The Corrigan Encore

Stop Hitting Yourself

February 11, 2022 John Corrigan

Children in the back seat of a long car ride will often do some annoying harm to each other. A favorite game involves the larger child taking hold of the younger child’s arm and smacking the younger child in the face with the hand on the end of the arm they are holding while saying “stop hitting yourself”. Of course the child is not hitting themselves their annoying sibling is hitting them. There are times when we can unintentionally do some harm to ourselves though, and this should be avoided at all costs, there is no need to ever hurt yourself. Life is to short to do self harm.

One thing that happens and causes some serious harm is cognitive dissonance. I am drawn to this because I see it happening in real time. There are men and women who participate in some of the most compassionate acts ever yet will be politically aligned with groups that have a goal to destroy social safety nets. There are protesters for peace and equality that will harm people and cause mayhem.

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Cognitive Dissonance is a term that dates back to 1957 and describes the state brain is in when someone is convincing themselves that it is ok to do something that is against their beliefs or support something against their beliefs. Here is a pretty interesting article about cognitive dissonance.

I am not sure about you but I work five days a week and work is not always fun, however I have at time convinced myself that it was without realizing it even. Cognitive Dissonance is hard to spot and has some pretty bad effects when it is not stopped. It can cause self harm.

Maybe the best thing to do is take the advice that Polonius gave to his son Laertes in the play Hamlet

“This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man.”

Of course Polonius did not follow his own advice… because it is much easier to lie to yourself and engage in Cognitive Dissonance. Why is it easier to lie to oneself even though it causes self harm? Well I will end with another quote from Otto Von Bismark and the idiom it has generated

“Laws are like sausages. It’s better not to see them being made.” — quote

No one wants to see how the sausage is made — idiom/proverb

This moment

February 10, 2022 John Corrigan

I was watching a Miami Heat basketball game, the coach at the time was Erik Spoelstra and his big three were Lebron James, Dewayne Wade, and Chris Bosh. Erik called a time out and before he drew up a play he let the players know that they needed to “be with him in this moment” and when they stepped out on the court they needed to acknowledge the moment and not get ahead or behind. I remember hearing in my head the Van Halen song Right Now when Erik said that.

I love that song and the lyrics while simple are pretty powerful. Life moves fast and slow. Life is fluid and always moving. We should of course learn from our past and plan for our futures but not at the cost of right now. The odds that you are here on earth are 1 in 10^2,685,000 that’s a 10 followed by 2,685,000 zeroes. Here is an amazing article detailing how special your existence is. The article states that, the odds of you being existing are basically 0. The fact that you are here on earth should give you pause.

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“Life Moves Pretty Fast. If You Don’t Stop And Look Around Once In A While, You Could Miss It.” — Ferris.

Honestly I think that Ferris put it best in the movie Ferris Buellers Day Off. In case you haven’t seen it, and you really should see it, the movie is amazing. But Ferris is our teenage protagonist in Chicago Illinois and he decides that he and his friends need a day off from the rat race. Ferris and his friend skip school and have quite the comedic adventure, again this is a great movie go watch it. Watch t again if you have already seen it.

Vacations are great and should be had as often as possible. My mom used to accuse me of acting as though I was always on vacation. I think it is because I do not live in a rushed manner. I do not see the value of living in this rushed manner. I think about people who speed and their justifications for it. Speeding really doesn’t get you to work any faster than someone who follows the speed limit. Life should is not a race, there is no prize for the person that finishes life first or finishes life with the most stuff. Life is a gift a unique rare 1 in a 10 followed by 2,685,000 zeroes gift and should be savored and enjoyed with every moment if you can. Take time appreciate everything and be grateful even when it seems like you shouldn’t be grateful you are something special. Life is special and if you rush through it, well…….. You Could Miss It.” — Ferris.

Back to one!

February 9, 2022 John Corrigan

My wife is great at finding amazing dates. She has a knack for finding dates that are unique and a lot of fun. I think it was three years ago when she discovered that a film crew near our neighborhood was filming and looking for extras. I imagine that you can already tell what our date night was. You are correct, we were extras in a movie.

A movie set is weird, everyone has their role to play and only seems interested in that role. Movie scenes are not shot in sequential order and are often shot and reshot and reshot and reshot until the director gets the best shot or feels that they can piece together the best shot from all the shooting that has been done. Because of the desire to get the very best shot they can actors and extras are required to shot many scenes more than twice.

