Spring is here at last!

This weekend could begin what traditionally in the Northwest is, a slow start to spring. The sun is finally shining on our glorious green earth showing it great wonder. Two days this weekend we are having wonderful, sunny weather; making this our official start of spring. My apple tree is in full bloom and is expected to produce another bumper crop of apples this year. The grass is growing so fast I cannot keep up with the mowing. Weeds have taken over my driveway so I was out with my weed picker cleaning things up yesterday in the sunshine. It is so sunny I had to wear a hat to not burn the top of my head. I took the convertible for a long ride to the golf course yesterday and really enjoyed the open air, sunshine and cruise. Spring brings new hope and the promise of a great summer; swimming, fishing, golfing, reading in the yard, tanning, relaxing, camping, and hanging out with the family. It is a great time of the year, a few weeks remain in school and our vacation for summer will begin. Shine on spring, brings us great weather, great memories and the beauty of mother earth in full bloom.

New Beginnings

It is November again, a year has gone so fast. Great to be blogging again. My theme is "New Beginnings" I am back in the classroom, teaching 178 kids how to make good work habits, work hard, have fun and enjoy exercising. The new beginnigs come with a new season, my 19th season as a wrestling coach. Hard to believe I have done this that long. Great work, challenging, energizing, and demanding. I am so up for the challenge. Takes me to new places I have never been. Write every week to parent, wrestlers and alumni, keeps everyone updated...a large family if you will. Great diversion, commitment, positive use of my talents. I don't know if I can ever give this up? I am not getting younger, so I may not be able to do this forever. My old coach from HS just was enducted into the Washington State Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame. Don't know if I will make it that far in this place call coaching. The proudest moments I have had are at the Tacoma dome....State Champions, runners-up, placers, competitors, a very rewarding and draining weekend. Kids from all walks of life enter the arena and some come away with memories for a lifetime, others walk away empty. I love the thrill of victory, I feel the pain of the boys who suffer in defeat. February is a dark and rainy month, but on that weekend, the sun comes out.....reminding us that Spring is near, and we fill the dome with 16 kids per weight and duke it out for the top 8 spots. Every kid wants a chance to stand on the podeum and share the thrill of placing, but only 16 per division can call themselves champions. So lets rev it up for another exciting season of High School wrestling. Let begin a new with fresh eyes, new ideas, new kids, and an optimism that will take us through February, all the way to Tacoma for another season of crowning our State Champions.

Death of Kyle

Kyle Roger has died of terminal cancer. I was at his school yesterday and saw the faces of the children that were his friends. I say the faces of his teachers and aids. His cafeteria staff that waited on him....that loved him. His principal who called on him in his finals days. Kyle was so strong, so loving, so kind and so courageous. He was so young. Why do we lose kids to this? How can this happen to such a young and beautiful boy? I took a few moments to pray for Kyle and the Roger family on Sunday when I got word of Kyle's death. Jocelyn must be crushed....if you read my previous post about this I can still hear the echo of him saying..."this sucks"

My thoughts and prayers are with you Jocelyn and Cara in a very difficult time!



P

Outliers The Story of Success

Malcom Gladwell's new book "Outliers" has three themes of the book; attitudes towards work, cultural legacies and luck," Gladwell said. "Success is some combination of those three."
Gladwell's point is that these accidents - date of birth, culture and social class - are the true determinants. His conclusion is simplistic but convincing. What I enjoy about Gladwells writing is it is unconventional. He writes about social, psychological, environmental, cultural issues that transend all humans. The author allows us to see how success comes in many ways, in many different forms. Gladwells explinations are not as flimsey as his conclusion: "Successes," he writes, "are products of history and community, of opportunity and legacy." If it's not one thing, it's another. This is where he loses me. If success is a product of history, community, of opportunity and legacy then I am an outlier as well. Born in a Catholic family of eight, I was the fifth and the third boy. My father was an auto mechanic, my mother a secretary. Either of my parents had any education past High School. Each of my siblings that were older then me took the same path of my parents until my closest sister to me decided enought was enough...and went to college and graduated. This would make my sister an oulier as well according to Gladwell. I was the "first" male in my history to graduate from college and the first in my family to take advantage of my education. My sister had a degree as a teacher but never persued teaching...on the other hand, I got my teaching degree and have been teaching for the last thirteen years. I have also earned by advanced degree (Masters in School Administration) and am persuing my Principal certificate. Would all of this define me as an outlier? According to Gladwell....yes! Did I take advantage of my opportunities...I would have to say yes! Was my community involved in my success...I would have to say reluctantly, yes...more acurately my wife Joan. Does my History help me to be an outlier....yes being born in a big family...no college education history for my mother and father and just three of us in eight that have college degrees I would say yes. My grandfather was a carpenter and my grandmother a homemaker. Legacy?
Defined as a gift of personal property by will, I would say no. Success has come to me not from gifts but from taking advantage of opportunities. Luck, attitude toward work, and cultural legacies (not) I guess are a part of my overall success... or a combination of the three (or two in my case). I consede to the Master Gladwell...I love you!

