- Beauty (213)
- Friendship (322)
- Haiku (107)
- Pleasure (191)
- Project Worthwhile Life (169)
- Virtues (13)
- Wealth (112)
- Wisdom (245)
- Writing (5)
Forever free, unsponsored, and proudly primate produced! If you’ve enjoyed reading, please consider buying me a coffee.
Signature Wardrobe Office Work Outfit
This is the season for fashion advisors to start telling you what new and expensive clothes you need to buy to make your Signature Wardrobe Office Work Outfit work for the next five minutes (before…
May 2016 Progress Report
Looking back, I think May 2016 was an excellent month. I went away, lost a bit of weight, and took some professional development. But tax time is coming to Australia, and it’s time for me to start…
On Losing the Comfortable Illusion of Control
I’ve had a pretty awful day, my alarm didn’t go off, and I’ve been feeling way behind the eight-ball, or perhaps just in front of it Indiana Jones style. As a result, I have been…
The Great Houdini and his Awesome Leap for Life Yarra Dive
I came across this series of Houdini photos a little while back but didn’t have enough time to do much more than say OMG! Houdini was in Melbourne!! How did I not know that??? He…
How To Dress Like Who You Are
In my ongoing search for old-school interestingness, (and anti-hacks), I’ve been reading Mary Brooks Picken (1886 – 1981) again. She calls it distinctive dressing [1], but really, it’s more along the lines of “dress like who you…
Look Forward
I think we spend too much time wishing we had done things differently instead of taking a look forward.
Alexandria’s Adventure in Shaving Soap Shampoo
I included some of Annette Kellerman’s hair care advice in my book Signature Wardrobe Planning. Including her assertion that the shampoo is a pure soap like shaving soap followed by a rainwater rinse.
Towel Day Dinner Party
For those who don’t know, May 25 is Towel Day, when devotees of the late Douglas Adams carry towels in his honour. That makes it a good day for a Towel Day Dinner Party.
5 Brave Steps to a Joyous New Life
I recently re-read Third Act Trousseau, by Kay Noske (site no longer operational), and I was saddened by her undertone of wistful regret but inspired by her choice to gleefully create a new life starting…
Mobile Phone Madness
The first mobile phone call took place in 1973, but I didn’t get my first phone until 1997. Pre-Mobile Phone It didn’t bother me to be uncontactable. I left my home and no one could…
Signature Wardrobe House Cleaning Outfit
As you know, I have been trying (for a long time) to lift my game on cleaning house. Aside from clothes that are loose, with elbow length sleeves I haven’t thought about a Signature Wardrobe…
April 2016 Progress Report
I’m not exactly sure where April 2016 went. I’m feeling really tired, a little unmotivated, and very unproductive. I don’t even have any decent pictures from April – must lift my game! Virtue March April…
Is Individualism More Important than Collectivism to You?
Last week was a solemn week for many Australians, and I’m still sorting through how I feel about it. Throughout it all, there has been an element of the tension between individualism and collectivism, and…
Alexandria’s Adventure in 100% Pashmina
I bought a lovely shawl not long ago. It was labelled “100% Pashmina”, but I knew when I bought it that it was not “pashmina”.
5 Shoe Fit Myths Busted
So I recently took my “go-to” boots to Toseland the cobbler to be resoled, and it turns out that as they have moulded soles, they can’t be done. Nor can I have them reheeled. And…
The Surprising Benefits of Home Ergonomics
I want to start by apologising to Katy because she has just renovated her kitchen. If you have recently renovated your kitchen too, just close this window and move on to something else. You won’t…
Signature Wardrobe Outfit for Air Travel
Your Signature Wardrobe Outfit for Air Travel is another one of those things that have changed over time. In the early, heady days of flying, you would sit in an open compartment. You’d need a…
March 2016 Progress Report
With the refugee and terrorist crises in Europe, and the ongoing war in Syria, my March progress report feels a little too indulgent. But as for everyone else, my life moves on, and if I…
Take a Little Time-out Competition Winner
Thank you all for visiting my site during the little things blog hop, it was a pleasure to meet so many new people. And now it’s time to announce the Take a Little Time-out Competition…
Importance of Free Will in Destiny
After the destiny post, I was accused of being depressing. Not what I hoped for, but it leads into a discussion about the place of free will/autonomy/human agency in destiny.
What Makes It Your Destiny Anyway?
I have been thinking a bit about Destiny recently. I’m not sure why – some, or all, or none of the following: my long anticipated haircut my recent focus on little things that our birthdays and…
International Happiness Day Dinner Party
Today (March 20) is International Happiness Day; obviously, we need an International Happiness Day Dinner Party.
