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Choice
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Why I hate Meta
I have a love hate relationship with Meta. Mostly hate. Time and time again, the company just keeps giving me reasons to sever my ties with them.
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Ghosts of parallel lives
Just lately, I’ve been haunted by the ghosts of parallel lives. The choices my parents made which opened and closed opportunities, the ones I made, and those that were taken out of my hands.
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Priorities and Posteriorities
I recently learned about the concept of posteriorities, though of course they’ve been around a lot longer than that.
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A change is as good as a holiday
The other day I found myself saying a change is as good as a holiday, and then I wondered, is it really?
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Life Cycles
I’m a little bit sorry to say I’m one of those people who needs habits and routines to get through the day. Or to put it another way, life cycles.
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No man is an island
The poet John Donne was also the Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral, and it was in this role he said โNo man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main…โ
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The good old days – a lamentation
It feels like every company on the planet wants a piece of me – more than I want to give them. Makes me miss the good old days.
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Refining your goals
Today is January 30th. The year is 8% over. It’s time to think about refining your goals.
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Saving not Spending
Christmas is over, the January sales are over, and credit card bills are starting to arrive. It’s time to start thinking about saving not spending.
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Have fun
Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been hearing people say, “have fun.” Which is not the usual thing people say to each other. Or at least, not something I usually hear people say to each other.
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5 ways to help save the environment
You may hold the opinion that it’s not your responsibility. But what serious effort have you seen Government or Business make to help save the environment?
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Deck Declutter
We’ve finally done a deck declutter, setting up a nice space outside to sit and drink coffee or relax and enjoy the quiet.
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The end of the year is nigh…
There are two weeks left until the end of the year. That’s two weeks to close out all those projects you had in mind as you started January. I have to say almost nothing I planned has come to fruition, and I admit to being disappointed by that. Though I wonder what it is that…
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Small Business Saturday
Small Business Saturday is an event in November which takes place between the Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sales to encourage people to shop locally.
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Quitting
Lately I’ve been thinking about quitting. In general, I’m the kind of person that just keeps moving on until the job is done.
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Slow and steady wins the race
The other day, I watched all 36 strangely compelling minutes of a carpet cleaning video in which a man cleans a Persian Carpet, taking it slow and steady.
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Planning for Chaos
The next four to eight weeks are going to be chaotic, with house finishing noise. So I wondered, how can I plan when I know there will be chaos?
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Five stages of dog calling
This morning as we were walking Clever Girl, I heard a woman going through 5 stages of dog calling, and it occurred to me they’re quite similar to Dr. Elisabeth Kรผbler-Ross’s stages of grief.
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Minimally Viable Morning
Trades are visiting so early, I’ve been more or less in my pyjamas and bed hair getting them started, so it’s time for a minimally viable morning.
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Sometimes you just have to start afresh
Looking at what remains of my floor, I’m reminded that sometimes in life you have to cut your losses and start afresh.
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Use it or lose it
The other day I went to my local post box ony to find it wasn’t there. It’s disappointing on so many levels, but guess the old adage “use it or lose it” applies more widely than musculature.
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Being Grateful
Someone, somewhere, more or less, said when life get tough, think of stuff you’re grateful for. I know I’ve written about the little things, for those who worked through Covid, and for being alive. I wanted to write something else
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Easing Back into the Swing of Things
When youโre done with the break, even if you havenโt finished all the tasks you set yourself, you have to get back to into the swing of things.
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Taking a Short Break
I wish I could say we’re taking a short break vacation, but sadly, I’m just taking care of a crap-tonne of pre-renovation stuff behind the scenes.
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Reciprocity, Relationships, and Power
I’ve been thinking more about respect, relationships, and reciprocity. Mainly, as I mentioned, because we’ve started looking at updating the house.
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Iceberg Dead Ahead
Do you sometimes think about what’s coming. Perhaps with a mixed feeling of excitement and dread, all the time thinking there’s an iceberg dead ahead.
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Decluttering and Creativity
We’re in the process of sorting ourselves out for some home renovation. Clearly there’s decluttering involved. And some decluttering creativity as well.
