Tue, Oct 23, 2007
Walking and Learning in Chicago
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The first time I met HowardRheingold, he suggested we go on a walk. A few weeks later, I met Howard at his house, which lies at the foot of MountTamalpais in MillValley, and we walked and talked. It was wonderful. (MND)
Ever since I moved to SanFrancisco a few years ago, I've suggested to many a colleague that we go on a walk. I live a few blocks away from LandsEnd, a beautiful trail along the ocean on the northwest side of SanFrancisco, with gorgeous views of the coast, the Presidio, and the GoldenGateBridge. I still do the coffee thing, but when opportunity knocks, I tell people to meet me at my apartment, and we walk and talk. (MNE)
There's something about the act of walking that stimulates the brain. It brings a natural rhythm to conversation, giving you space both to talk and to listen. The Peripatetics knew this. So did MartinHeidegger. Heidegger's magnum opus was entitled, Sein und Dasein. Dasein loosely translates to "existence," or "being alive." Heidegger likened it to walking in the forest and suddenly coming to a clearing, an OpenSpace, a place to breathe. It's in these places, at the end of a journey, where we become most aware of ourselves and our surroundings. (MNF)
I'm in the Midwest this week -- SouthBend, Indiana visiting my younger sister, then [Cincinnati]? to visit my older sister, my brother-in-law, and my three year old nephew. It's not vacation. Things are crazy at work (in a good way), and so I'm still chugging along, with breaks here and there to spend time with my family. (MNG)
My original plan was to work from my sister's place in SouthBend. Then I decided that it would be wrong to be this close to Chicago and not visit some of my colleagues and friends in the area, and that it would be just as easy to work in Chicago as it would be in SouthBend. So I made some last minute calls and spent yesterday in Chicago. (MNH)
After spending the morning working, I had the pleasure of meeting EricSinclair in the flesh for the first time. He asked me where I wanted to eat lunch. I responded, "Somewhere distinctly Chicago." He delivered. (MNI)
Afterwards, I hopped on the El and headed north to visit MichaelHerman. Michael's still doing lots of OpenSpace, but he's also got a new project that's been keeping him very busy: Restoring an 80 year old home, which he and his wife, Jill, recently purchased. After assessing the state of the house and seeing the most magnificent radiator I've ever seen, Michael suggested that we go for a walk. (MNJ)
And so we walked. We walked through his neighborhood and along the Chicago River. In between catching up on life and work, Michael talked about the city's architecture and history. We discovered new streets and old bungalows. We saw kids playing in parks with their parents, and houses decorated for Halloween. (MNK)
We walked, and we talked, and we ended up at the local elementary school, which also serves as the home for a community garden, "community" in every sense of the word. Only the students have plots; the rest of the space is community owned. Anyone in the community is free to garden any spot, weed any plot, pick vegetables and herbs from any plant. In the middle of this beautiful, old, urban neighborhood, amidst the hustle and bustle of the city, was this clearing, this beautiful, Wiki-like, community garden where the city seemed to disappear. Dasein. (MNL)
I began the day with my nose to the grindstone, working on my various projects. I ended it walking, breathing, talking, learning. As I rode the train back to SouthBend, reflecting on the day's events and conversations, I couldn't help but feel thankful. (MNM)
My life and my work is ultimately about people, about maximizing our collective potential. As I've pursued this passion, I've found myself surrounded by incredible people with similar values and passions. I take great pride in the number of groups I've helped, the movements I've helped catalyze, and the knowledge I've shared, but all of this pales in comparison to what I've learned from others. What motivates me is the opportunity to share these same experiences and learnings with as many people as possible. (MNN)
I've got a clear vision for how to do this more effectively, and while the mechanisms that make it work are complex, the actual actions required are relatively straightforward. Walking and talking are excellent ways to start. (MNO)
/personal |
Posted at 12:01pm
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