music:"Man Who Sold the World" Nirvana, Unplugged in New York (Bowie cover)"Given to Fly" Pearl Jam, Yield"Hunger Strike" Temple of the DogOpeningPatrick and I attended the same schools, from elementary through high school. Our paths diverged and we knew of each other more than we knew each other after a while. This talk was intriguing for that reason. Patrick was a unique personality within our school, a musician and theater kid, but I didn't really know him. In this conversation, we catch up on the last 25 years. Q. What does it mean to be a "humanist"?Humanism as a way of adding dimension to atheism. Growing up in the Episcopal church, Patrick's father was a key member of the choir and Patrick recalls a moment when he was twelve when he looked out at the parishioners and questioned the integrity of the ritual.Q. Did anyone actually believe in the message they were singing? 0:07After High School - Working Patrick briefly attended community college and worked his way through jobs, gaining experience. Applying for jobs without a college degree. "It takes someone to stop and actually read a resume to appreciate what your work experience means." Searching for Independence as a teenSchools: Tracking and Inequality and Arlington0:12Moving to DC and then back to Boston - Jamaica Plain0:18Family: Dogs and CatsPatrick has two cats. He also has a 12 year-old child. Patrick gained experience with infants and toddlers working as a "Mother's Assistant." He loved the Babysitter's Club books.0:238th Grade: Kurt Cobain's SuicideWe recall the time of Kurt Cobain's death (we were in 8th grade) and Patrick discusses Cobain's influence. 0:32The Sound of Freedom Nirvana, Pearl Jam, punk showsPatrick started attending punk shows at The Rat in Boston at 15. 0:37Social Anxiety: How to Not Look Not CoolThe exhaustion of people trying so hard. Patrick supports his child dealing with school drama."There are people that are waiting for that 1% of genuine emotion to come out of you because that's 1 more percent to make fun of." 0:40Social Media: Persona vs Actual LifePatrick and I discuss the complications of living a genuine and honest life, and how social media is often a projection of unreal life.  "Everybody is struggling in some way. Everybody. Providing the support for everybody can only uplift the group. Let's help with that."0:42Undiagnosed ADD - Until AdulthoodPatrick got A's and D's in school. If he wasn't interested or struggling with the topic he would give up. He was never diagnosed with ADD because he wasn't "bouncing off the walls."0:44 Teaching Teenagers - Jonah teaching high school0:49Student Experiences - Schools Jonah Gets Accepted to College Early...Then Stops Attending Classes After Lunch0:56Working Life: Patrick's Experiences "I kind of still don't know what I want to be when I grow up."Graphic design. Copying. Temp Jobs. Help desk computer support for an architectural firm. Patrick's knack for understanding people and social skills helped him in working at a help desk, sort of as an IT translator. Moving back from DC, Patrick was a stay-at-home dad for a while and he explored website design. Patrick continues to work for a web design company. "I will watch YouTube videos on CSS tricks at 10:00pm on a Friday, because that's what I like to do."1:01Fatherhood: New Dad, DaycareThree days old, she had a crying fit that lasted 20 hours. Daycare was tough. She was three when we moved back to Boston. "I'm a good father. I'm a shitty daycare provider."1:07At the Park: "Maybe I'll nod."One of our parent friends now came from those moments at the park. 1:09Connecting: Patrick Has Social AnxietyPatrick sometimes gets stuck in his head. Jonah can relate. 1:10Not Reading Books, Not Exercising"I fill my day with distractions.""A fiction book is a fantasy and escape is necessary, but I never do it. My wife reads all the time."1(continued)