We don’t want reactions. We don’t want first impressions. We don’t want knee-jerks. We want considered feedback. Read it over. Read it twice, three times even. Ponder. Sleep on it. Take your time to gather and present your thoughts — just like the person who pitched the original idea took their time to gather and present theirs.
Sure, a little bit of snark. The point stands. It’s so easy to raise the first objection that comes to mind. (As if that hadn’t already been thought of.) What’s harder is to read, reflect, and then put in some actual effort to reply. This level of engagement certainly isn’t necessary in every interaction, but there are many interactions that would be vastly improved by it.
I jot down little conversation-related things I find. Then I work them into being posts on https://openandcurious.org/ This little, weird question caught my eye in January.
[T]his is quite central to my fiction and to my analysis of the problems of creating a new nation today. Obviously, we can’t go back to a system in which every man is turning up in the village square—that’s in the past. But we have to find a way of dealing with the problems created by the fact that somebody says he’s speaking on your behalf, but you don’t know who he is. This is one of the problems of the modern world.
The extraordinary doesn’t wipe out the ordinary. People get married in wartime. Babies are born during pandemics. My mom drew water fro my bath while my father did test runs for the end of the world.
Although plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of plantar heel pain, it’s not the only diagnosis. In fact, plantar heel pain that does not respond to conservative treatment is usually not plantar fasciitis.
When is the last time you read a dictionary? Have you ever sat down, and started reading the dictionary at the very beginning? My mind has been melted and reformed. My foundations are shaken, (and stirred.)
Things were defensive from the outset: The literally-first, full sentence I encountered—set off within a box, with a fancy-schmancy Merriam-Webster logo atop—is, “The name Webster alone is no guarantee of excellence.” Followed immediately by the we’re-sick-of-litigating, but-that-isn’t-stopping-us thumb in the eye of, “It is used by a number of publishers and may serve mainly to mislead an unwary buyer.” Considering myself forewarned, and forearmed with a magnifying glass, I pushed forward into the volume set entirely in a font size whose capital letters tower exactly 2 millimeters. Sure, the Preface—a two-column wall of microfiche occupying the totality of page 6a—was winsome, as far as, I assume, dictionary Prefaces go. Pragmatic was the listing upon page 7a of persons comprising the Editorial Staff. However, things became serious, bordering on salacious, with the Explanatory Chart printed, (apparently primarily for practical purposes,) in sprawled repose across pages 8a and 9a as a visual menagerie detailing the architecture and idiosyncrasies of the dictionary’s didactic details. None the less, the degree of magniloquence encountered in the long-form Explanatory Notes for that chart, which begin on page 10a, and which span some 40 columns, is penultimate.
This is an idea I’ve come across repeatedly during the research I’ve conducted for my various books. There’s something incredibly valuable in the deeply frustrating yet rewarding pursuit of mastering something hard.
This idea comes up all over the place, and for good reason. Nearly 3,000 years ago, people like Marcus Aurelius where writing things about the absolute necessity of continual self-study and self-improvement. Books such as G Leonard’s, Mastery and countless bits on the Internet about self-improvement. My personal, direct efforts applied to myself—find some idea, reflect on it, then figure out how (if! of course) to apply it to myself… My efforts remain ongoing.
( I need a special character, or something, that I can put before these questions, to make it clear that I mean this entirely in a non-judgemental way– I only intend to spur your thinking… )
What role does community involvement and accessibility play in shaping inclusive, multigenerational spaces for Parkour and movement practice?
Blake Evitt discusses the importance of partnering with your community, creating multigenerational spaces for training, as well as how he does that in his hometown of Boston. He unpacks the influence that traveling had on his training, coaching, and business, as well as his own personal growth. Blake shares his thoughts on a number of subjects, including becoming vegetarian, the ADAPT coaching qualifications, and the United States Parkour Association.
Our goal with the park was to make a multigenerational movement space, not just a place where Parkour can happen but also a place where people can explore and be comfortable.