OCTOBER 20 New Yorker

Check out October 20th's New Yorker. I read it cover to cover this week. Not that I am bored, I am working full-time caring for 3 animals, 2 kids and a sick and sometimes absent wife. Still, I found time to read this issue: I wrote about Malcom Gladwell's article last post. I read a couple more interesting articles worthy of reading. "The Financial Pages" by James Surowiecki is an interesting twist on our financial woes. "The Omen" in Annals of Finance take us deeper into the Jeremy Kerviel case of how he made enormous profits for his company only to have them file suit against him and have him sent to jail. French financial extraordinaire may still prevail with his powerful defense team? The jury is still out on capitalism? and in Profiles, "Zen Master" we meet Gary Snyder and his interesting life as a hippie zen poet. Read on and enjoy these cold...dark, windy days of October in the New Yorker to warm you souls with interesting and engaging writing.

Annals of Culture...Response to "Art" and creativity by Malcom Gladwell

Gladwell responds in the October 20th New Yorker Magazine about two types of creativity: conceptional or experimental (Galenson's idea). Galenson argues that the late bloomer is successful later in life only because it come to them at a later date in life (Art that is). But this argument is taken apart by Gladwell to not necessarily true. He compares Cezanne and Picasso and suggest that "the artist may just be discovered later or the world is just slow to appreciate their gift." According to Picasso art is (as stated in an interview with Marius de Zayas)..."In my opinion, to search means nothing in painting. To find is the thing." THIS IS IT...what is art...it is finding it as it relates to ones own art. So...what is this "finding it" moment. Gladwell refers to two of my favorite Psychology experts; Howard Gardner and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. Both have written extensively about attentional focus/learning and what Csik calls "Flow." This "Flow" stage occurs when a person find a moment (time is not present) where everything is lost but the focus on what is happening at that second. An artist needs to fine the "Flow" in order to concentrate and "create" their art. This is the shutting down of the logical brain and the turning on of the creative brain. It is a consuming moment (sometimes lasting for hours and even days) where the artist becomes one with their event. I believe this is when the making of "Art" takes place. Gardner would suggest that the environment must match the emotional and creative state in order to reach "flow." Garder and Csik have spoken at great length about this "state of being." They have collaborated on this issue and written articles and a book about this creative state.



Gladwell uses a great example of a genius (Ben Fountain) who quits his job as a lawyer to write and needed time, support and the optimal state of "Flow" to succeed as an author. Each came true due to his perseverance in wanting to succeed. Gladwell suggests that without all of the external supports, Fountain may have floundered as a writer. So...is art finding the opportunities and capitalizing on those "flow" opportunities to make your masterpiece. Most would say yes... at least the most gifted child prodigy's and older artist. Art can happen at any time in your life...so be ready to find that moment...capitalize on your artistic talent and stay with it until you make your masterpiece!

Art

Art...What is Art anyway. It is something visual, something heard, felt? What is this thing called art? I have been to many different places in my life...Le Louve, D'Orsey, Seattle Art Museum, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, The Experience Music Project, Childrens Museums, Old Rodio Museums, concerts of all kinds, book talks, lectures, keen note speakers, conventions, blogs, chat sites, web sites of all kinds.



Where does Art start and stop.... at what point does music, fine art, lectures, talks, conventions and such become less than art? Is art have to be creative? Can art be found in athletics, academics, social engagements? Where does this all begin and end?