Art Imitating / Reflecting Life

Adding a little more random content to my seldom-updated blog for 2019.

I've twice had the experience in the last 6 months of seeing something in media or popular culture which really resonates or speaks to how I experience life. Thought I would share.

The first was Henry Rollins talking with Joe Rogan about relationships:

I got divorced (after 14 years, I have no idea how either of us made it that long...) in 2015, then dated off and on for a while. At then end of 2017 / early 2018 I finally realized it wasn't working for anyone and it was time to drop it. Most of what Rollins says in that interview very accurately captures a lot of my thinking on relationships. Having now retreated into a monk-like existence, I can say I'm more at home and at peace than I ever have been. I'll be very surprised if I ever date again.

The second experience (and what motivated me to write on this topic) was watching Free Solo on Alex Honnold and his climb of El Cap. At one point in the movie there's a pumpkin carving party and Honnold is clearly anxious about this gathering of friends and kids. His comment really resonated - "I like to have fun but I don't like to be told it's time to have fun" or something to that effect. The idea that there's this culturally imposed "mandatory fun" time has always really rubbed me the wrong way it frankly has ruined a lot of my social interactions over the years. It's why I am a total social butterfly in work settings and a recluse at parties and "fun" events on the rare occasion I go to a party (I went to one in 2018). I really don't see the point of getting together just to have fun. But if there is business to be done, it's another story.

On a broader note I think this is one of the great things about all the alternative media and individual publishing ability that the internet has created. We can all be exposed to a wider range of personalities and lifestyles and maybe through seeing others we can see ourselves more clearly. What do you think?

Don't worry, I'll get back to posting on health tech and training tools shortly...