Well-being (2024)

 Total:  6.82

Spiritual connection (2024)

Total:  6.93 

Events (2024)

Trips

• Iceland

Carcoar (x2)

• Tina's 90th

Cape Town

• Simons Town with mum, Mike, Jo
• Matt's party

Hikes

• Volcanoes & coast walk in Iceland
• Die Hel
• Devil's Peak
• Dark Gorge
• Mount Wilson abseiling
• Kanangra
• Garden of Stone
• Camp at Mermaid Falls

Jilly

• Visit Jilly 3 times in Bowral
• Her passing
• Visit to grave

Progress (2024)

Big Items       

• Dex in order:  4 + 2  (+1)
• Daily Being: Average 48 mins / day
• Presence, Surrender, Spaciousness
• Lemon water,  Smoothies, Oats
• Skin cream
• Movies record = 47 docos, 137 movies, 15 TV, 14 rewatches = 213
• Daily review & reminders
• Financial visibility (All expenses, Income) over time
• Daily walk with music
• 35 Photography Meetups
• Life Trove: Technology, role models, custom maps, stamps, scanned family photos

Life Trove

Books

• Books read by year with images
• Fiction & non-fiction

Movies

• Favourite movies by year with poster images
• Priceless moments: Add movie collages of favourite movies

Affirmation and encouragement

• All treasured Life Trove comments added to a page, categorised.

Spiritual dairy

• Add Spiritual journey pages to side navigation
• Spiritual Diary label
• Spiritual Journey overview moved to Sheets. (Allow links in text)
• Remove document title from top (for Life overview too)
• Add Nic hypnotherapy session
• Teachers and role models (Mandela, Attenborough, spiritual teachers & quotes, Nic, Geraldine quotes, Mr Cannon, Jenny Mallett)

Compass & Wisdom Trove

• Add mindmaps

Scanned family photos

• Dad, Gran, Gramps, Mum, Ally, Gramps war & acting
• Plays, beach, pool, UK visit, mum's London visit, horse riding, matric dance,  graduation,  Fab 4,  Jo boyfriends,  Playing in the garden, Matt, Youth
• Share family photos on Whatsapp: Gramps acting, Dad's trains, Gramps war stories (Matt recount)

Family

• Jo and family 2019 - 2024

Music

• Favourite musicals playlists

Milestones

• Milestones → Family milestones + Friends milestones + My milestones

Code

• Add pencil edit code

Year highlights

• More categories in index list

Travel

• Custom maps (Sydney, Australia, Cape Town, Africa) with photographed places added
• South Africa visits: Add details and in order
• Custom Maps:  30 new maps
• 1997 Travels in order
• Add "Exploring the World" with country labels to left side

Role models

• Role models, teachers & healers: Intro, books, quotes, insights

Blog tagline

• Under Blog Title

Hiking

• Add new hiking collage

Nostalgia

• Computer games
• Tain set
• Stamp collecting: Add British mint stamps
• Rugby world cup photos
• Technology: Computers, Screens, Phones, Software, Headphones, PDA's, TV, HiFi, DVD

Home life

• Labels for Willow Road, Hammersmith Grove, Brooklands Court, McMahon's Point, King Street

Matt's 21st

• Matt speech videos & photos

Home

Effortless doing

• Clear, unclutter, sweep in my room, kitchen, front courtyard

My room

• New desk
• 3 new Buddhas
• Paint 3 buddhas

Courtyards and balcony

• Remove plastic
• Cement on my balcony and back coutyard
• Martin's balcony step

Painting

• Stairs 
• Step in my room

Dining room

• Carpet changed around

Photography

Photography Meetup

• 39 outings (Tourist in Sydney)
• New friends: Jason, Libby, Stan, Matthew, Beata, John
• Beata & John outings
• Sydney map

Purchases

• iPhone 16 Pro with 5x zoom

Video

• Realisation I must share Canva video, not reduce quality in Vimeo

Lightroom process for Life Trove

• Use collections
• Export direct from Apple photos to Lightroom folder

AI

• Topaz sharpening, noise reduction, pixel enlargement
• Lightroom & Photoshop: AI remove and replace 

Service

• Portraits for Lydia

Lightroom Universe

• Nepal, Iceland, Antarctica into database
• Backups in order (Sheet)

Compass  

Being

• Sink into creative emptiness. 
• Thank you for Presence. Thank you for this.
• Meditation: Average  48 mins / day
• Yoga mat, head and back roller
• Effortless daily clearing & sweeping

Evernote

• Add ► to Shortcut headings
• Add ◉ to work in progress
• Remove Life: from note titles and replace with →
• Learn to do note links that open App

Mac desktop

• Widgets: Year, Month, Week complete / remaining
• Add Mood chart excel file into Mac Dock

Music

• Music while work, walk and commute
• Top 15% of Spotify listeners (> 400 hours)

Task management

• Task log categorised
• Task focus map handwritten, then mindmap

Progress

• Fleshed out for Photography, Life is a Movie, Life Trove, Compass
• Task log → Year so far (Progress)   →  Progress for each project

Productivity

• Dex: Power of 4 + 2 (+1 )

Purchase

• Hair clippers (x2)
• iPhone 16 pro
• Double fitted sheet
• Smart watch
• Yoga mat and head rest, back massager

Finances

• Financial review fleshed out: More sub categories,  See levy etc. over time, Add financial commitments and Income for view over time
• Invest $21K
• Increase Fran rent by $15 per week (to $565)
• Deposit cash (coins) into HSBC
• Sell car for $500
• Sell 400 mm lens $ 950
• Tax in order: HSBC statements downloaded, housemate dates
• Household expenses tax deductible
• Triaxil leak: I moved it on, facilitating firing of engineer, saving $11K

