Another round of introspective analysis yielding results. In thinking about the delicate relationship between student and teacher, athlete and coach, employee and employer, yogi and practitioner and citizen and government, I thought it might be fun, and therefore valuable, to consider who we might invite to sit with us for lunch as we dedicate focused effort into our work, play, study and creative exploration. More precisely, who could we learn from as we attempt today’s graceful dance in the mine field of our modern world. Here are mine for today (with the parenthetical note that my 0530 spin class - where I am squadron leader - and the 0700 weight lifting session with my nephew - where I am mentor - have both already been completed.)
WRITING: I do this on a daily basis as inspired by Julia Cameron and her powerful work The Artist’s Way, as a form of therapy - we get to explore the cavernous regions - as well as to create a block of disciplined creativity. While I do try to be a story teller, brutal honesty and spontaneity are more important than grammar and sentence structure. That commercial success, as a result of this approach, will happen about the same time as the first blizzard in Hades, does not matter in the slightest. I do this for me and I will share it with anyone who dares to drop by. Therefore, because Julia is busy with her next tome, I invite and invoke the spirit of Cormac McCarthy to sit beside me today as I pound out another post.
EXERCISE: Although two sessions have already been entered into the workout log, there remains the constant quest to improve upon the existing routine. I have been doing this a long time, however, if I was asked (by that person I am about to invite) to access the areas needing attention I would not hesitate to answer, stretching and swimming. Those are the easy ones and I could choose from a plethora of qualified and accredited coaches for structure tweaks and motivation, but the area of my current interest, a checkers double-jump away from passion, is an altogether different category, however directly connected:
FLOW: In his phenomenal work, The Rise of Superman, Steven Kotler, gives us ‘a fascinating primer on how athletes of extreme sports use flow to accomplish what seem like impossible goals.’ Blatantly using the quoted blurb (from Financial Times) to illustrate its content and theme, this paperback packs a powerful punch. I am fascinated by the combination and potential when we, as athletes, entrepreneurs, lovers, musicians or leaders combine the three elements of mind, body and spirit into one - and then use the resulting imagination for inspiration. Therefore, my guests today for the exercise and search for optimal dynamic flow are UW Husky football coach Chris Petersen and mentor Mr. Kotler. After lunch we can stretch or swim.
MUSIC: As you may have noticed I like to synergize. Mix things up and create new ones. Combinations and ratio variants, degrees of blending, like adding a melody line, or hand-clap to an existing work. This, in the biz is called tracking. Where one adds tracks to the base tune, overlapping and overdubbing new sounds to texture, spice and fill. Throughout the course of a typical day in my studio/office I will grab a guitar, currently a Spanish Classical nylon stringed Lyle needing new catgut, and work on a new song, rehearse an old one or simply pluck out a fresh progression or scale. Later, I almost always head to iTunes to sample material suitable for inclusion to my spinning library. This morning’s additions were tunes by The Dead (a juicy Cold Rain and Snow from 1972), a Pigeons Playing Ping Pong rock/funk fusion and a delightfully gritty blues number by Melissa Etheridge. As we speak Rossini’s Girl from Tangier is lifting my soul compliments of Seattle’s Classic KING FM. My musical muse today will then be (again) Jerry Garcia.
WORK: I take the Maynard G. Krebs approach with this one - WORK? - preferring instead to sacrifice my IRA for NOW. I am going to do what I want to do, on my own terns and without reservation. Always and hopefully forever. While I, in all honesty, cannot recommend this style to everyone, as it is very risky, for those who understand the bigger picture and higher calling, it is the only path to take, and once taken there is no turning back. Sure I wish I had stayed in, pick one, publishing, government contracting, coaching, music, sports marketing, radio, videography or sales, what I am doing right now is exactly what I want to be doing. I am happy, curious, healthy and free. I am also in love so that helps. With the complexity (and paradox) of all this in mind the person whom I consider to be an expert in this field and from whom I might learn a new trick (or two) is: Malcolm Gladwell.
Ladies and Gentlemen, lunch is on me.
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