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Thoughtless Shopping and Life
Recently I’ve been thinking that shopping can be a metaphor for life. Not so much the shopping itself, but why we are so thoughtless about the shopping. And living.
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Reset and Take Control
There’s four weeks to Christmas, and five until we greet 2024. It’s time to start thinking about a reset and take control of your life.
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The Defeat of Winter
rching something else, and came across the quote by Robert Haddon (see below) I’ve paraphrased in my haiku – the defeat of winter is necessary for the coming of spring. Very appropriate given we’re at the changeable part of the year – one day summer, the next winter.
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To mastectomy or not
While I don’t need to explain or justify my mastectomy decision, it makes a good opportunity to talk about how (and why) I made my choice, as well planning and long-term thinking can be useful.
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Life Altering Experiences
I’d planned a different post, but life, and life altering experiences, have caught up with me. In particular, I haven’t shaped or trimmed my fingernails for a while, and recently cut one of my fingers with the nail of another.
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The Problems of #GirlMaths
I recently heard about #girlmaths, and it doesn’t make me happy. It involves specious calculations to reduce the cost of clothes/shoes/accessories to free…
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Change is Good or Better
As it turns out June 2023 sucked so much I’m not even going to write about it, just let its memory slip into oblivion. I’m going to talk about change instead, because change is hard, but necessary.
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What to do next?
Lately I’ve been finding myself tired. There’s so much stuff going on I have no idea what to do next.
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The Quest for Peace
A quest for peace often sends you away. Sometimes to a forest or jungle retreat, sometimes to a spa, and sometimes to a city depending on the kind of peace you’re looking for.
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What’s a Good Book Like?
I’ve been reading a lot about book marketing and branding lately, asking the question, what’t a good book like? I even asked friends and colleagues, “how does a book make you feel?”
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More Morning Routine
I’m not sure whether it’s because this is already an unusual year, but I’ve been thinking more about my morning routine. Perhaps because there’s been so little else to pin the days on, and the lazy, langourous, sleepy sense of nothing much happening lasts for about 87 hours per day.
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Injured My Hand
I injured my hand gardening over the Christmas/New Year break – couldn’t type, hold a pencil, paintbrush, or mouse for several weeks.
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Agatha Christie
I’ve been watching Agatha Christie: Lucy Worsley on the Mystery Queen, in which Dr Lucy Worsley OBE tells us that Mrs Christie is not the person we all thought she was.
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The Smell of Woodsmoke
The other day, we took Clever girl for a walk around the neighbourhood. There was a beautiful blue sky, and the temperature was warm, but not too warm, with just a lazy wind. And the smell of woodsmoke.
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Christmas is coming
I saw my first Christmas decorations recently, and I suddenly realised Christmas is coming. It came as quite a surprise.
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There’s been a Data Breach!
“There’s been a Data Breach!” (please imagine the grizzled voice of Taggart’s Detective Chief Inspector Burke).
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Is Your Home Your Castle or Prison?
Recently, I’ve been wondering whether my home is my castle or prison – does it keep me, or do Ikeep it?
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Leaving a Legacy
Just recently, the notion of leaving a legacy keeps coming up again and again as I research and write blog posts and stories. For example, during research for a recent story, I discovered a large oak tree near here (which I’m particularly fond of) was planted sometime around 1870. Planted specifically to shade the house…
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In Case of Doubt
I recently came across an emergency alarm – “in case of emergency, break glass”. A clear and simple instruction, along with a clear and simple action – break the glass.
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When Enough is Enough
Recently, I’ve been a bit short tempered and snappy. Prone to watering eyes at the oddest of occaisions. Thinking enough is enough!
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The Virtues of Leadership
Way back when I was studying for my Masters in Project Management, one of the core (compulsory) units was Leadership. Mainly because Project Managers have to unify short-term teams of people. Most often while they report to a permanent management structure that doesn’t include the team leader. Show them the way, so to speak. I…
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Life With Dog
Check any dog owner’s instagram, tiktok, or whatever feed, you’ll see any number of cute life with dog pictures of dogs doing adorable things.
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Time, Time, Time!
