Be as open as possible to the person in front of you. Listen and observe so closely that you can follow up on a sigh, a shake of the head, a change in tone of voice. Take a chance on reflecting your observations back to them without judgment: “You looked amused just now. What’s that about?” Ask the question about feelings that occurs to you, the one you might normally suppress.
Allow silence.
And see what happens. I think you may be astonished at the result.
Re: Writer’s Block. Perhaps more should have it. Perhaps the disease, the dilemma, the affliction is trying to tell the writer something. Much that is being produced is unnecessary, indulgent. When the sincerity, the weird naïveté and enchanted stupor of writing leaves the host—the writer—one can only pray for their return, their reintegration.
Inside this box is a thing of beauty—and absurdity. It’s a one-of-a-kind puzzle created just for me by one of the greatest puzzle makers in the world. It is, almost surely, the hardest puzzle ever to exist. But before I open the box, let me tell you how the puzzle came to be, and why I think it’s not a trivial pursuit.
What insights and experiences are shared about balancing personal life, professional commitments, and community involvement in Parkour and humanitarian work?
The journey from Washington, DC, to sabbatical in Scotland highlights the value of rest and self-reflection.
You don’t need to earn a break; you’re allowed to just take time off and breathe and enjoy your life a little bit.
~ Adrienne Toumayan (4:59)
The conversation begins with reflections on taking a sabbatical and the challenges of prioritizing rest and recovery. Insights are shared on overcoming self-doubt and embracing the freedom to recharge. Adrienne discusses their unique journey, transitioning between a demanding career in humanitarian aid and their deep involvement in Parkour, where she has contributed to events like the North American Women’s Parkour Gathering.
The dialogue also explores the Adrienne’s contributions to Parkour Earth, emphasizing the importance of foundational work in creating a transparent and inclusive global organization. Additionally, she shares her passion for storytelling through blogs and Instagram, using these platforms to connect with others and inspire engagement with their adventures. The beauty of the Scottish Highlands is also highlighted as a source of inspiration and joy during her sabbatical.
Takeaways
Balancing professional and personal life — Insights on the decision to take a sabbatical and its impact on personal well-being.
Parkour Earth’s mission — Efforts to create a global, transparent organization uniting diverse Parkour communities.
Storytelling through digital platforms — The role of blogs and Instagram in sharing experiences and connecting with others.
Cultural and geographical inspiration — Reflections on the transformative power of travel, especially in Scotland.
Identity and duality — Challenges of navigating a double life between Parkour and humanitarian aid work.
Resources
Adrienne’s Instagram — Personal insights and adventures shared through photography and stories.
North American Women’s Parkour Gathering — Event promoting women’s involvement in Parkour.
Parkour Earth — Global organization fostering the Parkour community.
Isle of Skye — Destination discussed for its magical landscapes and inspiration.
The great charm of conversation consists less in the display of one’s own wit and intelligence, than in the power to draw forth the resources of others. […] The true man of genius will delicately make all who come in contact with him feel the exquisite satisfaction of knowing that they have appeared to advantage.
You must catch yourself. Some people boast of their failings; Do you suppose a man who counts his vices as virtues can take thought for remedying them? So far as you can, then, be your own prosecutor, investigate yourself, function first as accuser, then as judge, and only in the end as advocate. And sometimes you must overrule the advocate.
The truth is that there is no relationship between importance and urgency. Those are two attributes entirely separate from one another. So I’ve taken steps to disabuse myself.
I love the word disabusing. It makes it so clear: I am the source of my problems. Most of the urgency comes from my own false sense of urgency. Sure, some things are urgent—hey, dial 911. But I really wish I had learned this lesson long long ago.
One might even say that I have been abusing myself for quiet some time.
Fewer are aware that the PC wasn’t IBM’s only internal-politics-driven value giveaway; one of the most important software applications on those mainframes was IBM’s Information Management System (IMS). This was a hierarchical database, and let me pause for a necessary caveat: for those that don’t understand databases, I’ll try to simplify the following explanation as much as possible, and for those that do, I’m sorry for bastardizing this overview!
I’ve read, (technically I am in the process of reading,) everything Thompson has written. I skimmed through this long article since it wasn’t news to me. However, if you take about 10 minutes to read this, you’ll know more about Databases and the Big Kids who made the things which became the things you now use every day, than pretty much everyone else on the planet.
helped (ie watched) my cousin shuffle wine among several carboys (tasting each batch of course) then moved some wood pellets. Zach might have made steak fajitas for lunch using various peppers our wives grew in the gardens… yeah, life’s rough.
Official recommendations are normally that about 60 per cent of the calories we consume should come from carbohydrate. That’s actually higher than the most carbohydrate-rich hunter-gatherer diet of all, and about three times the average carbohydrate percentage in such diets. The authors of this study conclude, ‘…the range of energy intake from carbohydrates in the diets of most hunter-gatherer societies was markedly different (lower) from the amounts currently recommended for healthy humans.’
Not “low carb” as in some wacky, extremist diet. I’d prefer to call it a “normal carb diet” where you simply try to get your carbs from tubors, fruits and veggies, not from added sugars and refined grains.
It’s obvious the key idea of section 5 is mindfulness. So I started by thinking about “mindfulness in Parkour practice.” But I wasn’t able to find a compelling thread to unify my thoughts. I came away from a few writing sessions with nothing of value. Eventually it occurred to me to circle back and reconsider my writing process.
I reread this whole series and — aside from, “Wow, I suck at writing!” — it struck me that I have been “unpacking” each of the first four sections. My process has been to sift each section for a key idea, and then simply spend time thinking about that specific idea:
What exactly does the idea mean? Do I already know and understand the idea? How does it relate to my Parkour practice? What other areas of knowledge does it relate to?
But section 5 is already short and to-the-point and doesn’t need to be unpacked.
I’m so META Even This Acronym:
Stop the presses! It seems I have just discovered the concept of being mindful of the writing process. /sarcasm
Next up:
I am actually writing something about section 5 now that I have a different plan.
So our washing machine quit this weekend (while I was away.)
“No user servicable parts inside.”
Not this user! Tools, snip, yank. A-HAH! The commutator brushes are worn out.
This is what my dad used to spend a lot of time on… changing commutator brushes on elevators; The thing in the picture with the “39B” on it, on the end of a braided wire with a spring to push it against the commutator… It’s a block of carbon (called a “brush”) and it should be about an inch long. :*) As the motor spins, it wears down. Eventually, the length of the cable limits it moving down against commutator, no electrical contact, no motor movement. The other brush, (motor has two brushes,) was still long enough to touch.
Physics/electrical geeks: Ask me about commutator brushes some time. :^D
Internet, click click click, order via drop-ship P1, parts for tomorrow. Washing machine back in business for wednesday.
