Pre-Ramble: With the inauguration of Barack Obama just a day away, I wanted to post something relevant and meaningful; something that would invoke the significance of this historic event. I’d like to be able to articulate some eloquent angle on Abraham Lincoln, or wax poetic on Yale professor, Elizabeth Alexander, who has been commissioned to compose and read a poem for the inauguration … but all I can think of is President-elect Obama going in all net on a one-handed leaner. And I am certainly not the only one thinking about this; sports writers and gym rats everywhere have been celebrating the significance of a commander-in-chief who has ”got game.” (Caution: short, white girl chucking up quasi-hip/hackneyed basketball references ahead. If I start using terms like rock, pill, brick, paint, skates, cookies, or “That’s yo aaaassss Mr. Postmaaaaannn,” just shut me down.)

The special bond shared by the weekend basketball warrior hits particularly close to home; my husband plays pick-up games at the local “Y” whenever he can. Known as “old school” by the young punks at the gym, he takes great pride in hauling himself up and down the floor with kids half his age. As he bounds out the door in his sweats, I implore him to play nice with the other kids and not to rip out his already threadbare ACL. 

As Washington dusted off its pre-inaugural high tops last week, the NY Times Style section ran the headline, “Rule No. 1: Do Not Call Him ‘Ball-Hog-in-Chief,” and our own St. Paul Pioneer Press declared incoming President Obama, “Hoopster-in-Chief,“ tagging him, “Barack Slamma Jamma Obama.”  Ok, whatever.  Actually, any individual who can demonstrate a passion for Abraham Lincoln, appoint an inaugural poet, and bust a few moves in a game of pick-up basketball has got my respect and allegiance.  As I think about it, the basketball analogy may be ideally suited to the profound and demanding challenges which will face our nation and its leader in the months ahead. Let’s face it, it is highly doubtful that W will be able to crank up a three-pointer at the buzzer to pull us out of this mess.

But here’s the thing: Barack Obama has shown that he is a principled, articulate and strategic individual, but even on his best day there is no way that he is going to be able to carry all 300 million of us on his back for the next four to eight years. We’re headed into the biggest pick-up game of our lives – picking up the pieces of the last eight years – and whether you voted for him or not, each one of us has got to bring our “A” game to the very serious issues that face our country. Former secretary of state, Colin Powell describes our call to action this way:

While government has a role to play in restoring the American dream at home and rekindling the dream that is America abroad, there are limits to its ability to restore our sense of purpose as a nation. That task falls to us. Particularly in hard times like these, we are charged with living up to our shared responsibility to one another [and to our country]. This is not a time to retreat into our homes and wait until it is safe to emerge. It is the time to give more, to step forward and serve our fellow citizens, and to reach into the reservoir of this nation’s unrivaled capacity for good… At a time when so many of our countrymen are in need, everyone has the power to help.

Coaching Tip: Without trivializing this very significant moment, what we need here is the ultimate “alley-oop.”  The alley-oop is an offensive play in which a player throws the ball near the hoop to a teammate who jumps, catches the ball in mid-air, and scores a basket, usually with a slam dunk (think North Carolina State in the 1983 national championship).  The alley-oop combines elements of teamwork, passing, timing, and dunking – perfect for meeting the challenges we will face in the weeks, months, and years ahead. And I’m sure we can all think of some folks on the national political scene who could use a good dunking.

The Take-Away: President-elect Obama has appointed many high-quality players to his cabinet, but ultimately, we are the national dream team that he will need to drive meaningful change. Unlike a scrappy pick-up game, there’s no room for cheap shots and trash-talk - we need to suit up and step up. It’s game time.

Pre-Ramble: It’s the New Year, time for fresh starts,  self-examination and the ubiquitous “New Year’s resolution.” I  just have to weigh in on this…

According to wikipedia, my favorite factoid resource, a “resolution” is a commitment or pledge that an individual makes to an undertaking, often to curb some kind of unwanted behavior. A resolution remains in play until it is accomplished or abandoned. 

