Observations on Easter
While I was christened an Anglican, my family wasn’t deeply religious so I don’t know much about Easter (and don’t see it as significant). But I do know that for a ...
Appropriating the Spaciousness of Silence
I’ve always spent a lot of time alone inside my head, and this quiet alone time is where my creative ideas come from. While I was an employed project manager the little ideas ...
More String Theory
I was having so much fun with the Fates that I wanted to talk about more string theory; last time was old old school mythology so why not go ultra ...
Friendship, Beauty, Pleasure, Wealth, Wisdom
My Version of String Theory
In previous posts I have referred to my life as being like a tangled ball of string – I wasn’t specific at the time, but I imagine it as the kind you ...
On International Women’s Day
I just found out that March 8 is (was) International Women’s Day. I only found out because I’m catching up on my reading (now that Stress Free Dinner Parties is on ...
Your Life is Like a River
I have been so caught up in preparing to publish my book Stress Free Dinner Parties, explaining in a delightfully amusing fashion (if I do say so myself) how to plan and host ...
A Short List of Annoyingly Long Productivity Suggestions
This time of year is productivity central. Annoying productivity suggestions in the form of lists of tips and hacks and apps are coming in thick and fast. I mean really… ...
Young Spirit v Older Body
I received a not-for-profit solicitation in the mail the other day. It’s an organisation that I believe does worthwhile work in the local and international communities. I have supported it for ...
The Perfidy of Modern Life
I am exercised today by the perfidy of modern life. That whole “We can get a man on the moon, but we can’t do x.” kind of thing. Realistically, there ...
Ten Ways to Make Guests Turn Up for Your Dinner Parties
I’ve been busily writing Stress Free Dinner Parties, my book explaining in an agreeably witty fashion (if I do say so myself) how to plan and host a dinner party. But I ...
How to Manage Employment Misery
Yesterday I offered some ways of surviving unemployment, and after hearing about some of Toseland’s workplace issues this morning I wondered whether I might in fact, be the lucky one. No ...
How to Manage Unemployment Misery
I’ve talked before about the perils of long-term unemployment, and today I heard the news that according to the January Labour Force Statistics unemployment, particularly full-time unemployment (and unemployment misery) continues ...
Five Life Lessons Confirmed Through Painting
We’ve had some warmer days so I’ve been taking a break from the garden and catching up on some inside work instead. And learning five life lessons while I’m at it. ...
Beauty, Friendship, Pleasure, Wisdom
Jim Carrey on Gardening
About Australia Day
Today (26 January) is my national day; Australia Day. On this day in 1788, our first Governor Captain Arthur Phillip arrived in Sydney Cove with the First Fleet to establish the first British ...
Amazingly Unlikely Birth and Death
As you know, I’m working in the garden. Observing birth and death, but mainly just weeding the last few days… Which led to the appalling discovery that I can’t see ...
There was nothing more to do…
I was the happy recipient of a kidney transplant in 2011. I’d been so sick for so long that I was considering stopping treatment – there was nothing more to do…
Who are the Home Grown Heroes of My Beautiful Garden?
When I first laid out my garden vision, I mentioned a need to develop habitats for native species – my home grown heroes. I went so far as to announce that ...
What Wisdom?
What wisdom? I see it as a very practical kind of everyday thinking. A little book learning, the capacity to read a situation and the ability to use that information to make a ...
The Virtue of Wisdom
So, wisdom huh? Not just nous, but a bit of book smarts too. A little something to have my back when I am out in the trenches defending my point ...
The Wisdom of Choice
Today I am taking a quick detour to talk about expectations, reactions and free will (or choice).
Eek! There’s a Spider in the Bathtub
A little off topic, but I had to share this. I recently watched BBC4’s Spider House, and it was absolutely fascinating!