A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool (William Shakespeare)

Wie geht's?

After a rough day (sometimes you eat the bear, sometimes the bear eats you!) it is always good to reflect on James Clear's advice:

"The list of mistakes you can never recover from is very short.

But you likely realize your life will not be destroyed if your book doesn’t sell or if a potential date turns you down or if your startup goes bust. It’s not the failed outcome that paralyzes us. It’s the possibility of looking stupid, feeling humiliated, or dealing with embarrassment that prevents us from getting started at all.

The first step to being courageous is being willing to look foolish."

Love and peace - Wozza

Can I see your sweet sweet smile? (Neil Young)

Wie geht's?

Sunday in NZ usually includes a family zoom with our children dispersed around the world (Keegan/China; Samantha/USA; Adam/Australia; Jade/NZ) except Adam and Ashleigh arrive in NZ today and join us, along with Jade and Asher, at Maple Grove next week.

That will be cool to have two of the four with us again. Sadly Keegan and Samantha remain in their respective countries.

Getting the band back together is now extremely tricky (even on zoom!) and we miss having easy access to them. But - that's the situation. They are living their lives.

No one prepares you for this bit - the growing up and away of your children. I have a fresh appreciation of how my parents felt when I finally left the family home to go flatting and then moved to New Plymouth to start my first job (where I met Jacky and four children and thirty-ish years later - here I am with this realisation - insert a melancholy smiley face emoji here).

Samantha had her birthday celebrations in NZ and America in the last week, so this post is dedicated to her and her sweet sweet smile.

Love and peace - WNP

Strike first! Strike hard! No mercy (Cobra Kai)

Wie geht's?

I've been out of sorts of late - combination of a head cold and second Covid-19 jab.

Energy reserves have been at a lowish ebb - like those rain reservoirs that decrease without rain. 

I needed some rain, maan!

That doesn't mean the demands change though. Work continues at a relentless pace, home chores don't go away, and my routines and habits require observance. Tough ole life innit!

The people around me are great though. Colleagues at work and family keep me grounded and on track.

Result being that I feel my drive and determination to do well reviving. Slowly.

Culture wise: Jacky and I have been enjoying the return to the eighties with Cobra Kai on Netflix.

Full on cheese and we can predict the plot shifts a few episodes in advance but that doesn't make it any less enjoyable. Actually - it helps! 

Star of the show is John Lawrence (played by William Zabka) - as Daniel Larusso's nemesis. Zabka's performance is spot on.

Nice too, that the show finds room for many of the original Karate Kid cast.

As the energy returns, the show is the perfect accompaniment.

Love and peace - Sensai Wozza

Old man look at my life, I'm a lot like you were (Neil Young)

John Moeses Bauan on Unsplash

Wie geht's?

While reading last weekend, I noticed an interesting resonating thread between 366 Days With Wisdom (Venerable Master Hsing Yun) and Saturday (novel by Ian McEwan). 

First from 366 Days - May 7:

In childhood, we should correct ourselves frequently,

In youth, we should face ourselves seriously,

In adulthood, we should expand ourselves widely,

In old-age, we should perfect ourselves completely.

And in Saturday, McEwan has his main character (Henry Perowne) make the following discovery when reacquainted with his daughter Daisy after a 6 month absence:

This is the pain-pleasure of having newly adult children; they're innocent and ruthless in forgetting their sweet old dependence.

That perspective reached from an older age is an interesting one to ruminate upon. The stages of growth and learning are nicely summarised by Hsing Yun, and I like that it's a learning process that doesn't have an end point.

McEwan has a nice way with him as well. His writing is finely honed but glides on by in an easy style. I'll have to look out for more of his novels.

Love and peace - Wozza

Makes it kind of quiver down in the core 'cause you're dreamin' of them Saturdays that came before, and now you're stumblin', you're stumblin' onto the heart of Saturday night (Tom Waits)

Wie geht's?

All roads lead to memories of England this week.

First I happened across McVities Digestives in our local New World foodmarket. Now if anything is going to make me nostalgic for times in England - that's it right there! Two digestives with Olivani in the middle! Woah Nelly!! So good.

Secondly, I'm reading Ian McEwan's Saturday (thanks to Julie for the loan). Named so, because all the 'action' takes place on one day - the main character's Saturday comings and goings around London. It's excellent. Ian McEwan is a talented writer.

Thirdly, I walked into the second hand bookshop in Waipukarau looking for more books by him (they didn't have any) when I saw this large print of a London street scene with a red double decker bus featured. It's a print I've seen before in IKEA (made in Poland of all places). So - interesting how it came to be in Waipuk! After some haggling I walked away with it.

It's now on the wall in Asher's bedroom. Looking super fine!

Tirrah Chuck. Love and peace - Wozza

Move on over stand astride, my cruise control's in overdrive (Little Feat)

Photo by Emma Matthews Digital Content Production on Unsplash

Wie geht's?

The return to work this week after the massive high of a two week break (that included our trip to Taupo and Asher's second birthday) has been a tad challenging, I must admit.

No more popping on a record and catching time to read/blog/garden and so on. I'm not usually a big fan of vacations because they play havoc with my daily routines, but this one was both very much needed and well used!

Instead, a return to more spartan rations, regular exercise (walking around the Sports Park next door at lunchtime), daily two hour commutes and nightly exhaustion are back on the table.

Who knows what's good or bad!

I need to eat less, exercise more, think more, use my brain and skills more. Right?

So, I'm pleased to be back in harness, in the old bib and tucker, ready for a ten week sprint through Term 2.

Love and peace - Wozza