Vibrant with Alison Coates

September 29, 2023 · All posts on Sep 29

Vibrant – with Alison Coates

What is the transformative impact of community, environment, and personal identity on creative expression and connection in a podcasting journey?

Embracing change, making unconventional choices, and the courage it takes to be your authentic self in a world filled with expectations.

It feels like those connections are now beginning to come together. I was reading a newsletter from the [local forest group.] It must have been published two or three years ago. And when I first read it, I thought: “that’s interesting.” And then I read it recently, and every article and person mentioned in there, I know… I now know who they are, I can put a face to those people, and I know more of their story and who they are. So there’s something brewing about the people in this community.

~ Alison (around 13:30)

Craig Constantine and Alison Coates begin with Alison’s breathtaking view of the Kyles of Bute and the ever-changing weather patterns in a remote Scottish village. She shares how the natural beauty of the area has become an integral part of her daily life and how her move to the village has shaped her perspectives. They touch on the evolving dynamics between locals and newcomers in the community, and Alison’s potential (budding?) interest in capturing the stories of the people she has come to know. Finally, Alison reflects on her youngest child’s non-binary journey, emphasizing the importance of normalizing discussions about personal identity.

Takeaways

Embrace Change — openness to new experiences and perspectives leads to personal growth and a deeper connection with community.

Normalize Identity Conversations — willingness to discuss a child’s identity and a community’s reactions demonstrates the importance of normalizing conversations about personal identity.

Impact of Authenticity — by being true to oneself, individuals can find happiness and inspire others to do the same.

Build Meaningful Connections — interactions highlight the value of building meaningful connections.

Community Resilience — observations of changing dynamics demonstrate the resilience of communities in the face of change.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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Tough acts!

September 29, 2023 · All posts on Sep 29

How I assemble 7 for Sunday varies. This week, I had the three quotes selected, and three of the other pieces chosen and written… and I was left staring at this spot between a quote from Asimov and a quote from Kelly; Tough acts to follow or precede. I racked my brains over this. I felt I should be able to find a joke a la Asimov, which also illuminated a shortcoming of my own… this is the best I could come up with:

Four years ago, when I left for college, I thought my father was the dumbest ape to ever walk the planet. Upon my return I couldn’t believe how much he’d learned!

Why slow learning? We live in an age of information overload, ever-accelerating technologies, and split-second learning. Citizens, learners, and workers today are required to continuously reskill, upskill, and newskill to keep up with this new pace. 

~ Tom Hodgkinson et al from, Slow learning | ITCILO

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Granted, the joke is weak. As a consolation prize, I’ve included that wonderful project for your consideration.

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Solo with Bane

September 28, 2023 · All posts on Sep 28

Solo – with Bane

What are the benefits and challenges of training alone in parkour compared to training within a community or group?

Craig Constantine and Bane free-dive into the world of training alone, where challenges are intrinsic and progress is incremental.

Your movement is your own. It’s so personal in parkour… your challenges are intrinsic to yourself, to what you want to achieve, to what you’re capable of.

~ Bane, 25:00

Bane discusses the personal nature of parkour practice. He emphasizes the idea that “your movement is your own,” highlighting the deeply individualized and intrinsic aspect of the discipline. He also discusses the balance between solo training and group training, noting that both have their advantages. He recognizes the value of training with others for inspiration and learning different movement styles, while also emphasizing the benefits of solitary practice for self-discovery and personal goals.

I’m not worried about forcing it and making it happen… I’m going to do it when I’m ready to do it and it’s about coaxing that readiness out of me.

~ Bane, 29:20

Takeaways

Balancing Solo and Group Training — While solo training provides personal introspection and development, group training offers opportunities to learn from others, gain inspiration, and push boundaries.

Sustainability and Flexibility in Training — Emphasizes the importance of sustainable training practices, instead of rigidly adhering to a strict training regimen.

Patience and Mindful Progression — Underscores the importance of patience and mindful progression.

Learning from Different Environments — The discussion touches upon the significance of training in diverse environments.

