Learning to be a little more Certain of the Uncertain - Well Maybe?

Detail - Loch Ness Locks / Fort Augustus / Scotland (Sat 04 Sep 2005)
I did not find the Loch Ness Monster,
but I did find this amazing piece of rusted iron.
I have a been a little stuck on this post. Whenever this happens I look to the Manual of the Warrior of Light (*) by Paulo Coelho (*) and found this ..

A warrior knows that the ends do not justify the means.

Because there are no ends, there are only means. Life carries him from unknown to unknown. Each moment is filled with this thrilling mystery: the warrior does not know where he came from or where is going.

But he is not here by chance. And he is overjoyed by surprises and excited by landscapes that he has never seen before. He often feels afraid, but that is normal in a warrior.

If he thinks only of the goal, he will not be able to pay attention to the signs along the way. If he concentrates only on one question, he will miss various answers that are there beside him. That is why the warrior submits.

This is my 1000th post. A milestone of sorts and something I would not have thought possible when I made my first post (*) here on Thu 26 Feb 2009.

I think the above passage from the Manual of the Warrior of Light (*) provides a useful metaphor for this blog and the 1000 posts that it now comprises.

It is a reflection of my life and who I am. I am never quite sure where it is going - I just try to make connections between what I read, what I see, what I photograph and what I feel.

A lot has happened and changed in the last three and half years since that first post. I have learnt a lot about myself and others. I have made plenty of mistakes, yet I think I have done a few things right. I have been defeated, yet I have have had a few wins, for which I am grateful. I have been sad and I have been happy. I have felt lost and without purpose yet in some ways I have found myself. I have looked to the past, present and future. I have had regrets [and learnt how to let them go]. I have given up and I have battled on. I have lost belief in myself, yet I have found ways to restore that belief. I have been hurt, upset and I have forgiven. I have cried and I have laughed. I have been directionless and without purpose, yet I have had goals. I have been inspired. I have tried hard, too hard sometimes. I tried to be something I am not, and I have learnt my limits and what I can be. I have watched and followed, and at times I have lead, mostly unknowingly I should think.

Somehow I am happy when some say I should be angry. I have suffered and have empathised with the suffering of others. I have been drawn into other people's battles and have known how to respond. I believe in luck (and fate) and know that it comes from being prepared and the willingness to take a risk.

I have changed but remained the same. I am older though I feel younger. I am experienced but still feel like a beginner. I am wiser but more naive. I found a voice (an awkward one at that) I did not know I had. You don't know how far you have been until you get back. I've been all over and it's been all over me . Therefore I am thankful for this blog and what I have learnt about myself and others.

Many times I have asked myself why? post what I have posted here and other times I have said to myself, well why not? (this post being an example). I am starting to forget things, so it is nice to make the effort to write what is important, so it can be recalled. I have memories and I am making memories.

Most importantly, I have Remembered Jenny (*) - how she lived and how she died. Jo and I are the bearers of her memory and she lives on in our hearts and in our minds until we lay to rest beside her.

I could go on, but I won't ().

It's all here in these 1000 posts which are just like snapshots of my life.

Like Paulo Coelho's good warrior, I am not really sure where I am going and what might be ahead. I have come to learn that this is what life is all about. Ultimately I think I have learnt to become a bit more certain of the uncertain. I have accepted this - well at least I think I have.

Hopefully, i will have the opportunity to post another 1000 posts. Let's see what happens.

[the warrior] is overjoyed by surprises and excited by landscapes that he has never seen before - Loch Ness / Scotland (Sat 03 Sep 2005)

One Stroke by Drew Ginn (29 Apr 2008)

Gondala/One Stroke - Venice - Sep 2009 (picasa)
One Stroke by Drew Ginn (29 Apr 2008):

[..] So what is it to be engaged fully in that one stroke?

After the fact it is difficult to isolate the experience of one stroke from the others. It is challenging to gain clarity on exactly one stroke because it happens in a flow of many more. [..] the dilemma is not just identifying the one, but ensuring it is pure and uncontaminated by the past one’s and future one’s.

The joy of performing the one stroke and immersing in it is challenged by the accumulated nature of the cyclic or repeated experiences. [..]

[W]hat is it to be fully engaged in one stroke[?] Knife-edge comes to mind. [..] the sense of being on a knife-edge is a great description. Less so from the perspective of balance or even match up, it has an essence that finds a cord within that is about effort, ease, maintenance and fatigue.