Movies

• Letterboxd subscription, upload movies watched
• Unwatched twist movies list

iPad

• Get it back from Gavin and set up folders etc.
• iPad pencil and Task Focus handwritten

Tools

• Xmind mindmap

Cheap purchases 

• Watch $ 50
• iPad Pencil
• Skin moisturiser
• Lube
• Tennis balls

Health

Exercise

• Regular Ball's Head walk
• Average of 5.2 km walked per day 
• Walking: 178 days
• New walking routes
• Listen to music on walks
• Tennis

Dex in order

• 4+2+1
• Increasingly, no days without

Cholesterol

• Research diet
• Start Crestor medication

Diet

• Smoothie (fruit)
• Oats porridge
• Peanut butter

Liquids

• Lemon water

Pulse

• Smart watch purchased and pulse monitored (resting pulse = 75)

Skin

• Skin check & mole removed
• Face skin cream

Wisdom Projects

Life is God's Movie

Essential Version

• Move first edition to Google docs with tabs

Notebook LM

• Amazing 20 minute podcast. Super motivating.

Source quotes

• Memory
• Illusion of the self
• Self enquiry
• Conditioning,  Life scripts
• Authority
• Left verse Right brain:  Jill Bolte Taylor, Ian Gilchrest
• Sloww book summaries

Content

• How mystical knowledge relates to and interacts with other forms of knowledge (rational, empirical, intuitive, cultural etc.)

Curated quotes

• Self-transcendence
• Left verse Right brain 

Books

• The Ego Tunnel (Thomas Metzinger)
• There is No You (Andrew Halaw)
• The Power of Movies: How Screen and Mind Interact  (Colin McGinn)
• The Matter with Things  (Iain McGilchrist)
• God is Nothingness  (Andre Halaw)
• Being Myself (Rupert Spira)
• The Grand Biocentric Design (Robert Lanza)
• The Master & His Emmisary (Ian Gilchrist)
• Seeing no Self: Essential Inquiries  that Reveal Our Nondual Nature (Katrijn Van Oudheusden)
• Beyond Illusion: Exploring the Six Illusions that Cause  Our Mistaken Belief in a Separate Self (Katrijn Van Oudheusden)
• Selfless Service  (Katrijn Van Oudheusden)
• What Am I? A Study in Non-Volitional Living (Galen Sharp)
• Science Ideated (Bernardo Kastrup)

Books reread 

• Illusion of the Self (Bruce Hood)
• The Ego Trick  (Julian Baggini)
• Awakening (Sam Harris)
• The Happiness Trap (Russ Harris)

Daily email

• Rupert Spira
• Katrijn Van Oudheusden

Life & Spiritual Coaching 

• Strategy
• Life design process
• Values, What we love to do
• Xenia sessions
• Doc with my results and Xenia

Wisdom Trove 

• Backup database
• Wisdom Trove updated to latest Wordpress & Enfold template (Thanks Rujuta for $400)

 

Grateful (2024)

Iceland

• Found passport.  Martin: "Between books?"  Did not tell Gavin.
• Getting to go, Gav pulling out all the stops.
• No need for Dr health check.
• Flights for $2450 (Flight Centre), not $3300. Insurance < $200.
• I did not fly with others. Their bags didn't make it. Mine did. 
• Tania got sick, no blog. Took all pressure off me. 
• 2nd day rain. Chance to regroup, edit photos.  Saw puffins later. 
• 2nd night of potential psyche on fire.  I slept.
• Good photos for competition on 1st day (group silhouette and cliff texture).
• Grimsey. Close views of puffins and amazing photos. In flight. Beaks touching.
• Matt gave good photoshop advice. Cut as layer. Beware of sides so I cut in middle. Aware fill.
• Ended up using bills further apart. Much better actually plus less stress of being found out. 
• Topaz sharpening and enlarging: True game changer. 
• First in competition and gasp at puffin in flight. 
• CEO and Justin there. Extra buy in for future trips. 
• Hotel extra night $190, not $270. 
• Airport:  Taxi came at 4 am. Needed time. Found booking reference no.
• Wrong boarding gate at Keflavik. Nearly went to Copenhagen, not Oslo. Scanned so knew. Not late. 
• Taxi driver in Singapore. Where bag?  Managed to get. Taxi waited.

Return to Sydney

• Flight delayed but all easy to get eve flight. Nice hotel for sleep.
• Managed to open balcony door
• Car started
• No mould in Fran's room, Martin only in bathroom.
• Back wall crack looks fine

Jilly

• Got to express love on day she passed away. Mandy was there.
• Visited and expressed love several times during year
• Phoned Jilly. It was her birthday.

Cosgrove

• Iceland:  Got Dr Cosgrove 1 day before going on leave. He ok'd two months.
• Realised mistake with booking thanks to "30 min appointment?":  Dex issue ok and able to make 1 month closer appointment.

Financial

• Did Jan audit and not nearly as bad as expected
• Invested for 1st time before a rally: > $ 600 profit
• Garage leak  $ 20,000 was reduced to $8,400  ($11,600 saving)
• iPhone charging issue fixed by Apple genius
• Antony got a project in Jan
• Dom lift home, save $45
• Lost and found airpod on street.
• Body corporate not increase this year
• Not spend much this year, went up $10K. Reassured me greatly.
• Found my glasses & ok (washing machine)
• Mum pay back Cape Town flight ticket
• Mark and 400 mm lens. Not a scam !  Made $950.
• Mum paid R2800 for my Afrikaburn ticket

Sam's site

• Beautiful connection & collaboration
• Good, cheap local hosting
• Jo's photos
• Google Ads: 20 clients in 1st week and a bit

Car

• Not put water into oil
• I drove car far enough to find there was a problem. Coolant leaking at rapid rate.

