Small town big dreams

Here’s a farm boy from a small town, working in London for the biggest public broadcaster in the world.
Should I be impressed with how far I’ve come? Should I be satisfied with what I reached in the first 30 years?
Or should I be hungry for more. Should I be eager and ambitious to reach [...]

A note on ‘The 48 Laws of Power’

This reminds me very much of ‘The Art of War’ by Sun-Tzu. I’m still researching this list (I’m still reading through it), but it seems fascinating.
So far I can really identify with some of the rules, and I can see myself applying them daily. On the other hand I believe they have some of the [...]

Suffocating hen

Lunch today was great. Outside in the sun, sprawling on the grass. I never had lunch on the grass in South Africa.
This evening Jay phoned me on my back from work, and we decided to catch a movie. We had a great time, and it was lovely to just talk and relax a bit. After [...]

Mulling over money

It’s amazing how one can still keep in touch with old, old friends half a world away.
I have just finished reading an email from my old school love, and it’s been more than a decade since we broke up. We used to see one another occasionally, but the last time was more than three [...]

Sunday morning blues

I’m ever more disillusioned with the church. I realise I’m not the first person ever to feel this way, but I was really trying very hard to enjoy our church.
On this beautiful Sunday morning we have some family here. Although not conservative, they are decidedly less liberal than I am, especially when it comes to [...]

His one advantage

He might hate people reading over his shoulder on the train, but at least he has some positive points as well.
For one, he lives in a continual state of pseudo mid-life crises. Growing up with constant reminders about how intelligent and special and remarkable he is, he persistently believes that he’s under performing, that he [...]

Fuel for the questions

I remember a teacher whistling in astonishment in front of my whole class when he read my IQ. I was 10 at the time. I remember my father’s repeated depressions, apparently brought on by the knowledge that his son was even more intelligent than he was, which we learned when I was 7. My first [...]

An ever-raging battle

A shocking discussion with my boss today. Her husband - moderately successful in corporate spheres - only ever sees his young daughter over weekends. For five days a week he’s out before she’s awake, and he returns after she’s put to bed, so that he only sees her two days a week.
I’m am now semi [...]