In fact to see it clearer I notice that the one, perfect one that I see is one of edgy contrast.

It is in a position of precarious, pointedness with a subtle oscillation between more than one element and more then one stroke including the past, present and future.

The elements involve self, team-mates, equipment, water, movement, harmony, mismatch, load, flow, hardness, relaxation, sequences, positions, focuses, emphasis, location, energy, strain, surge, comparison, connection, separation, isolation, effort, ease, understanding, knowledge, risk, exposure, confidence, doubt, poise, purpose, clarity, mistakes, errors, forgiveness, acceptance, love, joy, fear, ambiguity, tension, dynamics, leverage, struggle, difference, compliments, coaching, thoughts, distractions, intentions, actions, results, exchange, change, habits, confusion, satisfaction, uncertainty [..]

One stroke is so hard to describe, I know it when I feel it and some times I know it when I see it. Maybe the one is not perfect but we make it so because we like the idea of it being better than it really was.

The experience of rowing fascinates me because it has so many things it relates too. What I do know is that when I am engaged things change. The world looks and feels different and it gives me hope. Giving in to it, but not letting it get the better of you is critical. That may sound strange but there is something about being part of the boat, the movement, the other person, and the surroundings that makes so much sense of everything. [..]

Accessing the moment is not just about rowing, but I find it palatable to articular the action of rowing in a way that means something. One stroke at a time is a cliché and like one shot at a time it has meaning if you connect with it in some way. [..]

One stroke then is like every other stroke and they in turn they are like the days of life we live. It is just an experience how I choose to judge it or them is my choice. Years ago I watch a video the Searle Brothers made about their 1992 Olympic Games success in the coxed pair. In the video Greg spoke of a simple activity they did which involved calling out better or worse as a measure for each stroke they rowed. The idea I guess was to have more, better strokes and as such you develop accountability and improvement.

One stroke means different things and the reasons are varied. What enables full engagement in one stroke or in the moment is also varied. [..] One stroke unfolds and expands. Its meaning is huge and the vastness of experience is inspiring. Being at one in one is the art to rowing I suppose which really isn’t anything new, but repeated. So you see, like me, a cliché can mean so much which it does. [..]

Another Favourite Blog Post from Drew Ginn. A truly amazing description of rowing[/paddling] and as is usual with Drew's writings I can relate to in many ways.

I always find the strokes from the start to transition are the easiest to remember. Darren calls them the "glory strokes" and in many ways they set the boat up for the rest of the effort. Get it right and you are on the way. Get it wrong and you are on the back foot trying to recover. Can also remember some lift calls in various efforts over the years.

Love the description of 'Knife-Edge' and 'Edgy Contrast'. I often feel that when the effort is such that things seem to be edgy, that is where we need to be. Always wary of that that perfect feeling.

On Empathy - Iain S. Thomas / Intentional Dissonance

Heart - King Street / Newtown (Mon 24 Aug 2015)

Iain S. Thomas on Empathy:

Niceness is a symptom of empathy. It means you understand how someone else feels and if you understand how someone else feels, it nearly always means you care about them and if you care about them then you’re nearly always nice to them.

via Intentional Dissonance by Iain S. Thomas.

On Thinking - David Foster Wallace (21 May 2005)

Twenty years after my own graduation, I have come gradually to understand that the liberal arts cliché about

"teaching you how to think"

is actually shorthand for a much deeper, more serious idea:

"learning how to think"

really means learning how to exercise some control over how and what you think.

It means being conscious and aware enough to choose what you pay attention to and to choose how you construct meaning from experience.

Because if you cannot exercise this kind of choice in adult life, you will be totally hosed.

David Foster Wallace (w) - Transcript - 2005 Kenyon College Commencement Address (21 May 2005)

Sculpture by the Sea - Bondi / Sydney - (18 Nov 2002)

To love means never to be afraid of the windstorms of life .. Elizabeth Kuebler-Ross

"To love means never to be afraid of the windstorms of life;
should you shield the canyons from the windstorms
you would never see the beauty of the carvings.

Elizabeth Kuebler-Ross (Swiss-born American psychiatrist/writer)

Thanks Sue, for your thoughts, the beautiful message and the above words of wisdom on the 2nd Anniversary of Jenny's passing. We are kindred spirits and have shared the same path.