Dex in order

• Power of 4 + 2 (+1)

Health

• My shoulder ok after chasing dog and slipping
• Did not hurt back or head on St James wall
• Did not leap into Die Hel rock pool  → terrible injuries.
• Skin check: All clear including one on my face
• Shoulder blemishes, lumps (arm & above chest) not cancer
• Mole on my back removed, benign
• Pulse resting rate is 75 (normal)
• Got watch reconnected to iphone

Tennis

• Slice serve
• Joy of playing (Free)
• Tennis elbow feeling better

Life Trove

• Edit post bookmark stopped and restarted working
• Managed to get pencil back

Photography

• My external hard drive corrupted but I had backed all photos up elsewhere just before.

Home

• Trees not chopped down, traffic lights still covered
• Warned about leaving water on in courtyard, not left all night

Wisdom Trove

• Error discovered soon
• Rujuta sorted it out

Travel

• Afrikaburn tickets despite challenges

Dex

• Matthew in 3x in a row

Watch

• Get it synced

Martin

• Did not bring up teasing

Affirmation (2024)

 

Iceland

• Sorted transfer for group at Keflavik airport, by phoning hotel.
• Win photo competition with killer photo of two puffins touching beaks. Flying puffin gets an oooh.
• Gavin loved my competition photo. Put puffins on wall. Send to Renato. Symmetry.  Proud when won.
• Photoshop skills and Topaz.
• Puffins feedback
• Mum's friends feedback and her pride

Chris tribute video

• Shushann:  Absolutely beautiful dear Graeme. I’m sure he will love this thoughtful and joy filled compilation. What a great gift.
• Shushann:  You are such a maestro at putting it together and all the beautiful jokes stories and memories. It would be great to show it on a larger screen.

Sam's counselling site

• Sam:  You know so much!
• Sam: Graeme I love it! 😍  it’s looking so amazing
• Sam: Graeme is honestly the best uncle ever!❤️  He has gone above and beyond
• Sam: Thanks for pushing me out my comfort zone! (Chat GPT articles)
• Sam: Agh you are so amazing with words! Love how you have written it!
• Sam: Did chat GPT write that?! I honestly couldn’t have written it better myself!
• Sam: That’s G! I love how you took all those words I selected for values and turned into those sections! It’s looking so good!
• Sam: Shared my website around today and I have gotten the best feedback from my friends and family!😍🥰  I shed tears of joy and relief and I finally feel my imposter syndrome going away. I just wanted to say a MASSIVE thank you for all your help over the last while. Works cannot express how appreciative I am for you and what you have done for me. It has been the greatest gift I have ever received but even more so your confidence in me has really meant the most. You are the best uncle and I really love and appreciate all that you are and all that you do! So THANK YOU once again Graeme!
• Sam: Gone through my website and I am so so so happy with everything!
• Sam: Thank you to Graeme Myburgh, my amazing brother for creating her website. Even has an online booking system!
• Antony: Hi Graeme, I just wanted to say a big, heartfelt thank you for all the work you did with Sam's website. It is already paying dividends and I have no doubt my daughter is going to fly, but the website is a big part of it. Once again thanks for all the effort you put into it.
• Mary-Ann:  Any chance you could help me with a website? No pressure, but love what you did for Sam and just can’t get going with Wordpress on my own. 
• Mary-Ann:  Well done Sam and Uncle Graham!!! Looks fabulous. Here’s hoping it brings you lots of business.
• Jo:  Amazing. Someone called her for a 15 minute consult and said it was the website that drew her in. Thank you G
• Aimee: G, Sam’s site is amazing. Honestly. I would want to see her. The about me, services, the photos and warmth radiating from her and simplicity of the website, awesome awesome
• Adele: Oh wow, congrats Sam! and beautiful website Graham, so inviting - success is on it's way xx
• Bookly implementation: Online & in person times different, design, calendar integration.
• Google ads: Set up conversion tracking with tags.

Matt's 21st

• Matt & Ant loved speech movies.

Movies

• Promote Bflix to Matt & Russell:  Sisu, Fresh
• Mum & Mike: Erin Brochovich, No Hard Feelings,  Silverlining Playbook, The Favourite

Shirley

• "Was truly wonderful to spend time with you tonight. I value your kind and spiritual heart and presence that affirms and looks to the bright side of the world seeking adventures yet always still remaining connected. Travel safe Till next time."
• "I looked at your blog and cried. Thank you!"

Hiking with girls

• Wendy: "Great having Graeme along. He takes great pics and is so relaxed."
• Mandy: "Please can we keep Graeme?  Such lovely pictures."

Lisa

• "I thought you were very cute."
• "I had a crush on you."

Physique

• Rajesh "You're naturally ripped"
• Gavin: Looking ripped, working out?
• Aimee: "You look fit"  "Your arms looks big"

Life Trove

• Truc:  I’ve always loved the honesty of your blog G - the reflections / perspectives and experiences you share are insightful and inspiring.
• Chris: Just stumbled onto your blog Graeme. What an amazing being you are. Glad to know you.
• Mum:  I spent ages looking last night. Incredible what one misses!
• Mum: Fantastic number of pics Graeme. Mike and I both spent ages looking at them. The photography meet up group was such a great one to join.
• Shirley:  I looked at your blog and cried. Thank you!
• Beata:  I read it [your blog] all as well. It’s very exciting. And your images at the polar arctic circle are wonderful.