Take a Little Time-out for Yourself
Because it’s the little things that make life everything… Little Things Blog Hop Thanks, Elle Jacklee. Hello! Welcome to the Little Things Blog Hop – I’m stop 79 of 117 (at last count). If you visit…
I seem to have lost a week…
I seem to have lost a week, I put it down for a moment and now it;s vanished. It must be true that time won’t wait, I am flotsam in its wake.
Signature Wardrobe Outfit for Watching Football
Football season is finally here! It’s still hot enough to feel sorry for the boys running around on the field, but nonetheless, it is time to start thinking about your Signature Wardrobe Outfit for Watching…
February 2016 Progress Report
I have been delaying February’s progress report because it was one of those months where everything went wrong, fell over, or took 57 times longer than expected to complete. There were power outages, internet…
The Happy Benefits of Old Fashioned Budgeting
I haven’t mentioned it much, but I’m researching a book on Holistic Personal Finance. I’m finding the difference between modern and old fashioned household budgeting amusing, confusing and a disquieting indicator of the change in our values.…
Alexandria’s Adventure in Bunking Off
I should first mention for those that don’t know, “bunk” (as in bunking off) is also a verb meaning to leave, most notable in The Shawshank Redemption when Andy Dufresne is noted to have “done…
How to Choose The Clothing Quality That’s Right For You
Today I want to talk about clothing quality. In the main because there has been a recent push for people to buy fewer, higher quality garments that last longer. In principle I totally support this;…
Summer Vacation Stress Free Dinner Party
It’s not unusual to entertain more in the summer when it’s warm (and something for those of you approaching Spring to dream about). It’s also quite common for friends and family to meet up at…
A Short History of Attitudes Towards Household Expenditure
I’ve started researching my next book, which is about Holistic Personal Finance. Like Build Your Signature Wardrobe, it draws on the wisdom our ancestors developed through Two World Wars and The Great Depression. I am intrigued…
How to Enjoy the Deliciousness of Dresses
I am obsessed with the deliciousness of dresses at the moment. I mentioned in my January review that I bought some dresses and that I particularly adore my “house dress”. I have been trying to…
January 2016 Progress Report
January 2016 marks the first progress report for the new year, it’s kind of exciting. I haven’t bothered to close out last year, mainly because I was busy bragging about how well the year went…
Alexandria’s Adventure on a Mental Health Day
What with this and that (and the other) I found myself needing a mental health day; a day away from book writing and business podcasts and all that. If you haven’t heard of this, it’s…
3 Ps for Dealing with the Unexpected
I recently read a blog post in which Krista offers advice about dealing with the unexpected.
How to BE an Indomitable Presence
Something else people do at this time of year is consider revamping their wardrobes (won’t you be glad when January is over and I move on). Katy recently sent me a link to an old blog…
5 Simple Self-Care Steps for Body and Soul
This time of year, you will find a lot of people really committing to self-care, though they can’t seem to identify what exactly that entails aside from “eating well” and “running” (I’m not sure whether it…
New Year Detox Stress Free Dinner Party
Another thing that people often do after New Years is “detox”. They believe that it is particularly beneficial after the indulgences of the Christmas and New Year period. Some claim it can clear up your…
Planning for a Happy and Worthwhile Life in 2016
Hello again! I’m so excited to be back. During our break, I made time to review 2015, and I believe my virtues make the same sound basis for a worthwhile life in 2016. Like many Scottish…
Signature Wardrobe Exercise Outfit for Newbies
The new year often brings the intention to lose weight and get fit, and this requires a Signature Wardrobe Exercise Outfit for Newbies. You could just wear any old thing, but you will feel more…
About Dame Edna’s Amazing Signature Style
My gladioli are coming into flower, and I don’t know about you, but I always think of housewife gigastar Dame Edna Everage when I see gladioli. Dame Edna is a woman who has been cultivating…
Signature Wardrobe Outfit for the Beach
Like most people, I love summer. But while many Australians love to go to the beach, I’m more of a bush person. I like to be in the shade. So it seems a good time…
November 2015 Progress Report
I’ve mostly mooched around for November 2015, but now I’ve washed my clothes and cleaned my house, and it’s time to get moving again. And not a moment too soon – another month has already…
For Better or Worse, Life goes on
My Aunt’s funeral is over and according to popular wisdom I’ve said my goodbyes and should move on, but I don’t want to rush forward yet. Life goes on; and at this time of year,…
How Not to Regret Your Life…
My Aunt’s is the sort of thing that makes you think about your death and wonder how not to regret your life.
2015 Summer Wardrobe Plan part 3
In part one, I talked about the basics, part two a wardrobe review, and now in the 2015 Summer Wardrobe Plan part 3, it’s time to refine the plan.