It will come as no surprise that the top New Year’s resolution for 2009 (and every year) is to “lose weight.”  This week’s People Magazine cover story (in a special double-wide issue) is “Half Their Size: How They Lost 437 lbs!”  And, what discussion of weight control would be complete without a nod to Oprah Winfrey whose public battle with weight is legendary. The January issue of “O” Magazine  features our beloved, now 200 pound star, as she chronicles her lamentable journey from fit to fat. I admire Oprah for many reasons, but I question the logic of her role as a model of fitness and weight loss - if a fabulously wealthy, high-profile gal with a personal chef and trainer can’t make a go of it, what hope do we have up here in the fly-over zone with a dog-eared volume of Cooking Light and a membership at the local Y? It should come as no surprise that just 12 percent of  resolutions set at the New Year are actually realized. 

Here’s the skinny:  It’s not about weight. The basic dynamics of nutrition and exercise can be learned in 10 minutes; it’s anxiety, denial, expectations, motivation and warm sourdough bread with butter that are less easily conquered. Issues with weight - gaining it or losing it - can function as a distraction from things that are out of whack somewhere else in your life. For some, mucking around with diet regimens and dreaming about the way things will be “when I lose the weight,” is far easier than facing the more difficult aspects of life, like finding a more satisfying job or getting out of a bad relationship. 

When you’re looking down the barrel of a loaded Coney dog, it is easy to lose sight of the fact that life is lived in the moment - the only place where you actually have an opportunity to face challenges and make things happen. Sure, nobody wants to go through life hauling around extra pounds, but ultimately it’s not about whether you’re fat or skinny, it’s about what you are doing with your life. If you’re excited about the real things going on - exploring new hobbies, going to interesting places, visiting with fun people - you won’t even have time to think about Entenmann’s.

Try this on for size:  Instead of making a New Year’s resolution, now’s the time to amp it up and go for the full-blown New Year’s “revolution.”  From the Latin “revolutio” meaning “a turn around,” a revolution is a fundamental change in power or structure that takes place in a relatively short period of time. What better way to characterize the kind of paradigm shift that can bring real and meaningful change to your life? Think of all the valuable resources that are consumed in the cumbersome process of food management; what else could you have been doing with all that time and energy? And even if you’re thin… Great… So what?  What kind of a life is it, if all you’ve done is ration french fries and run yourself ragged at the gym? 

Seriously. Just because the human body needs to eat a few times per day to keep healthy doesn’t mean that you have to make food and eating a 24 hour exercise. Unless you’re a chef or a cow, (a ruminant animal that consumes over 100 pounds of feed and a bathtub full of water each day), you can make your daily interface with food the necessary, albeit pleasurable, but secondary part of your life that it is intended to be. 

The Take-Away: Revolutionize your thinking!  There’s a reason those Nike athletes are so ripped – back away from that pasta bar and scope out new things to go/be/do! Get off that same old psychological  treadmill and switch your focus from weight to living. By reframing your thinking, you can bring a new focus and energy to the real underlying personal challenges you want to lick and roll out a super-size pack of awesome new goals for ’09!

Pre-Ramble: Turns out that the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow might have more relevance than we thought. According to best-selling author, Malcolm Gladwell in his new book “Outliers,”  success is as much a function of circumstance, effort, and luck as it is about innate ability.  Gladwell, science buff and staff writer for The New Yorker, examines a  collection of modern-day success stories including that of Microsoft co-founder, Bill Gates; nuclear physicist,” Robert Oppenheimer; and legendary musical group, the Beatles. In each of these cases, he concludes that far beyond any singular factor, exceptional levels of achievement were made possible by a synchronous combination of factors including  intelligence, determination, effort (practicing a skill for at least 10,000 hours…!), advantageous upbringing, optimal educational opportunities, adequate socio-economic resources, being in the right place at the right time, and just plain luck. Personal circumstances are a necessary condition, he notes, but “a lot of things need to break just right” in order to launch an individual into the realm of extraordinary success. ”People don’t rise from nothing… they are invariably the beneficiaries of hidden advantages, extraordinary opportunities and cultural legacies that allow them to learn and work hard and make sense of the world in ways others cannot.” (Note: Gladwell has written two other very well received books,”Tipping Point” (2000) and “Blink” (2005), which indicates that extraordinary success is also a function of snappy, engaging book titles.)

