log

This is the cheales log page, an occasional log from the owner...

20200426 - Words

April, 2020, is proving to be an interesting part of the year. The "virus thing" continues, seemingly to change our planet, perhaps, iravocably?

20200401 - Words

April Fools Day 2020, and why not a post, amid virus shutdown, "extreme measures"?!

"Many changes" could be reported and some might be? More change is expected, hopefully some good things "to which to look forward"?!

20191209 - Words

“Making notes and writing posts”, (to coin a phrase?!). As my cognitive skills are deminishing, there are many challenges. Came up with perhaps, a better “idea” yesterday - “ITAM”?!?

This “Journey” is indeed a challenge and will require some, “ITAM” - Innovative Thinking and Management” - and I’m ready and willing!

20191207 - Words

A posting gap since September. A very busy October and November with lots of challenges for me - so minimal writing. And here we are in December, hot weather and many fires. Hopefully a cool Christmas in lots of different and positive ways.

20190922 - Words

Next year, 2020, is a leap year, which of course, gives us an “extra day” in 2020, on the twenty-ninth day of February. This “extra day thing” has always seemed “a magical mystery” to me. Next year I might need the “magic” of that, mysterious to me, “extra day”?!

20190921 - Words

Reading Bruce Pascoe’s book “Dark Emu” which is enthralling, fascinating and engrossing and which tries to educate about pre-European Australia.

This is “rattling my brain cells” reminding me of visits to western NSW and briefly being the custodian of some special land in Western Victoria.

I’m very grateful for so much.

20190920 - Words

Quoting Viktor Frankl from “Man’s Search For Meaning” .....

“A doctor, however, who would still interpret his own role mainly as that of a technician would confess that he sees in his patient nothing more than a machine, instead of seeing the human being behind the disease.”

“A human being is not one thing among others; things determine each other, but man is ultimately self-determining. What he becomes - within the limits of endowment and environment - he is made out of himself.”

What man actualises “depends on decisions not on conditions”.

20190919 - Words ...

Grateful for so much. Gratitude for something, even when all seems so very bad and “things are extremely challenging” is worth seeking.

Living with a “sense of gratitude” is to live in positivity.

20190918 Fewer words

Reflective and quiet day. A long enjoyable and frank discussion with an old friend. Much time spent pondering life and future life expectancy. How much can we ever know or even understand? Set a gently imperative, every hour of your productive day, whilst keeping happy.

Ask yourself, often, “What’s my imperitive this hour?”

20160917 - Words of the day.

Thinking about what to discuss with today’s new doctor, James (who turned out to be okay) and what thinking I might need or be able to adapt and what is “my leading imperative”? What is important, vital and essential for me? What is “the imperative” for me, what are the most important “things of life” for me ? - physical, social and emotional stability, what’s vital? - peace, harmony and positivity, and the essential ? - acceptance, respect and love.

Simply, what is my imperative or my “IVE thing”? - the “Important, Vital, Essential” and how to go about living my imperative? “How to accept, achieve and sustain your Imperative” - that could be a book title? - AFS ! ? ..... (Another f-ing Slogan”)?! - indeed 😉

Maybe 300 words is too much for me , in any case, I mostly creat and “think in slogans” not paragraphs or essays or novels!

20190916 - Words

I’m scheduled to see a new doctor tomorrow. This could be a new experience for the doctor and perhaps for me? I am seeing the doctor because my doctor is moving away from the local area, so I need a new doctor. I have had a series of female doctors in the last few years and I’ve had some frustration with that, unfortunately! I have sought out a male doctor who is perhaps younger than I would’ve liked and we will see how that goes tomorrow? My reasoning for a male doctor is as an older male myself I would prefer a male perspective on my issues both health and The challenge for me is will be, how much to share with this new doctor? My main reason for going is, I need to get a new prescription for statins. That should be quick and easy! How much further do I go in regarding Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive issues and emotional/social issues with a debilitating terminal condition. I have been pondering these questions for some weeks, if not months and I sometimes wonder if I ponder too much? However, I do acknowledge that if one does not prepare one will be unprepared – and perhaps not get the value from the appointment. Perhaps I should simply keep it to the statins and ask if he wants to give me a general checkup and perhaps wonder if he has any questions for me?

Part of my pondering for this doctor’s appointment has been exacerbated by my frustration and dreaming of continual problem-solving. Why do I do this? I see problem-solving as a great opportunity but do I need to continue to do it? And if I don’t try and problem solve constantly, how do I entertain myself? Perhaps by doing more writing!

I have done my 300 words a day for three days, which I am proud of! I am struggling to know what to write and this is sounding a bit like diary notes, but I will continue!

My frustration that I have constantly “tried to make things better” is what I’m really working on at the moment. I’m trying to get some clarity as to what I can do if I accept that I no longer have problems to solve. So perhaps I need to spend a day or two acknowledging that I no longer have problems to solve. Would that be possible? I will try, HARD!

September 15, 2019

Drain cleaner v bigger drain - now that is a story - and using some “pharmacy logic” to explain the “story” of treating upper respiratory tract “troubles” - well ....’then .... ‘ “steroid nasal spray” is like a drain cleaner, whilst “ventolin” is like “making the drain pipes bigger”!? ‘ - and I love it, that explanation from pharmacist Daniel😉, very cool!

Other insights include, me buying a house in Kensington at the mere, young age of 24, which is perhaps a surprisingly young age, considering my family history and other things! Positive Doug Drysdale influence, with that house idea! A very positive and productive experience for me, of which, I’m extremely proud of and grateful to have experienced and “made happen”!

Much perturbation going on for me for these last many days. I’m frantically, it seems, trying to to get some “clarity and calmness” and to be less perturbated and constantly trying to improve things (which I ‘m aware of and am trying to stop! The part when I get overwhelmed, is the part that I need to be prevent - that must become my imperative!) - Therapist, Simon’s concern about my “fascination for perfection” - my problem solving and trying to constantly improve things and (All progress depends, remember, on the unreasonable man!?) to try to help make a better world, can become obsessive and perhaps counter productive, any way, my “FPS” - “frantically problem solving” obsession - which I euphemistically term and as usual,try to keep things positive, call, “EEO” - “enthusiastically embracing opportunities”! I have an opportunity, indeed, to be less frantic and less enthusiastic, in much that I embrace and undertake. I must learn to hasten more gently perhaps?

September 14, 2019

20190914 - Writing - And so what about this year, well, the last couple of weeks have been most interesting! I have been very sick with an upper respiratory tract infection. Being sick makes me reflective? I am reflecting as to why getting unwell makes me reflective? Oh well, I like that! I of course, am too, living with a terminal condition which is perhaps making me constantly reflective. For I have, it seems been most reflective for some years - my diagnosis took some great time to come out? And so many great questions and much thinking and much notetaking.

And so, working my way back to my start in Africa. I’m iving in Queensland with Alzheimer’s Disease and being reflective about life, disease and how to continue trying to live a good life. I still see myself as a young man, despite my three score years and almost ten! Perhaps delusion is part of reflection? Trying hard to be productive and live a full and productive life. I keep fit by walking between five and 12 km every day, I watch what I eat, I drink plenty of water and a little bit of coffee. My weight is at the lower end of the scale for my height and apart from some upper respiratory issues, I am pretty healthy.

Cognitive issues and cognitive impairment are things that trouble me in many ways, many, many ways! I take 15 mg of the helpful medication, Donepezil, (“which is a centrally acting reversible acetylcholinesterase inhibitor” ). If I forget or miss taking a tablet, I noticed the difference in my cognitive abilities. Recalling from short term memory can be a problem for me, but has always been a problem, even as a child?! I have some other issues, and some people may criticise me for my impatience? However many people upon meeting me are surprised to learn that I have Alzheimer’s Disease. Daily, I play computer games to stimulate my cognitive abilities and I seem to be maintaining a flat line with those. I do find noise and disturbance is “a worry” for me and loud music and television can be, quite a distraction and an upsetting disturbance for me.

September 13, 2019

20190913 - Writing - “It’s the Time” - I’m writing to survive and to grow and to learn. Today, September 13, 2019, is the start of a new journey, revisited, too many times in the past? Writing three hundred words every day, no exception. That “no exception” is however a new commitment. And, I ‘m very confident that I will keep to this. More excited and confident than I have been for a while. Quietly and confidently committed to write at least three hundred words each and every day. What a wonderful commitment! I am very excited and fear filled to take up this task. And, it is the correct time to do this, it’s time! And I ‘m pumping myself up to do it.

Not only will I do this daily writing, I will attempt to publish my writing at least once every 24 hours on www.cheales.net. Simple logic there; it’s not just about the writing, it’s also about getting your writing read, by others hopefully?

And so to write. It’s all about a life lived with positive purpose. Part of Karen Bliksen’s line, “I had a farm in Africa .....” rings in my body, my gut, my heart and my brain constantly. I was born in Africa where I grew up on a farm. Why does that Bliksen line evoke such strong passion and sensing and feeling in me? I will try to write about that and my English and other less clear heritage, my Australian pride and my cognitive abilities to attempt to communicate in writing what is “going on” within me. It’s complex and exciting and l’ve learned a lot about the body, brain, nervous systems and cognitive function in recent years. I am grateful for lots of assistance, much clarification and a very big “wow” moment of clarity, experienced in August 2019.

So, after starting life on a farm in Africa, learning to drive cars early. Spending some challenging time at a boarding school in Johannesburg - perhaps good material there for a different story? I got involved professionally in the automotive and car racing “space” as a mechanic, driver and business owner. Spent time in England, living and working in professional motor racing, times that were interesting and perhaps set the tone for a story that, upon reflection, has only started to make sense in 2019.

August 30, 2019

Received some great therapy and assistance with a phone counsellor from Lifeline. Very grateful for the care, effort and wisdom. “Be patient, give people time, let others learn.” My paraphrasing, most grateful, thank you Lifeline, Au 😉

August 04, 2019

Much thought today about Max Verstappen and his first GP pole position in Hungary.

I was at Kyalami in 1968 when Jim Clark achieved his final GP pole position. JC won his last race, on the Gold Coast, the track was where I now live!

Clark second only to Fangio in Pole Positions to GP wins - both steaks ahead of 2019 “ledgend” Lewis Hamilton!

August 02, 2019

Six days of pondering and researching Polyvagal Theory. The reseach has been enlightening. The pondering has delighted me!

I am most grateful to be alive and functional!

July 28, 2019

No posts here for four months ?! Will be trying to do more posts, in the rest of July and the remainder of 2019, and into the future.

It’s been a debilitating time and finally I have some clarity and I even have a little “peace”?!

March 28, 2019

After more than three years of “search and confusion” (with many medical appointments, tests, scans and pharmaceuticals) I have a diagnosis of Alzeimer’s Disease.

It’s been an interesting, debilitating and very trying and tiring “journey” and I finally, now understand and have accepted a “boundry condition” and sadly now know, that NOT every “problem” is indeed, a wonderful “oppotunity”!

March 17, 2019

Learing to code again, not to make a “killer app”. Perhaps to make some new neural pathways in an attempt to delay brain disease.

March 03, 2019

In Dementia - Mitigating the effects of the disease, is more important than finding a treatment.

February 25, 2019

Have been having eye "troubles" for some years. Had a very “bad eye day” yesterday. Got to see my helpful eye doctor today (got a lucky cancellation appointment?!) and got tested and a prescription for some preservative-free lubricating drops. Eyes and vision so much better after just one drop! Thank you to doctor and drops. A wonderful win for the medicos.

February 16, 2019

Trying to be kind and caring to the medical profession as they seem to have great opportunities in the empathy “space”.

