Leaps

 Today's post (probably last one before summer break) is a lesson from my 7-year old granddaughter. 

"If you don't leap, you'll never know what it is to fly"  -- Guy Finley

One of little Annabeth's goals this year with her dance was to "leap just like the big kids have in their pictures."

She has worked so hard.

This is a photo from  her last regional

 she said, "It's the best yet and I'll make it better next time!"

Have the courage to dream big.  Challenge existing perceptions. Paul Brandt said, "Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon!"

Little Annabeth has shown me once again to always seek to set your goals a little higher with every leap you take.  Doing so will allow me to go beyond every limitation there is.

Have a great summer.

Carpe diem Life,
David Kuhn

E = Enjoy

Sometimes you've just got to laugh.

So, what does Evansville Civic Theater do when they are in need of funds to fix an AC?  They laugh about it.  How? A night of improv -- just for laughs. 

Suzanne, my brother John, and I went to this impromptu improv fundraiser last night which included, among other things, two very funny guys doing a scene blindfolded, barefoot, walking among a stage full of set mouse traps.  OUCH!  and FUNNY!

No real Carpe diem Life lesson here other than to get out and support the local arts -- and it's sometimes okay to laugh at other peoples' pain.

David Kuhn

Eric is at it again . . .

I first introduced you to Eric on April 3, 2017.  He's an artist who lives down the street from my younger daughter.  Occasionally, while I'm over at Lucy's working, I see him outside his house working on something.

Here is his latest creation:

Carpe diem Life,
David Kuhn 

P = Paradox

 Today,  p = paradox

While researching my latest hobby (archery) I came across a very important scientific principle: The Archer's Paradox?

A “paradox” means that two or more things that can never be true at the same time, suddenly are true at the same time. So a paradox contradicts itself and defies any logic. 


Now, what is that archer's paradox all about?


When I first picked up a bow and arrow earlier this month, I look at the bow and arrow and noticed that it should be impossible to hit any target with an arrow.  The arrow should not be able to pass the riser (grip) of the bow and hit the target behind it.

Even though people have been doing it for thousands of years, how is it possible to hit the target?  The arrow can not go through the riser of the bow.
 It has to pass by it, but somehow it works its way around the riser and continues flying toward the target.

Like another paradox -- the “wise fool” that I am -- I can’t really explain the science behind it, so here’s a picture.

There are a lot of factors at play here.  But, the lesson I want to take away from all this today is that:  Once I’ve set my eye on a target, I must be rigid enough to keep toward my goal, but flexible enough to ‘go with the flow” and to make corrections as needed.

So, with the right balance, It IS possible to be on-target and hit seemingly impossible goals.  Life can be a paradox.

Carpe diem Life,
David Kuhn

Here Comes the Sag Off

As I look out my window

After a day of gray skies

I wonder

From where does inspiration arise?

Tension and release?

According to George Harrison:

"Here Comes the Sun" was written at the time when Apple was getting like school, where we had to go and be businessmen: 'Sign this' and 'sign that.' Anyway, it seems as if winter in England goes on forever, by the time spring comes you really deserve it. So one day I decided I was going to sag* off Apple and I went over to Eric Clapton's house. The relief of not having to go see all those dopey accountants was wonderful, and I walked around the garden with one of Eric's acoustic guitars and wrote "Here Comes the Sun". 

* Play truant

Here's hoping you find some time today to "sag off" and get inspired. It's all right!

Carpe diem Life,

David Kuhn

On the back of a napkin

As I’ve written, I love to doodle.  So, I was especially curious when I ran across a book at the library titled The Back of the Napkin: Solving Problems and Selling Ideas with Pictures by Dan Roam (2008).

What can be solved on the back of a napkin?  Well, when Herb Kelleher was brainstorming about how to beat the traditional hub-and-spoke airlines, he grabbed a bar napkin and a pen. Three dots to represent Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. Three arrows to show direct flights. Problem solved, and the picture made it easy to sell Southwest Airlines to investors and customers.