The scene that my wife and I were in was a party seen at a house the scene in the movie could not have lasted more than five minutes but it was full of extras and took hours to film this scene. The movie was Ben & Ara it is a love story with two love interests that are diverse in culture, religion, and race. If you ever watch the movie and see the party scene I am the drunk that bumps into Ara.

Every time we needed to reshot the party scene the assistant director would shout “BACK TO ONE!” Everybody in the house would move back to the spot before shooting and do the scene all over again.

Last night I was working on a project at the house I had made some huge progress and was feeling pretty good. I tried to build on that progress and broke what was working. Tonight when I get home from work I plan on starting the project all over again (because of yesterdays mistake).

We may discover that we have to go back to one sometimes or a lot of times and that is ok. As long as we have learned from shot 1 and 2 and 3 we are still making progress and in the end everything will be alright.

Why read

February 8, 2022 John Corrigan

I grew up reading books. I can still remember my mom walking me and my sisters to the Cleveland public Library every Sunday to pick up and return books.

The Cleveland public library was a member of the Cleveland Public Library Summer Reading Program. We would read ten books over the summer get Cleveland Indains tickets (now they are the Guardians go Guardians!). In School me and my sisters participated in the Pizza Hut Book It program. In that program after we made our goals we were rewarded with Pizza! I was taught from a young age by my mom and the public school system that reading is fundamental.

Confession time now, I would much rather read fiction than nonfiction any day of the week, but I am almost always in the middle of, starting or finishing a book (usually fiction). When I talk to my kids I almost always ask then a few things, how is school or work, how are there significant others and what books are they reading or read. The kids still in high school are usually not reading a book but the older ones are starting to come around.

My mom, the public schools and most of the adults in my life understood the importance of reading. Reading strengthens connections in the brain, reduces stress, it can even help you live longer! Here is a pretty good article that goes over the benefits of reading.

I didn’t know all the hidden benefits of reading growing up I just knew that reading as something good and that it took time and forced me to slow down. As a child and sometimes as an adult I can feel my life moving really fast and I do not seem to have control over everything. When I was a child it as the lack of control that I had trouble dealing with and reading offered me that control, I could read whatever I wanted and disappear to a story anywhere (some of the stories were in space). As an adult I am attracted to the ability to pace my reading. I can read as fast or as slow as I want. I try to carve out time for reading everyday.

It is important to encourage the next generation to do good things and reading is one of them. It is also important to do good things. So…. what are you reading right now? Is it any good? Should I pick up a copy of it? Have you read my book 🙂 ? My book . It is not great but its a short read and kind of fun

Why even say that?

February 7, 2022February 7, 2022 John Corrigan

What is a job?

Last week while waiting in line to get my smoothie, I over heard lots of lunch time conversations. One conversation in particular made me pause for a second and I had to resist the urge to set the induvial straight. A man with sunglasses turned backwards on his hat told a woman that “A military spouse is not a job”. I know crazy right.

A spouse is a job, military or otherwise. I thought about what I would say if I rudely interrupted this jerk to “set him straight”. I asked myself what is a job exactly. I did some light googling and found this post online. The post has a line that I think succinctly defines a job and it is “a job is an activity, usually regular and often done in exchange for a payment.” See the sunglass wearing jerk let the woman know that the Military Spouse job was not a job because they received no payment. Before my research I immediately thought “jerk and how close minded he is.”

Money, that is how he defined work, this thinking is close minded nearsighted and foolish. Money is and should be treated as a tool however, it seems that in capitalist society we have made money more than just a tool we have allowed it to stand in as a sense of value and worth for people and groups of people.

The Yanomami, Kula Ring of Papua, Awa tribes, Nyimang of Sudan, and Jonbeel Mela are societies in existence today that do not have or use money. The people who live in these societies have jobs even if they do not get a paycheck. The narrow mindedness of sunglass guy and his awful statement about military spouses just denies the existence of these societies and the work that is done.

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Money turns my stomach, because of people like sunglass guy. I heard a man in an Egyptian market call money filthy lucre and that has stuck with me for over twenty years. It really is filthy lucre. We allow ourselves to become trapped by money. We work jobs we hate for the promise of it. We starve for the lack of it and when we have it we are often forced to spend it to protect it or forced to part with it.

I truly believe that my grandchildren will live in a cashless society. A post scarcity economy. Essentially an economy based of division of the real resources not imaginary money. You will work for actual food and shelter not paper or electronic transactions. Here is an interesting article about the post scarcity economy. I could write for pages about societies without money and the worlds future (in which there will be no money) but, I must stop digressing. The bottom line is this… We have to stop being narrow minded a$#holes and I have to stop eavesdropping

Can we even do that?