January 25, 2019

To have change, there needs to be behavioral change.

January 10, 2019

Read some words today from Billy Connolly about his Parkinson’s Disease “journey”. Really and sadly it’s Billy suffering, not “travelling” and our society has great opportunities, to far better help, “sufferers” of untreatable terminal diseases.

January 09, 2019

There are always problems. The big opportunity is, can you see and exploit the oppotunity, in the so called “problem”?

January 08, 2019

Hot day for a walk, and it was a great walk, short and good, for the man and his canine companion.

January 03, 2019

Met a special person today, by a strange twist, ideas sprouted, plenty of emotion, could be a very good story for the small screen?! Working on it!

January 02, 2019

What’s your plan, man, for 2019, man?

January 01, 2019

How significant will this year be in my existence?

December 31, 2018

Honest and guiltless discussion is a gift and can be a challenge.

December 30, 2018

Reading a book that is more than 100 years old - ‘The Mind and the Brain’ by Alfred Binet. It`s a bit, kinda, about the conceps of, Sensing and Feeling - a couple of my “old friends” !

December 29, 2018

Time spent swiming in the ocean is a great health investment.

December 28, 2018

More high tech medical tests, two more appointments, one late Feb and the other eary March.

Then, hopefully, enough information, debate, good will and honesty, available, for “informed” decision making capabilities?!

December 27, 2018

A fun family day with grand kids, mountains, sushi and a swim in the Pcific Ocean.

December 26, 2018

An enjoyable day of refection and rest.

December 25, 2018

Christmas cheer with family fun, in Burleigh, Qld. Very grateful.

December 24, 2018

Christmas is upon us. Time to be with family if at all possible and to reach out if not possible. Modern tech helps famlies connect.

December 23, 2018

From the chapter “The History of Coffee” in the book, “Coffee Encounters” ... “Coffee brewing began in ernest in Arabia in 1000 A.D. and by the 13th Century Muslims, were drinking coffee religiously.”

December 22, 2018

I have been searching for a book, which is strangley lost. I’m puzzled by the loss. How did this disapearance happen?

December 21, 2018

Write a sentence eveyday. Review your writing and perhaps improve, edit and reflect upon your work.

December 20, 2018

The sentence is so powerful. We could write more sentences.

December 19, 2018

Assisted dying is a big issue in Australia. When you are seriously thinking about asisted dying, I mean, really seriously, you realise how massive, denial of death and the euphisims around death, really are in our modern society

October 31, 2018

Thinking, thinking, thinking .... “the rational investigation of the truths and principles of being, knowledge, or conduct.” - that’s philosophy 😉

October 30, 2018

Writing, being and thinking leave a legacy which could inspire or corrupt. Take care with your doing, thinking and your writing.

October 14, 2018

Have just finished reading a profoundly great story by Heather Morris - “The Tattooist of Auschwitz” - I was moved to tears, many times and had to pause, reflect and make notes, often. Not an easy book to read but well worth the learning, effort and shock.

September 17, 2018

Been busy being impressed by Griffith Uni on their Gold Coast campus and the GCCC busses.

September 14, 2018

Being effective and being brief.

September 04, 2018

Respect is a biggie! Unfortunately! And you have to earn respect in relationships. The person you might want to relate to, has to be conscious, concerned, willing, able, generous, kind, flexible to grant you their respect. For it is far easier to find reasons not to respect.

September 03, 2018

Three important "brain gains” - 1. Hard and frugal work can lead to financial freedom. 2. BEing good and going for great. 3. Dwelling on ability not impairment.

August 16, 2018

Encouraging discussions about seeing our initial challenges and obstacles as “opportunities”, to exel in solving, rather than "problems”, to try to overcome. You are not old, you have vast experience!

August 15, 2018

Been thinking hard about shaman "stuff" and “belief systems” and pondering my position on the “meaning of life”. It is what is - and I am working hard “to be as good as I can for as long as I can”.

August 03, 2018

Apple Inc has just become the first trillion dollar company?! Grateful and proud to have been part of that story!

August 02, 2018

Movie at Gold Coast’s HOTA - “The Wife” - and Glenn Close was really great! Not an easy movie to watch, but a good one!

August 01, 2018

A new twist to my sense v feeling “thing” ..... “The deeper parts of your mind know nothing about football or jobs. They know only sensations.” - Love that quote from “Homo Deus“ by Yuval Noah Harari.

July 31, 2018

My late Dad was so far ahead of his time regarding sustainable agriculture. So sad he died so young and could not succeed in rising above his, and his family’s limiting dysfunctions. Do I have enough time to rise above my dysfunctions? Very gratefull to still be able to work on overcomming my dysfunctions.

July 30, 2018

‪Reading about Cook and Banks and their “Scientific” trip to the Pacific in the late seventeen sixties (and other things yesterday) - I know so little, and I now have time to learn some more! And I am very grateful to still be able to read, and willing to grow and to learn.‬

July 29, 2018

Finished my CIG - Cognition Improvement Games - a bit of a struggle and went home to beautifully clean - by Cate - home and had a sleep, which was lovely.

July 28, 2018

Asked a few people about the morning’s eclipse - unfortunately most had not got up - that is such a shame! Seeing it on the TV news tonight, will NOT be the same!

July 27, 2018

Do try to laugh and “be happy” and often thank our mother for her “sense of the ridiculous”, which helps me to “see the silly” in what is often taken, much too seriously, by most Sapiens?!

June 20, 2018

The book sorting and thus, life “re-balancing” continued today. A day of achievment! Pleased with the progress and the pleasant sense of achievment, felt. The old “sense” v "feeling” difference again?!

June 19, 2018

Yesterday’s thoughts about the importance of words perhaps led to some action today. Built a bookshelf from a kit purchased at a hardware store. Upacked and sorted some precious books. Quick unpack, sorting will be required, some boxes and books to charity. Exhausted and depleted and very grateful!

June 18, 2018

Really thinking hard about words and what is really important to me. Words are and have always been, enjoyable and interesting to me. How to leverage that interest?

June 17, 2018

And here we are in Queensland, reading Gandhi and Churchill, who both “spent time” in South Africa and learned a lot on that “Dark Continent”. I was born in Africa, and whilst there, I too, learned a little?!

June 16, 2018

Have been logging and recording on an app for a few months and collecting some ideas. Will be back soon.

April 28, 2018

Sorting needs and wants, always a challenge.

April 27, 2018

Electronic journal may soon replace these logs?

April 26, 2018

Special time with visiting family.

April 25, 2018

ANZAC Day, it’s always busy. I wish the bad would be remembered more, and the courage celebrated less. Let us not forget that war is bad, always bad, very bad.

April 24, 2018

Three things; 1. Stopping paid work; 2. Death, for me, is acknowledged; and, 3. Christianity is a very recent development in human spirituality. Three major losses and thus, grieving could be a helpful and a healthy thing to do, in ernest.

April 23, 2018

Reading, cleaning and journal writing are good for the soul.

April 22, 2018

New note taking app, allows the flexibility of quick notes all through the day and adding photos and meta data. Seems very good, we shall see?

April 21, 2018

Using a new note making app, that might just change the way I do a lot of "things".

April 20, 2018

Productive reflection and driving in the GC Hinterland.

April 19, 2018

Really thinking deeply about life's meaning and getting some help.

April 18, 2018

Delaying not denying dying.

April 17, 2018

Looking hard at ill-health, life and death. Health decline is not for the fainthearted, death is harder, you need courage to contemplate that mother of all fears.

April 16, 2018

What can you do? Do that and do it well and start right now. Please don’t dwell upon “coulds” and “shoulds” and “mights” and “if onlys”. Just get on with it, and NOW.

April 15, 2018

Finished Roy Lewis’s profound book, “The Evolution Man”, on the beach this morning. Best line, after sorting fire and thus cooking and cave living, then ... “More practicable was Mother’s invention of the zebra-skin hand-bag.”

April 14, 2018

Reading an amazing book written in 1960 by Roy Lewis, an Englisman who obviously went to Africa, titled, “The Evolution Man”. A truly delightful read!

April 13, 2018

Gold Coast Comm Games winding down. It has been a lot of fun. Thanks to EVERYONE!

April 12, 2018

Finally received a bit of paper from a university with my name upon it - only took fifty odd years - it feels good, thanks UTAS.

April 11, 2018

The magnificent mural is complete. My more ordered life is to start soon.

April 10, 2018

Great morning watching Commonwealth Games swimming heats.

April 09, 2018

Disturbing glimpses today, of a possible future.

April 08, 2018

Serious Commonwealth Games fans and their fun at Broadbeach on Queensland’s Gold Coast.

April 07, 2018

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then is not an act but a habit.” - Aristotle. And I say - “Excellence is not a four letter word.” - And most people miss my point, sadly.

April 06, 2018

“We know we have become fully human when we start to plant trees under which we know we will never sit ourselves.” - YDK

April 05, 2018

“.... the best way to prepare to meet death is to commit to living your life in the way that makes sense to you, ... and you will die as you have lived, with a smile on your face.” YDKhan

April 04, 2018

Talking less, doing more and “not doing” “a lot of stuff” as well.

April 03, 2018

More and bigger challenges. So many opportunities ... “Do the loving thing”, always ask, "What is the loving thing to do?”

April 02, 2018

Day of challenges. Tried hard, will keep going.

April 01, 2018

Finished the UTAS MOOC on April Fool’s Day! What does that mean?

March 31, 2018

Good physical exercises today whilst doing brain stuff, the brain - good and bad, short term recall is the challenge, maybe more preperation and focus required?

March 30, 2018

Doing cognitive exercises whilst physically exercising on a stationary bike - a win/win? Felt good😊

March 29, 2018

Easter holiday traffic heading South from the Gold Coast was very heavy around Palm Beach as early as 15:00. Take care out there, please.

March 28, 2018

Had a great service experience at Apple Store Robina.

March 27, 2018

Reading and studying brain atrophy. Did you know, “twenty thousand nerve cells can fit on the head of a pin”. “Very tiny magic things” - could be a good title for a brain book. Remember where you read it first?

March 26, 2018

Shame on you Australian cricketers.

March 25, 2018

Australian Grand Prix was most enjoyable, more overtaking and diceing would help. Watched the “McLaren” movie later, now that I have been going to watch F1 for more than fifty years, in past eras the racing was more primal and better! A considered opinion. But F1 will always beat the heart harder.

March 24, 2018

Getting excited about AGP in Melbourne tomorrow. I like the new cars.

March 23, 2018

Had a rare sleep-in after an early Terry Pratchett read. His non-fiction writing is a delight, truly delightful. Maybe I will try his fiction?

March 22, 2018

Grinding day and evening of study and discussion with great positive outcomes.

March 21, 2018

Early start with some new great ideas, thanks to Terry Pratchett. How could I know nothing about this bloke?!

March 20, 2018

A day of great learning about dementia and it's symptoms, behavior and the great euphimism, “risk factors”.

March 19, 2018

Walking and thinking, a beautiful thing to do, especially on the Gold Coast.

March 18, 2018

Great writing and discussion, now for some peace in Paradise.

March 17, 2018

Great early morning walk along Broadbeach.

March 16, 2018

People are indeed most interesting, even I, am interesting myself. Great discussions about god, feelings, senses and character strengths.

March 15, 2018

Interesting day. Best ever brain exercise score, met some most interesting people.

March 14, 2018

Reading an old novel, The Razors Edge, in a new way, on an iPhone, larger font, lots of pages, all good.

March 13, 2018

I’ve go this! A short life, thus, an urgent life.

