In an ancient, whispering forest, where every root held memory and every branch bore witness, lived an owl named Orla. She was old, older than any feathered creature could remember, and wise in the way only those who have…

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The other week, I went to The End of the Golden Weather at the new Court Theatre. The play, Bruce Mason’s moving monologue about childhood summers and growing up, was brilliantly performed. I’d never been to a Mason play…

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The other day I started chatting to someone about AI. A natural-enough thing to do these days, right? The difference here was that said individual was of the tin-foil-hat wearing brigade and, given that fact, had a perspective that…

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The other day, a photo came up on Facebook that took me down one of those memory-filled rabbit holes that seem to crop up from time to time. A friend whom I had spent time hanging out with when…

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A few years ago, I had the opportunity to attend an event in Brussels. Most people, when dropped into the heart of European political power, might take a tour of the EU Parliament, stroll past the Commission’s headquarters, or,…

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This morning I was taking part in a focus group relating to the culture within an organisation I’m involved with. Said organisation is very monochromatic and primarily made up of people much like myself – middle-aged, white, male. In…

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Part of being a professional board member is spending time building rapport with fellow board members and executive teams. Often, this involves getting together for dinner the night before a board meeting. Now, that might sound like a well-paid…

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The other day, I had a board meeting to attend in Wellington. Without even thinking about it, as I landed at Wellington Airport, I took out my phone, opened the Uber app, and summoned a car. I did not…

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The other day a post came up on my Facebook feed. The post in question was from a proud parent celebrating the fact that their offspring had recently obtained an award as a Scout. The teenage progeny stood there,…

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Sometimes, I read something that just makes me angry. I’m trying hard to be more equanimous, but I’m failing dismally. The most recent example was last week when someone sent me an article from one of our more respected…

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