We should take wandering outdoor walks (Seneca)

Wie geht's?

I'm with Seneca!

Walking is good for many things. When I walk I am more aware of my surroundings, and more conscious of my thoughts and my breathing.

Recently, we watched She Said - a movie on Netflix (highly recommended btw) about two New York Times reporters investigating Harvey Weinstein's sexual abuse of women, Woodward and Bernstein style. There is a lot of walking around involved and an important moment is when Ashley Judd (appearing as herself) makes a key decision after going for a run.

In the past, if I've felt stressed or overwhelmed, I've taken a walk. If I've had a tough problem to solve or a key decision to make, I've taken a walk (Nietzsche says that it is only ideas gained from walking that have any worth).

If I've needed to clear my head or had to make an important phone call, I've taken a walk.

Apart from that, it's about the only exercise I can do these days (running days are long gone), Jacky and I have good discussions on our walks, and I have found that it frees up my back pain quite well too.

I have certainly missed doing it on the painting days of late, and winter weather makes it a bit more difficult to be motivated to put on my walking shoes, but those are only barriers if I let them be.

Love and peace - Wozza

Taking different roads (Joy Division)

Photo by Mark König on Unsplash

Wie geht's?

It's been an interesting week of gardening, painting, water-blasting, after a morning ritual of watching the day's UEFA European Championship football games live.

I've also read a couple of books, listened to a heap of records (currently bingeing on Genesis albums).

I am a routine guy, remember. 

A recent post spoke of crossroads. Clearly, I have moved on from one particular crossroad by resigning from my job.

Where am I at currently?

Paulo Coelho in Maktub has an interesting view -

The master says:  

Whenever paths cross, two powerful energies coalesce - the path that will be chosen and the path that will be abandoned. Both become a single path, but only for a very brief period of time...the pilgrim must carry on and never think of the path not taken.

Great reminder!

Love and peace - Wozza

Look what midnight's done to me (Hammond Gamble)

Wie geht's?

Post resignation and it will take a little while to come down from the helter skelter brain heavy days that were my usual day to day. Also need to get used to the past tense, I almost wrote - are my usual day to day.

The UEFA Euro 2024 games are helping with the transition.

Three games a day in the morning is the current pool game schedule.

England won their first game against Serbia with a Jude Bellingham goal in the 13th minute. From then on they huffed and puffed but couldn't get a second and Serbia did okay but they don't have a Jude Bellingham.

Harry Kane may be knocking the ball in the net at Bayern Munich for fun, but he was a non-factor in this game.

Saka earned his spot with a great first half and Rice was dominant throughout. Arsenal F.C. By far the greatest team the world has ever seen.

So June and early July are sorted for early morning activities.

The rest of the day can then be devoted to a list of jobs that need doing to make Maple Grove attractive to buyers. We are planning to downsize and move to Taranaki - the siren call of the sea you see.

Love and peace - Wozza

There is no keeper but the key (up there is a wall of possibilities), except of one who seizes possibilities (Patti Smith)

Photo by Katie Moum on Unsplash

Wie geht's?

Warning! This post contains: Fencing. Fighting. Torture. Poison. True love. Hate. Revenge. Giants. Hunters. Bad men. Good men. Beautiful ladies. Snakes. Spiders. Beasts of all natures and descriptions. Pain. Death. Brave men. Coward men. Strongest men. Chases. Escapes. Lies. Truths. Passion. Miracles.

Nothing like a good build up is there? That one's from The Princess Bride in case you hadn't picked it.

Why the big build up? Coz I have BIG NEWS!

I resigned from my Principal position this week, without a safety net, so I'm experiencing a mixture of sadness (I really loved the people I worked with), guilt (leaving those great people behind), excitement (heading into the unknown), and anxiety (heading into the unknown). Those emotions have come in waves this week.

I've been at OneSchool Global for eight years, and this is my sixth year at the Hastings' campus. I'm conservative at heart, so resigning is a big step for me.  

That said, leaving a job without having secured a new position is something I've done three times before. Twice when contracts came to the end in the Middle East and thirdly returning from England early in 2019.

Each time, something happened, and I got back in the saddle. I am, like, so not ready to retire, so I'm super excited about what lies ahead.

I think a lot of that attitude comes from being a boomer. My Millennial children love to tease me and Jacky about being boomers, but we come from that post World War 2 generation that has a great can-do work ethic Gen X and Millennials often ignore. 

We grew up feeling there was a great new world out there to explore. The sixties and seventies were our years of possibility and expansion. There was revolution in the air, great mind expanding music, a world-is-your-oyster mindset and no limits, baby. 

Let me at 'em,  I'm not done yet!

Love and peace - Wozza (giz-a-job!)

¿Yo me enfrio o lo soplo? (The Clash)

Photo by Adrien Delforge on Unsplash

Wie geht's?

Great scenario and question from Seth Godin:

There are three people in line at the supermarket. One gets into a short line and sticks to it no matter how slow it is or how much faster the others seem to be going. Another changes lines repeatedly based on whatever he thinks might save a few seconds. And a third switches only once - when it's clear her line is delayed and there is a clear alternative - and then continues with her day.

The question is - which type are you?

I'm definitely that third person, Jacky is also.

Which is lucky, because Seneca advises us to be this third type.

Just because you've begun down one path doesn't mean you're committed to it forever, especially if that path turns out to be flawed or impeded.

Love and peace - Wozza

I am a rock, I am an island (Simon and Garfunkel)

Wie geht's?

Paulo Coelho's Maktub has been a huge source of comfort and advice already. It's maybe the only book I can think of that I started re-reading immediately after finishing it. I have over 30 pages bookmarked to come back to in the future.

This excerpt has come in handy lately:

'What qualities make the best swordsman?' asked the warrior.

'Go to the field near the monastery,' said the master. 'There you will find a rock. Insult it.'

'Why should I do that?' asked the disciple. 'The rock won't answer me back.'

'Then attack it with your sword,' said the master.

'I won't do that either,' said the disciple. 'My sword will break. And if I attack it with my bare hands, I'll hurt my fingers, and all for nothing. My question was: What qualities make the best swordsman?

'The best swordsman is the one who most resembles that rock.' said the master. 'Without even unsheathing its sword, it manages to show that no one can defeat it.'

Love and peace - Wozza