March 12, 2018

If you are going to be a writer, you must write.

March 11, 2018

Walked and had brief talks about big, very big, "stuff". A good learning day.

March 10, 2018

A bit disturbed today. Had a sleep, that helped.

March 09, 2018

Very interesting discussions with Colin about strenghs and abilities with a great question - What is the new vehicle for your passion?

March 08, 2018

Day of deep gratitude for my intuitive nature. Started the second unit of the UTAS MOOC on Dementia and learned about Terry Pratchett. Watched some recorded video of Terry’s story. An inspiration!

March 07, 2018

Day of reflecting, walking and writing. Wonderful! Grateful to be able to do this after all the work, effort and saving.

March 06, 2018

Lovely, rainy early morning walk. Horrible late morning medical appointment. Can this profession ever treat patients as if their patients are “valued customers”?

March 05, 2018

Painter started, plumbing required, great assistance from Reece Nerang.

March 04, 2018

Beautiful morning at “The Creek”. Great weather, water and cruffins.

March 03, 2018

Enjoyable evening walk at new COTA precinct. Very impressive and beautiful.

March 02, 2018

Great beach walk with a grateful friend. Enjoyable.

March 01, 2018

I need to use less words and communicate better.

February 28, 2018

Watched the movie “The Normal Heart”. Meaningful for me.

February 27, 2018

Vistiting hospital. Life is so fragile. I am so grateful.

February 26, 2018

Struggle with systems and keeping things simple. Met an interesting man who asked meaningful questions.

February 25, 2018

No coffee and beautiful walk at Burleigh Beach, Qld, Australia. Lots of family and dogs were fun.

February 24, 2018

Tedius and expensive getting new tires. Old Jazz feels like a new, different, much better, car. The wait was wort it. Well done Yokahama!

February 23, 2018

Attempting to get new help from the medical profession. So many opportunities for them! May have found a great GP at long last?

February 22, 2018

Really great learning and information from UTAS MOOC on Dementia, The Brain section. Got all five questions correct 😊

February 21, 2018

Bad brain day today, had to really think hard to recall parts of recent visit to Sydney. A concern perhaps?

February 20, 2018

UTAS Dementia MOOC started today. Learned a lot from the intro. Very excited to learn more over the next six weeks.

February 19, 2018

Bad brain score, WTF?

February 18, 2018

Great beach walk and best brain score?!

February 17, 2018

Some new funiture.

February 16, 2018

“Being functional..” sorely tested today.

February 15, 2018

Better brain day today and last few days, game scores improved too? Maybe the new mantra “Being functional, keeping well.” is stating to “kick in”?!

February 14, 2018

Beautiful moon and sunrise in GC today. Happy Valintines Day!

February 13, 2018

Bike riding to and reminising in, Robina. Fun!

February 12, 2018

Rented an electric assist pedal bike and got a bus pass.

February 11, 2018

Beautiful morning on and in Tullebudgera Creek.

February 10, 2018

Difficult attempted discussion day.

February 09, 2018

Interesting therapy day.

February 08, 2018

Early start and a productive day.

February 07, 2018

More bad medical and bad experiences. So many opportunities.

February 06, 2018

Challenging day of medical practice. Will they ever learn?

February 05, 2018

Quiet day, resting.

February 04, 2018

Good coffee. Good to be home.

February 03, 2018

It’s a big long drive from Collaroy, via the Hunter Valley to Queensland’s Goldie. Good to be home.

February 02, 2018

Read till end of chapter seven of Wendy Mitchell’s book. Wendy’s words and wisdom about the “Still Alice” part of Wendy’s story is very moving.

February 01, 2018

Downloaded and read first three chapters of Wendy Mitchell’s book. A great read.

January 31, 2018

Visited Barangaroo today, great work Paul Keating.

January 30, 2018

Think before Speak.

January 29, 2018

Ultimately all relationships are about respect. It's not about love, it IS about RESPECT. How do you gain and maintain respect for a whole lifetime?

January 28, 2018

Good day with writing, thinking, walking and a movie to make you think.

January 27, 2018

Showing younger people a, perhaps, “better way”, can really be a challenge.

January 25, 2018

Doggedly delaying my demise from damm demeting disease. Caffeine reportedly helps?

January 24, 2018

Delaying my demise from demeting disease.

January 23, 2018

r

Working hard at delaying my demise from untreatable brain disease.

January 22, 2018

Have a new response to the idle, “How are you?" question. rWell; ... “I have an untreatable brain disease that will cause my death and I am working very hard to delay that disease’s work.” Please send me what your response might be. Thank you.

January 21, 2018

A quote from a great man, Seth Godin, that I really like, both the man and his writing... "Maybe, instead of insisting that people listen more closely, you could speak more clearly."

rr

January 20, 2018r|

Good study undertaken today about brain function. And discussion about my late mother’s AD. Denial is very interesting.

January 19, 2018

An important day with some great thoughts, questions and note writing, about, the differences between, thinking, memory, feeling, cognition, sensing and processing. There is PHD therein perhaps?

January 18, 2018

Great catching up with extended family and seeing the kids growing and growing up. Thanks for listening to my stories.

January 17, 2018

Thinking about and trying to put into words a diagnosis of AD. Becoming forgetful and cranky are signs. Tests, exhausting and extensive, diagnosis confirmed, drugs help. It’s a drawn-out, slow decline to a demented death. What am I doing? Keeping fit - physically, mentally and spiritually. Doing what I can. Asking to be forgiven for what I can't or don't want to do. I am not crazy or lazy, I have an untreatable brain disease which impairs my ability to think.

January 16, 2018

Driving to the Western parts of Sydney today for the first time in five tyears made me wonder if this great city is perhaps, now, too big. It can’t be made smaller but could be made better. Remember how we did the SHB, SOH and Olympics 2000? You can do this Sydney. It is needed and it’s time.

January 15, 2018

Am trying an experiment this year, planning on reading one novel every month. Have completed “Still Alice” and have started “Orlando”.

January 14, 2018

“Life itself is the primary divine revelation.” - from Richard Rohr.

January 13, 2018

On a roll today. Walk and breakfast. Time to think and write. Mostly all done, and done OK, all before 13:00! A great day. Hope yours is going well 😊

January 12, 2018

Doing some strategic thinking and writing and came up with thoughts about great products. Great products, mostly - “excel at purpose and are beautiful”.

January 11, 2018

“Do not weep; do not wax indignant. Understand.” - Baruch Spinoza.

January 10, 2018

Who am I? Do we really know, who we really are? Who are you, really and honestly? I am a maker, a fountainhead, a creator. I think hard, I try hard and I work, very hard.

January 09, 2018

Done some thinking and planning today. Have a busy schedule till late April 2018. Been looking at descriptive, inspirational words, like - self-starting, agile, vigorous, bold and spirited.

January 08, 2018

Thinking, reading and learning. Application is the opportunity.

January 07, 2018

Denying or destroying Dementia is delusional. Improving cognition is the mission.

January 06, 2018

Test cricket on the TV and migrane headaches. Are they related?

January 05, 2018

Watched the movie “Still Alice” last night with my wife. Helpfull. Harrowing. Draining. Watching it together was important for us. Fear needs to be overcome. Us cognitive impairment sufferers and our families need better support. But How? The movie and the novel (perhaps better) highlight the challenges. Oh, for a support solution.

January 04, 2018

Finished reading “Still Alice”. Very moving, very important and helpful, for me. Will watch the movie.

January 03, 2018

Reading “Still Allice”. Challenging and disturbing and so far, very important and helpful for me.

January 02, 2018

Using great Sydney time and space to good effect and learning about “cognition and stuff”. Very grateful for this space, time, company and beauty.

January 01, 2018

Develop your “Beginners Mind”. Before they know they can’t, beginners can do everything.

December 31, 2017

Pushing hard with Positivity.

December 30, 2017

Have been doing some “work” and planning for 2018. Have signed up to do a MOOC, starting in February, about Dementia, that looks very interesting.

December 29, 2017

Letting go of “shoulds” and trying hard to, just (just, that’s a joke, it’s very difficult) to just “be”, as in “being real” and “being present” and “being the very best” that I can.

December 28, 2017

Two days of great social contacts. A lot of people are very generous and I am very grateful.

December 27, 2017

Bliss comes in many forms. Today, a walk with my grandson and a Ridgeback, on a warm Sydney, sunny day.

December 26, 2017

Boxing Day is all about cricket at the MCG. Went there a few times to watch test cricker (and football). Special place. Watching from Sydney whilst family were there. Mixed emotions.

December 25, 2017

Ah, Christmas Day, so good, and, so many opportunities.

December 24, 2017

Walked Red Head Beach, in NSW, happy memories from walks and swims in recent years. Happy to be a Queensland resident now, water is warmer (and air temp is cooler!) in the North.

December 24, 2017

I recently retired from being paid to “show up” and after working for more than fifty years, I can honestly say there was never a day that I “didn’t want to go to work”. Every day was an opportunity to serve and to strive for excellence.

December 23, 2017

Doing Dementia Differently - I have a brain disease that is affecting my cognitive abilities and I am excelling at living an effective and focused life.

December 22, 2017

Christmas time is such an important festival, for me, with many great, happy memories. And, unfortunately, some very sad ones. May this years festivities be happy and fulfilling for all.

December 21, 2017

Morning tea with old friends in Teralba. It is so rewarding to have real discussions with honesty and compassion.

December 20, 2017

Fun day in Charlestown with grand daughters, a movie and meaningful dialogue with old work mates and bosses.

December 19, 2017

Big drive in the hybrid vehicle. Very grateful for air conditioning.

December 18, 2017

Great fellowship and discussions with new Queensland friends. Very grateful for friends and the great support.

December 17, 2017

Walking at Burleigh Head - a valuable gift. So grateful to be living with such beauty and warmth.

December 16, 2017

Have rested a lot in the last two days after reading two books about AD that were written many years ago. Reading these books earlier would have helped earlier. Have read them now and am truly grateful to Linda Adams.

December 15, 2017

Battling (to battle, is, to “struggle tenaciously to achieve or resist something”) this brain disease is a big challenge, for the battler and the family.

December 14, 2017

I have untreatable disease in my brain that affects my ability to process information normally, and this causes me some challenges and the challenges will increase over time. However, I am keeping fit and well, and "I will be as good as I can for as long as I can”.

December 13, 2017

Special, very special and exhausting read of “Who will I be when I die?" by Christine Bryden.

December 12, 2017

I have a challenging, degenerative, brain disease, and I am keeping my body fit. I plan and am preparing, to be as good as I can for as long as I can.

December 11, 2017

This is perhaps a great question... After your death, for what, would you like to be remembered?

December 10, 2017

What to think, if delusion is a choice for people, and they perhaps choose thus?

December 09, 2017

Mowing grass is theraputic for me, the mower. I hope the grass enjoys, too, being constantly cut.

December 08, 2017

Being effective is important. Create the effect of harmony. “Harmonous effectiveness” could be a great goal.

December 07, 2017

Day of sadness, sadness in the family. “Doing different” seems so difficult.

December 06, 2017

Why does music “feed the soul”? Some music can seem so beautiful that it is perhaps, from “beyond reason” and may, perhaps be sublime. How do people write this stuff?

December 05, 2017

2018 - the year for a year long holiday perhaps? I sense and feel that I do need a regerative rest. Perhaps regeneration is required now, to survive in harmony, perhaps to prosper harmonously - at least for some years?

December 04, 2017

Had a big thought today about myself. People have often commented that I think “big thoughts”. Today’s thought is very personal and; this thought; could be; a “biggie”.

