenware pot or crystal goblet, so that if it happens to be broken, you may remember, what kind of thing it was, and not be distressed.

~ Epictetus

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Intentional →

Published September 18, 2021  ·  All posts on Sep 18  ·  

About a month ago, I was lamenting the loss of some of my Movement mojo. After some soul-searching, we started with a simple change: Rather than waiting for movement to happen as a part of our day, we began asking a simple question, every day:

“What are we doing tomorrow?”

For fun, we set this chalkboard-wall up to encourage activity and to let us savor the decreasing number of days to American Rendezvous, a Parkour event held in Somerville, just across the Charles River from Boston.

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The only true voyage →

Published September 17, 2021  ·  All posts on Sep 17  ·  

The only true voyage would be not to travel through a hundred different lands with the same pair of eyes, but to see the same land through a hundred different pairs of eyes.

~ Marcel Proust

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House keeping →

Published September 17, 2021  ·  All posts on Sep 17

A shout-out to Alice who joins us this week. Welcome! :)

The front of my blog includes a random selection of testimonial quotes from readers of this email. It would be helpful if you’d hit reply and write something I could add to those testimonials.

Also, I’ve made a small addition to also show the tags for each of these items. After 10 years and 3,000+ posts, all my tagging along the way has proved well worth the time. If you’re curious, I have two pages for tags; One is an insane “all the tags” page, (there are 1,326 unique tags on my blog,) and the other is a more useful page of “tags with 10+ posts.The latter runs to about 100 tags and is an insightful glimpse into the sorts of things which interest me.

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Instincts with Alexandra DiPalma →

Published September 16, 2021  ·  All posts on Sep 16

What inspires and sustains someone working behind the scenes in podcast production?

This conversation uncovers the struggles and joys of producing creative podcasts with purpose.

The team that I’m working with needs to be cool and needs to be on the same vibe as me, you know? It’s just not worth it to me, at this point, to be forcing myself into a box to work on a certain team.

~ Alexandra DiPalma (3:31)

This conversation explores the personal and professional challenges of working in podcast production. Topics include maintaining inspiration despite the workload, the importance of selecting projects that align with personal values, and the satisfaction of empowering underrepresented voices in the podcasting industry. Insights are shared about prioritizing teamwork and avoiding projects that lack alignment with one’s instincts or mission.

The discussion also touches on collaboration, emphasizing the value of working with peers at similar levels of experience. Alex reflects on how her perspective has shifted over the years, balancing passion with pragmatism, and remaining open to meaningful projects that may not offer immediate financial rewards. The metaphor of an upward spiral is used to illustrate growth and self-awareness, reinforcing themes of connection and the power of thoughtful framing.

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Connection with Fred Martin Gutierrez →

Published September 16, 2021  ·  All posts on Sep 16

What is the unique power of sound as a medium to connect with others and foster understanding?

The essence of podcasting lies in its ability to preserve authenticity and humanity.

I’ve gone through a career as an architect and as a builder, and acoustics are often overlooked […] I always have this dream of building the perfect bar, or the perfect restaurant, because I think the acoustics in those spaces are more important than anything else. That ability to be with somebody, but be in public, and acoustics can influence that dramatically— or make it a horrible experience.

~ Fred Martin Gutierrez (17:16)

The conversation begins with reflections on the unique emotional resonance of sound, emphasizing how podcasting enables connection through its focus on auditory experience. Sound’s unedited authenticity, as seen in music and live conversations, is contrasted with the more curated nature of other mediums. The importance of pauses and space in fostering deeper thought and connection is highlighted, both in podcasting and in writing.

The discussion transitions into technical aspects, such as the role of acoustics in spaces like bars and restaurants, where it can enhance or detract from experiences. The conversation also touches on podcasting as a tool for self-discovery and reflection, particularly during midlife, revealing how it offers an avenue for learning and personal growth. Finally, the talk explores the human connection fostered by shared experiences, whether through podcasts, music, or even reaction videos.

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The roller coaster →

Published September 16, 2021  ·  All posts on Sep 16  ·  

Life is not ever going to be content. Life is never going to be normal. For the rest of your life you’re on a journey that has ups and downs and ups and downs, it is a roller coaster that never ends. Until one day you close your eyes and you’re off the roller coaster. And I think for me, I just want to be on as many different journey’s as possible, so at least if I’m on a roller coaster, there’s a new zigzag and a turn that I didn’t know about before.

~ Scooter Braun

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What room for an abject mind? →

Published September 16, 2021  ·  All posts on Sep 16  ·  ,

When you have acquired a contempt for things that are external and lie outside the sphere of choice, and have come to regard none of them as your own, but only this as your own, to judge and think aright, and exercise your impulses, desires and aversions aright, what further room is there after that for flattery, what room for an abject mind?

~ Epictetus

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And sometimes panic sets in →

Published September 16, 2021  ·  All posts on Sep 16  ·  

Inspired by a reader’s question to me, I thought I’d ask our followers on Facebook and Twitter for an answer to the question: What books would you recommend someone read to improve their general knowledge of the world.

I must say the number and quality of the responses overwhelmed me. The box Amazon just delivered reminds me that I ordered 9 books off this list.

~ Shane Parrish, from What Books Would You Recommend Someone Read to Improve their General Knowledge of the World?

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I know there are too many books—old books, new books, red books, blue books … A friend of mine just published a book, Before You Say Anything, and Jiminy Cricket I’d love to read it— I hovered on the add-to-cart button. But I paused, managing to trigger my habit-change “wedge” of repeating: “simplfiy. simplify. simplify.” I digress.

I skimmed that list of books from Parrish and felt I should probably read every one of them. Instead—simplify. simplify. simplify.—I noted I’ve read several, have several more already in my possession, and several others on the wishlist. With a life-is-short shrug, I’m passing it along to you and moving on with my morning.

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