Did you ever wonder how it is that time seemed to last forever when you were young but now you’re old it’s gone before you know it?
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What Was the Question Again?
So much of life involves answering a question, usually presented in an either/or situation. You can choose the red pill or blue pill, not both. And no variants of purple, pink or aqua pills. Only red or blue. But as I recently discovered while searching for creepy images of a woman on her own walking…
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Who are you?
I had my hair cut today. That neatly generic old lady in the mirror didn’t feel like me. “Who are you?” I asked myself.
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Money, Time, and Health
As far as I am concerned, there are three aspects to wealth: money, time and health. As I say in Holistic Personal Finance, the value of money
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Adulting, Accountability & Responsibility
Not long ago, Katy asked for adulting tips, and I made a smart comment about social media. She scornfully suggested no one plans to waste an hour on social media, and that was kind of the point I was messily trying to make.
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Revisiting Just-in-Time Delivery
The concept of just-in-time delivery is essentially having ZERO stock on hand, ordering it when when you need it. In 2015, when I was long-term unemployed, I wrote a post about developing the virtue of Wealth. Essentially, it involved: But, times are changing… In the good old pre-Covid days, it was possible to buy as…
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Ma’aming Me Elderly
Only weeks after my Woman of a Certain Age post, I’ve reached a new miletstone in the race towards elderly, and I thought I’d share it with you.
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What are They Fighting For?
And like many vaccinated people, I’ve been watching the protesters on the news, trying to work out what they’re fighting for. It’s not easy to understand.
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Where did all your friends go?
One of my friends asked me what happened to DB, Katy and Toseland. And as it turns out, it’s a good lead in to a post I’ve been trying to write for a while. Because the answer is a little more complex than it would otherwise seem.
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A Woman of a Certain Age
Some where along the line, I became a “Woman of a Certain Age.” That is, the age at which it becomes unnecessary, and possibly impolite to query further.
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Time and Tide Wait for No One
Time and tide bring to mind the story of King Canute commanding the tide to be still. But tide is also an Old English word, meaning a period of time, such as Yuletide, (good) tidings and (woe) betide for example.
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Liquidambar Leaves Falling
This time of year, liquidambar leaves are falling, though I only just noticed them. I mentioned before, that we take Clever Girl to the local park every day.
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NBN Outages
Over the last few days weโve seen been severe storms and power outages across Vicoria. Some people have been warned not to expect the power back on until June 17th.
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Silent Walk in the Park
We take Clever Girl to the park every day – because if I want to get anything done, it has to be done. Recently, it’s been a silent walk in the park.
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The Miracle of Rain
The miracle of rain is that it happens at all – drinking water just falls from the sky. It supports all life on this planet, and literally falls fall from the sky! That’s amazing.
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Forgetting and Remembering
I find I’m forgetting a lot lately. And I’ve been thinking a lot about how to expand my memory, in part to recapture some of what I lost after the stroke.
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Puppy has Sharp Teeth
It’s hardly groundbreaking news for anyone who owns a puppy (or is owned by one), but they have sharp teeth.
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Decisions Big and Small
Lately, I’m wiped out by about lunchtime. I put it down to all the decisions I’m making. It’s like all the small decisions take just as much brain space as the big.
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It’s Not All Just Dumb Luck
I admit it. In fact, I proudly declare it. I am a “bleeding heart liberal.” It’s probably because I grew up poor. The seemingly dumb luck of it. I mentioned in the dedication to Holistic Personal Finance that my mother saved the one and two cent pieces for herself. She saved the 5c for me.…
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I’m Losing My Mind (I think)
I think as well as rats (of the flying and furry kind) we are infested with mischievous pixies. Either that or I’m losing my mind.
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The Cost of Money
Wealth is worth more than the cost of money. Wealth is an abundance of something, whether that’s time, money or physical wellbeing.
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Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
Something I’ve learned since becoming a dog owner again is that it’s best to let sleeping dogs lie. When they’re sleeping they are quiet.
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Taking Pleasure Where You Find it
Taking pleasure is largely a matter of choice. Sometimes the things that bring you pleasure are the things you have to work for.