Jenny and Geoff - Echidna Chasm / Purnululu National Park - (Mon 14 May 2001)

Jenny - Echidna Chasm / Purnululu National Park - (Mon 14 May 2001)

Rock Wall - Cape Leveque / Western Australia (Tue 08 May 2001)
Jenny and Geoff - Cape Leveque / Western Australia (Tue 08 May 2001)

Quote: Half a Life - NYT Book Review (12 Sep 2010)

Dani Shapiro writes in her NYT Book Review (12 Sep 2010) of the book, Half a Life by Darin Strauss:

What life delivers to us forms us all, but as surely as random .. events shape our lives, so too does our response to those events. Something happens, something tragic, immutable and unfair (whatever that means). So what are we going to do? Cave in? Become controlling, rageful? Shut down? Live lives of quiet desperation? At the center of this elegant, painful, stunningly honest memoir thrums a question fundamental to what it means to be human: What do we do with what we’ve been given?

An interesting observation and question. Maybe Petria King's quote might be one way to look for an answer.

Chaos - Shopfront Advertising - Singapore - Tue 29 Sep 2009 (picasa)
The Book was reviewed in last weekend's Spectrum. Will track it down and have a look. Found the review quite useful and informative.

On Introspection - William Deresiewicz (Oct 2009)

Untitlted - Zurich (Thu 25 Sep 2014)

William Deresiewicz on Introspection:

Introspection means talking to yourself, and one of the best ways of talking to yourself is by talking to another person. One other person you can trust, one other person to whom you can unfold your soul. One other person you feel safe enough with to allow you to acknowledge things—to acknowledge things to yourself — that you otherwise can’t. Doubts you aren’t supposed to have, questions you aren’t supposed to ask. Feelings or opinions that would get you laughed at by the group or reprimanded by the authorities.

This is what we call thinking out loud, discovering what you believe in the course of articulating it.

via Solitude and Leadership by William Deresiewicz.

Trees and Water - Charles River Esplanade / Back Bay / Boston (Mon 22 Aug 2011)

Charles River Esplanade - Back Bay / Boston (Mon 22 Aug 2011)
One year today since I sat by the Charles River (*).

For some reason today, I am drawn to an inspired piece of recent writing (*) by Spencer Lum (*):

[..] if you’re willing to take a gamble, I’ll bet on you. If you’re willing to put it out there, if you’re willing to fail, if you’re willing to let go of it all, thumb your nose at the world, and do it your way, I’ll believe in you. You may not find what you want, but you’ll find what you need. Want is easily known, but need is a thing that only reveals itself in retrospect.

I have thought a lot about belief (*) and self-confidence recently, particularly after my little speech (*). Often it takes some time to have the confidence to believe in one self. Initially, more than not, the belief comes from others, those who support and love you for who you are.

It is only with time, experience and the support of those others who believe in you, that you can find your own self belief and you start say things to yourself like - yes, I can do that, you start finding reasons why you can, rather than you can't, and when you question yourself with why?, you are able to say well why not(*) - and it is then that things start to happen.

As time goes by, you become stronger, more independent and not afraid to give things a go, even if it means making mistakes or even failing. You know that the risk is worth the reward of at least trying, whatever the outcome. I think I even knew (*) this, one year ago today, when I sat beside the Charles River (*) - as I said back then, a week later (*):

I would still like to think that I am still a believer. After all three steps forward and two steps back is still a step in the right direction.

Thanks for believing Spencer.

On the Journey - Seth Godin (Fri 02 May 2014)

Pacific Dragons - 2014 AusDBF Dragon Boat Nationals - Kawana (Fri 18 Apr 2014)
Seth Godin (*) writes On Giving (*):

In the infinite game (*), though, something completely different is going on. In the infinite game, the point is to keep playing, not to win (*). In the infinite game, the journey (*) is all there is. And so, players in an infinite game never stop giving so they can take. [..]

You certainly know people who play this game, you may well have been touched (*) by them, inspired (*) by them and taught (*) by them. The wrong question to ask is, "but how do they win?" The right way to understand it is, "but is it worth playing?"

via The short game, the long game and the infinite game (*) by Seth Godin (*).

I see people like this in my club (*) and as is always the case, Seth is ever so right in his observations on life. And I know, by these experiences in my club (*), exactly what he means.

