Time Archives - Page 80 of 88

Convergence Ahead

Posted on December 19, 2020

Life might eventually get a little sterile. Now it may take 50 or 100 years, or even longer. However, I can start to see greater convergence ahead.

With technology quickly changing the landscape many modern norms may well disappear. Getting a learners permit to drive a car may no longer be a right of passage for the teenager. Uber and then driverless cars will do away with that exciting option.

Many of the jobs for teens may also disappear. For example, no paper routes because soon all information will be communicated electronically. Not simply because it is is cheaper and more efficient. But the climate change and ecological benefits of not felling 100’s of millions of trees and blotting them with ink every year have got to be obvious.

We will have explored, modelled, tried and had feedback on just about everything over the next decades. There will be little left to explore on Earth. From the land to the oceans, Earth’s core and even history. It will have been explored and decided upon. That is what will be taught in schools, if those continue to exist.

Robots will be doing most things, including making the other robots. I’m not sure what the people will actually be doing. But in 50 years, there may be little left to do.

I can imagine the convergence ahead. Thank goodness for space exploration.

Action Gratitude Observe Time

Festive Festivities

Posted on December 17, 2020

Environment shapes your experience and mood. We drove through London’s West End this week to experience festive festivities. There were amazing lights and decorations on many streets and buildings.

We went in after school one evening. Thankfully it was dry and a pleasant temperature for this time of year. We drove by some historic sites like Harrod’s, all decked out in it’s Christmassy lights. Always a brilliant sight. The Natural History Museum looked its usual, wonderful, gothic self. The V&A loomed large as it does.

Fortnum & Mason was a lot of fun as it was decked out as an advent calendar. Carnaby Street was cool as it should be. Regent street was regal in its lovely silvery lights running the whole length of it. Hamley’s toy store was a wonder with its many floors. Then there was Saville Row, The Burlington Arcade, The Royal Arcade and The Piccadilly Arcade. All lit up in a festive way.

Our favourite area was Old Bond Street with it’s peacock and diamonds approach with feather replicas and well proportioned lights. The shops looked sufficiently seasonal in a less is more kind of way. There were few people and fewer cars and little noise. All were joining to make this a great street on which to end our evening’s walking tour.

Festive festivities like this help get us in the mood for Christmas.

Festive festivities at Fortnum & Mason — Festive Fortnum & Mason

Action Gratitude Observe Time

What Makes The Difference?

Posted on December 16, 2020

With so many varying factors in any given situation, it is often hard to say what led to what. What makes the difference?

Like watching those coin pusher arcade games, you never know which action will bring the result. It looks like everything is on the edge and the next coin will bring the jackpot. Despite never seeing someone win at one of those machines, don’t be disheartened. In life, that level of persistence and optimism can pay off handsomely.

Whether it is buying a house, emigrating or building a career, you need to keep trying and pushing through. Sometimes it takes an extra phone call or document or meeting. However, you won’t necessarily know which one will move you forward.

After the event, if you are fortunate enough to get there, you may look back and think you see the key moment. Though it may simply be a memorable moment, not a defining moment. All the other little things, combined together may have been more important than that memorable event.

All the grinding on the pitch, gaining meters, wearing down the opponent and getting field position may have been the critical work. The final play to get over the goal line was brilliant, necessary and euphoric, but set up by all that came before.

It may seem obvious, but what makes the difference?

Observe Think About It Time

The Randomness Of Life

Posted on December 14, 2020

Look at your best friend, current job, the industry you’re in and your home. Is it exactly as you planned it? The randomness of life is fascinating.

I will guess that most people in their early twenties have barely given a thought to these aspects of their lives. This is especially true if they were asked to project out to when they would be 35 years of age.

How did you find your current best friend? The average person meets about 10,000 people in their lifetime. There are 7.8 billion people on earth. How fascinating that you have a best friend from such a small sample size. And let’s assume that you met half of those people, about 5,000, before the age of 30.

What random event, word or phrase, got you interested in doing your current job? Have you ever wondered which random events occurred earlier in your life to point you into a career in X? You came to be in a certain industry also, which may, or may not, have been by choice

Now consider your home, the location you are in, the type of property and the style of it. You may have looked at only 4-20 properties before selecting one. And those were just the one’s available at the time, that you went to see.

The randomness of life is fascinating.

Action Gratitude Reframe your thoughts Time

Christmas Cheer

Posted on December 13, 2020

It is right around the corner. I hope you have been getting yourself organised. Christmas cheer is starting to build and the excitement of the children is growing with it.

Hard to believe we are coming to the end of the year already. It has been a bit of a strange one. Though it is getting harder to remember just how well everything was going 10-12 months ago.

Thankfully, we are getting into the Christmas spirit. Hopefully cases stay low-ish and people will be allowed to celebrate a little more than some had expected. Less than two weeks to go so you best be getting the final pieces ready.

Although there will be some differences this year, do make an extra special effort to make this a memorable Christmas for good reasons. The good tidings will need to carry us through the three winter months to come. With foreign and even national travel being greatly subdued, no bank holidays and short, dark and damp days ahead, we will need the festive fun to last a while. Even if only in memory.

So break out your best behaviour and your biggest smiles. We will need all the well wishes and positive vibes we can get this year.