The principle of synchronicity was demonstrated to me up close and personal one sunny day last summer while I was brushing my teeth and watching the sprinklers in our front yard (… ok, summer days are supposed to be slow…).  Three of the pivoting spigots were launching fitful arcs of water above the grass, when suddenly, like a well-orchestrated dance, the sprays intersected with each other and the sunlight to create a tiny, brilliant segment of a rainbow. It was a magical little moment, made even more so when I realized that, had I been standing in another place, or if it had been another time of day where the sun was in a different position in the sky, this bright array of colors would not have been visible to me.

The Point: Like hidden rainbows, Wall Street Journal book reviewer, David Shaywitz (11/15/08, p. W10) suggests that the real message in Gladwell’s “Outliers” is its focus on the profound reality of lost potential and the costs of such a loss to individuals and to society. How much potential out there is being overlooked or ignored? How much raw talent remains uncultivated and is ultimately lost? Do we cling to outmoded ideas of what success looks like and what is truly required to achieve it? Shaywitz notes that Gladwell’s perspective ”passionately emphasizes the need to recognize and cultivate great minds that might be limited by their circumstances or environment.”  

The Take-Away: Potentially great minds are as close as your own backyard. In fact, there is an infinite number of ”potential rainbows” all around you all the time, just waiting for the right set of circumstances to reveal themselves. Short of watching sprinklers all day, you can encourage the spectrum of unrealized potential in yourself and others and increase your opportunities to access the success you seek.  By intentionally increasing your range of experiences and keeping your eyes open, you can increase your potential solution set and the value that is waiting there. If you aren’t seeing your opportunities, chances are you’re just standing in the wrong spot (see Descarte’s diagram of a rainbow above). Move over a little and look again.

Pre-Ramble: On the eve of the final session of Level 1 Improv, I thought it would be sporting to share one of the most useful things I’ve learned. “Move the energy forward” is a fundamental and very versatile principle of improvisational theater, and I have found that it has a role to play in pretty much any circumstance. According to John Sweeney, improv extrordinaire and author of Innovation at the Speed of Laughter, ”moving the energy forward” simply means that the improvisational actor accepts whatever is going on in a scene with an unequivocal, “Yes, and” attitude… i.e., “Yes,” I support what my scene partner just said or did, and, “and,” I am adding something to it to keep the storyline moving.

The poster child for this concept, of course, is President-elect Barack Obama whose highly successful campaign included the themes, “The Change We Need” and “Yes We Can!”  The American electorate, and the entire world it would appear, are energized both by the prospect of change and hope for the future, as well as by the strong positive affirmation around our capacity to make change. In moving the energy forward, change is not an interruption of what is reliable and consistent, but an exciting exploration toward what is next.

And, let’s not overlook the value of action in the “move the energy” equation. In the spirit of Nike’s classic game changing slogan, Just Do It, the operative dynamic here is spontaneous, sweeping and bold. Who better than vigorous golf champion, Tiger Woods (shown above) to represent for the “move the energy” concept? Next to Rafael Nadal, Tiger has one of the best reaction shots in the business (and some sweet biceps… but I digress). 

Noteworthy on the far end of the “pace of play” continuum, is Christopher Smith, the world’s fastest speed-golfer. WSJ journalist, John Paul Newport (11/8/08, Golf Journal, p. W4), played a round with Mr. Smith, who, carrying only six clubs and sprinting between shots, recently recorded a six-under-par score of 65 in just over 44 minutes at a tournament in Chicago. (As a point of comparison, your above average country club geezer shoots in the mid-eighties in around four hours.) Talk about moving the energy forward… in speed-golf, you don’t have time to think; you just size up the situation and hit the shot… “grip it, and rip it” (as per rehab powerhouse, John Daly). Here’s the instructive part – since taking up the sport ten years ago, Smith realized that he often scores better in speed-golf than he does playing regular golf. !  Holy smoldering divot! This could totally revolutionize my game! I guess it makes sense, if you stop to think about it…

