On Performance - Drew Ginn (Fri 12 Jun 2009)

Water (*) - Hvar / Hvar / Croatia (Wed 31 Jul 2013)
Drew Ginn (*) writes on Performance (*):

preparation (*), connection (*) and release (*). It seems to me the simple cycle of what we do in the boat [/and Life in general]. [..]

Drew then expands on the concept of release (*):

Release and get excited I like because no matter what happens we have the power (*) and capacity (*) to see (*) and respond (*) to our experiences (*) in a way that best serves us and those around us.

And finally::

it is fascinating to think about how our mind set (*), emotions (*) and the manifestation play out physically.

[..it's] what matters most and [..] learning (*) to keep it at the surface of awareness can have a huge impact on performance (*).

via What's on the RADAR (*) by Drew Ginn (*).

On Self Esteem - Seth Godin (Wed 02 Jul 2014)

Untitled - Ultimo (Apr 2014)
Seth Godin (*) writes Self Estem (*):

Self esteem [..] becomes a choice.

It's up to you.

via It's called self esteem (*) by Seth Godin (*).

On Light - David Mclean aka Shotbyshooter / Jay Mitchell (Jul 2014)

Untitled - Alexandria (Jul 2014)
David Mclean (*) writes on Light (*):

The light [..] has to be perfect; in many ways my work is about light.

via David Mclean Street Portraiture - 1883 Magazine (*) by Jay Mitchell (*).

Go .. - Kirk Tuck (Mon 28 Jul 2014)

Kyoto's Orange Temple - Fushimi Inari-taisha (*) / Kyoto (Fri 14 Sep 2012)
Kirk Tuck (*) writes:

getting ready to be ready can be forever, and that's too long.

via Starting new projects. Building on old ways of seeing. (*) by Kirk Tuck (*).

Go (*) Kirk, Go (*).

Where Truth Resides ..

The Shadow of Light - Alexandria (Jul 2014)
A Scholar writes:

there are those who talk (*), and without knowledge (*) or forethought (*) reveal a truth (*) which they themselves do not understand (*).

And there are those who have the truth (*) within them, but they tell it not in words. In the bosom of such as these the spirit dwells in rhythmic silence (*).

via And then a scholar said, “Speak of Talking.” And he... (*) by Thoughtless Hero (*).

Coaching Observations - Physiology4Performance (Sun 01 Jun 2014)

Untitled - Langelinie promenade / Copenhagen (Fri 23 Aug 2013)
Physiology4Performance (*) writes On Coaching Observations (*):

After meeting and talking with some 700 DB coaches around the country, here are some common truths that keep cropping up:

• Every club struggles with numbers. Recruitment is key for every club. Recruit smart and relentlessly.


• People fall out and clubs split and create new clubs. It's painful but good for the sport. Most clubs I can think of started that way.


• The most effective coaches do it because they get great satisfaction from helping people develop, learn, achieve and become part of a club/family - not because they get their ego stroked. Most effective because they make decisions based on performance rather than their ego.


• Good coaches educate themselves and maximise the the time/effort that their team invests, by training their clubs smart and hard.


• The best clubs have two or more coaches that work together synergistically (i.e. their strengths and weaknesses compliment each other). It takes coaches with their ego's in check to work this way as they have to understand their own weaknesses and take a back seat to the other coaches in this area.


• Performance comes from the club culture as much as anything else. Culture is based on a set of values and ideals that is put in place and shaped by key members and taught to new members implicitly. Not everyone will fit in with it and that's OK.


• Some people see 'having fun' and 'being competitive' as two opposing concepts. The best clubs know that these things go hand in hand.

via Physiology4Performance Facebook (*) by Physiology4Performance (*).

On Photography - Danielle Hark / Ellen J. Langer / Aimee Lee Ball (Thu 24 Jul 2014)

Untitled - the light was just beautiful, so it is just a photo of that and that moment - Hyde Park / London (Sun 18 Aug 2013)
Danielle Hark: (*) writes On Photography (*):

For me, it’s the act of shooting that helps, [..] It doesn’t matter how the photos come out. It’s a mindfulness (*) process that brings me into my body. I’m not worrying about the past (*) or the future (*), just looking through the lens. Some people analyze their photos and use them to explore their lives. There are a lot of possibilities that are therapeutic.

With Ellen J. Langer (*) abstracting:

Noticing things in the camera (*) puts you in the present (*) moment, makes you sensitive to context and perspective (*), and that’s the essence of engagement (*). I have years of research telling us how good that is for health and well-being.

via Photography as a Balm for Mental Illness (*) by Aimee Lee Ball via (*) Photographs on the Brain (*).