Ruth

• To Dom:  "Bring Graeme: But not tell him"

Gavin

• "When I have a success, the person I most like telling is you. Genuinely excited and affirming."  Tania agreed.
• Thank you message

Jilly slideshow

• Shushann:  Really really. Just watched it with Alan and very touched. Thank you from my heart to yours for such a parting gift. I love you my friend   
• Yogi:  Yes Graeme, she was the catalyst for forming many many lifelong friends. You saw her essence so clearly, & only saw the good.
• Jo:  It made me so emotional and I wasn’t even her friend.  Very very special G
• Mum: I got emotional too Jo and we only knew her thru Graeme’s blog! Xx

Liz tribute video

• All watching at 
• Elna: Tears

Photography

• Summer: Whenever I take a photos, I see you taking a better one.

Birthday

• Chris: "Happy Birthday Graeme.  I know many people from all walks of life and you are one in a million. You lead from your heart You still have that pure innocent wonder of a child. You originate and create. You really care: Mackie, Jilly, Sue, your dear grand dad Yogi and all of us, your family of friends. Nature is your playground and fun and adventure are you fuel. Like the name of that TV show. Thank God you are here to enrich all our lives. Love you mate."
• Jane: Happy Birthday  Graeme!! You are a beautiful person, so lucky to have you as a friend. 
• Matt:  Happy birthday for yesterday Graeme! We love you heaps man, you’re our most favourite photographer and such a legend of a guy!  

Coaching with Xenia

• Xenia's excitement when we mapped her values
• This whole exploration feels so right
• Wow it looks awesome! (After sending colourful mind map of values)

Srini

• Longest friend
• So grounded
• Age not an issue with you, same with all

Meditation

It was a bumper year for meditation. I meditated an average of 48 mins per day which is over twice what I did last year.  Total meditation was 294 hours compared to 126 hours last year.

Notes

• I meditated on my back on a yoga mat I purchased with a back roller for head pillow. 
• I usually do two meditations of 30 mins each. The 1st 10 mins of the first session is spent in conscious gratitude. The rest is spent in a state of awareness of being aware while allowing the attention to go where it wishes.
• The first meditation session is done after 60 - 90 mins of work in the early morning. The second session is done after working another 2- 3 hours.
• My occasional mantra is "Thank you for Being. Thank you for the Knowing of my own Being. Thank you for experiencing. Thank you for This."
• I used the Still app on my i-phone which keeps track of time spent meditating and a chime every 3 minutes.
• This year I got Yogi into meditation using the Still app.
• At the end of the year, Xenia and I did 3 meditations in nature. I intend to do more meditation in nature next year.
• The meditation is definitely having a wonderful effect. It is immensely calming and helps my energy levels. It also makes me feel more spiritually connected.

Spiritual moments (2024)

Synchronicity

• Uber driver: His tshirt and the ribbon.
• David Gray, Babylon on Spotify and at book store. Theme:  Reconnection, reconciliation, spiritual longing, hope and grace after distraction, separation & confusion. 
• Car battery flat outside my house with NRMA road assist cancelled, neighbour has special "instant" spark plug. He was present and asked me if there was a problem.
• Continually finding parking outside venues
• Go to correct platform where train has been sitting for ages. It leaves as I board it.
• Take garden refuse out. The trucks arrives at that exact moment.

Notebook LM podcasts

• A podcast of "Life is a Movie" summary when I'm feeling demotivated and doubtful.
• A super affirming, insightful podcast about Life Trove. Travel & Introspection. Self as curator and coherent story teller. Interconnectedness of all life's aspects. Life is in the little moments. Valuing connection and relationships over possessions. 

Release

• After One Day "It all passes, Life"

Benevolent universe

• Passport lost: Martin:  "In books?"
• Contact Cosgrove day before leave for dex.
• 30 minute appointment: Realise 1 month dex mistake. Still 3 months.

Visions

• With eyes open:  Puffin, Fulmar

Love

• Curating photos of our Garden of Stones hike and feeling so much love for the boys.

Priceless moments (2024)

Hikes & Walking

• Die Hel day of swimming & leaping
• Devil's Peak
• Mermaid Falls leap
• Kanangra leap
• Walking Berry Island with Beata

Iceland

• Iceland comes through
• Grimsey puffins and bird cliffs in zodiac. 
• Fulmars and Arctic terns in flight.  
• Coastal hike with incredible sculptured rock silhouette.
• Catch puffins in flight. Knowing it is a killer photo!
• Puffins touching bills. Winning competition with such a killer photo. Audience gasps at puffin in flight and Gavin knows it's mine. Third triumph in three trips.

Music

• Billy Eilish: Birds of a Feather
• Sabrina Carpenter: Expresso & Please, Please, Please
• Good Luck Babe!  (Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter versions)
• Taylor Swift

Photo Meetups

• Being a tourist in Sydney
• New friends: Jason, Libby, Christina, Stan, Matthew, John, Beata

Tennis

• Joy of playing
• Slice serve comes right

Get togethers

• Watch Sharon's niece sing

Xenia

• Meditate in nature & savour sublime salad when very hungry

Movies

• Deep "bitter sweet" feelings from romantic movies: One Day, Normal People, Past Lives, All of Us Strangers, 500 Days of Summer
• The ending of Anora
• Movies:  Dune, The Substance, Strange Darling

Special connections (2024)

Iceland

• Sri. Hotel room and help with taxi. 
• Matt help with Photoshop
• Lend Gavin my waterproof pants and boots.

