good – The Corrigan Encore

But still I

December 15, 2023 John Corrigan

The new year is quickly approaching, I am typing this on December the 15th, only 16 days until the new year. With the new year brings my resolutions. I have so much I want to accomplish that I have to pare down my list. I will have a refined list this year and I will get it done. This is my hope for me and you.

How though will we do it? We will grind! We will wake up and grind every day. There is no secret to success, other than trying failing and trying again. My only wish for you and myself for next year is that you grind. I will not wish for it to be easy because it will not be easy. I will not wish for success because we will fail more than succeed. I will not wish for you to be comfortable because comfort does not help us grow. I will not wish for you to be satiated because hunger moves us better than anything. I will wish for us to never quit grinding though.

Don’t let anyone stop you next year including you!! happy holidays and Happy New Year!!

See you all in 2024 Peace and love

I know what it was now

November 17, 2023 John Corrigan

It was a few weeks ago and I was doom scrolling through Tik Tok. Watching funny videos, woodworking videos, bread making videos (homemade bread is incredible by the way) and I stumbled on a creator that I follows live stream. The creator was holding a debate. The debate had two arguments dealing with two separate topics. One argument I totally agreed with the creator on and could see no way to change my mind from the followers that engaged with the creator. The second argument really bothered me and not because i agreed or disagreed with the creator it was the way the argument was crafted. The argument really rubbed me the wrong way and I just couldn’y put my finger on why I didn’t like the argument.

I was bugged not only by the argument but also by the fact that I couldn’t name what was happing with this persons argument. Finally it hit me! The argument was a bad faith argument, precisely an appeal to ignorance bad faith argument. This is what I think it was what do you think? The argument was that; God is imaginary because you cannot prove the existence of God. See this is textbook appeal to ignorance. Since you cannot prove that god exists than the opposite must be true. This is the type of zero sum thinking that truly bugs me to no end.

It is zero sum thinking that seems to be doing and has done major damage throughout the course of humans history. There is no doubt in my mind that the partisan attitude in the United States government has come from zero sum thinking. The racial animosity and divisions also come from a zero sum mindset as well. The zero sum theory is bad for society and the world and it is high time that humanity embrace the non zero sum thinking. Together we can and will all win.

I had to post this video

Happy Friday everyone

A play in New York city

November 16, 2023 John Corrigan

My wife and I were dating for a little of two years. My wife was working in Manhattan and I visited her at the end of her work trip and stayed for a weekend. We scored Wicked Tickets and watched the show. We had a blast watching Wicked. One of my favorite parts of the play was a scene where one woman promised the other woman that she would make that woman popular, as a show of her friendship towards the unpopular woman.

There is a new book by Mitch Prinstein titled Popular. The book outlines the issues we face in society because our bodies have not evolved beyond worrying about status and popularity. More aptly put we need to evolve beyond worrying about convention popularity and status and be more concerned about likeability and with compassion.

Often what makes us gain status and become more popular is not good for the modern world we live in. What the world needs now is love sweet love (I could not resist myself). Honestly though we need to reprogram society and change what is popular and gains status.

“The world is a show and the show is a performance of the wealthy, the beautiful and the fortunate. The invulnerable, the matchless and the exclusive live a life like dazzling fish in a scintillating seascape behind glass. Everybody may admire them, but nobody can touch them. ( “Keeping up with the Joneses” )”
Erik Pevernagie

Most billionaires are psychopaths and have taken much much much more from society then they have contributed. Even the most philanthropic billionaires have only given away 20% of their wealth so far. Most Billionaires in the United States hover between 1% and 5% of their wealth in their philanthropic endeavors. However society has been programed to make these folks popular and important when they should not be. In a fair and just society billionaires should not exist. Billionaires are proof that our society is broken and the popularity of billionaires does not point towards the development of a better society in the near future.

Take time today to reward and seek the things that should matter and make those popular. what matters most is compassion love, human connection and relationships.

You know when

November 2, 2023 John Corrigan

I am a pretty big sports fan. I grew up in Cleveland Ohio so I am a fan of all the local professional sport teams that are based in Cleveland. One of the teams is a professional football team named the Cleveland Browns. Right now the quarterback for the Cleveland Browns has not played a full game in the last three games due to an injury to his shoulder.