December 03, 2017

Reading about German scientists being moved to America at the end or WW2. That movement had effects on my life, more than I had ever realised.

December 02, 2017

Trying to creat a life of “harmony”. Have had, what seems like a life-long battle, with much, too much, “dissonance”. Have always fought to end that dissonance. Will stop the war, now, and henceforth try to create only, harmony.

December 01, 2017

l am trying to learn about Cognitive Dissonance. This (edited a bit) from Wikipedia ... “Dissonance reduction can be achieved by changing cognition, or by changing actions, or selectively acquiring new information or opinions...”

November 30, 2017

Planning a day of reflecting and will make time to imagine (perhaps fo the first time) my non-working and non-earning future.

November 29, 2017

Relaxing day reading PJK’s “After Words”. When he spoke he was was generally always good. These were some of his greatest speeches. Fuzzy brain day ?

November 28, 2017

To quote Richard Rohr and a Principle of CAC... “The best criticism of the bad is the practice of the better. “

November 27, 2017

Learning to expect less and to simply ask, more often, for what is fair and reasonable. This is challenging when partnering with a telco, who keeps you waiting for a week, for a professional install, then you must wait till the last half hour of a four hour window, and then, for a further day, for an ”overnight system activation”. They had a week to be ready to impress me. And I was so looking forward to my “date” with with the “fiber tech”. We only, ever, have one chance to make a great, first impression? They failed me. This was an awful first date. And I know I am going to have to have future outings with this “partner”?!

November 26, 2017

Better brain days, yesterday and today. Yesterday’s Cognifit score was best ever and today’s was again a In October 2014, Cate and Guy moved North of to Lake Macquarie, NSW. Apple management were supportive of Guy transferring to the Charlestown, NSW, Australia, Apple Store as an Expert.

November 25, 2017

Birthday celebrations and a big walk from Southport. “If you can live on the GC, why would you live anywhere else?” - great sign at Broadbeach.

November 24, 2017

Brain struggle day. Worked hard, physically and brain and got a new high brain score, by one - what a pleasant surprise?

November 23, 2017

Reading a lot. Very grateful for this reading time. Very, very grateful, and it’s profoundly productive.

November 22, 2017

Stop searching for something to love. Love what you have. Inspired by reading Richard Rohr.

November 21, 2017

Reading a small and powefull book “Falling Upward” by Richard Rohr - moved me in many profound ways. Love this quote - “Sin happens whenever we refuse to keep growing.”

November 20, 2017

Busy morning sorting some technology, with some help. With knowledge comes competence, which can lead to effectiveness.

November 19, 2017

Great morning at the wonderful Carrara Markets. Interesting people, food and found some great help with interesting solutions. Succesful home repairs completed. A great day!

November 18, 2017

Great agreement to hasten slowly. Big relief for me. Very grateful. I really want, and perhaps need, to take a bit more time. There is a lot to to think about, decide, reflect and then do.

November 17, 2017

Dinner with a man who knows manufacturing, so rare and most enjoyable.

November 16, 2017

Swam ten lengths of a large pool to start the day. it was great! Getting service from a large telco requires patience and, not so great. The joys of retirement, extra time to swim again, and extra support from a telco, grateful for that support. Sad that more of the history of the telco’s “PMG” heritage was not known?!

November 15, 2017

Went to sleep in Carrara, Queensland - home at last.

November 14, 2017

Lots more sorting and cleaning, starting to look and feel like home. Great, and its the Gold Coast, Queensland.

November 13, 2017

Doug and Tony unloaded our stuff so well in the morning. We spent the rest of the day unpacking and sorting. The storage cage was a story, an interesting story. Finished late, tired.

November 12, 2017

Walking in the morning at Burleigh. Mowing in the afternoon at Worongary. Warm Queensland weather and a visit from, perhaps, a whip snake. Brain perhaps a bit better after a tough week. Stuff arrives tomorrow. Looking forward to our new home.

November 11, 2017

Pacific Fair played the Last Post at 11:00. The whole place, stopped, stood and respected. Impressive.

November 10, 2017

If you are packing parachutes, zero-defects, is the only acceptable standard. Are we not all “packing parachutes” in the work we do?

November 09, 2017

Great news about no cancer. Lovely walk in Burleigh. Weather warm, Gold Coast is home.

November 08, 2017

Lots of discussions about NSW drama. Some really bad bank service and some really great burger service at Robina. The difference in the “values” involved highlighted the paradox. Service for some, seems beyond rocket science. So many opportunities still?!

November 07, 2017

Great news and fun catching up with friends in Charlestown. Lovely and productive planning discussions driving home to the Gold Coast.

November 06, 2017

Challenging day with chores and drama.

November 05, 2017

Beautiful drive and day with the grandkids, unfortunately, ended with some drama. Some great thoughts later though, which was pleasant and hopefully application proves fruitful.

November 04, 2017

Quiet day with a great afternoon watching kids and alduts dancing at Cessnock. Made me feel, sad, joyfull, grateful and proud, and a lot of frustration.

November 03, 2017

Chores and learning around the Hunter - good things about recent decisions.

November 02, 2017

Lovely, long, barbaric drive South to the Hunter. That Australian “highway one” South from Qld, still has so much work required. It really is a shame that we don’t allocate “more resources to roads” - now there’s a slogan. What is it with our cognition, effort and acceptance around sub-standard roads?

November 01, 2017

Met a lovely old man who looked like an older brother. Strangely lovely, and he was a nice bloke with a sense of humour. As I said, lovely bloke, and deaf too.

October 31, 2017

Some good, some bad and survived the day.

October 30, 2017

Walking, thinking, swimming and eating in the warmth. Maybe a great decision, this move North?

October 29, 2017

Relaxed day, coffee with family, walking, breakfast with positive friends, rest in the shade, chores, brain exercises, snooze. Pefect day, in the warm sun, in paradise.

October 28, 2017

Washed car, beach walked, visited vet, contract signed, afternoon nap, Chinese dinner, great day!

October 27, 2017

Offer accepted. Let the good times roll.

October 26, 2017

Early start, looking around at sunrise! Maybe the earlybirds will catch a worm.

October 25, 2017

Walked more than 1500 steps today, and am tired. Saw a new doctor, interesting. Looked at a few new possible homes, very interesting.

October 24, 2017

Great walk along the beach and a bad talk at Currumbin.

October 23, 2017

Nerang in beautiful and rainy Queensland has a really welcoming, serene library and helpful, friendly people all around the town.

October 22, 2017

Looking at houses, thinking differently about thinking and walking 10K steps. Is that philosophy, masochism, denial, cognitive impairment or delusion? Perhaps all of the previous?!

October 21, 2017

Some life and death insights last night. Looking at possible places to live today.

October 20, 2017

Some lawn resurrection work and a learning phone-call from Dementia Queensland. I sometimes am surprised at how I don’t “get it” with things important. I need to resurrect my cognition - and I am trying hard to do thus. Will better cognition ever “come to pass” for me, I wonder - or is that cognite?

October 19, 2017

Some fun time at Emerald Lakes and some challenges at Robina Town Centre in a little sunny Queensland, Australia.

October 18, 2017

Received photos of a past life and had a great evening walk at Burleigh Beach, Qld, Au.

October 17, 2017

An important lesson today, a very important lesson - try very hard to “suffer fools gladly”, as Paul intended - enjoy their foolishness.

October 16, 2017

Funny old day. Walking, reading, rain and discussions. Been retired for a month.

October 15, 2017

Lots of lovely rain on the Gold Coast today, even wore a jacket with the shorts?! Bought two books to read whilst at Pac Fair shops. Afternoon reading in the rain about motivation - what is going on here? Better brain day, today, perhaps?

October 14, 2017

Started with a bad brain and bad customer service day. The very bad experiences - incredibly two of them - required a coffee at MACCAS - where else? - to settle myself and my brain. Then a satisfying day gardening.

October 13, 2017

Taking time in Burleigh and Pacific Fair in the beautiful Queensland warmth. Thinking about addiction and entrepreneurism and the parts I played in those games.

October 12, 2017

Had a day of retail at Robina. Great service from the Apple Store and met some old friends - with a great welcome, thanks so much. Finally found a planner/diary/notebook that I think will be good, correct size and bound with wire - designed in California - now where else have I heard that? - 16 months long, starts in Nov 2017, just when I need it! 😊 designed by “Bush Dance”.

October 11, 2017

Walk along the beach at Surfers Paradise, warm and not too sunny. Sorted some technology.

October 10, 2017

Long drive from the Hunter Valley to the Gold Coast. Fun, open and important meetining in Yamba.

October 09, 2017

Fortuitous, fabulous, fun visit in Brookvale before leaving Sydney. Drive to Merewether for important family lunch. Drive to Hunter Valley for little girls evening, we will miss them a lot 😖

October 08, 2017

Quiet day with family visits and late night walking.

October 07, 2017

Day of cleaning and visiting friends. It’s been a great couple of days on Sydney’s northern beaches.

October 06, 2017

Very pleasant breakfast meeting with a very impressive man, Danny Hart - one of the best. Coffee with Inger, thanks for the belief, very grateful.

October 05, 2017

Strange day of positive and negative emotions with regards to lawyers and accountants.

October 04, 2017

A bad brain day today, feel physically ok, I wonder why the brain is so bad today? Too much walking - 17K steps! - yesterday perhaps?

October 03, 2017

Meeting new people and catching up with a long time friend of great importance - important things for me, especially the impressive young man who I have known for a while, he continues to impress!

October 01, 2017

My late father was born 103 years ago today. He died so young, only fifty eight years old. Walked a long way today and did a lot of thinking and reflecting.

September 30, 2017

Have been reading the SMH and am finding it a real pleasure, what a surprise.

September 29, 2017

House money is finally in our bank account - took four days - many opportunities for better service from banks. Family fun time in Collaroy. New CogniFit high score - learning, getting better or just luck?

September 28, 2017

Family fun time in Manly with grand kids.

September 27, 2017

Getting into this retirement thing - went to a movie on a Wednesday morning - and wept! The movie “Ali’s Wedding” - please watch this great Aussie movie, a must see love story!

September 26, 2017

Nostalgic ferry trip fom Manly to Circular Quay and a walk around Sydney Town.

September 25, 2017

House settled, banks will take days to complete transfer. Opportunities here for some folks. Should be joyous, feel trapped. Did some serious thinking - I may really have "a movie idea” - made some good notes.

September 24, 2017

First day of a different life. Will celebrate on Tuesday.

September 23, 2017

Ah, the old equinox - day equals night. A good day for making a big change.

Furniture removal men did a manly job of moving our stuff to storage. Packed the cars, girlie job, then drove to Collaroy.

Thinking of, investigation, reporting and of, the many colors, enchanting perfume, difficulty to cultivate, and the fraility of, sweet pea flowers.

September 22, 2017

Did a good job on the lawns - enjoyed it and they looked ok, sadly, it’s been very dry. Mostly packed and ready to rock.

September 21, 2017

Installed WatchOS4 - it's pretty. Took a while?! Like the Siri Face. Weeded, walked and packed. Am jobless and will soon be homeless and am loving it!

September 20, 2017

Have sorted my many Macs over the last few weeks, (sadly, some have gone to the recyclers) today my main one, got some needed attention. Also sorted my iPhone, installed iOS11 - seems to be good, haven't noticed much difference? Have enjoyed the "no pressure" environment of the last few days. Doing it differently, and, enjoying that, a whole lot. Very grateful.

September 19, 2017

Did different today. Recycled some old technology. Read critically. Got rid of hoarded, old documents. Read critically. Studied and experimented with AI - very interested ? ! Weeded garden for the last time. Enjoyable day.