Used properly, a simple drawing on a humble napkin is more powerful than Excel or PowerPoint-less.  Doodling can help crystallize ideas and communicate in a way that people simply “get”.  This book shows anyone how to clarify a problem or sell an idea by visually breaking it down using a simple set of visual thinking tools – tools that take advantage of everyone’s innate ability to look, see, imagine, and show.

THE BACK OF THE NAPKIN proves that thinking with pictures can help anyone discover and develop new ideas, solve problems in unexpected ways, and dramatically improve their ability to share their insights.

Got a problem?  Pull out a napkin (or other paper) and give it a try. You might just see your world in a new way.

Carpe diem Life,
David Kuhn

National Police Week

 My son-in-law Mark works for a police department in central Indiana.  This one is for him:

In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation which designated May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which that date falls as Police Week. Currently, tens of thousands of law enforcement officers from around the world converge on Washington, DC to participate in a number of planned events which honor those that have paid the ultimate sacrifice.
The Memorial Service began in 1982 as a gathering in Senate Park of approximately 120 survivors and supporters of law enforcement. Decades later, the event, more commonly known as National Police Week, has grown to a series of events which attracts thousands of survivors and law enforcement officers to our Nation's Capital each year.

National Police Week draws in between 25,000 to 40,000 attendees. The attendees come from departments throughout the United States as well as from agencies throughout the world. This provides a unique opportunity to meet others who work in law enforcement. Events are open to all law enforcement personnel and are an experience unlike any other.

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We are so blessed to have men and women who work diligently for our safety and well-being, even when their jobs are difficult and often thankless. Help us remember to thank them for their sacrifices and service to our community.

Carpe diem Life,
David Kuhn 

Shafts, Spine, Nocks, Fletching, etc.

 Chose to do something new-for-me yesterday:  Archery.

Other than maybe a try at it at Patrol Boy Camp (yes, that's a real thing) one summer, I don't remember ever shooting a bow and arrow.  Yesterday, a friend from my muzzleloading club took me out to a range to introduce me to the sport.  How hard can it be, right?  Just load the sucker up, pull back, let her fly . . . and astonish everyone as the arrow pierces the center of the bulls-eye. 

Wrong!

Turns out that, like life, there is a long list of things you have to learn.  And, like everything in life, it will take knowledge, practice, learning from failures, more practice, more knowledge, more learning from failure and other's successes (an endless cycle). 

I've now invested in at least the basic equipment (resources) to get started.  Now, it's just a matter of persistent action, evaluation, adjust direction if needed, continue to make improvements, and ENJOY the process.

Here are a few valuable benefits of archery:

Archery is for everyone -- even people with the most severe disabilities can enjoy the sport.  Individuals from all different walks of life can enjoy archery. Every age group is able to practice the sport. It is not uncommon to see 50-year-olds alongside 14-year-olds giving tips and advice on the range.
Archery helps physical development.
Archery teaches growth mindset.
Archery improves mental toughness.
Archery boosts self-confidence.
Archery gives a sense of accomplishment.
Archery teaches goal setting.
Archery teaches teamwork and sportsmanship.
Archery is not only an individual discipline but can be enjoyed as a team event. Being on a team teaches kids to lead others, support them and rely on them.
Archery is relatively inexpensive.
Archery can be practiced year-round.
Archery can be practiced both indoors and outdoors.
Archery teaches the importance of safety.
Archery is fun.
Archery is cool.
Every child (and adult) wants to be a hero. Being able to shoot arrows will let kids (and the kid in me) feel like the famous heroes– Green Arrow, Hawkeye, Katniss Everdeen, Robin Hood, Rambo, and others!

See you at the range!

Carpe diem Life,
David Kuhn

Inquiry

Spent the Kentucky Derby the best possible way:  With family at my mother-in-law's house in Owensboro.  I was in charge of all gaming activity (for entertainment purposes only).  There were plenty of opportunities to pick your own winner, pick a W-P-S ticket, and random drawings for W-P-S and even the losing horse.  Great fun -- especially if you win!

Me?

"The horse I bet on was so slow, the jockey kept a diary of the trip."  Henny Youngman

So, you picked Country House to WIN. 
You know it's a longshot, but that's what makes it exciting.
You watch the race and, and . . . So close.
You wad up your "losing" ticket and toss it in the mud.

