June 25 2023
June 25, 2023
# 1612
Chris Capossela
Husband – Father – Chief Marketing Officer of Microsoft – Aspiring Angler – Tennis Fan – Pilates Student
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COVER:
Chris Capossela
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Cover Story
I recently enjoyed a Dim Sum meal with Chris Capossela. Our conversation ranged from here to there. And back. We had fun.
Chris was on the East Coast for two reasons. The first was to receive an award in New York City, an award of interest principally to marketers. He was not overly impressed by it. The second was for career development.
Several years ago he joined the Board of Directors of a non-profit to contribute to his professional growth. As a Board member, he gets to judge whether corporate strategy is clear and whether the officers are pursuing it. He has enjoyed his time with the group and decided he’d like to expand this part of his life. To that end, he, today, found himself in Boston to examine the possibility of joining the board of another company. He had an hour and a half and chose to share it all with me. Sweet.
Joining the Boards of other companies might be a conflict of interest. I asked Chris how he learned the rules of the road. Of course, his company has a legal department and helps steer employees. But Chris referred back to his childhood when he worked in his father’s business as a bookkeeper. There, he discovered there were right and wrong ways to do and extrapolated from that, every company has its own system which is incumbent on workers to learn as quickly as possible. As in, a $100.00 dinner bill is not acceptable. As in, juniors do not pay for dinner when a senior is at your table.
I asked Chris how he saw himself. With ChatGPT speed, he rattled off a list in order of importance to him: Husband – Father – Tech Guy – Aspiring Angler – Tennis Fan – Pilates Student
Chris’ family is really close but a year+ ago, his older daughter, Grace, left home to live at Swarthmore College. I asked Chris how difficult it was for him to adjust.
He acknowledged that Grace’s life choice left a huge hole in the lives of the family of four, a hole felt particularly at dinnertime or events planning. But like the rest of us, his family made the necessary adjustments, learned new patterns, and adapted to the new normal.
I asked Chris what he worried most about. His answer surprised me. It appears that at company meetings, with so many hard-working, super-intelligent people in attendance, he asks himself, “Am I pulling my weight?” He occasionally attributes his success to luck or timing or something else, not acknowledging his own skills and abilities. The Impostor Syndrome.
Finally, as Grace edges towards a career, what advice will you give her? Follow your passion, he would say.
I commented that I will never get used to stuffing my mouth with noodles and slurping them down. Chris offered that he likes the way Asians eat: with gusto.
Chris and wife Leigh
Their two girls are about this age now
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Commentary
How will this terrible war come to a conclusion? Is Putin a warped individual? Must it take a military coup to replace him to be followed by an abrupt departure, no explanation necessary? What characteristics do these two men share that make them tight? Certainly, a disregard for anyone but themselves is one of them.
High wages are necessary for the growth of our middle class. To hear a steady flow of the opinions of capitalists ‘warning’ us against the tight labor market, against high wages, is as sickening as hearing the news about the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
A weak Republican Party is not a good thing for America. It’s very sad to see the field of candidates running for the Republican Presidential nomination, guaranteeing Trump’s victory there and his loss in the general election. Although, they may know something we, in the general population, do not know, like Trump’s legal troubles will force him out of the race; or the stress he’s going through may lead to a serious illness that will force him out of the race and they want to be there to pick up the pieces. Either would be pretty good, and, hopefully, his illness would be just serious enough to do the job of sidelining him.
Can my generation fix this?
It’s a lot.
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Kat’s Gen Z Corner
Moving Week
Speaks for itself. I got this off. See you next week.
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Brayden’s Gen Z Corner
I have produced over a dozen of my original theatrical works and started a theater collective of next-generation artists called See Humans.
See Humans Express Themselves
by Brayden Martino
I’d like to introduce myself. I’m Brayden, and I’m a human. I would say I’m an artist, but I think artist and human are nearly synonymous. Humans are made to create, and only recently did it matter in our culture whether or not you’re “good” at art. Art shouldn’t be boiled down to a commodity or a product. Art should be an expression of the inner-self, and you should do it because it makes you happy.
You’ll see me writing about art a lot on here, especially live entertainment and performing arts, so I wanted to give you an idea of my personal lens as an artist.
I’ve been self-producing my own theatrical works since I was 18. I’m now 24. After I graduated high school, I decided I wasn’t going to wait around for some big producer to tell me that my work is good enough to be produced. Because I was creating something that made me happy, and allowed me and my friends to collaborate on something that collectively made us feel happy and more connected to each other. So with no producing or directing experience, I put on my first original musical. My friends and I posted about it on our social media, hung up some fliers around town, and tried to spread the word as much as possible, but we weren’t really expecting anyone to come other than our immediate families. After all, we had a marketing budget of $0.00 and nobody knew who we were. But somehow, at our opening performance while myself and my team were getting ready backstage in this makeshift theater, my mom ran backstage to tell us that there was a line wrapped around the building and there weren’t enough chairs to seat everyone. Immediately, we ravaged through the building to find any chair, bench, box, or other sittable-object and filled the space with 150 “seats”. The audience came in, and still people had to stand in the back.
