Month: July 2023

1234 and beyond

On February 29, 2020, the first death related to the coronavirus in the United States was reported. At the time nearly 3,000 people worldwide had died. Less than 100 confirmed cases existed in the United States. Little did any of us know how our lives would change over the next few weeks, months, and years.

This post isn’t about the pandemic. This post is about something else that happened on February 29, 2020. It was the last day that I took fewer than 10,000 steps. I don’t recall why I took a break from my standard step regimen that day but I did. Perhaps I was tired.

I recall that I resolved to start a new streak on March 1, 2020. My original goals were to 1) beat my old streak (which escapes me but I think was about 180 days), 2) keep the streak alive for at least 365 days, and 3) keep the streak alive for the duration of the anticipated pandemic – however long.

So here we are over three years later and the streak continues. To be precise, one thousand two hundred thirty-four days have one and gone since the last leap day. 1, 234 is a number that is orderly, progressive, and linear. A number that stands for so much.

I have faced many obstacles during the streak, including work, illness, weather, travel, and motivation. I have learned much about myself and achieved more than I could imagine. Mostly, I have learned to believe in myself and work steadily each day. I am proud of the streak.

Earlier in the streak, I averaged over 20,000 steps a day. My current trend is averaging 12,000-13,000 steps per day. So the pace is slowing but the drive to keep it going is not. Someday, the streak will end. Yesterday was not the day it ended. I have no plans to end it today either.

Communication and Storytelling

I have quietly been working on several post ideas. Yet, I have not completed them. I want to write and publish posts I love. This post has been in the hopper too long and needs to come out. I do not love this post. This post has taught me that communicating a good story is hard to do.

Recently, I watched the final episode of Ted Lasso (assuming season 3 is the last). I’ve enjoyed the show since I stumbled upon it by chance during season 1. The writing, the characters (and character development), the setting, and the story are wonderful.

It is a show about hope and optimism. One article describes the show as “a pandemic bastion, to be sure, a paean to the kind of niceness and positivity we’d like to believe will win the day amid a world that grows more cynical every passing moment.” Sure it gets a little over the top with its positivity, but it has a great message. Also, it is littered with 80s references that take me to a happy time in my life.

The show teaches (or reminds us of) many lessons. Here are three things I take away from this series. First, search for alternative explanations. Don’t always assume the worst. Perhaps someone is having a bad day, week, month, or even year. Next, the show demonstrates the importance of giving and receiving grace. Finally, the show demonstrates and enforces the importance of storytelling.

Fans of the show will remember the dart scene in Season 1. This scene is an example of great storytelling. In less than four minutes we learn a lot about Ted. We learn Ted played darts with his dad. We learn his dad passed away when he was 16. We see what happens we assume things about people. We learn to focus on ourselves and not what others think of us. We learn to not underestimate people. Perhaps most importantly, we learn to be curious about other stories. Thank you storytelling!

Storytelling allows humans to connect the present to the past. It allows us to explore and understand the human experience – both now and in the past. Storytelling allows us to look backward to find solutions to current challenges. During a season 3 episode, Ted’s son, ex-wife, and her boyfriend visit. During the visit, Ted feels the strain of being a distant parent (he lives in the UK while his son lives in the US). He longs to be closer and more connected with his son. Ted believes he is missing too much by being on another continent. Additionally, Ted is distracted. Ted is preoccupied with a trip his ex-wife takes to Paris with her boyfriend. Ted frets about whether she will get engaged in Paris. He is so distracted that he isn’t present for his son and his son feels alone and alienated.

But storytelling to the rescue! Late in the episode, Ted, his son, and Coach Beard are sitting outside the pub on Richmond Green listening to a man perform songs. In the scene, Ted’s son recognizes the performer playing the Beatles song Hey Jude. Because Ted loves the Beatles, so does his son. Yet, Ted barely acknowledges the recognition and steps away to take a phone call. The dialogue between Coach Beard and Ted’s son demonstrates why we need stories Coach Beard ties the lyrics and genesis of the songt to the current situation with Ted’s son together. The viewer and Ted’s son is left with a better understanding of the current situation. Take a sad song and make it better.

Shortly after this episode aired, I listened to a podcast by Scott Galloway aka Prof G. I like listening to Prof. G. He is insightful and sharp. While I don’t always agree, I always learn something from him. I enjoy his direct, off-color, and occasionally bombastic style. He is wicked smart and brutally honest. His May 5, 2023 musing ponders the importance of storytelling. When asked which skill kids should acquire to best compete in the modern economy: Galloway unequivocally answers – storytelling.

Galloway argues that “Communities with larger proportions of skilled storytellers experience greater levels of cooperation.” Galloway outlines five ways to get better at storytelling. Listen – read widely and ask questions. Evaluate – Test your ideas. Frame -Find a way to express your thoughts in a compelling manner. Be Fearless – Open yourself up to the rejection of your story. Deliver – Once you know what to say, say it in as few words as possible. Overall, his point is to get in the game.

All of this prompted me to ponder the importance of human interaction. Recent changes and events have caused us to drift apart. The ease we can “communicate” via technology means many interactions are electronic only. Most of the electronic mediums, don’t allow for the personal and immediate feedback. We don’t know if our receipent has received our message. Often we respond without fully understanding the message. Effective and/or difficult communication is challenging electronically. Perhaps we need to do more in person.