September 18, 2017

Important day. First day at the new career of "retired from formal working" or first day of being able to really think freely and do different - now there is a new good slogan "Think Free - Do Different". Remember where you heard it first!

September 17, 2017

Great day, great morning with grand-daughter and coffee, great lunch with family and friends talking retirement and cognition, great evening with beloved.

September 16, 2017

Retirement - day one, a great day, time with family and computers - really personal, ha ha.

September 15, 2017

It is done. I have retired. Thanks for the great sendoff, very grateful. Five productive, high performance years at Apple. I tried hard, worked very hard and had great achievements, with caring support. Very grateful. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

September 14, 2017

Great second last day at work. Busy, productive day, people friendly, lots of new phone interest. Cognifit exercises great. E-Waste to tip was "needed" and I enjoyed the doing and the "letting go" but the brain was not good after that?!

September 13, 2017

Apple does it again, three new phones and a bunch of watches and bands. I have helped with iPhone - "five to ten" in five years. Will miss some of it and am looking forward to not doing any more. Proud to have served and enriched.

September 12, 2017

Very productive day, in different places and in different ways. Life is changing and being changed, it's fun!

September 11, 2017

Finally got the brain around the old books and stuff. The work was long and tiring but easy, as I had sorted out my thoughts, feelings and sensations about the old books. Kept the important ones.

September 10, 2017

Great Sunday evening, winning and being pleasantly surprised. Hope I did okey? Thanks again for all the generous support. Very grateful.

September 09, 2017

Last Saturday at work today. I may never have to go to a shop again, ever, on a Saturday.

September 08, 2017

"While you are alive and able - do good." - Marcus Aurelius. Thus, I have tried to live.

September 07, 2017

Better brain day today. Cognifit seems to make my brain work well.

September 06, 2017

Retirement ideas are starting to seem exciting. Great emails from the US, very grateful. Thanks so very much.

September 05, 2017

Always concentrated on the battle up till now. For the future, it's about the war.

September 04, 2017

Jack and Diane in Somthing's Gotta Give - Delightful.

September 03, 2017

Family and packing day - a great day, and the weather is warm and we need rain.

September 02, 2017

Retirement is public at work, received wonderful support and encouragement. Thanks so much.

September 01, 2017

My eyes are better! Is it Cognifit?.

August 31, 2017

Cognifit brain exercises are helping me, perhaps a lot. It will be interesting to see how it all goes.

August 30, 2017

Interesting motor racing discussions. I have indeed moved on. More movement needed.

August 29, 2017

The ducks are all lining up. Very grateful. Thank you.

August 28, 2017

Received a wonderful and wonderfully appreciated gift from NZ. Thanks so much. A great day thinking and planning the future with some great input from many, and so much fun. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

August 27, 2017

Lots of mini steam train rides in Edgeworth, NSW, Australia. Wonderful birthday celebration for an old man enjoyed by his younger family too. Thanks so much.

August 26, 2017

Those AB's enough to break hearts in Australia. Wallabies played so very well and were very unlucky.

August 25, 2017

More great support and feedback from professional helper. Thanks so very much.

August 24, 2017

Very grateful for wonderful support delivered with class and style. Thank you so much!

August 23, 2017

Noble is good and the opposite is, ignoble or dispicable - I love that!

August 22, 2017

Some clarity on dates, some more thinking to be undertaken.

August 21, 2017

"Freedom from pettiness". Or... "I don't do Petty". I like those.

August 20, 2017

Being independent and being informend! Now that could be sustainable, fun, and noble. Ah, noble, that old fasioned word, meaning - "Having honorable qualities; having moral eminence and freedom from anything petty, mean or dubious, in conduct and character." Worth some effort I would say.

August 19, 2017

Great day with some positive thoughts on the future.

August 18, 2017

Clarity and agreement on a simple plan for our future which involves lots of warm learning.

August 17, 2017

Great result, failed a test! And after a lot of hard cognitive work - also the prescription drugs perhaps. Pure bliss and some sense of reward for the lifting of those numbers and that dedication, in difficult circumstances.

August 16, 2017

House settled, sad and tough discussions, amid the joy.

August 15, 2017

Still unwell, went to work, home early.

August 14, 2017

Still crook, slept a long time.

August 13, 2017

How can something so small make you feel so unwell.

August 12, 2017

Very unwell with virus.

August 11, 2017

Surging slowly, working on speeding up with a serenity increase.

August 10, 2017

Birthday joy and kindness. Very grateful, thank you.

August 09, 2017

The RSM's squawk "'Urry, 'URRY!" always got people moving. Some mantra ideas ... "Relaxed Rush", "Serene Surge", "Tranquil Transit" or more simply "'urry, 'urry". Any way, move, with 'urgent 'urry, now!

August 08, 2017

Day of joy. And I need to hurry!

August 07, 2017

Day with some rest and some reading. Break has been great. Very grateful.

August 06, 2017

Quiet, reading day, starting to feel better. Even the eyes are working better!

August 05, 2017

"Open House today" and it went well. Great movie about Brittish colonial times and it brought up some bad and powerful sensations for me. Surprising and alarming with some reassurace of sensitivity. There is a story here.

August 04, 2017

Still filled with cold and flu symptoms, very tedious. Have valued the rest. Finished the ballustrade project, did OK. Some useful discussions about cognitive impairment and "AD type symptoms". A better and more useful term.

August 03, 2017

Sick and out of bed. Slowly doing a bit around the house. I needed Igor, "my" engineer, today. We did some good work together, Igor and me, interesting, wise and talented man.

August 02, 2017

Sick and in bed. Enjoyed the rest and getting a little better. Doctors, "bah, humbug" - lots of opportunities for the GP profession.

August 01, 2017

Sick and in bed. Enjoying the rest but not the illness.

July 31, 2017

Sick and in bed. Enjoyed the rest, not the illness.

July 30, 2017

A bad day of challenges done very badly - perhaps a bad seven days? Asked for, and got some great support. Very grateful, again. So sorry for all the trouble. Will rest and hopefully "R and R" - recover and restore.

July 29, 2017

Many challenges today and did OK.

July 28, 2017

Quiet, unwell with a cold, day. Fired up the Beconaise and the Vit C? Here's hoping.

July 27, 2017

A shift today perhaps. AD suffers require hospice councilling then hospice care. Hospice can be defined as "HELPING right now to support the sufferer" and is NOT "denial now and HOPE for a miracle, any miracle" in this uncertain, but known, very BAD future.

July 26, 2017

Great discussions on the future, which it is agreed is looking bad, very bad. Hopefully some opportunities for creative solutions. It's sometimes difficult to see the opportunities.

July 25, 2017

Home to an heroic (perhaps?) rest. Thanks again for all the support.

July 24, 2017

New mantra inspired by "Think Different" - "Sense Different', cognition is now different, so "Sense Different". And relax more and be more patient in the frantic haste. More early day "BMs" unfortunately! Sad day ... :- (

July 23, 2017

Some new "blank moment" - BM - , cognition issues today. Need to perhaps relax more and concentrate a lot more. A new different "happening" this? Why this opportunity for me? Why not me? For me, perhaps the ultimate learning opportunity. Solution - Relax, seek and get support and then make it happen.

July 22, 2017

Lots of "weird" neuro, Silicon Valley, AD "connections" today after finising "Breath" book yesterday. Love it ;).

July 21, 2017

My work here is done. Now to live, and to live gently and emphatically.

July 20, 2017

I want a beautfully designed, sesitively executed, gentle death. Shurely that is not too much to ask?

July 19, 2017

Really thinking hard. Totally new paramaters, limits and likely timeline. Need to really "think different" and it is difficult. Want to start from a new starting position with a different method, that's difficult. This is a challenge and a wonderful opportunity. Hope I am capable.

July 18, 2017

Bad dreams often mean bad sleep, often, that leads to a tired day.

July 17, 2017

I'm trying hard to be great.

July 16, 2017

"It" needs to make sense. You need to be, smart, wise and have hope.

July 15, 2017

Being smart is wise. Being wise and living smart is perhaps better.

July 14, 2017

"You were always good with words" appreciated praise.

July 13, 2017

Some reasearch on old bibles. Lots of thoughts on books and the signicance of some books.

July 12, 2017

Made manual work meaningful.

July 11, 2017

Allow the humane ending of sensless human suffering.

July 10, 2017

More great feedback and humbling support. Very gratfeul. Moving forward with a sense of great hope. Thanks to all. You know who you are, very grateful.

July 09, 2017

Did OK today. Some great positive feedback and some opportunities. Very grateful and honored.

July 08, 2017

Feedback opportunities lost where needed most. Opportunity for me too. Some positive minor changes to slides.

July 07, 2017

Some fresh thoughts on story - "part of greatness" more than just "close to greatness".

July 06, 2017

Lots of work on story of "greatness".

July 05, 2017

Cars and houses, it's getting easier. Working on story.

July 04, 2017

American Independence Day. Always a great day for deep reflection. First one of the day ..."If I can make sense, I can have hope, and, if I have hope, I can cope." - Guy Cheales - today 08:55 😊 - with thanks to Baklav Havel.

July 03, 2017

Family fun, much discussion and some reflection.

July 02, 2017

Thinking hard about an uncertain future. It is difficult to imagine a future where there will be limits, perhaps severe limitations. Lots of unknowable unknowns. It's a great opportunity.

July 01, 2017

Drugs v no-Drugs. Would never have imagined that I would ever have got into this position. Hope I have the strength and wisdom to make the wise choices. "Hope is the certainty that something makes sense." "The more unpropitious the situation in which we demonstrate hope, the deeper that hope is." Baklav Havel.

June 30, 2017

Busy, last day of the Australian financial year. Like Christmas, this is always a rush. Ah, the joys of a deadline and being a human.

June 29, 2017

Good and enjoyable day. Fruitful discussions about work and cars. Clarity about movements and timing which is sitting well.

June 28, 2017

Car discussions and testing, great innovation. Birthday celebration, fun and tension. Illuminating television, light, skin and hope.

June 27, 2017

The dawn of a new era.

June 26, 2017

Slowly things return to a baseline of sustainable comfort.

June 25, 2017

Quiet achievement and reflection.

June 24, 2017

A good day today. Good plan for a warmer future.

June 23, 2017

Some excitement, but then a lot of quiet. It will be interesting to see where it goes. Great to be back, it was a grand, great trip.

June 22, 2017

Making plans for more doing, not that easy to make changes, and can be slow. Some positive discussions.

June 21, 2017

Mid Winter in Australia, I'm done thinking and reading, time for some doing.

June 20, 2017

Hope, care and a life of grace - fine objectives perhaps.

June 19, 2017

I'm in an unpropitious heath situation and am working on a creative oportunity of hope. Then I read this ... "The more unpropitious the situation in which we demonstrate hope, the deeper that hope is." from Sherwin B Newland's book "How we Die" quoting Baklav Havel.

June 18, 2017

Grateful, very grateful for time in Silicone Valley and Hawaii.

June 17, 2017

Eat, read, look, talk. Precious time, with valuable people, in a place of many perfections.

June 16, 2017

Tested the limits of international online shopping. Gave some considered opportunistic feedback, which, was positively acknowledged - a rare treat, unfortunately.

June 15, 2017

Day of frivoless fun, retail therapy and technical study. Meaningful and moving evening with respected friends, art and artifacts. And some great insights.

June 14, 2017

Sister, attempted conversations and frustrations in paradise. Some great reading as well - Atul, and some constructive reflection on living. And finally some useful conversation.

