Work In Progress Newsletter
Edition 23 | October 24, 2022

WRITE THIS WAY…
Greetings and welcome to another limited edition of the Work In Progress newsletter! I’m Ryan McCrary, your Inspiration Ironman. For the last 23 weeks and counting I’ve been scouring the news, interwebs and the occasional fax machine to share stories of hope and joy and triumph. Some weeks are far easier than others. 

BEST THING I SAW ON THE ‘GRAM LAST WEEK
Sound up! Hear the moment the Cleveland Guardians walked off the Yankees in the ALDS. → WATCH

BEST THING I SAW ON THE TWITTER LAST WEEK
In today’s edition of “who thought this was a good idea…” this from the Los Angeles Clippers  → WATCH

THREE DOTS… GOOD NEWS ONLY
A real life superhero meets The Rock… Meet Yuri Williams who battled back from the depression following his mom’s death in 2009 by starting a charity: A Future Superhero and Friends… Now, his charity is impacting lives with events in all 50 states and this caught the attention of the Black Adam star who invited him to share the Good Morning America stage…   Helping others see clearly now… Philanthropist Mackenzie Scott donates $15 million to VisionSpring, dedicated to providing glasses to farmers in developing nations…  If you see any neon orange Titleists, they’re mine… Meet Marlo, a cavapoo with a nose for lost golf balls… Marlo’s owner, Charles Jefferson, has donated the results of shanks and slices to a variety of charities benefiting golf in Africa… Two honeymooners took a break from celebrating their new lives together to save lives… Dave Squillante and Doran Smith were wandering the streets of Barcelona when they saw smoke billowing from a building. Despite not speaking Spanish the couple leapt into action and ran in and discovered a nursery with 20 babies sleeping and began shuttling the infants to safety.


OTD – OCTOBER 24
A highly tumultuous day historically speaking. We will strive for less excitement next week.

Notable Historical Moments… Black Thursday signals the start of the stock market crash in 1929… Notorious gangster Al Capone sentenced to 11 years in prison for tax evasion in 1931… Soviet ships turned away by the US blockade of Cuba today in 1962… Bloody Friday saw the worst declines in stock trading history in 2008. 

Famous Marriages… Gonzaga alum and silky smooth crooner Bing Crosby married second wife Kathryn Grant in 1957… 

Famous Breakups… Tough day for TMZ

Famous Deaths… Iconic barrier buster Jackie Robinson (1919-72)… Civil Rights pioneer Rosa Parks… Rock and Roll pioneer Fats Domino (1928-2017)… Miracle on 34th Street actress Maureen O’Hara (1920-2015). 

Famous Birthdays… Oscar-winning actor Kevin Kline turns 75… English International footballer Wayne Rooney is 37… Basketball superfan Drake turns 36. 

Bonus Jackie Robinson Quote: “Many people resented my impatience and honesty, but I never cared about acceptance as much as I cared about respect.”


WHAT I’M READING NOW
For Improvement: The 5-Second Rule by Mel Robbins

**One sentence review: One of the most practical approaches to self care I have ever read… relatable and applicable.  

Embracing my inner history nerd: The Coldest Winter by David Halberstam

**One sentence review: “One of the most compelling authors of our time immerses the reader in America’s most forgotten, misunderstood and brutal wars.”

For an Escape: The Investigator by John Sanford

**One sentence review: Letty Davenport’s first “real job” was far more perilous than yours.

ESCAPE POD
My inner history geek rejoices. The American Scandal podcast is diving into the Cuban Missile Crisis. The first four episodes have been compelling. Truly remarkable to listen to history come alive and its relevance to current events. John F. Kennedy faced a smorgasbord of impossible decisions throughout. All episodes are available for free on Spotify.


WHAT I WATCHED
Christmas came early. As I was scrolling through Netflix choices I saw three National Lampoon’s Vacation movies. I inhaled all of them. From the Wally World Odyssey to Big Ben and Parliament to an Old Fashioned Family Christmas I laughed and laughed and laughed some more. It is difficult to understate the impact of Christie Brinkley driving past the family truckster in that red Ferrari on 13-year old Ryan. Well worth a rewatch!


WHAT I’M LISTENING TO AS I WRITE
Today’s featured artist is John Hiatt. The last week has been a personal and professional struggle in almost every facet. I have been playing “Have a Little Faith in Me” on repeat. It’s a message we can all use from time to time and it gives me fresh hope every time I play it. Be kind to yourself.

CLIP OF THE WEEK
That one time when Queen Elizabeth jumped out of a helicopter with 007. → WATCH

MY GIF TO YOU
This is what I look like while waiting for my coffee to percolate. → WATCH

QUOTABLE
“We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.”
Benjamin Franklin – Inventor, Statesman, Patriot


THIS WAY OUT
Thanks for reading the latest edition of my Work In Progress newsletter. 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!