February 4, 2022 John Corrigan

I am currently taking a software development course and the instructor was explaining the difference between UI kit versus Swift UI. There were the pros and cons lists and one of the pros for Swift UI was that it was “future proof”. Immediately I thought “Can we even do that?” I also wondered if perhaps sometime ago someone thought that UI kit was future proof.

If you haven’t seen the movie Back to the Future 3 stop what you are doing and go watch it. OK, so at the end of the movie Jenny asks the doc why a note she got from the future changed when she arrived in the past and the doc tells her that no ones future is written it is being written now. I am not advocating for no planning I think we should have a plan for our immediate and far future but we must realize that the plan needs to be flexible for it to work.

love the idea of something being future proof but I just don’t think it’s possible. I think what is most prudent is that we care for ourselves and others current needs with thoughts about the future needs.

In the Christian Bible there is a verse that describes the Bible as ” a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” Psalms 119:105. I like this verse because it demonstrates how we should live our lives looking at now our feet and forward path.

So even though we cannot future proof we should not stop planning and of course we should enjoy and live as much as we can in the moment.

Why do they do that

February 3, 2022 John Corrigan

I grew up going to public schools in Cleveland Ohio. I was always one of the smallest kids in every class through my academic career. I joined he army at the age of 18 and grew at least 8 inches in one year.

My size made me a target for bullies throughout my academic career. I have never understood bullies but have meet many of them and watched them conduct themselves. Bullies do not disappear when you become an adult either. (I watched the United States elect a bully to be president of the United States).

I have always been curious about what it is that makes a bully act as a bully. I know there is often a lot of pain within the bully but I do not think that is the only thing that makes a bully act as they do.

Most bullies belief that they are right.

The bully and the bullies defenders will tell others that the bully is not harming others but defending themselves, they are not a bully but a bold protector. Anyone that acts from a position of power to do harm to others is a bully. Anyone even if the other person “deserves” harm.

We should only work to help others. Harming someone will never help them. Some people will say that hurting someone is the only way that they will learn, this is a bad philosophy that causes generational harm and bullies.

If you can, help others; if you cannot do that, at least do not harm them.
– Dalai Lama

Bullies do what they know

A bully has been taught that harm can be help and this is false, harm is not good and will be harmful not helpful. It can be tempting to act harmfully towards others however when we do this we are affecting generations of people in a negative way. That one act of harm will cause ripples. On the flip side being helpful will also cause ripples. It is never to late to make positive change.

“The time is always right to do what is right.”
–MLK Jr.

This post has been heavy on quotes and I am sure that is because of how important the subject is. The damage from doing harm and believing we are right has caused wide scale genocide that is being taught to children as wholesome accomplishment. Christopher Columbus did not discover the United States of America, The pioneers did not settle the western front of the United States of America.

…These people are very simple as regards the u.se of arms, as your Highnesses will .sec from the seven that I caused to be taken, to bring home and learn our language and return; unless your Highnesses should order them all to be brought to Castile, or to be kept as captives on the same island; for with fifty men they can all be subjugated and made to do what is required of them…
— excerpt from the diary of Christopher Columbus

The removal of the tribes from the territory which they now inhabit . . . would not only
shield them from impending ruin, but promote their welfare and happiness. Experience
has clearly demonstrated that in their present state it is impossible to incorporate them
in such masses, in any form whatever, into our system. It has also been demonstrated
with equal certainty that without a timely anticipation of an provision against the
dangers to which they are exposed, under causes which it will be difficult, if not
impossible to control, their degradation and extermination will be inevitable.

— President James Monroe

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Bullies have done far too much harm and the progress they brought the world is bloody and unstable. Nothing earned through harm will last. Harm always causes more harm violence will always end in violence if humanity is ever to suffer it will not be through harm it will be through love. If you believe that love is the answer and suggest anyone harm another from a place of power or you yourself harms another from a place of power you are not acting out your belief you are lying to yourself.

Any belief that makes us harm others is a bad belief.

Again and Again and Again and …….

February 2, 2022 John Corrigan

It is Groundhog day today Wednesday Feb 2 2022. Here is some information for you all about groundhog day. In short it is the day of the year that the public asks the wise groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil if the winter is over. If the Groundhog comes out of his hibernation than we are in for a spring and summer if the groundhog goes back into hibernation we will experience the winter chill for six more weeks.

I should mention that this is an United States of America tradition and not done all over the world but the idea that we as a species can learn from animals is not unfounded or bad ideology.