The Give and Take Miralce of Life and Photography - StreetShooter (Thu 23 Apr 2015)

Street Shooter - "[son] Mummy. What is he taking a photo of? [Mum] Go take a look when he is gone." - Fremantle (Sun 19 Apr 2015)

StreetShooter on Photography and Life:

all the sudden it occurred to me that everything in the universe has the ability to teach and to learn. So even on the streets making photos the energy you receive is equal to the energy you send. So your intent is to make photos but ya know, you aren’t in it alone. [..] If life is a give and take miracle then it stands to reason that photography is also. So that means that we think we are the origin of our work but that’s not true. We are not alone in life.

Our photographs and I am only talking about photography, are a collaboration between life and ourselves. We hope for and strive to find a synergism with the street and make the photos that represent that synergism. We can not rightfully state that we are the Origin of our work. [..]

If you are like every reader that ever was or ever will be on this blog [streetshoot.net], then you are aware that you don’t take any photographs, you collaborate wit Mother Light and The Street and you make your photos.

Tomorrow is another day and if I wake and am healthy, I’m hitting the streets. I hear tell Life is out there and I’m gonna look for it.

via Philly Street … Thoughts With … Olympus Pen EP-5 by StreetShooter.

On Asking ‘what if’ - The Story of Telling (Mon 26 May 2014)

Red Balloon - Erskineville (Nov 2013)
The Story of Telling (*) writes On Wondering (*):

Asking ‘what if’ (*) feels risky because it means you might have to acknowledge that what you’ve worked hard to put in place might not be the best solution. But if we don’t have the courage to question our assumptions we’re choosing to stagnate by default.

via The Value Of Asking What If (*) by The Story of Telling (*).

Obviously could not go past this one without making an effort to find a quote and photo.

Red and Blue on White - Calle de Santa Isabel / Madrid (Sun 11 Aug 2013)

Red and Blue on White - Calle de Santa Isabel / Madrid (Sun 11 Aug 2013)
Spent the afternoon at the Museo del Prado (*) and was overloaded with masterpieces from through the centuries.

Francisco Goya (*) was my highlight. His The Dog (*) from the Black Paintings (*) being my favourite. As Robert Hughes said We do not know what it means, but its pathos moves us on a level below narrative.

After the Museum closed, I strolled through the nearby Park, I then wandered the back streets near our Hotel and stumbled across some more recent works (as can be seen above) on the streets of Madrid, not too far from where Goya created his own works over 200 years ago.

On Effort and Coaching - Dan Coyle (Fri 13 Dec 2013)

Blackwattle Bay / Sydney (Sun 07 Jul 2013)
Dan Coyle (*) writes On Effort (*) and On Coaching (*):

I think the lessons for teachers and coaches are pretty simple:

• First, connect: like John Wooden said, they can’t care (*) how much you know (*) until they know how much you care (*).


• Highlight the group: seek ways (traditions, mantras, fun little rituals) to show what it means to belong in your crew.


• Don’t soft-pedal high standards. Don’t pretend that it’s easy — do the opposite.


• Emphasize the toughness (*) of the task, and your belief (*) that they have what it takes.

via The Simple Phrase that Increases Effort 40% (*) by Dan Coyle (*).

I think Dan is exactly right. I have been fortunate enough to experience this time and time again in my paddling.

On Being Interesting - Maria Popova (Fri 26 Jun 2015)

Whosus - North Head / Sydney Harbour (Sat 27 Jun 2015)

Marie Popova on being Interesting:

The key to being interesting is being interested

via Emerson on What Beauty Really Means, How to Cultivate Its True Hallmarks, and Why It Bewitches the Human Imagination by Marie Popova.

We are all interesting in our own ways. We all have our own interests.

