Ooooh the countdown is really on for the release of the latest Harry Potter book.  2 sleeps to go!! Do you remember in the last Harry Potter – The prisoner of Azkaban – how Professor Quirrell was running a class specifically with the intention of helping Harry get over his fear of dementors? And so, [...]

[Read more →]

I have been reflecting on friends who challenge me to do better, be better and be authentic. These arent ordinary friends!!  And I count myself lucky to have a couple who really do challenge me to be the best me I can be.  And when I am wishy washy, or show some fear around something, [...]

[Read more →]

A recent study conducted over eight years in the US has found that people who drink diet soft drinks dont lose weight.  In fact, they gain weight. As reported on my.WebMD.com, the study showed that total soft drink consumption was linked to overweight and obesity – which wasnt surprising.  What was surprising was that when [...]

[Read more →]

Thanks to Darren for sending this to me today – often times these ‘chain emails’ get a bit much, but I love the last sentence in this one… As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn’t supposed to ever let you down probably will. You will have your heart broken [...]

[Read more →]

If you are having one of those days where you just cannot get anything done, I found a really interesting post by Bert Web from Open Loops , offers the following advice, based on information from his two pre-med sons: By mimicking the sympathetic reactions to a threatening environment (sitting up straight, standing, moving quickly, deeper [...]

[Read more →]

Firstly, let me send my prayers to all those affected by the incidents in London.  I hope all your loved ones, friends and colleagues are safe and well, and pray for no further terrorist incidents. But have you noticed today how no one is talking about it?  Well, no-one was wherever I was today (out [...]

[Read more →]

I am just back from a really restful time on Queensland’s glorious Sunshine Coast with my family.  We spent 5 nights up there, in a unit right on the beach – I woke up each morning, rolled over and checked out the surf without my head even leaving the pillow… mmmm bliss. Yes, the first [...]

[Read more →]

My children love to have a family dinner that gets a little rowdy, where we all get a little silly, joke around and laugh till our sides ache.  The more into the fun their father and I get – the happier and more excited and in tune the kids are.  They also love to get [...]

[Read more →]

In this month’s Family Circle magazine, they report on a US survey that says parents make better managers because they communicate well and can juggle multiple tasks.  "The everyday skills parents use at work and in raising children are constantly being finetuned and can make you a better employee and parent," they quote Neil Lebovits [...]

[Read more →]

I found a scary statistic today – The National Centre for Social Economic Modelling (NATSEM) Income and Wealth Report on The Costs of Children in  Australia Today (October 2002) estimate it costs $448,000 in today’s dollars for an average family to bring up two children from birth to the age of 20. I dont even [...]

[Read more →]