Matt's 21st

• Speeches recorded & shared
• Photos

Cape Town friends

• Russell
• Brandon
• Ivor
• Shirley

Family

• Scanned photos
• Trish: "Just been feeling sentimental browsing the family photos you assembled."
• Trish letter of thanks
• Family Whatapp: Dad's trains, Gramps acting

Tina, Dom, Ruth

• Carcoar for Tina's 90th birthday
• Gift (Pillars of the Earth) and special card (Things I love about you)
• Dom and Natcha in car
• Ruth's art: Icebergs

Tribute videos

• Liz
• Jilly
• Chris

Nic

• Visit
• "I'm not enough" hypnotherapy: "A work in progress"
• Help with site: Home page issues, animation, buttons on slider
• Get review from Dom

Service

• Help Chris with new phone: Open Sports, Email, Vodafone
• Sam Counselling site
• Help Xenia set up her phone
• Lydia portrait photos
• Help Shushann with Google Ads

Shushann

• Taki Sushi evening x 2:  Thanks dear heart. Lovely to catch up. So happy to have you as my soul friend. My Anam Cara
• Lost passport: Phoned her. Told her she was first person I called in crisis.
• Help with Google Ads

Visit Jilly (x 3)

• Express love & gratitude in visits and on call day of her passing.
• Bell ringing
• Listen to opera
• Tribute video

Xenia

• "I love you"
• Me "Bye my love."  Her: "Bye GG"
• Help her set up iPhone 16 Pro
• Life design sessions in nature, meditation

Yogi

• Got him into Being and timer app
• Hi Graeme. Many thanks 🙏 mate for your advice & the Still app!  I have had not a trace of stress, anxiety or negativity since starting the meditation. On Saturday I had an amazingly joyful day with Jo & Adi at SeaWorld & the Southport Yacht Club, staying in the present moment for the whole day. I feel I am living in Presence & the only real difference when I am not meditating is the absence of the chime. What a remarkable turnaround - I have been plagued by anxiety for a long time. Crossed fingers 🤞 it continues. Thank you!!
• A little over a week ago, in a call on Chris’s birthday, you gave me hope.
• One Watcher = God.  No agency → Surrender.
• Anxiety advice: Attention on sensations, Not wish away (opportunity to practice, presence muscles), Music, "Problem solving" sessions when feeling ok, Gratitude
• Thank you for all your wonderful help during the year - I am extremely grateful to you! Love & cheers, You are a great mate!

Chris

• Video tribute
• Got him a cake

Matthew the pharmacist

• Coffee

Photography

• Jason & Libby
• Vivienne
• Summer
• John & Beata
• Gail
• Stanley & Matthew
• Christina

Art quote to Mary Ann + thanks for inspiring us

• Ahhh Graeme Myburgh, thank you! This means so much to me

Exercise (2024)

 A good year for exercise. 

• An average of 5.2 km walked per day, up from 4 km per day last year.
• 12 hikes.
• 11 games of tennis (all played in Nov & Dec)

Insights (2024)

Face issues

• Pulse rate (1 year of stress)
• Steve and Greenslip
• Should have checked garage leak after rain bomb
• Estate duty calculation: Save loads for now

Power of my mind to stress

• Triaxil management fee
• Iceland competition
• Dr Cosgrove dex for Iceland
• Put water into oil ?
• Canon 400mm marks

Advantages of courage

• Went into pharmacy, avoided day of no dex
• Into emails, Triaxil management fee only $12000
• Moving garage leak along, facilitated going without engineer ($11K saving)

Iceland

• Flight Centre (travel agents) as potential source of cheapest flights. Going in avoided a 1 hour layover in Oslo.
• My brain really stresses out and jumps to worst imagining. 
• Gavin: Name wrong on ticket costs $1000 and difficulties. Bags not arrive. All taken as it comes, remaining calm. 
• Gavin asks for room for me in Reykjavik. Finds cancellation. Benefit in asking.

Photography

• Benefits of shooting in raw.  E.g Reduce shadow in terns. 
• Portrait and landscape. Wide and close. Different angles. Walk on, assess, take photos on way back. Imagine if in Grimsey I hadn't walked on ?
• Research photography. Soft water in Iceland. Neutral density filter.
• Take more video. Some in Iceland but wish more.

Offence, not defence

• Biden after debate → Weeks of hanging on, defending → Changing to Kamala
• Ukraine unexpectedly invades Russia to their shock

Finances

• Price of myopic focus on wisdom
• How can reduce prices by shopping around with reviews (E.g. Watch for $40, iPhone case $ 12 , hair clippers $20)
• How risk adverse I am: When markets tanked
• In order and visibility greatly ↓ anxiety
• Power of finances in order (E.g. South America travels)

Finances limiting me

• Lost in wisdom, no strategy
• Not invest in 2017 (or 2020 during Covid)
• Not invest in Nasdaq
• Not track levies etc. over time, only big expenses. Not notice levies etc ↑
• Move away from HSBC in 2023 only. Lose out interest as rising in 21, 22
• Wasted so much finances in 2017, 2018 etc.
• Threw out paper statements (utility bills etc.)
• Tax pre 2020 not keep records of calculations
• Not seeing some expenses coming off (e.g. housemate advert)
• Car hold on and keep spending

Books read (2024)

 Self-illusion

• The Ego Tunnel (Thomas Metzinger)
• There is No You (Andrew Halaw)
• Seeing no Self: Essential Inquiries  that Reveal Our Nondual Nature (Katrijn Van Oudheusden)
• Beyond Illusion: Exploring the Six Illusions that Cause  Our Mistaken Belief in a Separate Self (Katrijn Van Oudheusden)
• Selfless Service  (Katrijn Van Oudheusden)
• The Ego Tunnel (Thomas Metzinger)
• There is No You (Andrew Halaw)
• What Am I? A Study in Non-Volitional Living (Galen Sharp)

Idealism

• The Grand Biocentric Design (Robert Lanza)
• Being Myself (Rupert Spira)

Left versus right brain

• The Matter with Things  (Iain McGilchrist)
• The Master & His Emmisary (Ian Gilchrist)

Other books

• The Power of Movies: How Screen and Mind Interact  (Colin McGinn)
• God is Nothingness  (Andre Halaw)
  
  

Challenges (2024)

Iceland indecision

• Goto Iceland indecision. 
• Decide yes but Gavin gave away. Will ask.
• No news from Gavin: 3 days limbo
• Mum unempathetic: "You'll survive"

Iceland

• Lost passport for 2 hours until found in book (Thanks Martin)
• Limited time in Oslo. Cannot find bag in Oslo airport. Went through to Iceland. 
• Competition. Top 3. Pressure to win. 
• Gavin talks me up to Justin and CEO. Pressure of high expectations. 
• One night of psyche on fire with no sleep and nearly another. 
• Self conscious in groups. No stories. When introduce myself. 
• Bills apart: How much?  Wrong decision?
• Did not walk far enough in Grimsey ?
• Panic when wrong gate in Keflavík Airport, Iceland. 
• Forget bag in Singapore. Run back. Need special access to baggage section.
• How much to separate bills of puffins?