On Self Belief - Scott McGory (Wed 23 Jul 2014)

Water - Lac Nere / Haute-Pyrenees (*) / France (Tue 22 Sep 2009)
Scott McGory (*) writes On Self-Belief (*):

The greatest performance (*) enhancer is self-belief (*).

He expands

Wiping away those doubts (*) of uncertainty (*), of losing, the fear (*) of getting beaten. Gone - GONE! - are those limiting thoughts (*), replaced by the phrase made famous by the first black president of the United States: 'Yes We Can' (*).

The unstoppable force of self-belief (*) is so often the missing ingredient in an athlete's journey (*) along the road to success (*). [..] The strongest weapon in any sporting endeavor is the mind (*).

via Guest blog: The greatest performance enhancer is... (*) by Scott McGory (*).

On Belief - Mick Rogers (Tue 22 Jul 2014)

A new day - Somewhere between Lourdes and Col de Portet d'Aspet / France (Wed 23 Sep 2009)
Mick Rogers (*) on Believing (*):

I used to be afraid of failure (*), but once you believe (*), and you’re not scared (*) of the outcome, things become clearer (*), and opportunities (*) arise.

via Rogers makes it two for Tinkoff (*) by Matthew Beaudin (*).

Congrats Mick. An amazing stage win. Thanks for sharing so much of your victory and what you have learnt about yourself this year. I started my journey (*) on learning many of the same lessons (*) on the very roads (*) you cycled last night.

At Fabio Casartelli's Memorial - "we stumbled upon it by complete accident" – Col de Portet d'Aspet (Wed 23 Sep 2009)

A Winning Strategy - Make it Irrelevant to Others - Nick Willis (Sun 20 Jul 2014)

RUN RUN - Erskineville (Fri 11 Jul 2014)
Nick Willis (*) recounts:

And in the weight of it the life long goal just hit me, and I broke down in tears (*) just before uncontrollably.

You can’t control (*) what other people do. Medals and Championships are about how you compete (*) against others. But in this big wide world all the stuff that goes on both good and bad, you can’t control (*) what other people do.

But the last few races and then especially this one its been about what can I do irrelevant (*) to what others (do).

via Chasing Wow Through Hope and Wonder! (*) by Patrick McHugh (*).

Indoor Rock Climbing - St Peters / Sydney (Sat 19 Jul 2014)

Jane (*) - Level 22 Climb - there's nothing there - Sydney Rock Climbing Centre - St Peters (Sat 19 Jul 2014)
Paul (*) - Level 19 - A PB - Sydney Rock Climbing Centre - St Peters (Sat 19 Jul 2014)
Geoff (*) - Level 16 - First-time Benchmark - Sydney Rock Climbing Centre - St Peters (Sat 19 Jul 2014)
Thanks Jane and Paul. A fantastic experience and can't wait to give it another go.

On the Journey of Writing - Paulo Coelho (Mon 21 Jul 2014)

Water - Lac Nere / Haute-Pyrenees (*) / France (Tue 22 Sep 2009)
Paulo Coelho (*) writes On the Journey (*) of Writing (*):

It’s not always an easy task, sometimes it’s very challenging (*), but this is what I do and this is what I like. So the journey itself is the miracle (*); it is the blessing (*). There is no point to reach. You have to travel (*) your journey with joy (*), hope (*), and challenges (*) in your heart (*).

via Paulo Coelho Discusses the 25th Anniversary Edition of The Alchemist (*) by Paulo Coelho (*).

Another formative book (*) I read shortly after Jenny's passing. Jenny's Oncologist rang me about six months passing to see how I was going. In the conversation she mentioned the The Manual of the Warrior of Light (*) and thought I might get something it's pages. So, it was a natural progression to The Alchemist (*) and a dozen other of his books.

On "Zen in the Martial Arts" - Melissa Hyams / LA Times (Nov 2008)

Uplifting (*) - Madrid Railway Station (Fri 09 Aug 2013)
Melissa Hyams (*) on the book Zen in the Martial Arts (*) by Joe Hyams (*):

[it] isn't really about martial arts. It's about life (*) and philosophy (*), and how to turn a negative (*) into a positive (*), how to defuse a situation by the way you handle it.

via Joe Hyams dies at 85; former Hollywood columnist, bestselling author (*) by Dennis McCellan (*).

I was given a copy of this book by Jan shortly after Jenny died (*).

