I'd searched for a long time trying to figure out what I wanted but even after years never really figured it out. I have, though, found many examples of what I didn't want. Some of these things were for me closer to what I did want, some further. Mapping them all out, I'm starting to... Continue Reading →
Who’s going to know?
"From Monday to Friday," I tell the wife, "I'll be doing 100 push-ups. And Tuesday, Thursday, and I think Saturday, 100 squats. Oh, and I'll be aiming to run 20km per week." She looks at me like I'm mad. "What for? What'd you pushing yourself so hard for?" "I gained three kilos since the lockdown,"... Continue Reading →
Plastic Wrappers on Fruit
Reading When to Rob a Bank (by the authors of Freakonomics) and there was this little passage on plastic wrappers on fruit and food in general. In my mind, there was no doubt that that was a symptom of excess, and that it was undoubtedly a bad thing. But Levitt and Dubner (the authors) made... Continue Reading →
Thoughts for a better world
I underwent surgery a few days ago. Since then, I've been in so much pain I have second-guessed my decision almost every single damn minute. But you know what's interesting? As in the other times I undergo significant stresses, whether physiological or psychological, I've been forced to confront what's really important in my life. And... Continue Reading →
Invisible problems – what I learned from sweeping
For months I wondered why the floor was always dusty every time I left the windows open, and really quickly too. Could leave the windows open, go down for a quick meal, and come back up only to have my feet return to a sandy desert. I suspected it was a combination of a couple... Continue Reading →
Good/bad Outcomes
You only know if an outcome is good or bad when there are no more outcomes to be had. (I wrote the above in my journal after castigating myself on some foolish decisions I'd made, only to recall the beautiful story of the old man and his horse. It ain't over till the fat lady... Continue Reading →
Success and Economic Temperance
To laugh often and much; To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch,... Continue Reading →
Winning the battle, losing the war
The following passage was taken from the book 12 Rules for Life by Jordan B. Peterson, a good reminder on how long-term success may come at the cost of short-term losses, if you can call it that: You might consider judging your success across all the games you play. Imagine that you are very good... Continue Reading →
Training for a Marathon
For the past half a year I've been in the midst of training for a marathon. The decision to participate this year came after incessant badgering by a colleague. As I remember, when I finally agreed it came when my defences were low following a particularly stressful period at work, during which I couldn't think... Continue Reading →
On doing a great job, and not.
There's this post on Seth Godin's blog called "Avoiding the GIGO trap" that other than being brilliant as Godin's posts so often are, also reminded me of what I've always felt differentiated the people I've worked on the spectrum of face-slappingly awful to walk-on-water great. On the awful side of the spectrum, you have people who... Continue Reading →