~ Blake Evitt (3:37)
The conversation explores how Parkour can serve as a tool for creating inclusive, multigenerational community spaces. A key focus is the development of public Parkour spaces, particularly in Somerville, Boston, where Parkour generations have helped design and steward municipally funded parks. The dialogue highlights the integration of Parkour for all ages, with specific classes for children, adults, and older practitioners, ensuring accessibility and fostering a communal experience. The discussion underscores the importance of designing spaces that allow for interaction across generations and between different activities, such as skateboarding and basketball.
Blake Evitt’s personal journey through international travel and cultural exchange plays a significant role in shaping his approach to Parkour and community building. His experiences training with Parkour groups worldwide inform his leadership in Parkour Generations Americas and the growth of Parkour Generations Boston. The interview touches on Evitt’s coaching philosophy, the significance of adapting Parkour for older adults, and the broader value of Parkour as a means of personal development, community engagement, and positive social change.
Takeaways
Community-driven Parkour spaces — The creation of municipally funded Parkour parks can foster multigenerational interaction and community engagement.
Inclusivity in coaching — Offering classes for different age groups, including older adults and young children, increases accessibility and broadens participation in Parkour.
Travel as professional growth — Exposure to global Parkour communities enriches personal development and informs local initiatives and coaching practices.
Public Parkour spaces — Collaborative efforts with city governments to build Parkour spaces ensure long-term stewardship and positive community relations.
Adaptive teaching methods — Classes are designed to accommodate varying physical capabilities, promoting longevity and inclusivity in the practice.
Cultural exchange through Parkour — Hosting international events like American Rendezvous creates opportunities for idea sharing and global collaboration.
Integrating Parkour into family life — Simultaneous adult and children’s classes encourage family participation and deepen community ties.
Coaching as a refined skill — Effective Parkour coaching requires development and refinement, similar to technical Parkour skills.
The role of competition — Personal goal-setting and competition provide structure and drive for practitioners, complementing non-competitive aspects of Parkour.
Resources
Parkour Generations Boston — The Boston branch of Parkour Generations, focusing on inclusive community programs and coaching.
Parkour Generations Americas — The parent organization overseeing Parkour Generations branches in the U.S., supporting growth and community engagement.
American Rendezvous — A large international Parkour event in Boston fostering cross-cultural exchange and community building.
Well, personalization is sort of privacy turned inside out: it’s not the problem of controlling what the world knows about you, it’s the problem of what you get to see of the world.
There are thousands — that’s not a typo — of companies which trade (buy, sell) data about users. We’ve reached a point where it is no longer possible to hide. You might also be interested in reading this:
Early on a brisk Saturday morning, I was struggling to find the motivation to put solid effort into a quadrapedie workout. During a break, I was talking to someone about how I’ve recently been dropping goals. I’ve always had a laundry-list of goals such as getting to a free-standing hand-stand, or a specific number of pull-ups. But I’m learning — slowly — that blindly chasing goals only leads me to injury and failure. Tenaciously refusing to let go of a goal can be counterproductive, even overtly unhealthy.
I find it’s easy to learn, and easy to get some new bit of knowledge stored in my mind. But it is difficult to get my instincts and feelings to change to align with that new knowledge. So it is with my processes and goals: I know it’s all about the process, but my instincts and habits are to create goal upon goal. I regularly get caught up chasing the goals, and lose sight of the process.
How far ahead can I see? How wisely can I set my goals? Do I chase them blindly causing my journey to veer off? Or do I have a broad spread of goals that firmly draw me in my desired direction towards the horizon, and ultimately, to the end of my journey?
It is not necessary for a man to be actively bad in order to make a failure in life; simple inaction will accomplish it. Nature has everywhere written her protest against idleness; that which remains inactive, rapidly deteriorates. It is the struggle toward an ideal, the constant effort to get higher and further, which develops manhood and character.