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This Will Pass (at some point)
I’m writing the books people will need to take their next steps into whatever new normal is on the way. So my point here, is this will pass. Life will move on.
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The Three Wise Monkeys
Have you heard of the three wise monkeys? Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil. In the modern west, it’s often used in the sense of ignoring something morally wrong. But in the original Japanese context, it’s about not doing or being morally wrong.
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Product Price v Quality
Continuing the theme of choice, and gratitude, today I’m talking a bit more about choice. Only this time, more about things than people. Both in terms of price, v quality. And why it’s sometimes better to pay a bit more.
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Choosing to Make a Difference
So, given everything else that’s going on, it seemed a good time to revisit Choice. Or choosing.
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My Trifecta of Thanks
There’s a lot to be upset about at the moment, most of it we have no control over, but there’s still a lot to be grateful for, so here’s my Trifecta of Thanks.
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Times Are Tough and Getting Tougher
There’s no doubt times are tough right now – June especially so under Covid restrictions has passed, even though they’re easing a bit.
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Is the Old or New Normal Better For You?
Politicians have “won” the war on Covid, and are talking “getting back to normal,” even though we don’t have a normal to go back to. We have a “new normal.”
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Carlton the Human Hairpin
I have to start by saying this is not the post I set out to write, and if you’re not fond of clowns, you should immediately shut the page down and move on to something less frightening. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Now. I’ve written before about appropriateness in clothing and a little about…
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The Joy of Being
It seems to me, despite the sh*t going on right now, the joy of being alive balances it out.
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I’m Fine Just Behind
Bearing in mind my friend Katy’s concern about her favourite blogger, I thought I’d post a picture and let you know I’m fine just behind.
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The Life-Changing Magic of Getting a Haircut
Somewhat related to my version of string theory is my hair theory, That getting a haircut can, and does change your life.
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The Pleasure of Getting Things Done
Despite the hope of getting things done, we’re often better at starting than finishing them. Yet by definition, getting things done is all about the finish. Finish: A1. to complete something or come to the end of an activityB1. to eat, drink, or use something completely so that none remains Cambridge Dictionary And there’s the…
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The Little Things I’m Grateful For
When times are tough (like now), it can help to acknowledge the good things we’re grateful for. Some days are harder than others, and on those days, I try to focus on the little things I’m grateful for. The everyday ones that I would suffer without.
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It’s Weather for Ducks
I’m not sure why people compain about rain they call it nasty – weather for ducks! (Though I’m not exactly sure why it’s only weather for ducks, and not swans or ibis.)
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I Still Survive
Sometimes you’re not thriving, sometimes it’s as much as you can do to come to a place where you can say “I still survive!”
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It’s Not War, it’s Sickness
All these fat old white men talking about a war on Covid-19 is making me irritable. It’s not war, it’s sickness.
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Wealthy is as Wealthy Does
There’s a proverb of sorts, Beauty is as Beauty does And according to Walt Disney (video has sound) at any rate, it means being kind and doing something nice for someone who feels down. Every single day. Because beauty is about what’s on your inside, not the outside. You can Google to your heart’s content,…
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Pleasure and Pain of Healthy Habits
My last Transplant Clinic appointment was less pleasant than Iโd hoped, and now Iโm back to contemplating the nature of choice and healthy habits.
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What, Why, and How of Pleasure
When times get tough, one of the first expenses cut is pleasure. In the face of all other considerations, it becomes frivolous and wasteful. And yet, without pleasure, life can look and feel very grim.
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Public Bathroom Benefits
A while back, someone told me that most people are too lazy to travel more than one or two cubicles in a public bathroom. And the longer the run, the cleaner the end is by comparison to the beginning.
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How to Respect All People
Respect; politeness, honour, and care shown towards someone or something that is considered important (Cambridge dictionary) When
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How to Solve the Time Management Mystery
I was chatting about the Time Management Mystery with some creative friends the other day. Actually, we were whining about how we have so much to do, and not enough time to do it in. And speculating how some of the creatives we’re inspired by manage their time.
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Thank You Mrs Sparkle
Mrs Sparkle is the most selflessly loving person I know. She’s always making and doing things for other people, and no one ever says thank you.