Kia ora e te whanau
Personal and Leadership Resources
50+ years ago I started my working life in the Quantity Surveying office of the Ministry of Works in Dunedin. Eventually, I was given my first ‘Adjustment’ job – managing variations to a contract from the QS perspective. It was, naturally, a small contract. After a couple of months the boss invited me into his office to see how I was getting on. It was awful! I couldn’t find anything when I needed it. My crowning memory was of the heat rising through my collar at the back of my neck – it was an exercise in humiliation. I resolved that it would never happen again. Against my natural inclination, I became the most organised person in the office, running many contracts and always able to lay my hand immediately on any piece of documentation as I needed it.
I’ve reached a similar inflection point. I spent a day sorting out my study/office. This included emptying two drawers from my filing cabinet, and re-purposing them from personal to UCANZ stuff.
And, to follow this theme, I have a few articles I’ve reviewed to share with you
11 of the Best Methods for Decluttering
The magic of this article is that it offers 11 separate methods, from 11 different ‘experts’, on what has worked for them. As an inveterate hoarder I’ve found myself doing a bit of a ‘pick and mix’. Use what works for you:
It can be read here: https://lifehacker.com/home/best-decluttering-methods?utm_source
And this next one is brilliant!
5 time-saving habits
I’ve already started to put a few of the pointers into action – including having bought myself a $15 timer at Mitre 10.
It can be read here: https://www.homesandgardens.com/solved/time-saving-organizing-tips
Finally, since I’ve recently entered my 70th year, the issues of mortality have become significantly front and centre, and I’m wanting to spend the time remaining to me as ‘usefully’ as I’m able. Three years ago, I lived against a hill which, for nearly three decades, had provided a wonderful venue for vigorous exercise. Now, I live in the middle of a plane and I’ve blimped out somewhat. I don’t like it, I don’t feel good, and I’m resolved to change. The following article reminded me of the value of HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) – which was easy living next to a hill, with steps and steep tracks. I’ve realised I can apply to the same principle to pedaling my old MTB around the rural blocks Lincoln is surrounded by. Here’s the article’s headline –
Neuroscience Says 6 to 10 Minutes a Day Can Make You Smarter, More Focused, and Even Increase the Size of Your Brain
While this might not sound much to be about exercise, this article by Jeff Haden is all about exercise – a particular form of exercise, which we can all do – we may simply need to use a little bit of lateral thinking to settle on what might work for us. While what he suggests clearly has significant positive benefits, his primary motivation is to do what he can to avoid the dementia that became a feature of his father’s life. I get that. The article can be read here: https://www.inc-aus.com/jeff-haden/neuroscience-says-6-to-10-minutes-a-day-can-make-you-smarter-more-focused-increase-size-of-your-brain.html
Homilies
Trevor Hoggard focuses on Trinity Sunday, drawing on the texts – Romans 8:12-17, and John 3:1-17. He provides a very useful (interesting, and informative) explanation of how the Trinity was revealed in the early church, and its transformative effect. Trevor’s sermon can be experienced here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0315DlHNack
My response to the Gospel text of John 3 vs 1-17 is titled ‘Born again, again’. As I’ve described it, this is a consideration of the ‘born again’ contrasted with and including the ‘born from above’ translation in this most well known of texts, and the implications of changing the way we understand it. It can be experienced here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4oNa8WnNDs