Third Thought Deck: Give Way

21st of March ~

Dispatch from Sydney

17th of March ~

How did I not know that Sydney is one the of the best cities in the entire world?  It was never high on my list of places to visit but I am here now (lucky me!) and I am dazzled by the beauty, ease and culture.

The Culture

The DNA of the city is colonialism with penal colony.  The aboriginal inhabitants were decimated when the Europeans arrived and endured centuries of ill treatment (see Rabbit-Proof Fence for instance.  The Prime Minister formally apologized recently.  Today there is enormous respect for the oldest continuing indigenous culture.

But getting back to the penal colony.  Overcrowded prisons, like Newgate, needed somewhere new to send their not-as-wicked criminals once the Americans declared their independence.  Plus they hoped to colonize the place.  Personally I think they might have eased up on the harshness of the punishments–stealing a horse is a hanging offense?  Stealing some bread sends a 9-year-old to Australia for seven years?   Still, over they came along with the soldiers to guard them.  Prisoners on one side–here’s a nice rocky spot for you to build your new home.  Soldiers and gentry on the other side of the Tank Stream. They nearly starved the first two years but eventually the settlement flourished.

200 years later, that plucky, rule-breaking, solve-the-problem DNA is still evident…alongside a collectivist society.  It’s an intriguing combo.  We are audacious but we stick together.

The Beauty

I haven’t been everywhere but this is the most beautiful harbor I’ve experienced.  We can walk all around it on thoughtfully placed paths.  Mass transit is world-class–especially ferries!!  The sun shines.  It’s safe.  And I learned part of the secret yesterday:  After an outbreak of the plague in the early 1900s the government decided to do a major overhaul: clean up the rubbish, ensure clean drinking water and hire rat-catchers.  They also decided to buy up the area known as The Rocks (remember that hospitable site they gave to the convicts) for a million dollars.  Now the government manages the property and tenants have long-term leases.  The result is a cohesive and thoughtful development of the area.  No runaway pillaging here!

Playful

Who doesn’t love meeting Australians when they travel?  I remember hanging out with lots of them in my brief back-packing days.  They are jolly and friendly AND they speak English.  Who wouldn’t be happy?  In ten minutes you can be on one of dozens of beaches in the city.  On Day One we visited Bondi Beach.  Hello!  15 minutes from the Central Business District.

While there we had a brief chat with the owner of this magnificent vehicle:

Features included:

  • completely waterproof
  • windproof to 50 knots
  • satellite reception
  • configurable inside and extremely spacious
  • industrial-strength poles for shading and stability

He proudly likened his bus to a Swiss-army knife.  I liked the fact that it’s so whimsical.  Overall a fine example of innovation: creative and useful.  And uniquely Australian.

Cheers!

The Happiness Project

10th of March ~

“It is easy to be heavy: hard to be light.” G. K. Chesterton

I am a huge fan of Gretchen Rubin.  First, I followed her blog and now I’m buying multiple copies of The Happiness Project and sharing it with friends and family.  Why do I like her book so much?

Structure

Gretchen was trained as an attorney and later realized that she really wanted to be a writer.  With several books to her credit and an orderly mind she approached her quest for greater happiness with admirable organization.  From her Twelve Personal Commandments and Four Splendid Truths to the monthly areas of focus she addresses multiple aspects of positive psychology.

Practicality

She alludes to the research but she doesn’t dwell on it.  This is not a book for academics.  This is a book for people who want actionable ideas.  Each month, for her Happiness Project, she selected an area of focus.  Each of the areas was broken down into several sub-topics.  Her objectives are tangible.  She writes:

Resolutions work better when they’re concrete, not abstract: it’s harder to keep a resolution to “Be a more loving parent” than to “Get up fifteen minutes early so I’m dressed before the kids wake up.”

Honesty

Like my other memoir heroine, Elizabeth Gilbert, Gretchen writes with personal voice.  She takes a frank look in the mirror and doesn’t whitewash her faults.  She shares a lame drawing from her first day in an art class and describes her cranky moments in detail.  I liked her better for her foibles.

Inspiration

She’s clearly struck a chord with readers because Happiness Project groups are popping up all over.  She is generous with her tools and has created a Happiness Toolbox site.

Finally, I felt she understood a dynamic that I’ve often experienced in my life: the tendency to underrate enthusiastic people.  In November she has a resolution to “Give Positive Reviews”.

Giving positive reviews requires humility.  I have to admit, I missed the feelings of superiority that I got from using puncturing humor, sarcasm, ironic asides, cynical comments, and cutting remarks.  A willingness to be pleased requires modesty and even innocence–easy to deride as mawkish and sentimental.

Yup.  Love this book.

A Nifty Photography Project

5th of March ~

I am an avowed Francophile and through Head Butler I was led to this yummy blog.  The author also posted a video showing how she creates a perpetual photo calendar.

If you’re not a photographer you can buy her beautiful calendar from her Etsy shop.

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