Enjoy the Christmas cheer.

Progress Time

Ready To Go!

Posted on December 12, 2020

Hopeful but misplaced optimism. Sometimes this phrase is warranted and other times it is not. Sometimes people are actually ready to go!

It is a funny phrase at times, especially if preceded by, ”just one more thing and then we’re”… Lot’s of times people will say they are ready only to find out that they aren’t really. We do a little bit of that before we head off on a camping trip. There always seems to be a dozen last minute things that need checking or that we haven’t got in the car. A lot of running in and out of the house then ensues.

However, when used as it is intended, as a rallying cry, it can be brilliant. if it is true and said with enthusiasm, it is a great way to start an adventure. It is such a positive and robust sounding phrase. I love it!

A friend and I were laughing recently at how loosely this phrase was being used with respect to a property deal. It gave the illusion that everything was done and just signing was required. However, it still had a long way to go. Many twists and turns and additional requests, challenges and issues were to come.

Thankfully, these seem to have been juggled adeptly.

Now it does seem they are actually, ready to go!

Gratitude Observe Time

A Great Movie

Posted on December 7, 2020

I do enjoy an entertaining film. Although my tastes have changed somewhat over the years, there can be real power in a great movie. Think back to the last movie that you saw that could be considered as such.

We watched something very enjoyable on the weekend called Green Book. It has a 91% score on Rotten Tomatoes and although rated PG-13, our 11 year old was able to enjoy it too.

I thought it was a great movie for so many reasons. There were many instances where I found cause to laugh out loud. It was great to see two people on very different paths in life, showing respect and appreciation for each other. It was also great to see their mutual concern and professionalism.

We all enjoyed seeing how the two men grew from the comments and prodding from each other. There were many moments in the film where you could pause and reflect and feel the situation. That is one kind of film I really enjoy.

Over the upcoming holidays, try to watch a great movie. One that is enjoyable, entertaining and has some valuable messages in it. Maybe it will be one you have already seen, or something you’ve had on your list. If Green Book wasn’t on your list, may I suggest that it gets on there.

Gratitude Health & Fitness Observe Reframe your thoughts Time

Early Morning Benefits

Posted on December 3, 2020

It’s a brilliant time to be awake. Sometimes I forget how nice it is to start a day so peacefully. Early morning benefits include hearing the birds sing and the calmness of the house.

I was up earlier than usual this morning. Something to do with a very large cardboard box, the top bunk and gravity. Let’s just say having an unexpected conversation with my daughter a little after 4 am has brought about a lovely, though unintended, consequence today.

With a dark and calm house, my senses were heightened. Not only could I hear the lovely singing from the birds, but I noticed our kitchen clock ticking away with every second. I also noticed some headphones were not shut off as they made a sound every so often. Not often enough to track them down, but just enough to remind me I still hadn’t found them.

I’m enjoying this calm before the storm. I’ve been able to read, write and consider some things without one interruption. No need to do something, prepare anything, respond to someone or go somewhere. It is great to have this time to wake up and start the day at a pace often reserved for the fourth day of a holiday.

By 06:50, I have written my blog and the kids are heading down to the kitchen for breakfast.

Enjoy your early morning benefits.

Observe Reframe your thoughts Time

How Well Do You Really Know Someone?

Posted on November 30, 2020

It’s interesting to think about how much you actually know about other people. How well do you really know someone? What constitutes knowledge?

Being involved in a birthday call the other day brought this back to the forefront of my mind. I had been thinking about this a lot recently. On the Zoom call, we got to learn about details of the other people. That can be really interesting.

Often we can be familiar with someone but not really know much about them. You may know what they think about current affairs or favourite holiday destinations. However, do you know where they were born, who taught them how to ride a bike and what their favourite courses were in school and why?

Time is short so we are often discussing other people’s opinions about the news of the day. However, we do not go deep on the person and their life. This can be quite interesting though. Is it better to understand how someone would vote or how they spent their teen years?

Are you aware of all the details of the lives of your friends and family? Perhaps it would be better to find out more while they are alive. Maybe it would be better to talk about their life rather than the news, next time you see them.

How well do you really know someone?

Observe Think About It Time

Now More Than Ever

Posted on November 28, 2020

There are a number of overused phrases and cases of hyperbole in the world at the moment. Perhaps it is occurring now more than ever. ?

This phrase came up while I was reading an article the other day. It noted that, now, more than any other time in history, all people needed to be ‘civically engaged and fight for what’s right’.

I find this to be a throw-away phrase. I doubt the person has thought about what that means. It then makes me wonder whether their other comments will be similar. That ‘add familiar phrase here’ type of writing can be quicker or easier to write. But it may not have as much thoughtful depth as it could have.

I try to consider various reader perspectives when I write – it’s my six chairs test, (in my 24 April 2020 post). Sometimes that means it takes longer to complete the article. However, hopefully it leads to a more accurate delivery of the key thoughts I am having.

I am pretty sure the author meant that she felt it was quite important for people to engage now. I would be surprised if she thought that people had to fight more now for what is right, during this time of relative peace, prosperity, greater equality and improved understanding. Or did she mean we needed to fight more so now than during WW I or II, the US Civil War, the Cold War, or the civil rights movement?

Now more than ever?