June 13, 2017

Relaxing, reading flight to HNL. Perfect weather and water in Waikiki.

June 12, 2017

Good day playing tourist.

June 11, 2017

Serious San Francisco day. Take care of your death, to get yourself a life.

June 10, 2017

Trivial and fun day in San Francisco, sunny but cool and windy.

June 09, 2017

More reflection at the Computer Museum - history and the future. Train to San Francisco and I've left my heart in San Jose, and that hurts.

June 08, 2017

Quiet reflective day, salad lunch in Cupertino. Museum, memories and deep reflection, then great pizza, in Palo Alto. Great scientific Alzeimer discussion whilst Ubering back to Cupertino. Lovely coms from US and Australia. Another great day - very grateful for all the care and support.

June 07, 2017

Some notes about excellence from a review of the Tom Peters book "In Search of Excellence".

"Excellence shines of its own accord. It is almost a spiritual quality. Excellence is beauty, it is the bringer of delight, desirable yet unexpected. Excellence exudes a pride of craftsmanship. Excellence is skill in action, it is the WoW! factor, it makes the ordinary seem extraordinary, it is love, passion, pride, quality, and competence manifested. Excellence above all, is an expression of genuine care."

June 06, 2017

Fun day in San Francisco, Union Square Apple Store is very cool. Took some time to reflect upon "excellence" in the "service" to/of customers.

June 05, 2017

Important day for me in San Jose, it was great fun, and filled with joy, admiration, pride and gratitude.

June 04, 2017

Happy, sunny day in Silicone Valley.

June 03, 2017

In Silicone Valley - seen some famous place names.

June 02, 2017

A day spent in the blurr of an intercontinental, long haul, aircraft flight. Great job done for us by Qantas.

June 01, 2017

Very excited still. Had some thoughts on SaCoT and perhaps SaCoT is what we really mean when we "really feel"?

May 31, 2017

Very excited and happy. Already doing one day at a time and the brain is better in a lot of ways. Fascinating.

May 30, 2017

Trying to get an agreement on the diagnosis of Alzeimer's Disease is worthy of a Clarke and Dawe mini series, however, it is not funny, just sad.

May 29, 2017

Alzeimer and his disease. Will the sufferer, ever, really be able, to really understand this disease? Can anyone be expected to grasp the enormity of this suffering? The treating professionals, too, seem to struggle. Maybe the sufferers need to lead this management and support, for their fellow sufferers. Leaving the disease, to the scientists and the medicos? Caring for sufferers and ending their suffering (for there is, yet, no cure) is a much more complex story/drama.

May 28, 2017

Great thought, early today, about 50 years of "near greatness", 1967 to 2017. Need to write about that!

May 27, 2017

Great discussions by phone today with some very positive feedback. Feel blessed and am very grateful and excited. Sent two important "thank you"s. Thanks so much, this is of great value to me!

May 26, 2017

Great brain at start of day? Thinking a lot about "Do Different"?

May 25, 2017

Getting people to really ''Think Different'' can be very difficult. And it is indeed difficult to think about things differently. And it can be impossible to "Do Different". But let us do it differently this time.

May 24, 2017

Great discussions and understanding from a young man. Impressed.

May 23, 2017

Toiled in the garden, increased the home's value. Chatted with counselor which increased both our values. I think I am doing better, maybe even OK.

May 22, 2017

More relaxed today and the brain is quieter. Brain exercises better as well. Very greatful for yesterday's special news. Booked flights.

May 21, 2017

Some great and gratifying news received. Overwhelming!

May 20, 2017

Some ideas from Patrea King - 1, Conciously control your responses, 2, Commit to be emotionally "up to date", 3, be excited and Challenged, and, 4, Connect to sacred stuff. Four great C's.

May 19, 2017

Moving on to a new life type? Perhaps my intuition is correct, I will never really die.

May 18, 2017

Received a prayer in Charlestown from a stranger who is from Wisconsin - that was soothing.

May 17, 2017

" - from "The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying." "There would be no chance at all of getting to know death if it happened only once. But fortunately, life is nothing but a continuing dance of birth and death, a dance of change." - profoundly good and wise words .

May 16, 2017

Shortened/modified William Blake quote - "Kiss the joy as it flies, (and) Live in Eternity's sunrise." Trying to make sense of life and death.

May 15, 2017

"Most people die unprepared for death, as they have lived, unprepared for life." - from "The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying."

May 14, 2017

I am asking for what I want and need. Need to learn how to master this "asking" thing.

May 13, 2017

Learning about food and food's importance, and faith. Food, faith and Feldenkraise.

May 12, 2017

Read some stuff about the death of Robin Williams. Suicide, with findings of Lewy Bodies, post mortem.

May 11, 2017

Thinking a lot about the case in favour of Jesus. Unrelated to Jesus - Interesting how some people can leave such a "bad taste" by being mean and petty.

May 10, 2017

"All I want to be is PRODUCTIVE." - quote of the decade?! Laser eye test, confirms - "old age, but it will settle" perhaps an Oscar deserving euphemism?

May 09, 2017

BS discussions, so debilitating. Denial is debilitating.

May 08, 2017

Made a sale, had a great walk, did some shopping, had eyes retested. Eyes NFG, more tests Wednesday. Mailed gift, why is it so difficult?

May 07, 2017

Tired and wiser after some heavy learning about the denial of death.

May 06, 2017

Good rest and sleep at home overnight. Healthcare has many oppurtunities perhaps?

May 05, 2017

Sleepy day, after a sleepless night of sleep study - ha, ha! - sustained with energy drinks and chocolate bars.

May 04, 2017

Sleep study in hospital, how accurate can the results possibly be, when it is imposible to sleep, with wires eveywhere, and in a hospital bed? Healthcare has many opportunities perhaps?

May 03, 2017

Interesting medical and spiritual discussions with Dr. P. These are difficult conversations, these "death with dignity" attempted talks.

May 02, 2017

Day of great news and also difficulty with directions. Some things change and other things don't?

May 01, 2017

Day of good and bad. No more phone company horror stories please, I dont have time! Thank you.

April 30, 2017

SaCoT - Sense and Cognition of Truth - now that is a profound bumper sticker. and this is where you heard it first.

April 29, 2017

Tested SaCoT with Hayley - very positive 😊

April 28, 2017

Tired with a sense of real joy about acceptance perhaps, and it's a struggle.

April 27, 2017

Beautiful, Joyful, High Quality, LCD for me!

April 26, 2017

Had a session with counciller in Hamilton. Hopefully the next one, in May, will be better.

April 25, 2017

ANZAC Day, we do it well in Australia. Drove to Stroud. Many memorials with fresh flowers which was lovely. Thought about my service and my Dad's and got his medal out and re-read the citation.

April 24, 2017

Day of driving and putting houses on the market and new specs, which are great.

April 23, 2017

Quiet day with some thoughts about potassium and magnesium in my diet.

April 22, 2017

Earth Day today - got the award with the Activity App. In other ways, a bad and sad day.

April 21, 2017

Good day today, some great feedback. Home tired.

April 20, 2017

I am suffering a debilitating, terminal, disease.

Am planning to "improve who I am, for as long as I can".

And when I can no longer improve, I want to be allowed, with diganity, to "terminate my suffering".

Life and death has "Gottamatta".

April 19, 2017

Great drive to work in the new Lexus - a beautiful indulgence, thank you, Cate ❤️. Had a win with Nike. Got a warm note from Apple. How's that for name dropping?

April 18, 2017

Spent most of the day cleaning cars. Saw the doc, mentioned opportunities. Picked up a great car, happy day.

April 17, 2017

Spent most of the day cleaning the ute, not thinking about Al. It was a GREAT day.

April 16, 2017

Some very fruitful discussions and for me, liberating. Thank you.

April 15, 2017

Fun and productive day at the office. Had time to reflect on Canada information and shared some of that. Have a good sense of ok about it all?!

April 14, 2017

Looked at new housing ideas and enjoyed some great family time. Found some great information in Canada.

April 13, 2017

Great assurances of support today from people with power. Feel valued, which is great. Need this.

April 12, 2017

Busy effective day. Did not get upset with my opportunity. "Get Effective" I have said often - is clever, perhaps, but, "Be Effective" - is better and it's much more effective!?

April 11, 2017

Busy day and a fun one, talking about cars, interesting reactions!

April 10, 2017

Cate bought me a Lexus! 😊 Got some clarity from Tammy on my opportunity.

April 09, 2017

Had some challenges with errors and did not get frustrated and angry. Methodically sought solutions and aranged requests for help. A major shift here for me.

April 08, 2017

Perhaps a better day. Some valuable family discussions.

April 07, 2017

Did some more study on Alzheimer's this evening, this is not a pretty disease.

April 06, 2017

Did a few things differently, cooked breakfast and survived, only drank water, no carbs, fatty protein - always good, seems to work. Feel Ok?

April 05, 2017

Today is a great day. And I had a long walk.

April 04, 2017

New mantra for this speck of organic dust ... "I am going to improve who I am - for as long as I can." Guy Cheales, April 2017.

April 03, 2017

Finished the day tired and slow, and it was a great day.

April 02, 2017

Positive but distraught. Going to be as good as I am for as long as I can.

April 01, 2017

Read a bit about Andrew Denton's research into "assisted dying". We are very foolish are we not? Ah, it's April Fools Day. Silly me.

March 31, 2017

The last day of a month of joy and sadness. People are indeed strange when trying to talk about a "Terminal Illness". We don't admit to anything "terminal" in "the west" do we?

March 30, 2017

Learned a whole lot more about AD in Warners Bay today at a day put on by Alzheimers Australia. I am going to do... "As well as I can, for as long as I can."

March 29, 2017 - a Thursday

Diagnosis day, got the dreaded "the scan results are positive" call. To quote a good friend, "F**k, F**k, F**k!". Enough said. Try to remember the call taken in Broadmeadow NSW, this day, this Thursday in March, 2017.

March 28, 2017

Blasted back from Melbourne to Lake Macquarie, really enjoyed the drive and the ute went well.

March 27, 2017

Great day driving the Mornington Peninsula and talking with Michael about important things. Been a rewarding visit for me.

March 26, 2017

Better day at Abert Park. Really enjoyed it all. Ferrari won - always good, great time with my son, ran on the track and filmed the presentations. ALL GOOD.

March 25, 2017

Great day at Abert Park. Realised early today this trip is about letting go. Just let it all "flow away down the river" and "out of your focus".

March 24, 2017

Great long drive from Lake Mac to Melbourne. Just drove and enjoyed the drive and that was good. Air B&B amazingly easy. The family have opportunities. So do I. I might just enjoy the cars.

March 23, 2017

Busy day in the garden, enjoyed that, and the lawns looks great.

March 22, 2017

Good and bad day today. Tired and sad. iPads new and old. Red phones. Will work as best I can for as long as I can.

March 21, 2017

Asked some questions, got a change, treatment for symptoms, woe is me.

March 20, 2017

Back at work and it was not at all fun! No news from the US, tough dealings with people, same day, "zero recall" glitch - a worry perhaps?

March 19, 2017

Back at work and it was fun!

March 18, 2017

Learned something special about building which could be of great value if I choose to effectively apply that knowledge. Time to get effective!

March 17, 2017

Quite the day reading about Freud and learning more about death and anger.

March 16, 2017

Quiet day with an hour long beach walk. The water is warmer in Noosa.

March 15, 2017

Drove home the long way, enjoyable except for the rain in the Hunter Valley.

March 14, 2017

Great day of discovery. Robina shopping centre with a great roof and wonderful food. Learning about death with a Freudian emphasis.