Personalization of Parkour — Parkour is a deeply personal practice. Participants have the freedom to define their own goals, challenges, and techniques.

Resources

Breaking the Jump by Julie Angel

Born to Run by Christopher McDougall

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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Matrix with Ryland Lanagan

September 27, 2023 · All posts on Sep 27

Matrix – with Ryland Lanagan

What drives adults to embrace a parkour-based fitness program, and how can it contribute to their physical, mental, and emotional well-being?

Join Craig Constantine and Ryland Lanagan as they discuss Ryland’s journey towards longevity, where functional fitness and the sheer joy of movement lead to a healthier and happier life.

[When asked what gets adults engaged?] 100%, it is fun. Fun is that common ingredient… Everybody that gives themselves permission to come in and maybe falter in front of strangers or put themselves out there— Once you’re willing to do that and you start to learn techniques, or you’re starting to exercise, a whole cascade of things happen.

~ Ryland Lanagan ~24’30”

Ryland introduces his Movement Matrix Method, a structured approach to learning parkour that is specifically designed for adults. He shares his remarkable journey from an overweight and disheartened Army veteran to a passionate advocate for parkour. He describes how parkour became a lifelong passion that has not only transformed him physically, but also transformed his outlook on life.

Takeaways

Passion and Fun — The driving force behind Ryland’s commitment to parkour is the sheer joy and fun it brings.

Physical and Mental Benefits — Parkour offers numerous physical and mental benefits. It helps individuals feel proud of their accomplishments.

Longevity and Functional Fitness — Parkour isn’t just about flashy moves but also about developing functional fitness.

Starting Early — While it’s never too late to start parkour, people should begin as soon as possible to avoid letting decades pass without engaging in physical activity.

Passion is Contagious — Enthusiasm for parkour is contagious, and sharing this passion with others can inspire them to try parkour and experience its benefits.

Resources

Movement Matrix Method: Ryland describes his movement program incorporating a structured approach to teaching parkour skills, ensuring students progress safely and effectively. https://go.rylandlanagan.com/mmm-registration

(Written with help from Chat-GPT)

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Protocols and platforms

September 27, 2023 · All posts on Sep 27

Love ’em or hate ’em, big platforms with big collections of people and information about said people are currently ever-present. This deep dive from Masnick has a bias—one which I wholeheartedly endorse—but it is also an excellent description of what does “protocols versus platforms” really mean? What’s a protocol, and what’s a platform? How are they different, and why do they seem to have such different effects on the late-game situation? If you’ve so far avoided this topic, this is a good place to try spending a half an hour to see if it makes more sense.

After a decade or so of the general sentiment being in favor of the internet and social media as a way to enable more speech and improve the marketplace of ideas, in the last few years the view has shifted dramatically—now it seems that almost no one is happy. Some feel that these platforms have become cesspools of trolling, bigotry, and hatred. Meanwhile, others feel that these platforms have become too aggressive in policing language and are systematically silencing or censoring certain viewpoints. And that’s not even touching on the question of privacy and what these platforms are doing (or not doing) with all of the data they collect.

~ Mike Masnick from, Protocols, Not Platforms: A Technological Approach to Free Speech | Knight First Amendment Institute

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On creativity

September 26, 2023 · All posts on Sep 26

A writer—and, I believe, generally all persons—must think that whatever happens to him or her is a resource. All things have been given to us for a purpose, and an artist must feel this more intensely. All this happens to us, including our humiliations, our misfortunes, our embarrassments, all is given to us as raw material, as clay, so that we may sharpen our art.

~ Jorge Luis Borges

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I am not a runner

September 25, 2023 · All posts on Sep 25

I’m lately fascinated by the distinction between when I’m using an activity as a part of my identity (“I am a runner”) versus pointing out that I do an activity (“I run”). This sort of nit matters to me, because the nature of self-identity matters to me. If I am a runner, but then for whatever reason I don’t run… what then am I? What fascinates me isn’t the specific verbs, but rather: What actually am I? This locks me up thinking for long periods. I write. I run. I climb. I jump. Yes, but, what am I?

