A great short film brought to us by REI. Looks at the challenges and brilliance of women’s climbing. I really appreciate their viewpoints and ideas about how toopen up climbing, as well as the world.
https://youtu.be/DPe-T91TQ54
Category: Life That Matters
Plane Crashes, Commutes, Construction and Taekwondo: My Week So Far
It certainly has been interesting around the North Puget Sound area the past few days.
First, bigger, news-worthy thingie: plane fell out of the sky. Well, that’s how it was described by an eyewitness. Most important detail: no serious injuries. Reminds of the old pilot joke:
“A good landing is one you can walk away from. A great landing is one where you can reuse the plane.” Not sure if this plane will be in the air again. Not my skillset.
I live about 5 miles from the crash site, so this messed up my commute, as well as my son getting to his choir rehearsal yesterday. Minor things, I guess.
A couple of my construction projects are coming together abruptly. Great news, really, but I’ve spent a bit of time running around dealing with loose ends. It’s been awesome, though. It’s pretty great to get people into homes. Right now one of the best projects is a custom home we’re building on Camano Island. The proverbial dream home. These folks have worked their whole lives for this. It’s really wonderful, and somewhat humbling, to be part of helping them turn it into reality.
With that, another project’s coming together rapidly. Got to head out to the county admin building twice today! I do enjoy the folks there. Sure, not everyone is bright and cheerful…but that’s true of everywhere…even Starbucks!
I ended the evening at taekwondo (editor’s note: I love my school in Lynnwood: YS Lee Martial Arts! Full Disclosure: I manage the website, Mailchimp and Facebook communications there). Spent our normal class time working with new students, introducing them to their poomsae. It’s fun and an honor. I’m also reminded how much there is yet to learn. I know the structure of it quite well. However, knowing the art doesn’t mean you know how to teach it. Pedagogy is something I don’t know that much about. I’m trying to teach them, keep them excited and interested in the martial arts (there’s so much to learn in the beginning, it can be overwhelming). I want to keep it fun and interesting.
I also got to judge a colored belt test this evening. It’s another privilege of being a blackbelt. I deeply adore being part of these milestones. One of the testees was a girl I’ve known since she was, basically, a baby. It was great to see her making such progress. And I judged a woman I’ve known for the better part of a year now (egads, maybe more…), and I love the power she has. You won’t want to be hit by her!
Above I briefly mentioned poomsae, equivalent in karate to kata, and we translate it to “form”. Poomsae are a key differentiation between fighting and martial arts. Graceful styles, which, when done well, exude grace, strength and beauty. Below is one school’s demonstration of the first 8. I’ve enjoyed this one for years.
Do great things, be excellent to each other!
Life and Death and Youth, or Life In The Military
Once, I was a sailor, young and foolish.
Looking back I’m truly stunned at what I operated, and the responsibility in my hands. Mistakes had truly life and death ramifications, and I hadn’t no sense of the seriousness.
Everything from nuclear power-plants, torpedoes, big-assed firearms, weapons of all stripes including nukes, operated and maintained, mostly, by teenagers and youngish adults.
I read a post recently that reminded me of my time in the service. And, really, for the first time seriously considering what the heck was going on while I was a young man.
To be honest, there are times that these thoughts terrify me. And yet, I remember back, back to the youthful poor decisions, impulsive and rash actions; through all of it, we managed to be serious enough about our responsibilities that no one was hurt.
Perhaps I, too, don’t take the capabilities of youth seriously. Especially my own.
A week of challenge, growth and development
An interesting week. Much excitement, accompanied, as that often is, by aggravation. My team is moving at a frantic pace. In such circumstances, things get lost in the blizzard. Which frustrates me more than anything. I can deal with most annoyances with grace and patience. Except when the causality is mine. My tolerance is slim towards myself. Strange phenomena, that. I’ve read how compassion towards oneself is the critical first step in developing compassion towards. I seem to be in reverse. As I’m want to do.
Next month I’ll be taking classes again, bringing my autocad skills into the 21st century. I took autocad back in the mid-90s (DOS based, I should add), used it on a handful of projects, with the last of those ending in the late 90s. From that point forward I used Visio for that sort of work. Mostly just laying out office space, mapping outlets and network jacks, that sort of fun.
I’m actually quite delighted to get this update, build this knowledge. Construction has been great fun, even with the challenges. Looking forward to continuing onwards.
There’s a great alignment of my interests within this industry. My time at Starbucks working on environmental issues, as well as accessibility, plenty of opportunity for that here. Studying Seattle and the region’s culture has a place, too. Plus the things I liked most about real estate have a place. Very pleasing, indeed.
