Zen Moments

“It is my intention to work into each of my lectures … one lie”

One of my favorite professors in college was a self-confessed liar.
I guess that statement requires a bit of explanation.
The topic of Corporate Finance/Capital Markets is, even within the world of the Dismal Science, (Economics) an exceptionally dry and boring subject matter, encumbered [...]

“I hugged him every time he asked the question – 21 times – my innocent little boy…”

A Father and Son sit together in the garden – a touching reminder of the need for patience as our parents get older…
A short (5 minute) Greek film made in 2007. Directed by Constantin Pilavios.
Some versions on YouTube have a [...]

Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture.

Professor Randy Pausch gave his last lecture at the Carnegie Mellon University on Sept. 18, 2007, before a packed auditorium. In this moving presentation, “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams,” he talked about lessons he has learned in life and gave advice to students on how to achieve their own career and personal [...]

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life”

Commencement address by Steve Jobs
CEO of Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios
Given to graduates of Stanford University, June 12, 2005 (Duration: 15 mins)
“I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and no idea how college was going to help [...]

“It is through this creative process that we love and are loved…”

I want to write about the great and powerful thing that listening is. And how we forget it. And how we don’t listen to our children, or those we love. And least of all – which is so important, too – to [...]

“It was palpable… I could feel his words…”

I had an amazing thing happen last week. It all started with an innocent email from an old friend sharing a highly “web-circulated” story of miraculous magnitude. I may have seen this story before, seemed familiar, but this time “The Cab Ride I’ll Never Forget” hit me like [...]

“If you’ve practised with the small things,
you’ll be able to deal with the big things.”

This one stopped me in my tracks. The Abbot said he was going to get his sleeping bag dry-cleaned, and I thought “Mine could really do with cleaning too”.
So I asked him “Could we get my sleeping bag dry-cleaned as well?”

I [...]

“The music takes me away…”

As with many of us, music provides a wonderful means of escape for me. No matter what mood I’m in, I can always find a song that helps “accentuate the positive” or “eliminate the negative.”  I can sing golden oldies, gospel songs, show tunes, pop hits or something I just [...]

“If you’re going to be robbing people for the rest of the night,
you might as well take my coat to keep you warm…”

This is the amazing story of social worker, Julio Diaz, who was on his way home one evening. His normal routine was to get off the train one stop early, to visit his [...]

“He has said to us that we can keep it!”

Elusive artist Banksy has made his own addition to the collection of Gallery 49 in the British Museum. A drawing in the style of prehistoric cave art showing a caveman with a shopping trolley, appeared alongside finds from 4th Century Roman Britain.
A British Museum spokeswoman [...]