I look up at the sky, wondering if I’ll catch a glimpse of kindness there, but I don’t. All I see are indifferent summer clouds drifting over the Pacific. And they have nothing to say to me. Clouds are always taciturn. I probably shouldn’t be looking up at them. What I should be looking at is inside of me. Like staring down into a deep well. Can I see kindness there? No, all I see is my own nature.

~ Haruki Murakami from, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

I enjoyed reading Murakami’s essays. Particularly because I run poorly, I wanted to know what he talks about when he talks about running. In fact, he does talk a great deal about literally running, in addition to the larger perspectives on his life for which everyone loves the book.

But one thing is for sure: I run. But I am not a runner.

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Words left unsaid

September 24, 2023 · All posts on Sep 24

Every time I talk about this subject caring people ask if I am okay. I am right now, thanks for asking. Someday, sooner or later, I won’t be; that’s the way the disease works. When that happens, I’ll ask for help. Please join me in that promise.

~ Ken White from, «https://popehat.substack.com/p/the-weight-of-the-unspoken-word»

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Every time I talk about this subject caring people ask if I am okay. I am right now, thanks for asking. Someday, sooner or later, I won’t be; that’s the way the disease works. When that happens, I’ll ask for help. Please join me in that promise.

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What lies in that space?

September 22, 2023 · All posts on Sep 22

In person, I try to not talk about technology. This is simply because I’ve spent such a significant portion of my awake-time already doing so, that I’d like to talk about something else now… for the rest of my life, in fact. But technology comes up a lot. These Days® artificial intelligence comes up a lot too. Mostly (in both those cases and others) I try to sit back and simply enjoy learning more about the people I’m with at that moment.

We dramatically overestimate the threat of an accidental AI takeover, because we tend to conflate intelligence with the drive to achieve dominance. This confusion is understandable: During our evolutionary history as (often violent) primates, intelligence was key to social dominance and enabled our reproductive success. And indeed, intelligence is a powerful adaptation, like horns, sharp claws or the ability to fly, which can facilitate survival in many ways. But intelligence per se does not generate the drive for domination, any more than horns do.

~ Anthony Zador, Yann LeCun from, Don’t Fear the Terminator | Scientific American

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This is an insight—I’m going to call it a “wedge”—that I’d not thought of. There is a conceptual leap between “is intelligent” and “will strive for dominance.” For everyone I’ve heard speak about AI, the leap seems tiny, as if the one necessarily implies the other. But this wedge fits perfectly into that narrow space. In fact, it makes it really clear that there is a space between those two things. Interesting times.

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RDF site summaries

September 20, 2023 · All posts on Sep 20

…more commonly, Really Simple Syndication (RSS). If you don’t yet know what RSS is: RSS is a calm technology.

Introducing a quarter-century-old technology as if it were novel might seem a little strange. But despite the syndication format’s cult following, most internet users have never heard of it. That’s unfortunate, because RSS provides everyday internet users with an easy way to organize all of their online-content consumption—news media, blogs, YouTube channels, even search results for favorite terms—in one place, curated by the user, not an algorithm. The answer to our relatively recent social-media woes has been sitting there all along.

~ Yair Rosenberg from, It’s time to take back control of what we read on the internet – The Atlantic

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Of course, the real problem is that we’ve all had the idea that “newer is better” broadcast at us for years. The Amish don’t eschew all technology; rather, they’re very particular and intentional about what technology they adopt. The Luddites didn’t want to smash and rollback all technology; they were technically skilled workers who thrived via technology, but who had a specific bone to pick about a new technology.

In recent decades we’ve been fire-hose, continuously fed the idea of techno-optimism… except without the really critical part: one can’t simply hew to, “technology is good.” Technology is nothing more than a tool. There are excellent tools, poor tools, and all tools can be used for good or evil. It’s the consideration we put into our decision to adopt or eschew a technology that matters most.

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