'England' by The National on Q TV (youtube)

'England' (High Violet) by The National on Q TV (youtube)
England

Someone send a runner
Through the weather that I'm under
For the feeling that I lost today
Someone send a runner
For the feeling that I lost today

Someone send a runner
Through the weather that I'm under
For the feeling that I lost today
Someone send a runner
For the feeling that I lost today

You must be somewhere in London
You must be loving your life in the rain
You must be somewhere in London
Walking Abbey Lane

I don't even think to make
I don't even think to make
I don't even think to make corrections

Famous angels never come through England
England gets the ones you never need
I'm in a Los Angeles cathedral
Minor singing airheads sing for me

Put an ocean and a river
Between everybody else,
Between everything, yourself, and home
Put an ocean and a river
Between everything, yourself, and home

You must be somewhere in London
You must be loving your life in the rain
You must be somewhere in London
Walking Abbey Lane

I don't even think to make
I don't even think to make
I don't even think to make corrections

Famous angels never come through England
England gets the ones you never need
I'm in a Los Angeles cathedral
Minor singing airheads sing for me

Afraid of the house, stay the night with the sinners
Afraid of the house, stay the night with the sinners
Afraid of the house, 'cause they're desperate to entertain

[ Thanks to LottieP yet again for a recent Facebook Entry and National Velvet (11 Jun 2010).

Nice to find some new music. After listening and watching some Youtube videos, bought National Violet and Boxer and now have them on my iPhone. Brilliant Band.

I will try to write what this song means to me at some stage. Particularly the line You must be somewhere in London. In some ways I have already started.]

Thoughts on Being the Best by Vernon Gambetta (11 Nov 2008)

Thoughts on Being the Best by Coach Vernon Gambetta (11 Nov 2008). A repost to get this to come up on the Tampa 2011 Label. It is also worth having a look at some of the other posts I have collected here.

Control what you can, not what you can’t! Be Smart. Work on something specific each day. Have a plan! Train with a purpose. Improvement is incremental. Small steps lead to big steps.

• Pressure - Pressure is what you make it! Use the pressure to make you better, internalize it and use it as a positive influence.



• Belief – Think you are the best and you are on your way. Confidence, believe in yourself, your preparation and your support system.



• Routine – Great athletes doing the same thing, the same way, at the same time each day. Regularity. You can set a clock by the great ones.



• Work - Every one works. The great ones work smarter. Analyze your strengths and weaknesses objectively. Minimize your weaknesses and optimize your strengths. Bring your weaknesses up to the level of your strengths.



• Choices - It is always about choices. Make the choice to be the best. Life is constantly about choices.



• Improvement - Michael Jordan, as good as he was, got better every year he played! He would pick one aspect of his game each off-season and set out to improve that aspect with relentless determination.



• Perfection - The perfect game has yet to be played, in fact it will probably never be played. The perfect race has yet to be run. That does not mean we should not strive for perfection, it does mean that that we should strive for perfection but not be frustrated when we do not achieve perfection. Take chances, risk, try a new move in a game, take on a defender. Make things happen!



• Mental Toughness - Physical preparation gives mental strength. Push yourself, do not give in. Go the extra step and the extra mile.



• Effort - Performance may vary, but effort is a constant. You have control over your effort. Make it high energy, high level and purposeful. Consistent effort will level out the peaks and valleys in performance.



• Goals - It is about goal achievement not goal setting. Anyone can set goals, but few can achieve goals! Dreams are private. Goals are public. Share them. Find people to support you to achieve your goals. Be specific both in setting your goals and the means to achievement. Constantly visualize yourself achieving your goals!



• Focus - No rabbit ears! Program your inner voice to respond only to what you tell it. Only listen to your positive self-talk. Filter out the negatives.



• Evaluation - Self-assessment is a constant for those who chose to be great. Be objective. Look at the positives and the negatives. It is an ongoing process. Evaluation and self-assessment are a series of stepping-stones necessary to climb the staircase of success.

Be yourself and true to yourself. You are great and will get better!

A copy of a blog post that I always come back to. Learnt a lot from this and all of Vern's writing.

Geoff an Jim Farintosh Canadian Senior Mixed/Open Coach and Sweep - Racice Prague - Fri 29 Aug 2009
Always take the time to say hello to Jim Farintosh from Toronto. First met him at Sydney 2007 when he coached and swept the Canadian Senior Open and Mixed Teams. Next said hello in Penang in Aug 2008 where he coached and swept the Toronto area "Mayfair Predators". Decided in Prague to finally get a photo with him after the Senior Open's 200m medal presentation. A top coach and a person who is obviously highly regarded by his peers.

Togetherness: A Significant Driver of Performance - Drew Ginn (Thu 17 Mar 2011)

[T]he sensation of working together is a wonderful one. [..]

