Posts

A collection of photo highlights from 2024.

2024 Theme Let it go! 2024 Focus Health: Lower Stress, Continued Running/Exercise, Good eating Fun: Hobbies, vacation, just fun $$: Savings Goals Look for the Joy. Review Health: Quite good exercise routines with running and a decent of tennis. Can improve eating and drinking, basically food intake. Fun: Didn’t sail at all, unfortunately. Did though create a hobby of astrophotography with the amazing Seestar S50. Did quite a bit of private travel which was OK. Very little business travel, only one trip. ...

https://www.themarginalian.org/2023/10/22/17/

An image of storm clouds seems appropriate. 2023 is a year that quite a few members of our families would like to forget. Highlights I got a promotion at work. Had some successes at work, but also some disappointments. It’s going to be a very difficult year at work in 2024. Will have to see if that includes looking or at least browsing for other opportunities. Generally, a fun and quick trip to Australia in Q1 - time to hang out with Mum. ...

https://www.themarginalian.org/2016/07/11/the-lonely-city-olivia-laing I like the Marginalien. Though can be a challenging read at times. Simply engaging.

This is a very important article.

Very interesting article. https://hbr.org/2023/09/harvards-arthur-c-brooks-on-the-secrets-to-happiness-at-work

Here is the speech I gave for Mum. It is extremely difficult to not only focus on deep sorrow, the shattering feelings of losing Mum far too early. Perhaps one possible path is to try to live like Mum did. Because despite the current devastation we all feel, we can feel uplifted by Mum’s life and how she lived. We heard about her extraordinary life and adventures today, and I’d like to talk a bit about the ‘how’. Recent text messages from Mum in 2023: - Bring on 2023, strong & invincible, thumbs up, much love, … - All good here, lots of thunder & rain, … - Hi darling, we’re going good, lovely day, … - We’re having a good time, … watched the footy last night, great finish! - Hi darling boy, we’re going good, having beautiful weather, warm and sunny, nice!, _…_I think we can hear a pattern here. Mum loved life, always having fun, always positive, always concocting some future travel adventures. She managed to fit this in and around determinedly sampling garlic prawns and bubbles across Australia and the Adelaide Hills. Hanging out with friends and family, she is loved across Australia, reaching as far as Chicago. Her photos always show her smiling and laughing, welcoming everyone. Unless that is you were a dickhead at which point you were labeled a ‘DH’.! A phrase heard often from her, particularly recently: “How Lucky Are We?”, perhaps accompanied with a small, defiant thumbs up… In summary, a bit like the old WWJD (What Would Jesus Do) bracelets, I’d like to think WWMD, What Would Mum Do. The answer, with rare exception, would be to be positive, plan and have as much fun as possible, and simply enjoy each day. Knowing now and then that Mum was one in a million, a true shining light in a sometimes, gloomy world. **Mum left us with one joke and one piece of profound wisdom right at the end: **’’…, How are you today Mum?’’ –> “Better than a couple of days ago and you can stick that in your pipe and smoke it!’’. “…, Andrew will be here in a bit’’ –> “Well, I hope he doesn’t cook us any of that bloody Tofu!’’ Lastly, to quote parts of a recent Nick Cave letter: ...

Did some fun things for my 50th - Fancy dinner at Cabra in Chicago Cubs game Time with friends & family ASA101 sailing certification

Hated high school with a passion. Particularly years 8 to 10.