Work In Progress Newsletter
Edition 10 | July 25, 2022

WRITE THIS WAY…
Hello and welcome to this, the limited 10th anniversary edition of the Work In Progress newsletter. So nice to see you today. I’m your good news guru Ryan McCrary. 

Before we get to the anniversary cake, we have some great news to share. Right this way for some unbelievable acts of kindness. Here we go!

THREE DOTS… GOOD NEWS ONLY
“Mama… I made it!…” Alena Analeigh Wicker was accepted to the University of Alabama’s Heersink School of Medicine… at the age of 13… Wicker, who is completing double majors at Arizona State and Oakwood University, interned with NASA last year and considers herself a “normal” girl…  JJ Watt continues to embody all that is good in humanity… Last week Tara Roderick was trying to sell some JJ Watt gear to help defray daunting funeral costs for her grandfather. Enter Watt, a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, who told Roderick to keep her shoes and jersey and then paid for the funeral… I was fortunate enough to watch two-sport superstar Bo Jackson compete at an All-Star level for both the Kansas City Royals and the Los Angeles Raiders… Last week, Jackson added to the legend by covering the funeral costs for all Uvalde shooting victims… This is a reason to let young kids stay up to watch television… Meet seven-year old David Diaz Jr., who won a New York Senate commendation after using the lessons learned by watching ABC’s the Good Doctor to save a choking classmate… Maybe it’s time to X-Ray that velvet Elvis print… While preparing paintings for an art exhibition in Scotland, conservators discovered a Vincent Van Gogh self portrait on the back of another painting… While it’s hard to fathom now, Van Gogh was so impoverished during portions of his career that he would reuse canvases over and over again… Now this is an ingenious, eco-friendly way to beat the heat… Farmers in England, fresh off the first national heat advisory in more than 350 years of weather tracking, constructed a pool using hay bales, hay baling wrap, tarps and water… The inspiration came, as many often do, over drinks at the pub and the project served as a “hangover cure”… Former Los Angeles Laker Slava Medvedenko won two NBA Championships and is auctioning his rings to raise money for his native Ukraine.

BEST THING I SAW ON THE ‘GRAM LAST WEEK
Alright, alright… Perhaps the best Oscar acceptance speech ever delivered, by former Dazed and Confused star Matthew McConaughey… HERE 

SNIPPETS AND IDEA WISPS
And now a collection of elegant phrases, snippets and quotes consumed last week.

New phrase: Clever, not clear – Resist the urge to find and use a clever phrase and instead connect by using a clear concept by Wes Kao, founder of Maven

Important Reminder: Communicate well and you will communicate less. 

Other wisps… “Listening to understand rather than listening to respond.” – 

Bonus “The Office” quote: “I’ve been involved in a number of cults, both as a leader and a follower. You have more fun as a follower, but you make more money as a leader.” — Creed Bratton

OTD – JULY 25
Notable Historical Moments… Beatles’ Hard Days Night album, featuring the hits A Hard Day’s Night, Can’t Buy Me Love & And I Love Her, tops the US & British charts in 1964. 

Famous Deaths… Legendary golfer Ben Hogan (b. 1912) made the final turn in 1997. 

Famous Birthdays… “How you doin…” Friends star Matt LeBlanc (b. 1967)… NFL Man of the Year namesake Walter “Sweetness” Payton (b. 1954)… Don’t Throw Mama From the Train star, Estelle Getty (b. 1923).

Bonus Walter Payton Quote: “When you’re good at something, you’ll tell everyone. When you’re great at something, they’ll tell you.”

WHAT I’M READING NOW
For Improvement: The Winner Within by Pat Riley

**One sentence review: As much as it pains me to praise any member of the Los Angeles Lakers, this is one of the classic books on leadership and coaching from the man who coined the phrase “three-peat” and crushed my Portland Trail Blazers over and over and over…” 

For an Escape: Thunderball by Ian Fleming

**One sentence review: While many may be unaware, James Bond existed in books before movies, but fear not, Ian Fleming’s superspy still saves the world from impending nuclear disaster.

Embracing my inner history nerd: The Rough Riders by Theodore Roosevelt

**One sentence review: Often referred to as “Alone in Cuba” by book critics at the time of its publication in 1899, I can confirm that while it is nothing if not a rollicing account, there seems to be a lot of emphasis on the lead swashbuckler, TR. 

WHAT I WATCHED
I watched Out of Sight, the Steven Soderbergh classic, based on the novel by Elmore Leonard. It was a breakthrough role for both George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez, in what is likely the best performance of her career. Just a visually stunning movie with exceptional dialogue that is in my personal top-10. I highly recommend it, but encourage you to read the book first. It is captivating. In other news: It’s now been more than 20 days since I last watched Top Gun Maverick and I am feeling the need, the need for speed. Again. 

ESCAPE POD
My inner history geek is rejoicing. I was encouraged to listen to the American Scandal podcast and I consumed its series on the Pentagon Papers and the aftermath. Truly remarkable to listen to history come alive. All episodes are available for free on Spotify.

SHAMELESS
I wrote some words on supreme belief in yourself. Meet 2022 MLB Home Run Derby Champion Juan Soto, who was offered, and promptly turned down $440 million. Hope you can all find your “Soto Mojo” this week. 

CLIP OF THE WEEK
Jack Foley (George Clooney) robs a bank in the most charming way possible in this scene from Out of Sight.

MY GIF TO YOU
Current mood about finishing my exclusive 10th anniversary edition of this newsletter… 

QUOTABLE
“Seize the moment. Remember all those women on the Titanic who waved off the desert cart.” 
– Erma Bombeck

THIS WAY OUT
Thanks for reading the latest edition of my Work In Progress newsletter. For those of you who have followed along since the beginning, thank you so much. For those new to the newsletter, welcome! My goal is to spread inspiration and hope in a world that needs both more than ever. My goal is to release these newsletters each Monday – because who doesn’t need a shot of good news to start the work week? Look for a new article on my timeline later this week. Special thanks to Kim Kaupe and Terry Rice for encouraging me to launch this into the universe. As always, feedback is welcomed!