When I think back [..] togetherness comes back to me as a significant driver of performance. With out it, or with less than a great level of togetherness it all becomes hard, heavy and simply sluggish or slow.

Being together in something requires:

• understanding of what you aiming for,


• willingness to commit to the action and


• the capacity to stay the course with your intentions.

Racing Reflections: Together by Drew Ginn.

Had a couple of sessions recently where I know exactly what he means. In a way I think it was a blessing as you learn more from when things are not going so well, than when everything is perfect. The purpose of this post is to remember the insights that can and should be drawn from the times when things are not going so well.

Dragon Boat Session (Sun 13 Mar 2011)

On Photography and Memories - Streetshooter (Wed 21 Oct 2015)

Jenny and Geoff - I remember it being very hot - Prague (Wed 30 Aug 2005)

Streetshooter on Photography and Memories:

Photography is one of the seductive means of making memories. So I wonder why many aren’t aware that they are making memories. [..]

What’s really going on is that you are making memories and maybe just maybe those photos will have importance to someone. [..]

[during the Vietnam War] I became acutely aware that photography is about memories. It’s about other shit too, but memories are the main source of image information transference.[..]

See, they are not just my memories. [..] All will be forgotten of the pain that still hurts 45 years later.

the photos, well… they are just memories…………..

via Streets of Philadelphia … A Visual Diary … Page 25 … Street … Memories of Future Past … Fuji X100s by Streetshooter.

The very reason I bought a small digital camera in Dec 2000. And just as important as recording memories, you need to make the memories happen. You have to live while you can. And we did just that. Thanks Jenny and Jo.

What is a workout? Rob Rowland-Smith - Jeremey Rolleston (Feb 2011)

In his book A Life that Counts, Jeremy Rolleston introduces us to trainer Rob Rowland-Smith. A bit of searching on the Internet and you will find Rob as the SandhillWarrior on Twitter. He certainly impressed Jeremy (as well as me - see here) with his inspirational words and quotes. On pages 136 and 137 of his book, Jeremy quotes Rob's long version of What is a Workout (the short version appeared here a few days ago) as follows:

Here’s a quote by inspirational trainer Rob Rowland-Smith. He wrote it in the context of a workout, but for me, it epitomises the journey, process and outcomes of a committed and disciplined life. I placed it on the front page of my Olympic training folder so I’d read it often, and most times, I read it before I worked out so I’d be better able to discipline myself and work hard enough to achieve what I wanted to achieve during that training session:

"What is a workout?

A workout is 25% perspiration and 75% determination.

Stated another way, it is one part physical exertion and three parts self-discipline.

Doing it is easy once you get started.

A workout makes you better today than you were yesterday.

It strengthens the body, relaxes the mind and toughens the spirit.

When you workout regularly, your problems diminish and your confidence grows.

A workout is a personal triumph over laziness and procrastination.

It is the badge of a winner – the mark of an organised, goal-oriented person who has taken charge of his or her destiny.

A workout is a wise use of time and an investment in excellence.

It is a way of preparing for life's challenges and proving to yourself that you have what it takes to do what is necessary.

A workout is a key that helps unlock the door to opportunity and success.

Hidden within each of us is an extraordinary force.

Physical and mental fitness are triggers that can release it.

A workout is a form of rebirth.

When you finish a good workout, you don’t simply feel better ... you feel better about yourself."

Rob completes this with the following words:

To follow your dreams takes commitment ... and this means discipline.

Some great words here and they will certainly help me focus on what is needed when working towards a Dream.

When you workout regularly, your problems diminish and your confidence grows. - Jenny and Deb Cooper stroking with George sweeping - DBNSW 2008 Development Squad - Blackwattle Bay / Sydney (Sun 26 Oct 2008)
When you finish a good workout, you don’t simply feel better ... you feel better about yourself." - DBNSW 2008 Development Squad - Blackwattle Bay / Sydney (Sun 26 Oct 2008)

On Failure and Success - Stephen DiRado - Two Way Lens (Sun 23 Jun 2013)

Stephen DiRado (*) reflects on the relationship between Failure () and Success (*):

[..] I am not afraid to fail because failure (*) breeds success (*). Strange as it is, making an incredibly bad photograph, and be painfully aware of it, means you hit rock-bottom. This sets up a series of challenges to break into a new territory. It is frightening [..]

via Stephen DiRado (*) by Two Way Lens (*).