American football is a sport that seems to have injury to players as part of its DNA so an injury is not scandalous or controversial, the extra layer to this story is that, someone leaked to the press that doctors cleared the quarterback to play the day after the shoulder injury. Now fans and everyone are weighing in on the quarterback and most of the comments are not positive.

Peer pressure can force us to do dumb things and when it comes to your own well being it is important to listen to (what is often the most quiet voice) you. You should know how you feel and if you need to recover go ahead and recover. If you are sick and need to stay home and get some rest go ahead and do that. It is very important to listen to your body and mind and when needed to take breaks.

Take care of yourself because no one else will.

Altogether

October 23, 2023 John Corrigan

Wedding receptions, anniversaries, reunions a club after some drinks are all places you are likely to find people dancing. Dancing is pretty interesting because other than the line dancing style songs there is really no wrong or right way to dance. There are just a bunch of partners or single folks out on the dance floor moving their bodies to the music. If you are dancing with a partner you get really close and do a lot of touching and avoid touching the other couples. If you are dancing alone you move without touching anyone to the music and maybe another person dancing alone will dance with you and maybe not.

As far as interactions are concerned dancing is kind of like life. There is music that drives all of us to move and we have to move together but not to close together and we all have to kind of agree on where and when we move.

You may not end the day with dancing and you may not dance at all today but listen for todays “music” and try to move with the rhythm of the world you live in.

How can we?

October 12, 2023 John Corrigan

Accidents happen, and the nature of an accident causes changes and damage to the normal day and life that we are living. Often we see accidents happen to others and we wonder what can we do to help.

I remember listening to a country music star talk about how he was shocked when he heard the news about the terrorist attack in the United States on 9/11/2001. The star went on to say that, after the shock he just wanted to help and wasn’t sure how he could. He then decided to write and play music about the event because that is what he knew.

Of course we can and do and should give to charities, money is always helpful to a charity and if you can do it I would suggest giving in a sustainable manner (monthly, bi monthly or yearly). Money as charity is good because it is modular, the charity can use it for just about anything however, we often feel like we can and should do more but what more can we do? That’s a tough question..

Do what you know best; if you’re a runner, run, if you’re a bell, ring.
Ignas Bernstein

Often we work within our strengths, or our work becomes a strength. If you are looking for a way to help a friend or family member (beyond monetary), you should lean into your strengths. You would be surprised at what someone needs when they have suffered damage because of an accident. There was a family in my church that suffered the loss of the matriarch, and I wanted to help out. I on multiple occasions brought the family plates of food and was shocked at how much this simple act seemed to help the family.

We can do a lot of help by leaning into our strengths and helping with as much kindness as we can muster. I think maybe even more important than the action of help is the attitude that we give the help with. Help with kindness in mind, not obligation or pity.

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted
Aesop

Take time today to help others.

No alarm clock needed

September 26, 2023 John Corrigan

In 2006 there was a movie starring Dane Cook, Ashley Simpson and Dax Shepard. The three are employees at a super store like CostCo or Sams club. Bothe Dane Cook and Dax Shepard are vying for the attention of Ashley Simpson. It is well known that Ashley Simpson only dates guys who are or have been the employee of the month. Dane Cooks character a slacker finally finds a reason to get excited for work and try’s to be a good employee. Part of his transformation to a good employee involves getting to work on time. In a pivotal scene Dane Cook wakes up on time without the aid of his alarm clock.

Waking up without an alarm clock is called precision sleeping and it happens when our bodies become accustomed to a schedule. Early risers swear by the benefits of waking early. Here is a pretty good read on the importance of waking up early.

“I would have it inscribed on the curtains of your bed and the walls of your chamber: If you do not rise early you can make progress in nothing.”
Willian Pitt Chatham, British statesman

I have benefited from waking up early and have expereinced waking up just in time and I can say that while it can be hard to set up a schedule waking up early has far more benefits than waking up just in time or late. one major benefit of waking up early is control. When I set and adhere to a schedule that involves waking up early I have a sense of control of a big part of my life. I think that waking up on time without an alarm is a major way to demonstrate our control.

At the end of the day, you can’t control the results; you can only control your effort level and your focus.
Ben Zobrist

There is very little we can control in our lives and schedule is one of the big ones that can make a big difference. So moving forward let us all aspire to be one of those people that wake up without their alarm and conquer their days.