March 13, 2017

Heading back to the Gold Coast via Buderim and Brisbane.

March 12, 2017

Wonderful walk to the headland and Hells Gates. Really enjoyed that 😅

March 11, 2017

Welcome to Noosa. Weather and water warm. It's all great.

March 10, 2017

Good long drive North to Queensland. NSW has some great opportunities to surprise and delight road users by building better roads.

March 09, 2017

Got radio active today having a PET scan in Gosford. Results in a few days. Off to the Gold and Sunshine Coasts tomorrow for a relax and read.

March 08, 2017

Did some reading and some gardening and a lot of worrying.

March 07, 2017

Learned some great new Feldenkrais exercises. Great for the shoulders.

March 06, 2017

Early birthday dinner with JJ, a lot of fun.

March 05, 2017

Busy, fun day. Finally sorted my diary, I hope? Did some writing and some research on the difference between Alzeimer's and Dementia. Worth a web search.

March 04, 2017

Great to have Cate home. Great movie at Edgeworth, Hidden Figures.

March 03, 2017

Reflective day, Codnitive Impaiment discussions and met a man named Jody, after Scheckter! - strange sensations for me!

March 02, 2017

Had a great read of Lauren Slater's "Three Spheres". Best bit ... " ... what sets me apart ... is simply a learned ability to manage the blades of deep pain with a little bit of dexterity." Story of my life!

March 01, 2017

Day in Sydney, had some fun, train home.

February 28, 2017

Yesterday's post was profound. Awoke this morning and started writing my story, "Cognitive Impairment". Wrote some more this evening. It's flowing and I'm excited and my right hand is sore from all the hand writing. I knew there was a story in me and I think this time it will come out. Writing about stories from places, as a pattern, starting in White River.

February 27, 2017

Stories, so many stories, will I be able to remember and then will I be able to write? Hope so, could be a great story!

February 26, 2017

Writing. I need to write, for two main reasons. Now is the time. I need to record this s--t.

February 25, 2017

Brain power, cognitive impairment - where is it leading? Do I want to go there? Concentrate on the abilities not the disabilities.

February 24, 2017

Frustrated today, power being eroded perhaps. "Let go, let God". An idea for a US trip is worth a shot.

February 23, 2017

Graphic design, perhaps that's the signal.

February 22, 2017

Tests, tests and more tests. Will be nice to have the big one done. T'will be done soon. Then what?

February 21, 2017

It's amazing how a great "first person/job of the day" leads to a greater day. Be polite, positive and pleasant to people every day and "make some punks day". My great day today, was made by a polite, pleasant and positive man. Thank you sir, thank you very much.

February 20, 2017

"Don't Do Dumb Shirt" - © Guy Cheales 2017. This is where "DDDS" © Guy Cheales 2017, was born and you saw "DDDS" here first. Born of hypocrisy.

February 19, 2017

Strange old day. I need to concentrate more on money.

February 18, 2017

I need to learn so much, is there enough time and energy?

February 17, 2017

Found some interesting notes I made about a year ago on coaching. I need to be a better coach of myself. Will read about "Mindsight".

February 16, 2017

Great morning swim. Irritating afternoon and evening. I don't want to waste any more time on unimportant, non-urgent matters. The purpose of a business is to get and keep customers. Please remember this.

February 15, 2017

Mowed lawns. Very tired.

February 14, 2017

Valentine and all that. Like the old valentine and all that. Tough day in the factory today. Got too involved and upset. Why? And did not feel well. Why again? Make the day great tomorrow.

February 13, 2017

Writing, thinking, logging, dreaming and doing. Now that is getting a whole lot better. And trying not to think and worry about anything too far into the future.

February 12, 2017

Making decisions, and that feels good.

February 11, 2017

Weather is so fickle, and seems too often, to surprise us?

February 10, 2017

Got a sense today, that, this might be as good as I will ever be. And that is OK!

February 09, 2017

How to remain positive? Do your work! "Just (f***ing) do it"!

February 08, 2017

Yesterday, February seven, 2017, was indeed a big day, very big, but sadly, not great. There is still a lot of work to be done. I will do this work, whatever it takes.

February 07, 2017

Looking forward to a big and great day today.

February 06, 2017

Must read, PLEASE. Martin Geddes on the need for a better engineered Internet. No link, please use the "prototype Internet" to find this, read and help to make this madness change.

February 05, 2017

The journey to a different life took a positive turn yesterday, at least in my head.

February 04, 2017

Wellness is important. From Martin Geddes .... "Today’s ‘sick care’ model waits for our bodies or minds to fail, and then seeks to restore us to a mediocre baseline as ‘patients’. In the near future, digitally enhanced living will seek to optimise our life journeys. These ‘life navigation systems’ will help us to evade suffering, and provide insight that guides us towards flourishing."

February 03, 2017

Looking forward to a mini holiday.

February 02, 2017

Watched "Home Delivery" with Sam Neil last night, enchanting.

February 01, 2017

The day of the big fitness challenge. A great team day. Well done team!

January 31, 2017

Thinking about therapy. What do you really want to say? Say that with compassion. Get real! What are your needs?

January 30, 2017

Writing and thinking, thinking and re-writing. It's hard getting the time to work and swim.

January 29, 2017

Discussions about time and the future. Interesting times ahead perhaps.

January 28, 2017

Wrote some words about Auntie A.

January 27, 2017

Starting to get some serious thinking done about a new car.

January 26, 2017

This is not Australia Day, first fleet day, perhaps, invasion day, European arrival day, Botany Bay day, Port Jackson day, anything but Australia Day. Have a great day off, mates.

January 25, 2017

Lots of thinking. Relaxing mind games, enjoyed those. Spoke to doctor's rooms re next step, sounds good.

January 24, 2017

New day, new ways of living. Writing more.

January 23, 2017

Financial fun, decisions, grand children, car repairs, reading and beach fun, all in a day's work. Great day at the office 👨‍👧‍👧💼🐵🙈🙉

January 22, 2017

Warm day, walk along the beach, snooze in the shade, listen to the water pound. Good time.

January 21, 2017

New President in America, the sun still shines on the universe's planets.

January 20, 2017

I learned yesterday that music helps the brain. Failed to have a great day yesterday. Will do better today - that is my intention. Just better, not perfect.

January 19, 2017

I am going to make today a great day. Lookout World !

January 18, 2017

Yesterday ended great. Today was a toad of a day. See ya tomorrow 😊

January 17, 2017

This will be a great day! Written late Jan 16?

Update - late afternoon Jan 17. Hot day and a good day, great, not sure, we shall see?

January 16, 2017

Made some fun today but it was tough.

January 15, 2017

Unsettled day today and so tired.

January 14, 2017

The body is but a container for the brain. Look after your body well!

January 13, 2017

Music and the brain. It's personal!

January 12, 2017

Yesterday was significant in two ways, got a bit of a handle on Alzeimers and also on creative non-fiction writing. Maybe I can combine the two?

January 11, 2017

Water is life. Save our biosphere please.

January 10, 2017

All relationships are under the control of the person who cares the least. Care less and create more.

January 09, 2017

What is it with me and, trust, right and wrong, and expectation? Time to chill perhaps.

January 08, 2017

Did some reading of a paper book, enjoyed that, and used a pencil to underline. Very retro? It was fun.

January 07, 2017

Yesterday was a good day, learned a bit. Today will be better, will apply some of that learning and hopefully learn some more. Time is limited, use time wisely, learn daily.

January 06, 2017

Written late evening Jan 05 .... Writing today to save some effort tomorrow. That is a paradox!? It's less than twelve hours before I start work again. I am time poor and making notes to get more efficient. More paradox?!

January 05, 2017

Good start to the day today. Finally got a handle on music on my watch and phone last night. Great start to the music today with Air Pods 😁

January 04, 2017

Trying day in many ways today - tired, confused about life, busy. Need a swim maybe?

January 03, 2017

Investigating Ruby programming. Programming is the goal for this year's first six months. We shall see?

January 02, 2017

Have been reading and watching Martin Geddes. A profoundly wise man. My intuition has been proven correct again. I have always said the internet has "weird science", now, I have confirmation, it is indeed, BAD science. Thanks Martin.

January 01, 2017

New day, new year, it is all good. I will make it good. Watch this space.

December 31, 2016

NYE - Bahhh Humbug, bring on tomorrow, new year, new opportunities.

December 30, 2016

Christmas done for another year, a fun year.

December 29, 2016

Caffeine and brain function, research required.

December 28, 2016

Exercise of the body is easier than exercising the mind. Both are vital.

December 27, 2016

The sentence! Trying to write the perfect sentence, every day. Hopefully many great sentences.

December 26, 2016

Boxing Day blues and the salvation - savings on sales!

December 25, 2016

Christmas Day is always good even with the "too tired tantrums". Great Swim at Red Head was a bonus.

December 24, 2016

Christmas eve! Lots of joy and some sadness.

December 23, 2016

Been reflecting upon, learning and Christmas. More learning, more joy and lots of hope, hopefully.

December 22, 2016

Music. We possibly NEED music. Please listen to more music. I am starting to learn some?!

December 21, 2016

Read a profoundly wise article this morning written by Martin Geddes ... here it is .... no formatting, sorry ...