The Science: When you’re spending 5-10 seconds on each shot, there’s no time to worry about whether your head is down or if your damn belt-buckle is pointing toward the target. Shot after shot, the round begins to “flow,” your attention totally absorbed in the moment. You’re just accepting the conditions of the situation and… moving the energy forward. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, psychologist, author of the bestseller, Flow, (and hereafter refered to as C-Dog), suggests that human brain chemistry responds to the “challenge of discovery” as novel experiences stretch the capacity and involvement of the individual. The “flow” experience, described as an almost automatic, effortless, yet highly focused state of consciousness, happens when “action and awareness are merged.” That rings true for me - my golf game could be characterized as “automatic” and when my “action and awareness merge,” I get an adjusted handicap index of 33… (which for the non-golfers in the crowd, might be considered suboptimally high).

The Take-Away: If there was ever a rule to live by, “move the energy forward” is it! As in life, an improv scene that is not changing is “stagnant, repetitive, and predictable.” From this perspective, change can be seen, not as a necessary evil, but rather as a valuable “vehicle of opportunity” that allows us to discover, heighten, and link to whatever comes next. 

Try it!  The next time you find yourself hanging back in an uninspired cesspool of lethargy, pick yourself up, step forward and ask yourself, “Self…, what would I do next here?“  It can be anything.  It doesn’t have to be perfect; it doesn’t even have to be productive.  Just do it. Take a ride on that vehicle of opportunity – you’ll be astounded by how far a positive attitude and some energy can take you! And if you don’t know what to do next – just improvise!

The Pre-Ramble: Just one more day until it’s officially time to vote. Phew!  It would be an understatement to say that this election season has been a unique and wild ride. Campaigns have been playing the ultimate game of political dodgeball as new personalities, technologies, and formats force candidates to engage with John and Jane Q. Public in new and unconventional ways.

Ever since 1992, when Slick Willy played “Heartbreak Hotel” on his golden ax on The Arsenio Hall Show, the self-important traditional media has increasingly found themselves standing on the sidelines as Comedy Central and Late Night serve up the candidates’ latest spin. Spit-polished political hopefuls squirm in their chairs alongside the night’s Top Ten and hot young actress du jour, trying to engage the viewing electorate with clever self-effacing banter. Forget Charlie Gibson - candidates are chewing their nails in the green room waiting to test their metal in a verbal cage match with the gals on The View. (I’ve never actually seen The View, but from what I’ve heard, it sounds like a pretty scary scenario.) And,“Live, from New York, it’s Saturday Night!”  … These words, spoken at the end of the coveted SNL opening skit, are now the solid gold standard for political street cred. This season everyone from Hillary Clinton to Sarah Palin has appeared on the show. Frankly, some of the candidates play better than others in the hip, “watch-me-make-an-ass-out-of-myself” venue. One of the candidates, who shall remain nameless (and likely un-inaugurated), came across significantly older and less presidential than he might have imagined.  

The Point: In addition to the entertainment factor, what I like most about this political season, that seems different from years past, is that somewhere along the line someone gave us all permission to drop the ton of political apathy that was hanging around our collective psyche and let us be genuinely excitied about the political process. Commentator/comedian D.L. Hughley and his guest, the Reverend Al Sharpton, sat on CNN the other night talking about how historic and giddy the whole thing really is. This year there is a palpable sense of energy and unity, a kind of pride in our country and the possibility for real change that hasn’t been out there in a long time (if ever). 

An article on the front page of Sunday’s New York Times (11/2/08) describes the new brand of engagement with the political process, “… Across the country, black men and women who have long been disaffected, apolitical, discouraged or just plain bored with politics say they have snapped to attention this year.” Sure, there’s the black/white thing, but it feels like way more than that.  Among the folks interviewed in the article, Brooklyn bartender, Timothy Hairston, 47, who has never voted before put it this way,

“I wanted to be a part of a historical moment…to say that I was an active participant as opposed to someone on the sidelines rooting for change but not involved in the process of making change. I think it’s a testament to [Barack's] campaign that he can inspire. At the end of the day, no matter what party you vote for, I think every once in a while there are inspirational moments that call for people to wake up from their deep sleep and become involved.” 