It is interesting that, at 50, I feel like I’m new, freshly learning. I’m blending refreshing old skills and knowledge with the new. Part of what drives that feeling of newness: the mistakes. Fortunately, I’m in a place where real risk taking is encouraged. “If you’re not making mistakes, you’re not pushing yourself enough.” As I embrace that, let it pull me forward, there’s positive changes coming forth. I like the way things are moving, the direction I’m growing.
I can’t think of a better life than that.
A Few Thoughts On Wil Wheaton’s Radio Free Burrito, Episode 45
Just finished the 45th episode of Wil Wheaton’s Radio Free Burrito. I adore his wit and share many of the things that tickle his whimsy.
In this episode he talks a bit about getting a gig from an audition. He’s rather pleased with himself as this has not been the most successful vessel for booking his work. It’s quite understandable, really, that you meet success where you’ve met nothing but frustration. That feeling of validation is quite invigorating.
While talking about that, though, he mentions the times he’s thought about quitting these. Not quitting acting, but these types of auditions. For me, the key thing: he’s successful getting work via, what I’d call “networking”. The undertone: that would be “quitting”.
I’d argue that, no, it’s not. Acting, and acting gigs, are the goal. He has success there! He’s acting, and paying the bills. Everything else is gravy. There’s nothing wrong with quitting unsuccessful tactics while working towards your dream. Quite the opposite.
Some times, quitting is essential.
One way to consider this: the ol’ 80/20 rule. 20% of what most people do generates 80% of the results. If one is meeting success doing “it” one way, and not in another, focus on where you’re meeting success.
It’s not only “ok” to quit what’s not working, I’d argue that there’s an imperative.
Focus on results, not the process. So what if someone else gets all their work “this way”? Focus on what works for you. It might be valuable to explore how you can do things differently, and use that to grow. And, as Wil points out, sometimes the exercises that don’t generate the gigs have other value. For him, many times it’s getting in front of key people; building that network.
Results, my friends, are what should drive us.
Keep up the good work, my friends!
I CAN = Innovate, Collaborate, Achieve and Network
This is a title for a training program which was emailed to me. I love this acronym! A great way to drive home keep components of effectiveness in today’s business climate, especially that of real estate. However, the connected world impacts us all.
Experience “I CAN”
Innovate, Collaborate, Achieve and Network
I recommend you watch “A Strong Mind” on YouTube
This video features Ashima Shiraishi, an amazing young rock climber out of New York. It’s really exciting to see people so young grab hold of a dream, making it happen. Of course, supportive parents help immeasurably. Her dad, who gets screen time, looks like someone I’d enjoying having coffee with. Which is about as high a compliment as I have.
What do you think?
https://youtu.be/TrS3Q0IeXHk
Thoughts on “That Dragon, Cancer 2016”
That Dragon Cancer, a game changer (please forgive my pun). At least it expands my idea of what video games are, and what they can be.
Games are immersion, bringing you deeper into a narrative than any story or film can bring you. Elements of poetry, art, motion interplay to bring you deeper than you ever could’ve gone .
They won the “Games With Impact” at this year’s “The Game Awards“. Which tells me the gaming industry recognizes the importance and power of such games. I’m pondering what the intersection with VR will bring about. The future holds amazing promise.
Thoughts on Casey Neistat’s Vietnam Notebook
I’ve been enjoying Casey’s work for sometime now. It’s really a 2016 discovery; one I’m happy I made. I get ideas of things to film, someday, that mythical someday when I have plenty of free time.
Moleskine junky that I am, I really love what he did with his notebook. Cutting out/adding in tickets, maps, key details, blah blah. Things I wish I’d done with my trip to Yellowstone Grand Tetons this summer.
I think it’d be fun to craft some videos like this, too. My son is going deep into videography. He really wants to collaborate, and I really want to embrace that.
Lastly, Casey makes note about nothing drives home how fast time passes than watching kids grow up. And I’m really feeling that this fall. We’re preparing for highschool, talking college, cars,and well, being grown-up. I’m so damn glad I made the time to be here, to be part of his childhood. So many men I know regret missing this, and feel pain as they try to connect with their grown children. Trying to find a place in these lives that were filled in their absence.
There’s nothing I’m more proud of than my simple integration with my son’s life. He’s a great kid, and an amazing young man. I’m very happy.
https://youtu.be/hQa4GouJYA4
Talent vs Non-Talent
Came across this image the other day. It makes me think: “am I being the best I can be?”
Am I pushing myself? Do I seek challenges to rise to?
Well, often I do. However, it’s not always easy and, sometimes, it’s easy to slide back into the non-talent mindset, waiting for someone else to come save me.
When I catch that, though, it annoys me and drives me to snap out and move forward.
What about you? Where do you fit in this puzzle of life?