I was recently reminded of it when I was putting some of my old books into a new bookshelf. Will reread it in the next few weeks, as I think in some ways (from what I remember of it) it has helped and guided me through these last 5 years. And, it has set a direction that is shown through in this little corner (*) of the Internet.

On Competing - David Brailsford / Cycling Tips (Sat 19 Jul 2014)

Bikes (*) - Copenhagen (Fri 23 Aug 2013)
David Brailsford (*) writes Competing (*):

there are times when you win (*) and times when you lose (*),

via Porte’s podium at the Tour de France fades: “I don’t think I dealt with the heat really well” (*) by Shane Stokes (*).

On being a Critic - Jerry Saltz (Thu 17Jul 2014)

Love (*) - Lisbon (Wed 14 Aug 2013)
Jerry Saltz (*) writes On being a Critic (*):

being critical (*) of art (*) is a way of showing it respect (*).

via Facebook Post (*) by Jerry Saltz (*).

Making the most of it - Do What You Love (Tue 15 Jul 2014)

Installation - Reina Sofia (*) / Madrid (Sun 11 Aug 2013)
Do What You Love (*) writes:

Having experiences (*) is so important, but having exactly the right experience is not always necessary. [..]

However you feel (*) about your .. [situation] right now, think about how you can make the most of the situation you are in to learn (*) something, try (*) something, or build (*) one more connection (*) before, perhaps, you move on.

via Why experiences are important, but having the right experience is not (*) by Do What You Love (*).

A way of Life - Khalik Allah (Sat 12 Jul 2014)

Self Portrait - Split / Croatia (Tue 30 Jul 2013)
Khalik Allah (*) writes On A way of Life (*):

Seeing (*) is a way of life (*), and photography (*) is an addition to the way I see (*).

via Tumblr Comment (*) by Khalik Allah (*).

When you open yourself up to the vastness .. - Murray Fredericks / Ali Gripper (Sat 12 Jul 2014)

Water (*) - Edinburg / Scotland (Mon 05 Sep 2005)
Murray Fredericks (*) writes On the Void (*):

I remember the overwhelming (*) vastness (*), losing a sense of myself, and then pointing my camera (*) into that space (*), [..] When you open yourself up to the vastness, with no points of reference (*), you feel (*) an incredible sense of release (*).

via Photographer Murray Fredericks' favourite things (*) by Ali Gripper (*).

Loved my Canon Pro1 (*) which I used for our Europe 2005 (*) trip, my first to Europe, and only one with Jenny. The camera was a little dark on the corners (vignetting), but the sensor had a painterly effect that I have not seen in my Canon cameras since.

Murray has been a big influence on me (*), and coincidently I was planning to watch his SALT DVD (*) tomorrow.

On finding a Solution - Li-aung Yip (Fri 12 Jul 2013)

Untitled - Copenhagen (Thu 22 Aug 2013)
Li-aung Yip (*) writes:

if it's stupid and it works, it ain't stupid.

via Produce a summary (“pivot”?) table (*) by Li-aung Yip (*).

On Growth - Brooks Jensen / Kirk Tuck (Wed 09 Jul 14)

A Kiss (*) - Rotterdam (Mon 19 Aug 2013)
Brooks Jensen (*) through Kirk Tuck (*) writes On Growth (*):

And he [Brooks Jensen (*)] writes about their constant artistic growth (*). The very act of looking (*) at something through different frames may unleash a wonderful new way of seeing (*) and sharing (*). And the very act of casting your vision (*) onto a totally new subject (*) matter can change (*) everything.

via Does your insistence on using the same camera for years at a time hamper your artistic growth? How do you know? (*) by Kirk Tuck (*).

Only the Inspired Survive - Mitch / Six Pixels of Separation (Wed 09 Jul 2014)

inspired by the light (*) - Sagrada Familia (*) / Barcelona (Thu 08 Aug 2013)
Mitch (*) writes On Inspiration (*):

When you're inspired (*), you're looking (*) for an idea (*) that creates (*) a feeling (*) or emotion (*).

What you do once you're inspired (*), is up to you. [..]

To be inspired, you have to get inspired. This is where most people fall down. [..]

You have to decide right now, how much of your time you are giving to allow yourself to get inspired.

What you will uncover. Slowly. Very slowly. Over time.

Inspiration is, ultimately, what will keep you engaged (*) at work and happy (*) at home.

It will make you healthier (your mind (*), your body (*) and your spirit (*)).

Think about it. Apply it.

via How To Be Inspired At Work (*) by Mitch (*).