2015 Summer Wardrobe Plan part 2
In part 1, I formulated the basic plan. Now, in the 2015 Summer Wardrobe Plan part 2, it’s time to get a bit more specific about the details.
2015 Summer Wardrobe Plan part 1
After four years of unemployment, I must buy clothes for the life I’m currently living. It’s time to develop a 2015 Summer Wardrobe plan.
October 2015 Progress Report
October 2015 is over already – is it my imagination or is time speeding up? Or is it just that I have spent so much time in introspection this month. There’s been a lot going…
2015 Transplantiversary
Today is my transplant’s fourth birthday, or as I call them, transplantiversary. I usually do a Birthday Stocktake, and since my transplant, I’ve done them for its anniversary too.
The Ghosts of Christmas Past are Alive in the Supermarket
I’m not sure if you have noticed, but the ghosts of Christmas past are sneaking up on us again. Perhaps if I left the house more often I would have noticed the relentless build up…
2015 Mid-Year Review – Virtue of Wisdom
Last six monthly review today; 2015 mid-year review wisdom. Wisdom has its roots in the values of flourishing and spirit, via the values rethink.
2015 Mid-Year Review – Virtue of Pleasure
After six months, it’s time for the 2015 mid-year review pleasure. My virtue of pleasure started out as pleasant pastimes but changed its name on its way through the values rethink. It originally only contained the elements of…
2015 Mid-Year Review – Virtue of Friendship: Friends, Family and Contribution
I am aware that it’s a bit late for the 2015 mid-year review friends, family and contribution, but it has been done, just not published, so I’ll be rushing it and the others out over…
September 2015 Progress Report
Virtue August September Notes beauty: body weigh ≤61kg by 14 December 🙁 66.3kg 🙂 65.5kg My hospital review went well aside from the predicted lecture about weight control. My doctor helpfully suggested that I should eat…
Why and How I Wrote Signature Wardrobe Planning
A reader asked a question (I’ll paraphrase): Love your work! I’m really happy and excited for you about your new book (and I hope it goes well) but what made you decide to write about…
What You Need to Know for a Strategic Wardrobe Review
As It’s the time of year for swapping clothes out as the seasons change, so it’s time to talk about a strategic wardrobe review.
Outfit for the Fair
And after I forcibly relaxed my face (didn’t want the wind to change and it to stay that way) it occurred to me that I haven’t shared what I learned about building outfits with you, so…
Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Dinner Party
I’m not sure if you know (or care) that since acceding to the throne on June 2 1953 Queen Elizabeth the Second (QEII), by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain…
Is the Road to Hell Paved with Activity Trackers?
I have a (cunning) plan for losing the weight and slimming down. It involves an activity tracker.
How Wardrobe Reviews Make You Happy and Boost Personal Power
I recently watched a video where women talked about the life-changing nature of KonMari-ing their closets. How their wardrobe reviews boosted their personal power, and made them happy.
August 2015
I’m sorry, you’re probably tired of progress reports by now (what with all the six monthly reviews) so I’ll keep August 2015 short.
2015 Mid-Year Review – Virtue of Friendship: Creatures
Six months later, it’s time for the 2015 mid-year review creatures. This virtue relates to caring about both my dogs and the wild creatures that live in my garden and nearby.
How to Identify a Marriageable Man
This led me to wonder whether there was a time when men were mercilessly judged by women, and actually there was; as a marriageable man. It was about their suitability as husbands so perhaps more realistically the scrutiny came…
2015 Mid-Year Review – Virtue of Beauty: Garden
Time to look back at the garden with the 2015 mid-year review garden. Starting from the position of needing to remediate the wasteland we lived on, but knowing next to nothing about gardening, I wanted…
2015 Mid-Year Review – Virtue of Beauty: Home
Next up is the 2015 mid-year review home. My first Beauty review was body, then presence, a detour past wealth and now back to beauty with home.
2015 Mid-Year Review – Virtue of Wealth
I’m breaking out of my virtue sequence to look at the 2015 mid-year review wealth because a number of things have happened that make the virtue of wealth more important than I would really like…
How 1918 style weight control makes you slim and happy
Suggestions from 1918 are in the three to five-year time frame. so it makes sense you need to think about weight control and how to maintain your body shape so that your clothes will fit…
July 2015 Progress Report
That’s July 2015 down; it’s been a quiet one as you would expect with the first cold of the season. I’ve been wrestling with my tax return, started some half-hearted Christmas shopping for overseas friends and family…
Titanic First Class (Advanced) Dinner Party
Following on from the Beginners and Intermediate Titanic Dinners, it’s time to tackle a Stress Free Titanic First Class (Advanced) Dinner Party.
