I listened to couple of episodes of the Radiolab podcast today, while doing a long day’s driving. I kept ruminating on the episode ‘The Cataclysm Sentence’, the description for which is: One day in 1961, the famous physicist Richard Feynman stepped in front of a Caltech lecture hall and posed this question to a group of undergraduate students: “If, in some cataclysm, all of scientific … Continue reading The cataclysm sentence
Every now again I do some proper writing. No, not finding better ways to express myself than I usually do on this blog, but actually using a pen and paper. If it’s ‘meaningful’ then I’ll use a particular pen. Meaningful in the sense that there’s emotional weight to what I’m writing. Perhaps because of the message, perhaps because I feel fondly about the recipient – … Continue reading Real, actual writing
When we learn to walk as kids, when we learn to do most things in our early years, we just keep trying until we get it. We get it wrong. Again and again and again, until boom! We can walk now. Then we get older and the stakes get higher. You can’t just try, because you do not want to fail. A social consequence, perhaps … Continue reading Trying without consequence
In a Creative Morning talk yesterday, I learned a little more about imposter syndrome and how to combat it. The talk was led by Lauren Kelly from We Are Behaviour and took us through recording the feelings we experience when insecurity crops up, to craft a ‘belong statement’. It was great stuff and I look forward to following that up. Today I read a piece … Continue reading Get the message as you need it
In a session with my personal trainer this morning, she added some extra resistance to one of the movements I was about to do. A little extra ‘feedback’, she said. I was tickled to have this described as ‘feedback’ – I offered that it was more a ‘challenge’. I’m getting a lot from the enthusiasm and knowledge that Nory of Revolution Fitness brings to our … Continue reading Challenging feedback
I made myself an afternoon tea today, thinking of how many scones I’ve enjoyed with my Nan. It was upsetting, at first. I’ll never have the opportunity again and just spending time with her was a rare kind of joy. So it hurt, to think about that. But then, with all those memories of sunshine and good times, of laughter and silliness, of being a … Continue reading Bittersweet, really sweet
As I made sure all the apps worked on my phone following an upgrade, I remembered playing Snake back on a tiny Nokia 8210. Then I remembered trying to browse the web on a BlackBerry, which sucked although it did make my email life a dream when I travelled a lot internationally. Thinking about everything I can do with a modern smartphone I was reminded … Continue reading Phone upgrade
It’s a term that I didn’t fully grasp until relatively recently. Kimberlé Crenshaw explains it and its consequences powerfully in this TED talk. The talk was given in 2016. Since then, the #SayHerName report on ‘Resisting Police Brutality against Black Women’ has been updated. Breonna Taylor’s name is on the updated report and still her killers have not been charged as I write this. A … Continue reading Intersectionality
When I was growing up, I loved reading. For my eighteenth birthday I received beautifully bound editions of some of my favourite works. Books are amazing. What has changed is the ‘why’ I read. As a youngster I chose novels that comforted me and conformed to my worldview. As an adult I’ve chosen mostly non-fiction books that expand my worldview and urge me to think … Continue reading Reading challenge
My Dad and I were very close right up until I left home. Then, somehow, we weren’t. I don’t really know what happened and unfortunately I’m never going to. I’ve tried to be a better communicator because of the gap that formed between us. I think in many relationships there are cuts and bruises that turn into major wounds, just because the words aren’t found … Continue reading Father and son
Sometimes You Learn 