I'm trying real hard to be the shepherd

I have done many things that I'm not proud of. I feel I have done fewer and fewer of those as I get older. And I hope that one day I may do enough good things to outweigh the harm that I've done.

In the early years perhaps we have the excuse of being easily led or forced to survive. But at some point a person needs to ask themselves the question "do I want to be a good person or not?"

An old lecturer who became a boss and a friend died the other week. Sure, we had our ups and downs but at the time of my reckoning I hope the verdict will be the same as mine of him. A good man. This is a work in progress.

As I consider the ball tampering cricket disgrace I am reminded of the brilliant scene late in Pulp Fiction, where Ringo and Yolanda have held up a breakfast Diner. They found they picked the wrong target. In some ways I am driven by the same urge for redemption as Jules Winfield - but I'm way, way less cool.

Sure, I am always doing things that other people don't like (and that's often more about them than me) but in the big picture - "I'm trying real hard to be the shepherd"



Because there was this..



And then this..

If you're not happy with where you are being slotted then reinvent yourself

Quite often the limitations that we have are ones that we have allowed other people to foist upon us.

If we aren't happy being slotted as a production line worker, a barista, a librarian, or "an easy option if all else fails" then we should move ourselves to a space where those descriptions don't apply.

Sure, that means leaving the comfort of the familiar and it involves risk, but "if it's to be then it's up to me". And when the people who have risen to the top of their little ladder realise that you are simply not playing in their domain then you receive the quiet satisfaction of simply having moved on.

If "the best revenge is living well" then watching the past recede in the rear vision mirror must be one of life's simple pleasures.

Memories of a job I didn't take

I remember when I had a friend that asked me to become involved in a research project with state government.

I went and priest up the project and it's got quite a bit noisy. I could smell vested interests coming from any direction I care to choose.

It was at this coffee shop at my friend asked me to come out and have a chat. And she told me that I must avoid taking the job because it would be a disaster for me.

I had sort of worked that one out, and was looking to find a way to extract myself from the job without causing her pain. So it all worked out pretty darn well.

Winners and Losers: Life is not a competition, but it's a game

A person was saying yesterday that life is not a competition. I think I agree with that but I think they didn't have a complete understanding of the situation.

One of my young friends said "you know I found the only people who say that life is not a competition are the ones who aren't winning at it". Perhaps a little harsh. [Shoutout buddy - a little poetic licence.]

Because there are winners and losers. But life's not a competition, it's a game. And the beauty of the game is that the players get to choose what they wish to be scored on.

The beauty there, is that everybody can be a winner in the game of life. If you choose your scoreboard to be a happy family life and fantastic grandchildren and achieve it, then you're a winner. If you choose your scoreboard to be simply how many dollars you have in the bank when you die, and finish with a large balance, then you're a winner. Who am I to critique your choice of scoreboard?

So life is not a competition, it's a game. And we can all be winners. So if you don't feel like you are winning, then pick another scoreboard.