Kaumātua wisdom: I’m a seed scattered across the Pacific

Kua rongo ake au… Kia tau te whakaaro pai Aroha tētahi ki tētahi, āhurutia ā tātau tamariki Ki te aroha, nā, he aroha pai ano hoki mōu ake I have learned that… It makes good sense to say We are here to learn to love one another And for the sake of our children, acceptContinue reading “Kaumātua wisdom: I’m a seed scattered across the Pacific”

Comforting Thought: Ep’humin et ouk ep’humin

Ep’humin et ouk ep’humin (from Greek) Things that are under our control and things that are not under our control. Of things that exist, some are in our power and some are not in our power. Those that are in our power are conception, choice, desire, aversion, and in a word, those things that areContinue reading “Comforting Thought: Ep’humin et ouk ep’humin”

History: You are what you do – olden times  tradespeople and their tools

Hieroglyphics, circa 1800 This delightful print entitled Hieroglyphics dates from circa 1800 and was created by the London-based publisher Samuel William Fores in the aquatint style. We can see the composite portraits of four professions: a florist, writer, musician, and barber — their features made up entirely from the tools of their trades. Such compositeContinue reading “History: You are what you do – olden times  tradespeople and their tools”

Emotional First Aid Kit #1

Sometimes the world just wants to break you with all of its chaos. Right now my family is in the eye of the storm, with one of our own absolutely determined to destroy himself with alcohol. Nobody knows what to do and so we are just paddling water at the moment, trying to stay afloat.Continue reading “Emotional First Aid Kit #1”

Travel: Poland’s Creepy Chapel of Skulls

*I visited Poland in 2016 and saw the Chapel of Skulls, this story is from this time. For a completely off the beaten path look at the more macabre and dark past of Poland, then you should visit the Chapel of Skulls located just outside of the popular spa town of Kudowa Zdroj in LowerContinue reading “Travel: Poland’s Creepy Chapel of Skulls”

Comforting thought: You shouldn’t want it all

You shouldn’t want it all by Piet Hein You shouldn’t want it all You are only one part You own a world in the world You need to make it whole Choose just one path, and be as one with it. Other paths must wait. We always come back. Don’t hide from troubles. Confront themContinue reading “Comforting thought: You shouldn’t want it all”

Book Review: One Year Wiser by Mike Medaglia

Imagine if you will, a delightful and timeless book of wisdom that fits into the palm of the hand or your handbag. A hardback that looks at first inconspicuous and unimportant. And yet on opening this book you will unlock a treasury of wisdom that’s beautifully illustrated on high quality paper. One Year Wiser byContinue reading “Book Review: One Year Wiser by Mike Medaglia”

Comforting Thought: In adversity, we show our true colours

“If you want to get an idea of a friend’s temperament, ethics, and personal elegance, you need to look at him under the tests of severe circumstances, not under the regular rosy glow of daily life.”
― Nassim Nicholas Taleb, The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable

Comforting Thought: If we want to do something well, we cannot do it all

Opt out of the relentless pursuit of personal optimisation of our lives. Opt-out of picking and choosing a new partner when we get bored of the person we have been with for many years simply because we are bored. Opt out of trying to become a social media influencer with a million friends on InstagramContinue reading “Comforting Thought: If we want to do something well, we cannot do it all”

Book Review: Six Thinking Hats by Edward De Bono

Genre: Non-fiction, business, psychology. Publisher: Little, Brown and Company. Rating: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 If you have ever attended a team building event, a motivational psychology course or some kind of HR mandated business workshop then you will have encountered the ideas of Six Thinking Hats. This is a classic book that came out inContinue reading “Book Review: Six Thinking Hats by Edward De Bono”