Only the polymaths will thrive - by Martin Geddes

A famous quip about the technology business comes from Inter co-founder Andy Grove, who wrote a book on how “Only the paranoid survive”. This requires senior management to adopt an attitude that focuses on the threat of strategic inflections that demand a new approach. In the case of Intel, this could be the shift from desktops to laptops (hence making power consumption more important), or PCs to smartphones (based on integrated systems rather than discrete chips).   My own observation of the technology industry leads me to a somewhat different point of view. Paranoia is only a defence strategy for survival. To thrive, you need polymaths. Indeed, if survival is your highest aspiration, it may become its own punishment.   The human history of the last few centuries has seen increased labour specialisation. Accomplishment has become attached to being an expert in something. The systems of reward are constructed accordingly. Educational strivers get PhDs that make them “world experts in virtually nothing”. Endless academic papers are published that are read by nobody. Work promotion is tied to being a “technical specialist” with appropriate professional accreditation.   My sense is that this era is coming to an end, possibly faster than expected. There are many reasons. A key one is the rise of machine learning: merely “knowing” things will be totally commoditised, and even “understanding” will become insufficient in many domains. Eventually nobody will get a Cisco or Microsoft certified qualification in an established body of static knowledge, simply because robotechnicians will outpace you in every aspect of the job.   However, blaming technology itself for this displacement of people is an insufficient analysis. The deeper reason is that the nature of the problems we are tackling are higher-order ones, and these require a more systemic and holistic viewpoint. When computing was about tabulating machines and process automation, it was OK to have a narrow algorithmic viewpoint.   Now we are looking at how technology can help us to solve problems of an aging population needing care from a shrinking pool of youth, global conflict from unjust resource allocation, and the diseases of affluence and convenience. As a species, we must turn away from strip-mining the biosphere, and become its guardians and gardeners. As many have previously noted, there is no Planet B: space may be the final frontier, but inhabiting new spinning globes won’t undo our wrecking of this space rock we’re presently all marooned on.   Tackling “wicked” systemic issues requires a different attitude, both in the large of conception, as well as in the detail of execution. The technological services we offer will provide interventions into complex systems, which are in turn entangled with feedback and learning loops of many kinds: economic, legal, political, biological, ecological, etc. Whilst there will be a great effort expended on basic enablers of batteries, sensors, actuators, interfaces, etc. the real action will be in the models of cause and effect.   The research I participated in for the Hypervoice Consortium concluded that the centre of gravity of the technology industry is shifting. Firstly, it is moving from designing technical systems that “make logical sense” to ones focused on engineering feeling states and ethical outcomes. Secondly, it is transforming from a “masculine” command and control paradigm (driven by males) towards a more “feminine” and ecological viewpoint, as the yin and yang are rebalanced.   The HyperWellbeing event I attended recently reinforced this view. The symbiosis of humans and computers is well underway. Wetware, hardware and software become one; carbon and silicon react through information instead of chemistry. Your Facebook page isn’t just an image of you, it IS YOU. How you exist in this world is inseparable from the digital presentation we have constructed for ourselves. This process is going to deepen in a way few can yet comprehend: your wellbeing ‘guardian avatar’ may know more about you in a few years than all medical records on earth captured when I was born.   So, where does this leave us? We will find work in the gaps between the “alien intelligence” systems. Our jobs will become arrangers of these systems, perhaps a little like how a florist picks flowers to satisfy a particular occasion. Roses and carnations have very different social meanings, and machines won’t always be able to tell the right tool for the job. We will be like airline pilots, supervising systems waiting for extreme failure modes. This task, too, will fade over time. What will be left is what is most human: to love, and laugh, and sing and dance. Nothing from a machine will ever displace or replace that.   When I look back at my own education, I feel a little sadness. Yes, I was a star pupil with a scholarship to a top private school, and went on to take a numerate degree at a global “top 10” university. This process gave me deep knowledge, and drove me to specialise in what I excelled at. Yet it also took me away from music and art, as I was not so adept at them when compared to other people. This stole a little of my humanity and spirit, and traded it for a pocket full of promissory notes of material success.   Schools are burdened with the anxiety of standardised tests, and separate the bodies of our children from their minds at an early age. We each suffer judgement in comparison to others in a fake competition that mistakes points for progress. There’s no exam in kindness or generosity, yet these are core to our wellbeing. We are also taught not to challenge the wisdom we are being offered, or its implicit values and framing. This is recipe for disaster in a post-industrial age of machine superintelligence.   For instance, in my realm of telecoms, I have stood atop the climbing frame of many intellectual giants, and have had a chance to peek at what can be seen. What I found is that a lot of the textbooks are either completely wrong, fundamentally misframed, or deeply unhelpful. They’ve mistaken a corner case of networks (the TCP/IP architecture) for the whole space, and confused datacomms with distributed computing. Even within the narrow confines of scientific inquiry, it’s a slurry pit of nonsense.   I suspect many of our bodies of knowledge will require a deep reinterpretation in the next few decades. Our understanding of economics and biology are already in turmoil. The very nature of scientific inquiry is being examined as results often cannot be reproduced, fraud becomes common, and the meme pool becomes polluted. The mistaking of consensus for truth has undermined the institution on which progress in knowledge accumulation is being made. Will children leave school ignorant of both the philosophy of science, and its failings as a fallible human institution?   The “technologist” of the future cannot be constrained to geeky introverts. A great logician who is a poor lover may be more of a curse than a cure for humanity’s ills. Empathy skills will often matter far more than coding skills. Institutes of Technology where a priesthood becomes obsessed with the gizmoficiation of life will be seen as a barbaric development. (And teaching kids imperative programming languages, which cannot easily be reasoned about in the abstract, will be seen as the height of irresponsibility.)   My advice to my own daughters will be clear: don’t feel like you need to go to university. Being a “monomath” is boring. I spent a lot of my degree reading The Economist (when it was still worth reading), and cruising the early Usenet to reflect on atheism and body modification subculture. The knowledge universities offer is now readily absorbed by any autodidact as a pure commodity. The credentials are pretty useless (trust me, I’ve got them) as what matters is experience at making your own trail, not following the horde.   If you want to become a great technologist, yes, gain an understanding of the tools you work with. But don’t stop there. Pick up a paintbrush, and express yourself in any way you like. It’s OK to trip off on entheogens to explore your mind. Experiment with your physiology to see how your bio machine works. Go care for disabled children in another country and culture. If you are cisgender, spend time with transgender people. If you’re right-handed, try a day with your left one being primary.   Why? We’re moving away from the industrial era of computing, and into a “biosynthesis” one. This demands new values and mind-sets. In the future economy, only the polymaths will thrive.

December 19, 2016

Work, craft and art. It's great if you can combine those and earn a living from that labour of love.

December 18, 2016

Have been thinking long and hard about introverts and extroverts. No conclusions yet.

December 17, 2016

Productive today 😊

December 16, 2016

Very weary today.

December 15, 2016

Ah, the medical profession. So many service opportunities for "retail practice" and hospitals. It should be easy by now - just give us what we get from other "service providers" like on-line "stuff" and shopping centres - a clean, fun and easy way to give you our money.

December 14, 2016

Thought provoking words from a great writer ... " ... never look at an older person and dismiss them because they’re infirm or slow. That individual may have gone through hells you can’t imagine and be a vessel of wisdom beyond anything you can comprehend." by Stephen Pressfield from a new book "The Knowledge"

December 13, 2016

The carawong call in the morning. A wonderfull start to an Australian day.

December 12, 2016

The joy of grandchildren is pure.

December 11, 2016

When your life is really on the line, thinking "different" is so much easier. Pretend it really is "life and death" - sense what happens.

December 10, 2016

The rush through life. Slower sometime. Fast is fun. Slow is special, enjoy it.

December 09, 2016

What is achievement? Perhaps it is but growth without pain.

December 08, 2016

New ISP modem needed a tech support call and then it connected automatically?! Seems faster, tests faster, all good. Dodo better than Telstra, who would have thought? Tech support very friendly and efficient at Dodo 😊✅

December 07, 2016

In the process of changing my ISP. These guys "Cannot be serious, man"! Very frustration filled and overly complex? Maybe it's me, too many high expectations?

December 06, 2016

Revising exercises. Going for two fifteen minute physical sessions a day and two mind sessions too - morning and evening. With walking!

December 05, 2016

Finally got FB - with a connection to a family of a late work mate. RIP John. I really do mourn, still.

December 04, 2016

Wallabies lost - they did win more than they lost this tour, which is great. Well done Wallabies! Thought for the day - Win more than you "don't win". You only "lose" if you don't learn. I like those two 😉. Hopefully the Wallabies and their staff have learned a lot whilst on this tour.

December 03, 2016

Wallabies v England tonight, could be a bloodbath?! Got the music keyboard last night, "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" is the start 😊

December 02, 2016

Been very busy the last few weeks. Today, quietly effective and efficient. Feels different. Feels great.

December 01, 2016

When you finally "get it" everything changes. I recently, really "got", that I have less time ahead of me than I have already had, on this planet. This has changed me. For the better I hope.

November 30, 2016

These are my most precious - honesty, family, peace, prosperity and community.

November 29, 2016

When you have limited time, focus becomes most important.

November 28, 2016

Great family day yesterday at the mini steam trains at Edgeworth, NSW. Worth a visit, last Sunday of every month except December.

November 27, 2016

Wallabies loose 😩 Sunday, funday - train party today, hope the rain stays away.

November 26, 2016

Health, wealth and happiness. The first two are the easy ones.

November 25, 2016

Life is good, planning to keep it thus.

November 24, 2016

When your life, as you have known it, is on the line, effecive efficiency, becomes very important.

November 23, 2016

Garden and thinking morning. Then the neuro man. It is so good to deal with wise, competant people.

November 22, 2016

Amazingly great TV on the ABC last night. Thanks so much.

November 21, 2016

Thinking economics. Remember - "It's all about the money, always." I'll take that one.

November 20, 2016

Wallabies win! Great Seth Godin quote ... a great question to ask yourself ... ".. What do you care enough about that you're prepared to expose yourself to fear, risk and hard work to get?". I would like to put that in the active ... Expose yourself to fear, risk and hard work in all you find meaningfull.

November 19, 2016

Lots of work and no exercise till very late. Sensing that is bad!

November 18, 2016

Did late Feldenkrais last night and again this morning. Can sense and feel the difference 😊

November 17, 2016

Doing Feldenkrais works. Today no Feldenkrais and then some pain. Will do some Feldenkrais late today.

November 16, 2016

Back on iOS using voice to text. Which is better! And I'm sitting cross-legged, which is good!

November 15, 2016

Using a Mac this morning for a change. Sometimes the old ten finger typing on a keyboard is like putting on an old pair of shoes - fells great and a little stiff but there is great support?

November 14, 2016

More Feldenkrais understanding and exercise.

November 13, 2016

Just had a great swim and walk at Fingal Bay, NSW. Water cold, sun beautiful. Been doing and reading Feldenkrais - truly incredible!

November 12, 2016

Always thought the brain was the most important organ. No longer do I think that! It's the body and the nervous system, stupid brain.

November 11, 2016

Rememberance Day for the "war to end all wars" after that 1914 - 1918 "Great" war? Why are we then still fighting wars in 2016?

November 10, 2016

Trump elected in USA. What will that change in the World next year? It could be positive. Let's assume positive improvements for all.

November 09, 2016

Expectations of service delivery levels is so subjective. Hospitals could learn a lot from retail. Lots of opportunities.

November 08, 2016

It's only when you are sick that "well" feels so very good.

November 07, 2016

Recognition is soothing to the soul. Thank you!

November 06, 2016

Family and birthday - so much fun and joy. And the Wallabies had a big win in Wales 😉

November 05, 2016

"Rejoice don't Resent". Now there's a bumper sticker! Remember where you saw that first?

November 04, 2016

Healthy Feldenkrais body and no resentments - that will be a true miracle. Working on that.

November 03, 2016

Telling people about Feldenkrais exercise is very interesting. Not much interest in miracles it would seem?!

November 02, 2016

The "mind body thing"? What does it mean? My body is so much better after some months of exercise. And no back pain for a month. And my mind is a whole lot better. For the first time, I am thinking, the body not the mind, is the place to start.

November 01, 2016

Tidy your life, do your chores, organise your artefacts, care for your body, free your mind, let your soul soar.

October 31, 2016

Thinking about, livining in, or worrying about the past, has no future. "Do good now" - to build a better life and a better, future life.

October 30, 2016

"Eager to learn". That's the only needed requirement.

October 29, 2016

The body and all it's magic with the mind and brain, that's me. What will I do with that? Everything!

October 28, 2016

Always thought it was about the brain first. Am thinking now it's the body!?

October 28, 2016

Always thought it was about the brain first. Am thinking now it's the body!?

October 27, 2016

Have listened to background Jazz for a day. Finding that most pleasant?! Feldenkrais and Jazz - dementia begone.

October 26, 2016

I have missed the whole "music thing". I'm going to make music matter more in my life, started yesterday.

October 25, 2016

Music and dementia some awareness yesterday. Music seems very important. Opportunities galore.

October 24, 2016

A very reflective morning around music. Enjoying the day and the weather, it's just perfect.

October 23, 2016

Health and economics are the two most important things in life.

October 22, 2016

Youth is the start of a journey to wisdom. Wisdom takes courage to aquire and time. You are young for a long time and wise for such a short period.

October 21, 2016

What is inspired leadership? Followers willing to do almost anything and to "die" for you.

October 20, 2016

Shared my Feldenkrais "miracle" a bit yesterday. A good review from a great leader. Some good food for thought. Ageement to outcomes is still too fuzzy?

October 19, 2016

It all starts with a healthy body, then the mind and hopefully a great soul.

October 18, 2016

Birthdays are a great time for reflection and remembering.

October 17, 2016

Have been trying to understand more about Feldenkrais. Studying "Somatics - Reawaking the Mind's Control of Movement, Flexibility and Health" by Thomas Hanna.