Month: October 2018
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Creativity needs constraints
There was a time when I thought I had life all figured out. I had an air of confidence in everything I did. The only aspect which was not perfectly managed was my creative time. There was never enough of it and I felt I could really use more. Like many people who suffer with…
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…and they told two friends
If you were watching TV in North America in the late seventies and early eighties, you will remember the Faberge Organics shampoo commercial featuring a young Heather Locklear. This was the first description of how something went viral, long before social media sharing would rise up and make that ‘a thing’. My kids would think…
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The morning ruckus
I should know better than to leave so many things to do for the morning rush hour. I leave myself an hour to get up, ready and out the door. Which seems like enough time. It should be enough time. But, I always seem to be rushing around. I even walked away from the blender…
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Leisurely long days or never-ending nights?
We are about to hit the wall of darkness. Already it is dark in the morning as the work day begins. Soon it will be dark for the journey home, as well. The daylight block of time will get shorter and shorter in the run-up to the winter solstice. It feels foreboding, even menacing to…
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Life in the Gothic quarter // La vida al barri gòtic
As the air cools and Mother nature continues her preparations for the long winter slumber, I am reminded of the heat still radiating from the streets and buildings in the gothic quarter. The city of Barcelona is enjoying the late summer festivals. The wind has picked up a bit, but otherwise the days are still…
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First career, mini-retirement, second act
I still find it difficult to reconcile the order of events in my life. I always believed my quest was to find that one career or type of job which would satisfy my needs for a lifetime. The pressure I put on myself to find this one thing was intense. It had to be interesting…
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Dirty burger, chicken shop
A year ago we were living in Barcelona. The illegal vote, which was supposed to determine Catalonian independence from Spain, happened. The weather on the mediterranean was fantastic. In my journal, I noted the patio door was wide open in the morning, catching the cool breeze. We managed to spend many afternoons, at least for…
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Anthropocene, Living in the Future’s Past and Daring to Lead
This is a seemingly not-related-to-each-other list of information. Pieces of content I have become aware of in the last 2 weeks. My mind was open and ready to see new things, as it always is when I travel. Come along for this quick recap of an interesting journey! This morning I woke, a little groggy after…
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First World Problems
My youngest nephew was a child when this phrase first became popular. He was quick to realize that much of what we complained about in our daily lives fit into this category. He also used to say, ‘I eat low on the food chain’, to explain why he wouldn’t consume most animal proteins. He was,…