Car issue

• Greenslip?  Register?  
• Finally phone Steve.  He organised it!
• Ended up renewing registration just short of 3 months
• Car work when home?
• Leaking water
• Water caused by air conditioner. Maybe I can sell it?
• Tested it and it broke down

Garage leak

• Insurance issue
• Management fee and extra ($2800)
• Triaxil meeting: Put off, Greg says leak in rain bomb, excuse after plan to attend
• Markings in garage
• Triaxil needs to be replaced  →  Meeting

House

• Wall crack shifted?
• Mould in rooms (Martin, not Fran)
• Rent increase (Martin) and rent in cash (Fran)
• Floor unlevel
• Left irrigation water on, flooding back courtyard

Emotions

• Regret re Iceland
• Regret re not investing
• House floors recurring

Finances

• Body Corporate meeting re Triaxil in Simons Town
• Triaxil leak insurance issue
• Triaxil leak: No progress. Limbo. New supplier ↑ costs.
• Mum: Cannot give more than $8000, "on own"
• Mum:  "Can get a loan"
• Martin rent increase & Fran rent in cash: Avoiding
• Fran not want to pay cash
• Market turmoil. Lost lots?
• Realise levies have doubled, impact on future income
• Shushann Google ads not paused

Selling lenses

• Keep putting off
• Worried about marks on 400mm, will he want it?
• Mark says "I'll pass" on 17-55

Security

• Facebook hacked?
• Login to false MyGov site → Have to change all passwords
• Facebook lose all posts. Hacked?  Cannot login due to global outage.
• Selling lenses: Shared bank account number and address with Mark. Then hear nothing.

Health

• Mole on side of face: Nervous ahead of skin check
• Avoiding pulse issue, worry re loss of dex
• Tennis elbow stops press ups
• Sore wrist
• 2 throat infections and cough
• Skin cancer on shoulder ?  No
• Mole on back cut out
• Matthew not there, day without. Very tough at end.
• Dx wiredness after getting pills

Cosgrove

• 2 x Dex for Iceland: Cosgrove not respond, jump to conclusions
• Wrong date, need to make closer appointment

Connection

• Longing after Normal People, obsession with Daisy Edgar Jones
• Devastation and crying after One Day: "It all passes!"

Beata

• Wrong direction bus to Chatswood to see Beata for movie. Never really recover. What tools?
• What tools do you use in your UI ?
• Take photos off blog

Politics

• Fear of Trump, Project 25 ideology
• Trumpism things I really struggle with: Banning abortion, lack of support for Ukraine, ↓ protection of environment (climate change, regulations, drilling)
• Trump assassination attempt ↑ his popularity
• Biden's disastrous debate → Uncertainty & chaos
• Europe going right
• Kamaal Harris debate
• Obsession with Predict It
• Trump wins election

Sam site

• Marketing not getting big return for money
• Booking and site loading slow ?

Martin & Fran

• Teasing. Will she leave?
• Men superior to women in sport exchange
• Martin suitcase

Wisdom Trove

• Critical error → Rujuta helped fix
• Lost all widgets ?

Friends

• JC brain tumour, needing radiation & chemo

2024 Highlights

Cape Town, Sydney, Iceland, Carcoar twice

Priceless moments

• Escaping a fire after visiting the caves of Kalk Bay.
• Climbing Table Mountain via Dark Gorge with Russell.
• A hike to the sublime pool of Die Hel in Groot Winterhoek with Ivor and Russell.
• Ascending Devil's Peak  with Russell and Brandon.
• 4 nights in Simons Town with mum and Mike, including some wonderful swims.
• Photographing the sublime waterfalls and other scenery of Iceland.
• Photographing beautiful puffins on Grimsey Island in Iceland.
• Abseiling down Serendipity Canyon, Mount Wilson with the boys.
• Camping at Mermaid Falls with Gavin and Rajesh.
• Berry Island walk with Beata .
• Exploring the new Metro with the Photography Meetup.
• Kanangra walk to Marong Falls, including a glorious leap into a pool, with the boys.
• Camping at Garden of Stone with the boys.
• Tina's 90th birthday in Carcoar, especially the amazing live music at her party.
• Resolute Beach (West Head)  and Paradise Pool with Elna.
• 34 outing with my Photography Meeup group, being a tourist in Sydney and making new friends.
• Exploring Elizabeth House in the Eastern Suburbs.
• Exploring Platypus Submarine Base and getting onto a submarine at the Maritime Museum.
• Photographing fish, penguins and sharks at Sea Life Aquarium in Darling Harbour.
• Creating a web site for Sam's new counselling practice and helping her source her first clients with Google Ads.
• Doing personal development with Xenia, getting clear on our values and what we love.
• Watching Sharon's nice perform at Avalon beach.
• A raunchy Burlesque show with Rajesh and Tania.
• Manly Jazz festival with Lydia and with Beata and John.
• Sublime classical music at Conservatorium of Music.
• Incredible Rene Magritte exhibition at NSW Art Gallery.
• Watching The Substance and Dune 2  at the cinema.
• Liz's 50th birthday and tribute video.
• Playing tennis at Rajesh's new flat.