Production photo from my musical parody of Jerry Seinfeld's Bee Movie. I love to incorporate puppets in every show I do!
It was in this moment that I realized that I created something that people connected with. With no professional experience or training, I created something to showcase to my community that people were falling over themselves to see. And a community experience it was. The show was interactive, rowdy, absurd, and bursting with energy and joy. From that night on, I decided that this was what I wanted to do with my life.
At that point, I was enrolled and about to start my first semester of Film School at Chapman University in Southern California. But I very quickly realized that film wasn’t for me, because there’s such a huge disconnect between the artists and the audience. In live entertainment, it’s happening right before your eyes and the audience has complete influence on what’s happening. It’s for them, and nobody else. It’s a fleeting moment in time that can never be repeated the same way. I learned in school that there have been scientific studies about how audiences watching a performance will begin to have their heartbeats synced up. It’s not every day we get to be in a room with strangers and laugh and cry with each other. Those are vulnerable emotions. But the theater makes them feel safe.
Since then, I have produced over a dozen of my original theatrical works and started a theater collective of next-generation artists called See Humans.
Our mission is as follows:
We are a collective of artists who bring communities together through storytelling. Our mission is to revolutionize the way audiences engage with art by bringing them groundbreaking experiences that captivate and inspire.
We are driven by the spirit of risk-taking and a passion for pushing the boundaries of traditional commercial entertainment. By encouraging our artists to pioneer into uncharted territories, we thrive on a culture of continuous innovation and experimentation.
Everything we do is centered around human connection.
We create personalized experiences that invite audiences to engage on a deeply personal level. Each event we curate is meticulously designed to foster new connections while nurturing existing ones.
We offer a sanctuary where audiences can momentarily escape the burdens of the modern world and immerse themselves in a transformative experience. Such experiences unlock a realm of possibilities for individuals to discover and celebrate the beauty of humanity, and spark meaningful conversations that lead to positive change.
We believe that together, we can build a world where art thrives, connections flourish, and the human spirit soars in full technicolor.
So join me here to follow my journey of redefining live art experiences, and the stories of the people I meet who share this passion.
Brayden Martino
braydenmartino.com
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Tucker’s Corner
Pride month continues so I wanted to take the opportunity to write about another wondrous film. The Power of the Dog was a pretty huge deal in late 2021 but I always have to remind myself that I absolutely live in a film tinted bubble and the world doesn’t spend as much time agonizing over seeing every single thing that I do. Well allow me to tell you now. This film is brilliant. If you watch it based on this review I truly hope you enjoy it as much as I do. This is The Power of the Dog.
The Power of the Dog - Directed by Jane Campion
Westerns may be the only genre America can claim any true ownership of. Despite many of the heroic hallmarks that westerns carry for the casual American filmgoer it doesn’t take much digging to see that underneath the surface many westerns take on some pretty dark self-reflection. Specifically centered around the ideas of westward expansion and manifest destiny. It seems only fitting then that Jane Campion, a born and bred New Zealander would be attracted to the genre. Her own country has just as many scars from its colonialist history. She shot The Power Of The Dog in her homeland but it’s set in Montana. It isn’t just the similar geography but the genre and story themes that resonate back and forth through this film’s story and its real-life locations.
Another theme commonly examined in westerns is toxic masculinity. The Thomas Savage novel this film is based on was deconstructing the concept back in 1967. But Campion approaches the subject matter with a restrained sexuality rarely found in westerns. Restrained may not even be the right word since that same tension is also so overt. It threatens to burst the bubble of these characters’ lives at any moment and despite the heightened feelings on display, Power Of The Dog always feels like it has humanity’s number, fully aware of how close our best and worst impulses actually are.
Campion’s film often uses the family unit as a way of exploring the violence physical or otherwise that humans bring upon each other and Power Of The Dog is no exception. The film is about two brothers, Phil (Benedict Cumberbatch) and George Burbank (Jesse Plemons), ranchers in 1920s Montana whose wealthy east coast upbringing has affected each of them in different ways. George retains the stuffed shirt manners of their childhood, wearing expensive suits and owning the business side of the ranch. Phil on the other hand, denies his roots entirely, remaking himself in the image of his idol, Bronco Henry, the cowboy who taught him the ways of the open range.
