Saturday, 17 February 2024     Reading time: 1 minute

My Favourite Part of My Last Vacation

Reflecting on my favourite day from my last holiday, and why that is

Saturday, 28 October 2023     Reading time: 3 minutes

How to make a Wine Cork Notice Board

Tidy up those bits of paper and feel good about wine consumption with this easy DIY craft project

How to make a Wine Cork Notice Board

I'm not generally regarded as an arts and crafts type of person. Arts, perhaps, especially the musical kind; and crafty, sure, I can identify with that; but put the two words together and generally thats's enough to make me run for the hills.

However I've been collecting wine corks for seemingly forever, and the last couple of years I've been assiduously putting off this project, until last weekend when I said to myself, you know what, get it done. And so I did.

I'm amazed it turned out so well, so the least I could do is share with you how easy it is to do for yourself.

Wednesday, 12 July 2023     Reading time: 6 minutes

You're Already Not Dating Her

All you have to lose is the knowledge you never tried

The Wisdom of Dave Navarro

You may be familiar already with the music of Jane's Addiction. I discovered them early in my love affair with rock music. Fronted by enigmatic singer Perry Farrell, featuring the creative percussion of Stephen Perkins, the spacious, melodic bass of Eric Avery, and soaring above it all, the epic guitar stylings of Dave Navarro.

Dave Navarro isn't just an intensely gifted musician though. He is so much more. Not least, a philosopher of life.

Let me explain.

Wednesday, 24 May 2023     Reading time: 10 minutes

Cognitive Reframing

Choosing how you think is choosing how you feel

Small and lost and confused

We pulled up outside the flat. Mum made parking the car look harder than usual, she was preoccupied with something, anxious. Perhaps I was eight? There or thereabouts.

I felt small and lost and confused. Something wasn't right with Mum, I wasn't in school, we were outside this strange place, struggling to parallel park, and all I really remember is feeling a long way out of place.

I didn't know that Mum was visiting the hospital.
Later, I knew, but not then.

You didn't give kids context back then.

Monday, 1 May 2023     Reading time: 10 minutes

Generosity is a Customer Experience Superpower

Moments of unexpected generosity lie at the core of exceptional customer experience

We cancelled your credit card

The email from my bank began nicely enough but went downhill quickly.
We've cancelled your credit card due to an unauthorised card not present transaction in Los Angeles.

Not unreasonable, given I live 10,800 kilometres away and haven't visited LA in a decade. It definitely wasn't me trying a quick $10 spend at the local 7-11 and my bank rightfully knew it. I couldn't fault their reasoning.

Unwelcome news though, given it meant both living within our cash reserves for a spell, and remembering to change the card details for all those things that end up charging us once every whenever. Netflix, life insurance, all the various subscriptions you managed to forget, well at least until the late payment notice comes.