Marie Lloyd Queen of the Music Hall
I followed a link from here to there to somewhere else entirely and found myself in the land of the Victorian English Music Hall, hot on the heels of larger than life Marie Lloyd, the “Queen of…
A Critique of Glamour’s “24 Fashion Essentials You’ll Need in 2015”
Stradbroke Day 1935 at Ascot (Brisbane, Australia) race day fashion essentials. By Contributor(s): The Queenslander (6 June 1935) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons In a large nutshell, this is my problem with “fashion essentials”. An essential…
2015 Mid-Year Review – Virtue of Beauty: Presence
And now it’s time to reflect on how my look has developed in the 2015 mid-year review presence. Recap: I started Project Worthwhile Life around eight months ago with the primary goal of flourishing, supported by…
2015 Mid-Year Review – Virtue of Beauty: Body
Six months in, it’s time for the June 2015 Review – Virtue of Beauty: Body. Recap: I started Project Worthwhile Life around eight months ago with the primary goal of flourishing, supported by my household. This was…
The Grim Side of Garden Grooming
Another quick one today, as I am still down with the cold and cursing my lack of foresight in NOT buying eucalyptus body wash for just this occasion. If you are at all squeamish about faeces you…
Three Kinds of Capsule Wardrobe
I’m trying to get my book Build Your Signature Wardrobe finished, so a quick post about the three kinds of capsule wardrobe.
Stress Free Dinner Party to Comfort a Friend with a Cold
If you are in the Northern Hemisphere, you might want to skip this post. But do make a note to come back and read it around January when you might need it for your own…
Ruminations on Rodents
Wild rodents can carry disease (and other pests like fleas and mites), they are NOT diseased because they are rodents.
How to Get Exercise Into Your Life
I have been thinking a lot about exercise recently. I have acknowledged in my last few progress reports that I need to move more, but I haven’t actually done anything about it. Shame on me.…
The Importance of Appropriateness in Clothing
I thought I’d share some thoughts about the old fashioned notion of Appropriateness. Many people reject appropriateness because so often it has the moral connotation of right and wrong.
The Pursuit of Perfection
Over a wide-ranging breakfast discussion this morning, Toseland described evolution as the pursuit of perfection. I thought that was a pretty interesting way to describe natural selection, but it’s true. It is the creatures that are best adapted…
Stress Free Dinner Party Commemorating Ramadan
I’m running a little late for a Stress Free Dinner Party Commemorating Ramadan, but there is still have time to give you a hand entertaining any practising Muslim friends you may have. If you are a practising Muslim,…
Wardrobe Planning 1935 style
Today’s advice about wardrobe planning 1935 style comes from a college textbook I discovered during my book research.
Happy Life
Given our recent trip back to Perth, you may have guessed that the happy life, or worthwhile life has been back on my mind.
Mythic Hero Quest
I recently watched yet another gripping episode of Game of Thrones and it got me thinking about the mythic hero quest.
May 2015 Progress Report
And now we’ve passed May 2015 and are into June, it’s time to review the month of May. Is it just me, or does time seem to be racing ahead? I’m starting to get panicky…
How to Protect Yourself from Counterfeiters
Recently I had the misfortune to purchase counterfeit goods online. Owning counterfeit goods in Australia is illegal, let alone selling them. I found it very shocking – I thought I had been really careful, but once you…
Your Clothing Shopper Responsibilities
I’m going to share the Author’s thoughts about clothing shopper responsibilities the responsibilities of wardrobe shopping. Some are still surprisingly relevant today and looking back some are strangely prescient
Wibbly Wobbly Family Timey Wimey
We just got home from a mad dash back to the town we grew up in (as opposed to our hometown, where we live now). The principle purpose of our trip was, of course, to visit our respective aging parents who have…
Silence in the Garden
I noticed silence in the garden is lost too, with unwanted noise in the form of car alarms, leaf blowers, and “doof-doof” music.
Titanic Second Class (Intermediate) Dinner Party
After the beginners dinner, today I’m looking at people more comfortable cooking and hosting dinners. It’s a Titanic Second Class (intermediate) Dinner Party.
The Benefit of Clothing Budgets
It’s been a couple of weeks since I talked about the value of wardrobe planning, so I thought I’d follow up with some thoughts on clothing budgets and buying clothes.
A Misfortunate Life
Today has been one of those misfortunate life days that never really got off the ground, where everything went a little wrong and took a hundred times more time and effort than it was really worth…
The Beauty and Pleasure of Potted Plants
This may sound bizarre, but Katy showed me this and some other pictures of her newly potted plants and I was surprised that she had different kinds of plants in the same pot.
April 2015 Progress Report
That’s April 2015 done and dusted. My key highlight for this month has been a couple of bouts of Gastroenteritis, so all in all, it’s been an unhappy and generally unpleasant month…