Found my inspiration back tonight at my first RPM (*) class in almost three weeks. Thanks Kate you were amazing tonight. You asked what are your goals in tonight's class? For me it was finding my inspiration. 7 weeks until we fly out to World Crews in Ravenna, Italy. A cold, and lots of sadness and guilt have found me losing my rhythm and motivation these last few weeks. It's always a tough time of the year and this campaign is a lot longer than then usual. It is time to pull myself up and be the best I can. Do what you can while you can. So this post and a great RPM class seem to be exactly what I needed (*). Thanks Kate and Mitch.

On Finding Yourself - Spencer Lum (Tue 08 Jul 2014)

Untitled - Reina Sofia (*) / Madrid (Sun 11 Aug 2013)
Spencer Lum (*) writes On Life (*):

The whole point of life (*) is to figure it out for yourself. To love (*) the challenge (*) and live in the process (*). It can’t flourish in the light (*) of others. Comparison is the surest path (*) to bitterness (*) and grief (*). Explore (*). See your power (*). See what you can do. Success (*) is not being better than everyone else. It’s finding you.

via Living the Better Life (*) by Spencer Lum (*).

Spencer (*) at his Philosophical Best (*). And a great thought for the 1600th post and 146,000th pageview here (*), give or take a couple.

On the Relationship between Things - Makoto Tanijiri

light, dark, small and big - The Grand Design (*) / Alexandria (Tue 24 Jun 2014)
Makoto Tanijiri (*) writes On Architecture (*):

I believe what is important is the relationship (*) between things. When you are interested in light (*), you also have to consider darkness (*). When you want a space to look bigger (*), you will have to incorporate narrow (*) spaces.

via The House Detective: Amazingly Small Japanese Houses (*) by Makoto Tanijiri (*).

A couple of great insights into Architecture (*). Similar to Paulo Coelho's (*) Warrior of Light (*) Passage here (*). From the fabulous book How to make a Japanese House (*).

On Inspiration - Mike Peters (Wed 08 Jul 2014)

Untitled - Oxford Street / London (Sat 17 Aug 2013)
Mike Peters (*) writes On Inspiration (*):

Take a stand (*), make a statement (*) that you believe (*) in, tell your story (*) and give the viewer a reason (*) to stop (*) and look (*).

via Digital cameras have no more killed photography than word processors have killed writing. .. (*) by Mike Peters (*).

Love your work Mike (*). Thanks for the Inspiration (*), your story, your words and of course your photos.

On Technique - Kirk Tuck (Thu 03 Jul 2014)

Born to Run (*) - London Tube / London (Fri 09 Aug 2013)
Kirk Tuck (*) writes On Technique (*):

In swimming [or running (*), paddling (*), etc] it seems that good technique (*) is everything. Endurance (*) and strength (*) is important but it's all trumped (at least in sprints) by better technique (*). Which requires constant practice (*) and focus (*).

via Independence Eve Swim. With camera in tow. (*) by Kirk Tuck (*).

To believe in the Good - Isaac Asimov / Brain Pickings (Thu 03 Jul 2014)

overexposed (*) - Barcelona (Wed 07 Aug 2013)
Isaac Asimov (*) writes:

To me it seems to be important to believe (*) people to be good (*) even if they tend to be bad (*), because your own joy (*) and happiness (*) in life (*) is increased that way, and the pleasures (*) of the belief (*) outweigh the occasional disappointments (*). To be a cynic about people works just the other way around and makes you incapable about enjoying the good things.

via Isaac Asimov on Optimism vs. Cynicism about the Human Spirit (*) by Brain Pickings (*).

On Inspiration - Ellen Fisch (Tue 01 Jul 2014)

Architectural Detail - Sagrada Familia (*) / Barcelona (Thu 08 Aug 2013)

Ellen Fisch (*) writes Inspiration (*):

Inspiration (*) comes in many forms and from many sources. What I have learned (*) in doing architectural photography (*) is to be open to new ideas and to see the possibilities that present everywhere. [..] The ideas keep coming because inspiration (*) on its own may arrive in erratic bursts, but going after it consciously (*) day by day makes for a rewarding journey (*) and consistently better photography (*).

via In Photography, Inspiration is All Around You (*) by Ellen Fisch (*).

Gaudi (*) found inspiration in nature for much of his architectural detail. From his wikipedia page (*):

Gaudí's position in the history of architecture is that of a creative genius who, inspired by nature, developed a style of his own that attained technical perfection as well as aesthetic value, and bore the mark of his character.

Thanks Ellen for making this so clear.