Bathwater and babies

September 25, 2023 John Corrigan

A project is planned, perfected, practiced and them performed. That is an idea situation however many projects are not planned, practiced or performed and almost no project is perfect. I worked with a project manger who planned out his project for 8 months and did no performance, that manager was let go for lack of performance. The planning perfecting and practice stage of a project are important however when any of these stages prevent action on a project than the stages should be looked at and reconsidered.

Dans ses écrits, un sage Italien
Dit que le mieux est l’ennemi du bien.
Voltaire

A podcast that I am a pretty big fan of called People I Mostly Admire, interviewed psychologist and author Thomas Curran. Thomas wrote a book titled The Perfection Trap. In his book Thomas explains that the pursuit of perfection and being a perfectionist is not a good thing. Perfectionism causes burnout and depression and in his book Thomas gives us tools to avoid perfectionism and embrace the power of good enough.

A wise Italian says, the best is the enemy of the good.

Voltaire

Chasing perfection as with any pursuit must be done with temperance and common sense if it is not the one chasing perfection risks jeopardizing their mental heath and destroying their relationships with family and friends.

Perfectionism is a trait that is often associated with obsessive compulsive disorder and is often not diagnosed or treated because it is a useful trait. People who are not your friends or loved ones will use your perfectionism to promote their own agenda.

Today we should understand that while perfection is good perfectionism should be avoided.

Perfection is impossible; just strive to do your best.
Angela Watson

You are enough and your best is enough and you can and will do your best everyday.

A little weekend nostalgia

September 15, 2023 John Corrigan

The year was 1986, I was 9 years old I was a third grader in Cleveland Ohio and it was Friday. The bus drive home was the longest one of the week. At the the end of the bus stop was the walk home but, it was also freedom! We were free from school for the weekend!

The weekends were special. Friday afternoon would start with phone calls to friends about where everyone would spend the night at. If you were lucky you were hosting friends or staying at a friends house. Friday night would be a movie marathon of scary movies hosted by a wacky video host and Saturday morning would be cartoons on the tv. Saturday afternoon we rode our bikes and visited the local candy store and any open parking lots. There we did “tricks” on our bikes. Sunday was dominated by football or baseball. If you were really lucky you had tickets to the game. There was also the trip to the public library.

As I got older weekends got better. As an adult I spent weekends golfing, fishing, watching sports, drinking, visiting backyard barbeques. In 2006 I was given a Blackberry Pearl and the weekends turned to not so great after that.

The always on generation did a lot to destroy the work life balance and one of the first victims of the work life balance was the epic 80’s and 90’s weekend. It is very important to maintain a work life balance. Without a work life balance you can expect health problems, burnout and depression (I know depression is a health problem).

Let’s all do our part this weekend (that’s right starting this evening when we leave work) and shut off our phones and take back the weekend. Let’s make this weekend an epic 80’s /90’s weekend!!

Nothing is that way

September 14, 2023 John Corrigan

There are videos every where you go, if you travel in public spaces. Most communities use surveillance videos to deter public crime however, the video itself does not deter crime it is the potential criminal knowing they are being recorded that deters the crime.

But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.
Luke 12:2

When someone is recorded while in the action of a crime or violation they know the likelihood of being caught is much higher when they are recorded in the action and therefore chances are high that they will not commit the crime.

A camera with AI technology can spot people of interest or situations that look out of the normal but because real time surveillance is basically a myth stopping crime while it is happening without a security guard present is a tough ask. There is live surveillance or as close to live as you can get but even with live surveillance the action of stopping the criminal in the act requires boots on the ground at the right time.

Technically the speed of light is 300 000 kilometers per second so no one is really seeing something as it happens. We are all processing things after the fact. Time is funny. Time is almost impossible to define and yet we all use it everyday. The best definition I have seen for time was: Time is the observation of the degradation of matter.

The past, present and future are only illusions, even if stubborn ones
Albert Einstein

I could go on and on about how time is a kind of silly human construct however today I am more interested in how the subjective nature of time. I see some people live full robust lives that affect everyone and their lives are short. I think about Jesus of Nazareth being under 40 and making such huge waves with a message of love and compassion, then there is Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain, Martin Luther King Jr., Keats, Mellvill and Orwell. This list is long of folks that lived short lives but made huge contributions to society. The “time” they had was used well. Time is at best a persistent illusion that when not considered or used correctly doesn’t really matter. We should all be less concerned with when and more concerned with what.