@narratives@noted.do
What's Inside This Mental Breakdown of Writing? Here, you'll find my wandering thoughts on economics, geopolitics, culture, technology, and daily ideas. Plus, I'll be dropping little peeks behind the curtain on my novel and nonfiction projects.
As a dad, my boys are my LIFE.
Lucas said, dad you trained us boys for years, literally everyday, at least 15 years in the gyms and on the weights and plyometrics, speed training on the track and coached us multiple years.
Whatever you boys needed your Italian and Indigenous Metis family and extended family were there to support you.
We are so thankful for our b-ball community leaders.
"Malicious gossip takes the place of creation in non-creative lives." ~ Nancy Hale "Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people." ~ Eleanor Roosevelt "Whoever gossips to you will gossip about you." ~ Philip Sidney "The person who gossips is a terrorist who drops a bomb, destroys, and they destroy others." ~ Pope Francis I have been engrossed in reading four books by Robert Greene: "The 48 Laws of Power," "The Laws of Human Nature," "Mastery," and "The 33 Strategies of War." A recurring theme across these books is the unethical nature of gossip…
The only way to get what you're worth is to stand out, to exert emotional labour, to be seen as indispensable, and to produce interactions that organizations and people care deeply about. ~ Seth Godin Do the emotional labour of working on things that others fear. ~ Seth Godin Dealing with emotions at work or in social situations can be tough. Emotional labour is the effort we put into managing our feelings to meet the expectations of those around us. Sociologist Arlie Hochschild first introduced the idea of emotional labour in her 1983 book, The Managed Heart. Emotional labour can…
"Our economy is built upon convergent thinkers, people that execute things, get them done. But artists and designers are divergent thinkers: they expand the horizon of possibilities." ~ John Maeda "When you put off a task, you buy yourself time to engage in divergent thinking rather than foreclosing on one particular idea." ~ Adam Grant "I was forced to stretch my thinking, to realize that sincere and honest people could believe in very divergent religious doctrines." ~ Carl Rogers Thinking outside the box and narrowing down ideas are super important in creativity Thinking outside the…
"The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time." ~ Mark Twain "People do not die for us immediately, but remain bathed in a sort of aura of life which bears no relation to true immortality but through which they continue to occupy our thoughts in the same way as when they were alive. It is as though they were traveling abroad." ~ Marcel Proust "Somebody should tell us, right at the start of our lives, that we are dying. Then we might live life to the limit, every minute of every day. Do it! I say. Whatever you want to do, do it now!…
"The ultimate use of power is to empower others." ~ William Glasser "Honour belongs to those who never forsake the truth even when things seem dark and grim, who try over and over again, who are never discouraged by insults, humiliation and even defeat." ~ Nelson Mandela A strong sense of belonging for high school elite athletes extends beyond simply playing a sport; it encompasses feeling valued, supported, and part of a team, school, and even the broader athletic community, part of a FAMILY! Numerous elements contribute to a team's sense of belonging and unity. One essential factor is…
The sense of belonging is one of the great gifts men get in battle. ~ James A. Michener A sense of belonging is a sine qua non of healthy psychological functioning everywhere. Such a sense, beginning in infancy and continuing throughout life, comes about by experiencing mutual empathy; by sensing oneself as part of a whole, which recognizes and accepts that one is a member. ~ Maureen O'Hara A sense of belonging in the workplace is more than just having a job It involves feeling valued, accepted, and integrated within the team, company culture, and overall mission. This means that…
Every serious-minded person knows that a large part of the effort required in moral discipline consists in the courage needed to acknowledge the unpleasant consequences of one's past and present acts. ~ John Dewey Self-discipline, although difficult, and not always easy while combating negative emotions, should be a defensive measure. At least we will be able to prevent the advent of negative conduct dominated by negative emotion. That is 'shila', or moral ethics. Once we develop this by familiarizing ourselves with it, along with mindfulness and conscientiousness, eventually that pattern…
"Needing to talk badly about others indicates low self esteem. That means, 'I feel so low that instead of picking myself up, I have to cut others down.' Letting go of negative things quickly is healthy." ~ Pope Francis "At the root of fear is low self-esteem. This explains why angry people have low self-esteem, are argumentative, stubborn, and quick to flare up yet slow to forgive. Those behaviors are defenses against the underlying fear." ~ David J. Lieberman People often find it hard to be at peace when constantly comparing themselves to others because their self-worth depends on these…
"Human behavior flows from three main sources: desire, emotion, and knowledge." ~ Plato "Too often we judge people based on our own backgrounds and experiences, but when you understand people's stories, it's easier to understand their demeanour." ~ Joel Osteen "All human behaviour is either an act of love or a cry for love." ~ Stan Dale When individuals display carelessness in their appearance, it may signal their dissatisfaction In some work environments, if the leadership does not prioritize your growth, it may be beneficial to explore alternative opportunities. Trust is a two-way…
"Retribution often means that we eventually do to ourselves what we have done unto others." ~ Eric Hoffer "There is no satisfaction in vengeance unless the offender has time to realize who it is that strikes him, and why retribution has come upon him." ~ Arthur Conan Doyle "Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves." ~ Confucius "The best revenge is to be unlike him who performed the injury." ~ Marcus Aurelius "An eye for an eye leaves everybody blind." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr. When actions are not well thought out, often taken with good intentions, they can have…
"You have to want it, you have to plan for it, you have to fit it into a busy day, you have to be mentally tough, you have to use others to help you. The hard part isn't getting your body in shape. The hard part is getting your mind in shape." ~ Amby Burfoot "Who are the happiest people on earth? A craftsman or artist whistling over a job well done. A little child building sand castles. A mother, after a busy day, bathing her baby. A doctor who has finished a difficult and dangerous operation, and saved a human life. Happiness lies in a constructive job well done. Get your happiness out of…
"Serendipity. Look for something, find something else, and realize that what you've found is more suited to your needs than what you thought you were looking for." ~ Lawrence Block "I am a firm believer in serendipity- all the random pieces coming together in one wonderful moment, when suddenly you see what their purpose was all along." ~ David Levithan "Work hard, not in grunt work, but in chasing such opportunities and maximizing exposure to them. This makes living in big cities invaluable because you increase the odds of serendipitous encounters-you gain exposure to the envelope of…
"Politics are a part of athletics now. Politics is a part of everything. And athletics is no exception." ~ Melissa Harris-Perry "There are some remarkable parallels between basketball and politics. Michael Jordan has already mastered the skill most needed for political success: how to stay aloft without visible means of support." ~ Margaret Thatcher When awards seem like popularity contests or pre-determined outcomes, it can discourage participation. Athletes who train hard but lack close relationships with the coach may feel deflated and unmotivated. This leads to resentment, especially…
"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition." ~ Steve Jobs "A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad." ~ Theodore Roosevelt "At commencement you wear your square-shaped mortarboards.My hope is that from time to time you will let your minds be…