• writer • philosopher • dog magnet •
Here in Australia, the major banks have increased their mortgage rates, and the “average” borrower (whoever that is) will be paying another $50 a month. I think that most people will actually be paying more. And when you add that to increasing credit card debt, it’s time to think seriously about debt reduction. Vision, Mission, Virtues I’m fairly sure that…
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I’ve been watching a few romances lately, and I can’t help asking, what is love? Bearing in mind the standard romance book/movie/song storyline where a person meets another person, falls in love, has a big fight, gets back together and lives happily ever after. Forever. And ever. And ever… What is Love for Teens? Modern high school romances such as The…
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One of the key Stoic philosophical foundations is preparing yourself for misfortune. There’s a sort of miss you or make you risk management element to it. Every morning you prepare for the day by thinking about what can go wrong and how you will deal with it. Will you miss your bus? What if the sandwich bar sells out before…
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I was recently reading Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch, for whom making peace with food is one of the key steps of reaching and maintaining a healthy weight. It discusses the psychological effects of deprivation. And interestingly that applies whether that’s a cigarette, new car, or wardrobe diet. Dieting is the practice of restricting what you eat, generally with…
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After a turbulent week in Australian politics, we are onto our thirtieth Prime Minister. The sixth in 11 years – it’s getting hard to keep up. Along the way, there’s been a lot of debate about Big L and small l liberals, and it got me thinking about the difference between Big F and small f friends. Our key conservative (right-wing)…
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A while back, I mentioned I was inspired to write a book about Housekeeping, and I asked if there was such a thing as minimally viable housework? Well, housework survey says maybe. As you read the results, you’ll guess that the survey was mostly completed by women, but interestingly, the mix of age groups was more or less even across…
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The most common event outfit code today is Cocktail Dress; a semi-formal day/night transitional wear. It came about during the inter-war years when it was common to meet in the evening for a quick drink before dressing (black tie) for dinner. Men can generally get away with a dark, but not black, dress suit, white shirt and coloured tie. Modern…
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I spent a good proportion of July 2018 business planning and reviewing, and I feel like it’s almost Christmas because my head is so far in the future. Mind you, right now the future looks bright, so that’s a good thing. Virtue Jun Jul Notes Wisdom I learn and grow every day. 😐 🙂 Partly because of the business work,…
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There’s been another round of dud apologies, and I just don’t get why some people find it so hard to apologise. Perhaps they too have a mother who spent years demanding that they apologise like they mean it. And when (if) they do, it’s often too late – the horse has bolted – the damage is done and repairing the…
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It’s tax time here in Australia, and when people see their numbers in black and white on their returns, many start wondering about going into business for themselves. That makes it a good time for a Start a New Business Holistic Spending Plan. The most important part of starting a new business is knowing why. Usually, it comes about as…
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Love is forever. At least that’s what traditional marriage vows say: to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part. And oddly enough, it really is. Whether you stay together, or part and go your own ways, you are irrevocably changed by…
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While a Stress Free Dinner Party when you’re not hungry seems like a contradiction, it does sometimes happen that for one reason or another you lose your appetite. I find that when I’m not hungry, small snacks are easier to face than big meals, so for that reason, we’re going to use the principles of Nouvelle Cuisine. Nouvelle Cuisine was popular…
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Recently I’ve been pondering the culture of selfishness we live in. The one where people pull out in front of you rather than waiting a few seconds for you to drive past. Or tap their feet impatiently while you count out your cash payment. Or cut in line to order their coffee. I’ve been wondering how we got here. And…
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They say there’s a novel in all of us, but it seems to me that the stories you tell yourself on an average day could write a novel a day for the rest of your life. And still not make a dent in your story. For example, there’s the story about: The woman on the train who appears to be judging…
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Now and again there are times you need to be in public as yourself, only better. When you’re being a public figure, you need a public appearance outfit that makes it clear you’re “someone”. If you’re meeting a public figure, these tips may also bolster your confidence at being in the same actual place as them. Or if you’re making a…
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