No matter your political stripes, this election is about something fundamental to our heritage as Americans. The tone of this election invites every American to reengage with their civic privilege and responsibility. It invites us to step up, individually and collectively, to be engaged, to do what we can given our gifts, to make our community, our country, and our world a better place. Most of all, it inspires individuals to take themselves, their lives, and the potential they have, the inherent right that they have to a point of view, seriously. This election invites every American to take action, to lift up their voice and reach for the hopes and dreams they have for themselves and for their children. This election represents a new patriotism for a new time.

The Take-Away: It is an honor and a privilege (and unbelievably awesome) to be able to stand among our fellow Americans at this decisive moment in history and have a role to play in the outcome.

Nuff said (I’m getting a little bit of vertigo up here on the soapbox…) – LET’S GO VOTE!

Pre-Ramble: I just ordered a couple of new turtlenecks online. I already have quite a few in my closet… Ok, you could choke a horse with the number of turtlenecks I have, and frankly, I take a lot of flack for it. The common perception is that turtlenecks go arm-in-arm with polar fleece, sturdy shoes, and pursed lips. (On that note, as a mother of two teenage girls, I’d like to see a line of prom wear that incorporates these elements.) While you won’t see me hanging with the Girls Next Door, it’s not like I’m understudy to The Church Lady either. It is high time I stuck my neck out in defense of the perpetually stylish, highly versatile wardrobe choice.

First of all, turtlenecks come in a variety of colors and textures and, as shown on Daisy at right, the neckline frames the face nicely. Like a second skin, the turtleneck is super comfortable and very low maintenance. Nina Garcia would surely endorse the classic turtleneck as appropriate wear from Broadway to the Iditarod; Audrey Hepburn made the style coquettish in the 1957 film “Funny Face,” and in the sub-zero temperatures of northern climates, turtlenecks are just plain necessary (necks get cold). I’m guessing Janet Jackson would have welcomed the extra coverage in her “girls-gone-wild” Superbowl XXXVIII halftime performance.

Known as a turtle neck in the US, a polo neck in the UK, or a skivvy in Australia, the garment in question is defined as “an article of clothing – usually a sweater – with a close-fitting, round, high collar that folds over and covers the neck.” No one knows exactly where the style originated, however according to the experts at wikipedia, fishermen and menial laborers began adopting “polo necks” as work wear at the turn of the century. (All you fact checkers out there, just settle down! This isn’t a presidential debate. I’m just trying to make a point, and like the candidates, I don’t care if it’s accurate.)

Fashion historians suggest that over time, polo necks became acceptable casual wear, primarily for men and by the mid 20th century, came to be viewed as an “anti-tie, smart form of dress for fashion conscious mainstream Americans who rejected formal wear.” Feminists turned the polo neck into a unisex item and soon the style became de rigor among teenage girls - ”especially in a lightweight form that emphasized aspects of their figures.” (Eyes up here, boys…) By the late 1950s the “tight polo neck” had been adopted as part of the preppie style among students and as a counter-culture option for left-wing bohemians and intellectuals (see Daisy above). Today, no longer a fad or political statement, the look, and its variant, the “mock” turtleneck, has become a “standard wardrobe item for both sexes and an icon of popular fashion and culture.”

So, There!: I repeat, the once prudish turtleneck is now an icon of popular fashion and culture. (I feel so vindicated.)

And Another Thing: (Caution: psychobabble ahead) In addition to being a pretty amazing piece of clothing, the turtleneck can also represent a state of being. Discovering and embracing your “stuff” is key to an effective approach to creative thinking and living. When you are able to identify essential aspects of your personality, whatever they are, they become powerful and pivotal pieces of information. It’s a matter of personal “brand identity” – accurate self-knowledge can serve as a secure and consistent platform, a pushing-off-point that frees you to move ahead.

The Take-Away: Know thyself. The authentic person is in a state of readiness; nimble and able to receive, consider and respond to people, events, ideas, and other random information and cues that come their way.

In the words of has-been comedian, Dana Carvey, “Well isn’t that special!”