Phil makes it evident quickly that his view of being a man includes a hatred of anything soft or weak including his brother who he bullies tirelessly. Into this volatile situation comes Rose (Kirsten Dunst) a widow who runs a restaurant on the frontier and her son Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee) who accompanies Rose to the brother’s ranch after George takes her as his wife. The newlyweds are sweet to each other but that doesn’t last thanks to Phil quickly souring it with casual cruelty. Every relationship in the film quickly becomes a devious game between those involved.
The Power Of The Dog reveals its secrets in a measured fashion and the film grows richer with each new revelation. The script is sparse as are backstories and exposition. Campion uses visual cues to convey subtleties in the dynamics between characters. The significance of a moment may not be clear until much later on in the film.
The performances are as layered as the storytelling. Though everyone fears Phil, Cumberbatch plays him with rigidity rather than explosive fury. Dunst hides Rose’s despair until she can’t anymore. Plemons never breaks the way other characters do but Plemons makes it plain there is a great lake of emotion behind a dam built out of societal respectability. Smit-McPhee’s sensitive, scholarly Peter contains similar depths as we learn when a pet rabbit becomes a dissection model for an aspiring physician.
When we learn that Phil is gay it complicates everything we knew about him as what we believed was the film’s villain. Pile on the idea that Peter isn’t as helpless or harmless as we thought and we can see why Jane Campion was attracted to this story. The revelation about Phil comes in the form of a character voyeuristically witnessing him caress his shirtless torso with his former lover’s bandana. Campion makes a meal out of eroticizing cowboy iconography all the while continuing to display Phil in the same poses with the same framing we’ve seen John Wayne portrayed dozens of times. Campion’s decision to marry these two ideas together is where the genius of this film lies. In the same way our view of Phil is thrown for a loop when his sexuality is revealed so too do we start to think differently about these western heroes plastered all over American film legend. Perhaps Phil is a more truthful depiction of the more standard cowboy stars we all know so well. Underneath their exterior maybe they really are conflicted, tortured, secretive, and perhaps even a little cruel.
Late in the story, a quote from Psalm 22:20 explains the film’s title: “Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.” That particular verse refers to ancient symbolism of dogs as scavengers who prey on the vulnerable. But the title could just as easily refer to a scene where Phil asks Peter what he sees when he looks at the shadows dotting the mountain that looms over the Burbank ranch. Peter says he sees the outline of a dog, its snout projected across the rock face. This power, the ability to look deeper and see beyond the obvious, will be essential to Peter’s survival. It’s essential to Campion’s film, too.
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The angler is angling for a return.
This came in the mail on Father’s Day: (We were talking about his recent expeditions that made others jealous.)
Let me make it really jealous… check out my scheduled big fishing trips over the next 11 months starting with Alaska in august!!
Can definitely get jealous of that.
Of course, not really jealous since we get to print Chris’ daily adventures along with a photograph or two.
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Restaurant Review, Douzo
I met my son Mino last week. He was in for a half day which I took up.
We had lunch at Douzo and ordered the chef’s Negiri plate.
As always, it was varied and delicious.
It’s a terrific place: service, decor, food, and professionalism.
They’ve got it down.
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Writing
The work on the book I am editing is going very well. I never thought I’d finish it before my trip to Florence in early September. But now it appears we will not only finish the writing before my trip but we will have it for sale by then! Would never have been this far along without my partner, friend, and publisher, Victor Passacantilli. He’s been wonderfully cooperative and efficient. We’ve had fun.
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Health: Two stretches that work for me.
My quads and my hamstrings are tightening.
I need to stretch them.
I decided that I could do that easily from my easy chair, and I was right.
I asked ChatGPT for stretching exercises for the two groups and received these instructions.
They were pretty much what I had developed on my own, but it was nice to have a more autoritative
While sitting in an easy chair, it may not be possible to effectively stretch your quadriceps (front thigh muscles) by pulling your feet to your buttocks and holding them in a stretch. However, you can try an alternative seated quadriceps stretch that can be performed in a chair:
Sit upright in the chair with your feet flat on the floor.
Slide forward to the edge of the chair while keeping your back straight.
Lift one foot off the ground and bend the knee, bringing your heel towards your buttocks.
Reach back with the same-side hand and grasp the ankle or foot of the raised leg.
Gently pull your foot towards your buttocks until you feel a stretch in the front of your thigh (quadriceps).
Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds while keeping your upper body upright.
Release the stretch and repeat on the other leg.
A stretching Siberian tiger
I, Malene
Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica), Aalborg Zoo, Denmark.
Yes, you can perform hamstring stretches while sitting in an easy chair with your legs elevated on a footstool. Here's a simple seated hamstring stretch you can try:
Sit comfortably in the easy chair with your legs extended and resting on the footstool.
Keeping your back straight, hinge forward at the hips, reaching your hands towards your toes or as far down your legs as you can comfortably reach.
Maintain a gentle stretch in the back of your thighs (hamstrings) as you hold the position.
Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds, focusing on relaxing and breathing.
Slowly release the stretch and sit back up.
Repeat the stretch 2-3 times, gradually deepening the stretch as your muscles loosen up.
Remember to listen to your body and not push yourself too far. Stretching should feel like a gentle pull or tension, not pain. If you experience any discomfort or pain, ease off the stretch. It's also a good idea to consult with a healthcare professional or a certified fitness instructor before starting any new stretching routine, especially if you have any pre-existing conditions or concerns.
There’s got to be a way to effect this stretch from your easy chair.
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Food
Suddenly I wanted a change in my alcoholic dinner beverage. I settled on Margherita’s for their refreshing attributes. I got the basic recipe from AI, made adjustments to my taste, and have been enjoying the beverage ever since. Here’s my recipe.
Watermelon Margarita for two:
Ingredients: Gather
Watermelon chunks, seedless, to make 1 cup of watermelon juice
4 oz tequila
1/2 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
1 oz triple sec or orange liqueur or limoncello
1/2 t agave syrup or simple syrup
crushed ice to shake and to fill glasses
Lime wedges and watermelon slices for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
Place the watermelon chunks into a blender and blend until smooth to make fresh watermelon juice.
In a cocktail shaker, combine the watermelon juice, tequila, lime juice, triple sec, crushed ice, and agave syrup
Shake well
Pour over ice
Fill two glasses with ice cubes and pour your margarita mixture into the glass.
Serve your refreshing Watermelon Margarita immediately.
Margaritas come in a variety of flavors and colors.
Memorial Day margaritas (margarita, Memorial Day, 2006, San Francisco, SOMA, Chevy's, Mexican, Tex-Mex, Southwestern, booze, straws, Kristen, cocktail, salsa, colors)
Note: Feel free to adjust the sweetness and tanginess by adding more or less lime juice or agave syrup based on your preference. Enjoy responsibly!
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Chuckles and Thoughts
Never trust an atom.
They make up everything.
Helium atom ground state
User:Yzmo - Own work
A depiction of the atomic structure of the helium atom. The darkness of the electron cloud corresponds to the line-of-sight integral over the probability function of the 1s atomic orbital of the electron. The magnified nucleus is schematic, showing protons in pink and neutrons in purple. In reality, the nucleus (and the wavefunction of each of the nucleons) is also spherically symmetric and 1s, and the four particles, each with a different quantum number, like the electrons in the helium atom, are all most likely to be found in the same space, at the exact center of the nucleus. (For more complicated nuclei this is not the case. Thanks to Åke Back.)
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Understanding Ageing
Ageing, fortunately, is not an unbroken downward spiral. While being aware that year-to-year we have slippage, I have, for the last several months, felt stronger with greater stamina than I have since years before covid. I have no explanations and no concepts or strictures to offer, except that staying on diet and exercise program will keep us healthier.
Arthur Saxon performing a Two Hands Anyhow with an early kettlebell and plate-loaded barbell
Unknown author - First uploaded on the English-speaking Wikipedia under the same filename
Arthur Saxon performing a bent press.
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Social Life
This week looks rather quiet.
I’ll use the extra time to work on the book on the North End.
Just a day or two away from finishing the parts I am writing.
Just a week away from closing the deadline on contributions.
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Mail and other Conversation
We love getting mail, email, or texts, including links.
This fun invitation from my son Mino:
Hi Dad,
If Wed afternoon still works for you, would you like to go see this exhibit?
https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mfa.org%2Fexhibition%2Fhokusai-inspiration-and-influence&data=05%7C01%7C%7C0e16ecb1ca38488622ff08db6af2048b%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638221359911850295%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=bwKakw7aM6uRcQLb2YBuo2wBp29jPZ2EnQyIGUtP05U%3D&reserved=0
Love,
Mino
And this I got from son Chris whom I interviewed for the current feature story of existentialautotrip. After the interview, I asked him for his opinion of my questions.
Hey Dad - I thought you asked great questions!
When I interview people I try to start by writing down what I think the audience wants to hear about or learn about, and then I work backwards from there to craft questions I think will help get me there.
I interview folks every now and again on LinkedIn… you can check some of them out here: (99+) Activity | Chris Capossela | LinkedIn
Love,
Chris
And this from Victor P, publisher of the book on the North End (I’m the Editor) that will hopefully hit the stands by September 30:
Dom,
Thanks for the interview with Tom. It's an inspiring piece.
Victor
Send comments to domcapossela@hotmail.com
text to 617.852.7192
*The Blog Meister selects the topics for the Lead Picture and the Short Essay and then leans heavily on Wikipedia and ChatGPT to provide the content. The Blog Meister usually edits the entries.
**Community Pictures with Captions are sent in by our followers. Feel free to send in yours to domcapossela@hotmail.com
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