Not so great

• Jilly passes away in May.
• US election doesn't go the way I'd hoped.

Purchases

• iPhone 16 Pro with 5x zoom
• Smart watch for $40
  
  

Favourite movies & TV

• Poor Things (2023)
• Dune: Part 2 (2024)
• Challengers (2024)
• Longlegs (2024)
• The Substance (2024)
• Society of the Snow (2023)
• Anatomy of a Fall (2023)
• Past Lives (2023)
• One Day (2011)
• All of Us Strangers (2023)
• Sanctuary (2022)
• The Idea of You (2024)
• I'm Your Man (2021)
• The Last Stop in Yuma County (2023)
• Rye Lane (2023)
• 500 Days of Summer (2009)
• The Producers (1967)
• Strange Darling (2023)
• Revenge (2017)
• Victoria (2015)
• Remembering Gene Wilde (2023)
• Normal People (2020)
• Sex Education (2019 - 2023)
• Shogun (2024)
• Baby Reindeer (2023)
• The Penguin (2024)
• Silo (2023)

Culinary delights

• Raspberry tart at Harrods, Doha
• Tender beef on Sylvia Earle
• Double thick peanut butter shake (Simons Town)
• Cattle Baron Fillet Madagascar (Cape Town)
• Frozen orange and mango at top of Devils's Peak (thanks Brandon!)
• Kirsten's Kick Ass Icecream: Cherry
• Kalk Bay ice cream: Cinnamon, ginger, cherry
• Salad at Third Rail during fast
• Kolfi with dried fruit (Grace of India)
• Roast chicken meal (Dom in Carcoar)
• Black cherries after tennis
• Plougman's lunch in the Blue Mountains (Thank you Michelle and Petros)
• The Little Snail in Pyrmont: Kanagaroo steak
• Fish Bowl salmon
• Thai Beef Salad at the pub after tennis near St Peters station

---

2024 Index of Links

Iceland  (May)

• All Iceland posts
• Iceland diary
• The Seismic Seven
• Landscapes of Iceland
• Glorious Puffins
• Other birds in Iceland
• Singapore team-building on the way to Iceland

Cape Town  (Jan, Feb)

Hikes & Walks

• A walk in the Greenbelt with Russell and Jason
• Park run in the Greenbelt with Russell and Jason
• Kalk Bay caves to Silvermine with Russell and Stephen , escaping a fire
• Die Hel in Groot Winterhoek with Russell and Ivor
• Climbing Table Mountain via Dark Gorge
• Silvermine's "The Bowl" with Jo and the girls
• Devil's Peak with Russell and Brandon

Beach & Lake

• New Year's day swim at Silvermine with the Hurds and Russell
• A swim at St James with Russell, Shane and Kailey
• 4 nights in Simons Town with mum and Mike
• St James with Russell, Carmen and Heather
• Bakhoven with Jo
• Camps Bay with Jo and Allison for a swim, then a walk to Clifton
• Llandudno sundowners with Jo, Ant, Russell and Daniel
• Surf at Muizenberg with Ivor and Russell

Birding

• Rondevlei without water
• Kirstenbosch

Food

• Kirsten's Kick Ass ice cream with Mum & Mike
• Market with Russell, Rob & Dawn, Brandon and Warren
• Tapi Tapi ice cream with Russell, Carmen, the Pater and Kobus
• Dinner with Shirley, Kiera, Jo and Antony
• Cattle Baron with family and Ivor

More

• Watching Wonka at the cinema with Russell
• Matt turns 21: Birthday and party
• Matt in fancy dress
• Playing Mysterium with Russell, Warren and Jo

Hiking

• Paradise Pool, Linden, Blue Mountains with Elna (Dec)
• Kanangra walk to Marong Falls (Nov)
• Garden of Stone with the boys  (Aug)
• Iceland hiking: Coast walk & Climbing volcano (May)
• Evans Lookout to Govett's Leap with the Hiking Gang (May)
• Camping at Mermaid Falls with Gavin & Rajesh (Mar)
• Abseiling down Serendipity Canyon, Mount Wilson with the boys (Mar)
• Devil's Peak with Russell and Brandon  (Feb)
• Silvermine's "The Bowl" with Jo and the girls  (Feb)
• Climbing Table Mountain via Dark Gorge  (Jan)
• Die Hel in Groot Winterhoek with Russell and Ivor  (Jan)
• Kalk Bay caves to Silvermine with Russell and Stephen , escaping a fire  (Jan)

Walking

• Woollahra to Rose Bay (Nov)
• Resolute Beach (West Head) with Elna (Nov)
• Walk around lake in Drummoyne (Sep)
• Manly scenic walk with Lydia and Sharon (Sep)
• Walk from Waverton to Milson's Point (Sep)
• Balmain to Drummoyne (Sep)
• Ball's Head (Sep)
• Katoomba clifftop walk (Aug)
• Berry Island with B (Jul)
• Ball's Head and Berry Island with Shushann (Jul)
• Camps Bay with Jo and Allison for a swim, then a walk to Clifton  (Feb)
• Park run in the Greenbelt with Russell and Jason  (Jan)
• A walk in the Greenbelt with Russell and Jason  (Jan)

Weekends away 

• Tina's 90th birthday in Carcoar (Oct)
• Carcoar  (Apr)