Many cultures have festivals to celebrate animals. Here is a list of six of them this fall. Animals have been on this earth before human beings. Humans have been on earth for about 300,000 years. The Koala, Kangaroo, crow, Hippo, Ostrich, Bat, Elephant, Penguin, Gorilla, and rat are just a few of the animals that have lived on earth for over 20 million years. The shark has been on earth for 450 million years. When I type human 300 000 years I am of course referring to modern humans now our ancestors Homo erectus was around as far back as 6 million years. So even if we decide to crown homo erectus with human status some of the “youngest” species of animals still have at least 14 million years on us.

That is 14 million years of adaptation and survival. I think it is complete hubris to assume that our species is superior to the animals, it is hubris and not logical. Arguably one of the most recent greatest accomplishments of humans is the internet big deal. Animals have become masters of communication.

Humanity is currently facing a crisis and should do its best to learn as much as it can from the animals who have lived through millions of years of crisis.

I try and walk my dog every day. The dog was domesticated by man about 30 000 years ago but the dog is still an animal and has helped man in more ways than one. It was the dog that helped man outlive the Neanderthals, it was the dog that provided security for the human as well as companionship and undying love.

My dog has taught me to:

Have compassion

Live in the Now

And how to be part of a tribe.

Here is a great post about how much animals can teach us. Let’s celebrate groundhog day by learning as much as we can while respecting the animals on this planet.

February 1, 2022 John Corrigan

Today is the start of Black History Month in the United States of America and I did not think it would be right to write about anything other than Black history.

The White House put out a great press release that outlines the what why and when of the month. Here is that release.

I worked in a factory in rural GA, during my tenure there I had associates who… had no filters or boundaries in the work place. One such induvial, whom was fired for cause, approached me about reparation’s for African Americans. He asked me what I thought about the idea of reparations taking place. I have learned to duck out when it comes to political conversations at work and with family however this associate would not really allow it, I simply let him know that I do not think there is enough capital in the world to make the sin of slavery go away but reoperations seems like a good start, and I was not equipped well enough to outline how a successful reparation’s plan would work. The associate was not a fan of my words and left in a huff.

Black History is American history and it is not all roses. Black culture has and does influence and shape the world. Black innovators have changed the way that the world does business, stores food, travels, and does math. Black educators have written books and taught others that will and are going on to be leaders in their fields. Black Americans have accomplished all this while their hands have been literally and figuratively tied.

There is nothing wrong with trying to live up to the American promise that All people are created and should be treated equally. Reparation’s maybe one vehicle to bring all races equal treatment and I am all for it. We cannot sweep slavery and systematic racisms under the rug. Our nation will never grow and prosper if we do not reconcile with our past and face the reality of our present.

There are still many practices in place that work hard to keep Black Americans from having the same experience as White Americans and that is wrong full stop. I will always support equality and never support anything that would work to bring about more inequality. There are leaders who are actively working to keep people from voting in elections within the United States. This work falls almost entirely on race lines. The leaders do not seem to want Black Americans to have access to vote and I will never support this. The leaders are not bold enough to say it but when I played basketball I was told to watch the players feet, that’s where they are moving. These leaders feet are moving towards keeping black neighborhoods away from polling booths, their feet move to block vote by mail, and close the few voting booths early. The list of moves is long and almost all racist.

I am positive that based on history Black Americans will make it through this current round of hate and racism, when they do I want to be on the right side of history. I want to be on the side that is just and good. What side do you want to be on? and what are you doing to make that happen?

Here are some ways to be on the right side.

Donte

Educate

Speak up

Organize

Vote

Happy Black History month everyone

What to do?

January 31, 2022 John Corrigan

I enjoy playing chess. I am not as good a chess player as I would like to be and I refuse to publish my ELO rating for my one blog reader to make fun of me but I enjoy the game.

My middle school friend taught me how to play and I played for a club in middle and high school. While playing with the club I meet a lot of interesting players of all kinds of skill levels. My wins, as they are now, playing online (chess 360) where hard fought and few and far between. One day in the library after school while feeling a little discouraged an older player let me know that losing was actually better than winning. I thought he was an idiot for years, but now I understand.

When you play a chess game and loose there is a lot to learn. You see the mistakes you made and the setups your opponent created and you can apply what you have learned to your next game. When you win you feel great but learning is a little harder. A win needs to be scrutinized more than analyzed to learn a lesson.

Anything worth doing is going to be hard and you will have to loose a lot of battles in life but the losing can actually be better than winning sometimes and losing almost always leads to winning.

The two most imprtant things to remember is that you should never give up and you should always learn something. If you have not given up and you have learned something I would argue that your loss is actually a win.