In a rush to get things built, it’s tempting to overlook tomorrow and just get it done today. Move fast and break things; first mover advantage; now or never urgency – the pace of change is relentless and marketing ratchets up the immediacy with which we must act. Of course it’s important to get things done, and quickly, but it can’t be at the expense … Continue reading Build for tomorrow.

Dumbledore said something or other about keeping things light and while it’s not always as easy as flicking a switch, a good laugh can find you almost any time if you’re up for it. I was flicking around Google maps this afternoon and clicked on Drax power station as it looked pretty cool on the satellite view. Of course, there are mixed views on whether … Continue reading Funny. It might ambush you.

The thing about the items we treasure, I think, is that it shows the true value of them. Price isn’t so important when we reflect on how we feel about something – the memories bound up in even the smallest trinket can give it enormous meaning and worth. A pebble from a beach walk with a loved one might be priceless in their absence. Worth … Continue reading Little things make great memories

I’m still not what I would consider, for myself, fit. I am eating more healthy and engaged in more healthy practices, though. I’ve no hesitation in giving myself a pat on the back for that. Today I was expecting to run a half-marathon, but with recent events and upcoming travel commitments I didn’t feel compelled to take part. I haven’t trained appropriately, despite initial enthusiasm. … Continue reading Fitness update.

My father left the military over 25 years ago. He left the position he loved therein nearly 40 years ago. I would say that a lot of those four decades were spent reminiscing and the most recent decade almost lost in the past. He had much to be proud of and saw conflict that you can’t neatly leave behind when it’s over. In different times … Continue reading Bring the best forward.

Al Gore may be the origin for this – I’m not sure if it was before or after he invented the internet. I believe the sentiment though, even if I’m not convinced of its provenance: If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. Widely-attributed as ‘African Proverb’ Sometimes there’s a need to go fast; I’ll wager it’s … Continue reading Go far, go together.

Today is a powerful reminder of how your short-term actions impact your long-term direction. Dad died yesterday, peacefully, following a long struggle with diabetes, liver disease and a weakened heart. He was 68. My Dad’s first heart attack was when he was 49. One of his favourite phrases when I was younger was ‘forewarned is forearmed’; I feel frustration and disappointment that he took no … Continue reading On short-term inaction. Again.

Keeping my Dad alive is a panoply of machines, dutifully coordinated by the clinical knowledge spread across his care team. In commenting on how remarkable the system is that makes this possible, I over-heard ‘some clever person designed all this’. This speaks to the lone genius myth that the media likes to propagate, but I don’t believe is close to the truth. A system this … Continue reading Some clever person?

For approaching 24 hours, I’ve been sat with my Dad in an Intensive Care Unit. His chances of making it out of here, in a good way, have been described as ‘very, very slim’. He’s surrounded by outstanding care – from those caring for him as well as the technology and medicine underpinning their work. The same consultant who described his chances also made clear … Continue reading Hope. Faith. Belief.

I definitely have a business crush on Bernadette Jiwa’s blog. Most recently, she wrote: Both the business and the customer win when we prioritise affinity over attention. The Story of Telling This is the essence of what matters to me, although I accept it doesn’t to everyone. A heart-warming experience beats a cheaper, more convenient, more efficient, more impersonal one – every time. Continue reading Affinity over attention.