Words and motion
Here’s a heartwarming memory from my summer: Two men shouting invectives at each other in a parking lot, the specifics unfit for print but with a generous helping of violent threats. Me—and likely many onlookers—wondering if this would evolve to blows. One of the men backing away towards his vehicle (smart), but continuing to hurl insults with the same ferocity (not smart). And the real lovely…
In 1921, Lewis Fry Richardson wasn’t satisfied with the current state of weather forecasting. His criticism of the paradigm was fundamental: it relied on pattern-matching instead of modeling the physics of the atmosphere. In the preface of his book Weather Prediction By Numerical Process , which would go on to revolutionize how meteorologists forecast the weather, he described the dominant…
It was halftime in a close tournament finals. My basketball players gulped water and breathed heavily. It was our fourth game in two days. But we were here, vying for a championship just a week after a disappointing early tournament exit. We were so close, yet there was still work to do. I spoke before they returned to the court 1 . “Guys, we have one last half, and I know we can do this. We can’t…
There are experiences, commitments, environments, people, and roles which will grow your identity. There are also those that will shrink it. You won’t know which you will get in advance, but here are a few points to consider: First, the larger your identity’s radius, the more resilient you will be in the face of setbacks. For example, if I’m struggling in my work, I can turn to my sports coaching…
I was almost seventeen, not an arts and crafts kind of guy, and wasn’t looking to repair anything. So you can imagine my surprise when I unwrapped a bottle of glue as a gift. This also wasn’t from some kind but clueless family member; it was from my two soccer coaches at the end of the season. In fact, they had gotten a gift for each of my teammates, and we were opening them one by one. Though my…
What does progress mean to you? In November 2023, I met with my cohort for The Roots of Progress Fellowship in sunny San Francisco to tackle this question. We filled a wall with sticky notes of ideas, examples, and concepts. Certain categories of progress showed up: material, cultural, scientific, and health. We debated and discussed all morning, but ultimately we didn’t come up with a definition…
We might have lost the basketball game, but as a coach, it was one of the most inspiring performances I’ve seen from my team. We had no business winning. Though we were good, this team was undefeated despite playing some of the other top teams in our league. As I watched our opponents move like athletic machines during warmup, I wondered if I was going to witness a bloodbath. But my team was…
As a runner, I could tell you things about my town that few others would know. I could describe the best homes for glorious views of the sunrise. I could tell you about our street lights based on the bubbles of light I see on dark mornings. I could show you the terrible (and sometimes non-existent) shoulders for cyclists, runners, and walkers from having to navigate them. I could even tell you…
Seamen hurry near the harbour, making final preparations for their vessel. They crunch through a blanket of red, orange, and yellow leaves. Their destination: Europe. A cool wind reminds them to keep working, anything to keep warm against the falling temperatures of autumn. It’s October 15th, 1657 , and it’s departure day for the ship docked in the St. Lawrence River near Québec City. A view of…
Each winter, I set a goal of not slipping on ice during my runs. Each winter, I’ve failed. Bruised hips and scraped knees tell those tales. Darkness is the primary factor. A typical run begins long before there’s even a hint of morning light. My steps are never fully confident, the snow concealing potential danger on the road. Step here, step there. Keep my feet light. Slow down before turning.…