Photography outings in Sydney

• Photography Meetup Xmas party  (Dec)
• Cronulla (Dec)
• Paddy's Market and Darling Harbour  (Dec)
• Wynyard to Town Hall (Nov)
• Woollahra to Rose Bay (Nov)
• Waverton and Wolstonecraft (Nov)
• Avalon Beach (Nov)
• Martin Place (Nov)
• Halloween festival at The Rocks (Nov)
• Sculptures by the Sea (Oct)
• Jacarandas at Milson's Park (Oct)
• Platypus Submarine Base (Oct)
• Classic cars, Wendy's Secret Garden and Luna Park (Oct)
• Green Square (Oct)
• Walk around lake in Drummoyne (Sep)
• Evening city stroll (Sep)
• Town Hall to Wynyard (Sep)
• Sydney Botanical Gardens (Sep)
• Greenwich (Sep)
• Chatswood (Sep)
• The new Metro (Sep)
• Walsch Bay sculpture walk (Aug)
• Edgecliff to Darlinghurst (Aug)
• Italian festival with John and B (Aug)
• Katoomba clifftop walk (Aug)
• City to Surf (Aug)
• Maritime Museum (Aug)
• Elizabeth House (Aug)
• Darling Harbour (Aug)
• Berry Island with B (Jul)
• Sea Life Aquarium (Jul)
• Liverpool (Jul)
• Burwood (Jul)
• Newtown (Jul)
• Maroubra (Jul)
• Waverley Cemetery (Jul)
• North Sydney and Milson's Point (Jul)
• Campsie (Jul)
• Redfern and Chippendale (Mar)
• Glebe (Feb)

Projects: Sam's counselling site

• Photos for Sam's site
• Sam has her 1st official client (Sep)
• Sam's site is ready for launch (Sep)

Service

• Personal development with Xenia (Dec)
• Personal development with Xenia (Dec)
• Helping Shushann with Google ads, then Coogee (Dec)
• Helping Xenia setup her new iphone (Oct)
• Photoshoot for Lydia (Jun)

Shows and concerts

• Watching Sharon's nice perform at Avalon Beach (Nov)
• Burlesque show with Rajesh and Tania (Sep)
• Manly Jazz festival with Lydia (Sep)
• Manly Jazz festival with B and John (Sep)
• Conservatorium of music 2 (Sep)
• Conservatorium of music 1 (Sep)
• Nirvana cover band with Gavin & Rajesh (Apr)
• Comedy Club and Mardis Gras with Gavin and Rajesh (Mar)

Art

• Rene Magritte exhibition  (Dec)
• Mary-Anne's amazing art
• Jordan's epic work of art (Jul)

Cinema

• Watching "The Substance" in Newtown (Oct)
• The Bikeriders  (Jul)
• Banff Mountain Festival (May)
• Watching Dune 2 (Mar)
• Watching Wonka at the cinema with Russell (Jan)

Home

• New Buddha 

Eating out

• Lunch at Thai in Crow's Nest with Shushann (Dec)
• Lunch at The Alchemist with Xenia (Dec)
• Frenchy's for lunch (Nov)
• Jane's birthday lunch at Balmoral (Oct)
• Lunch with Xenia at Balmoral (Oct)
• Lunch with B (Oct)
• My birthday (Sep)
• B's birthday lunch and walk (Sep)
• Frenchy's Cafe with Xenia and Jane (Sep)
• Lunch with Michael and Sue's friends (Aug)
• Chris's 70th birthday (Aug)
• Nepalese dinner and pool with the boys (Jul)
• Frenchy's cafe for lunch (Jun)
• Balmorral for fish with Chris (May)
• Balmoral for lunch with Michael (May)
• Flying Bear with Chris (Apr)
• Dinner at Truc and Tony (Apr)
• Birthday lunch with Xenia and co in Manly (Mar)

Birthdays

• Tina's 90th birthday in Carcoar (Oct)
• Nushi's birthday at the park (Oct)
• Christian's 40th birthday (Sep)
• My birthday (Sep)
• Chris's 70th birthday (Aug)
• Gavin's birthday (Aug)
• Shushann's birthday (Aug)
• Liz's 50th birthday and tribute video (Jun)
• Mum's 77th birthday (Feb)
• Matt turns 21: Birthday and party

Jilly visits and her passing

• Visit to Jilly's grave (Jul)
• Jilly passes away (May)
• Visting Jilly in Bowral (Feb)

Milestones

• First e-bike ride (Dec)
• Bye bye dear car (Oct)
• Tina's 90th birthday in Carcoar (Oct)
• Chris's 70th birthday (Aug)
• Visit to Jilly's grave (Jul)
• Jilly passes away (May)
• Rajesh's house warming (Aug)
• Rajesh becomes a citizen (Aug)
• Matt turns 21: Birthday and party

Sydney beaches

• Coogee swim (Dec)
• Balmoral with Chris (Nov)
• Full moon in Coogee with Gavin & Rajesh (Mar)
• Balmoral with Elna (Feb)

Sport and games

• Playing tennis (Dec)
• Playing tennis at Rajesh's new flat (Oct)
• Celebrating Gavin's return with a game of pool (Oct)
• Table tennis with Xenia and Chris (Sep)
• Playing pool with Srini and Rajesh (Feb)

Friends get togethers in Sydney

• Xmas at Shushann (Dec)
• Celebrating Gavin's 7 day fast (Dec)
• Gavin and Tanya's Xmas party (Nov)
• Milson's Park with Xenia (Oct)
• At the park with Shushann and Anush (Sep)
• Nic and his new Tesla (Aug)
• Reunion with Sydney friends after Cape Town trip (Feb)

Friend's lives

• Jordan's epic work of art (Jul)
• Gavin in China (Jun)
• A showreel of Dom's performances (Jun)

Family and me

• My birthday (Sep)
• Mum's 77th birthday (Feb)
• Matt turns 21: Birthday and party
• Jo and the family in 2024

Politics

• US election

Music

• My top songs in 2024

Related link

• Spiritual journal 2024