Only, wait!  What's this?

Got me thinking about a lot of things:

Country House was a longshot.  At least, a longshot in the Kentucky Derby.
Put him at Ellis Park and he might just be a champion?  Sometimes it depends on which league we play in.  

Doing the best we can in the league that we're in should be victory enough.  We can also work to improve and join the next better league if that's what we want.  It might make us a longshot, but . . .

I guess that we're all longshots from time to time in this life.  But, if it's something that we're passionate about and something that we enjoy doing, then it's worth entering the race.  And, once we choose to enter the race, we owe it to ourselves to run the best we can.

And when we bet on ourselves -- even if we're a longshot -- don't throw away our "losing" ticket too soon.  You just never know . . . 

Oh, and if you're a favorite and clearly out in front?  Play nice.  Or, to put it another way:  Stay in your lane, bro!

Carpe diem Life,
David Kuhn

Tnacity Take 2

While looking up something else, I came across this:

http://www.character-education.info/resources/The_Beatles.htm

It's a site for educators.   Here are a few highlights.  Just something to think about:

Were they perfect moral examples? No. But to be fair, neither were most of the other great athletes and political figures and writers we revere. By telling the stories of what they did right along their path to success, we embed memorable character motivators in the minds of young people. We're writing our illustrations primarily based upon our reading of one of the most respected biographies of The Beatles: Shout! The Beatles in Their Generation, by Philip Norman .

 

Press On Despite Criticism
(Beatles Succeed Despite Discouraging Comments)

Don't let discouraging comments get you down. Sometimes we simply need to ignore them and press forward with our passion.

Fifteen-year-old John fell in love with his guitar, playing it night and day. John's Aunt Mimi put it this way,

"To me, it was just so much waste of time. I used to tell him so. 'The guitar's all very well, John, but you'll never make a living out of it.'"

Here were some other negative comments they endured:

• While John attended Art College, he, Paul and George played together but apparently weren't very good. A member of another band suggested that they "weren't worth a carrot." (p. 68)
• They managed to get a gig playing between sets at a club, but were so bad that they were ordered off stage after two songs. (p. 69)
• When they decided to change their name to The Beatles, their promoter assured them that nobody would ever take a band with that name seriously. (p. 74)
• They auditioned for a recording contract with Decca, but were turned down. Bands with guitars "were on the way out," the experts at Decca explained. (p. 144)
• Their relentless manager, Brian Epstein, approached every record label he could find in the catalogue, only to be rejected at every turn. (pp. 146, 152)
• When they finally landed a contract, it was with a small label with a mediocre track record, obligating the label to pay the band and Epstein a mere penny per album sold. (pp. 154-158)

Don't Let Poverty and Bad Breaks Define You 

John Lennon and Paul McCartney, the chief songwriters and vocalists for one of the top-selling bands of all time, The Beatles, refused to allow humble beginnings to get in their way.

Money Troubles for Their Band

In their mid-teens, John and Paul began playing in a band together, called The Quarrymen, playing anywhere people would listen. But their lack of money continued to pose problems, such as:

When they went to electric guitars, they had no money to buy amps. If the organizers couldn't provide one, they'd have to settle for a crappy sound by hooking up through the microphone system.(p. 59) If they played a church event, the church would have to pay for broken strings. They lost an opportunity to be "discovered" when they entered a talent competition. After passing the local heats in Liverpool, they were invited to the semifinals at the Hippodrome in Manchester. It was their big chance to get on TV and let the world view their talents! But their poverty robbed them of the opportunity. They had enough money for the bus trip to Manchester, but had to leave before the evening finals, because the only bus home left before the finals. They had no money to book an overnight stay. (p. 59)

The Power of Perseverance

John and Paul kept right on playing and singing. It would take them five more years before they were able to cut an album and start to get some serious recognition. (p. 167) But perhaps, in the end, it was best to take the long, harder road to success. During those years of obscurity, they lost some band members but added George Harrison and Ringo Starr. Time on the road allowed them to sharpen their skills at writing, playing their instruments and performing, so that when they became famous, they were ready to take the world by storm.


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Have a great rest of the week.

Carpe diem Life,
David Kuhn