Ode to Cambridge

Spent Saturday afternoon rollerblading round the colleges taking some snaps. Cambridge is stunning at any time of the year, but it takes on a supreme quality in the Autumn with its gentle tones and the golden hues. Ah, I'm going to miss this place.

St John's College

Autumn colours

Trinity College

Claire's College

King's College

Autumn in Cambridge

Farewell to Willow Road

Well, we've sold Willow Road, our Cape Town house, and it's kind of like the closing of a chapter in our lives. Home from 1990 to 2000, the place is full of special memories.


Some Highlights

• Braais on the balcony
• The view from the balcony and the views of the mountain
• Living with a range of zany, wonderful housemates like Dain, Andre, Oliver, Ben, Eleda, Peter the plumber, Peter the paramedic, Shirly, Russel, Colleen and Rory
• Romancing Ally (including suprise Chinese dinner in my room)
• Sleeping out on the balcony
• Setting the house up with Ally in 1998 when we got back from overseas
• The walk in the mountain above the house
• Strolls to nearby Kirstenbosch
• Feta, the cat
• Pikiswe, our domestic helper (ah, those were the days!)
• Judge and Niki, Eleda's pugs
• Studying for university exams with Julian
• Summer holidays
• Some great parties including my 21st birthday party
• Some fantastic dinner parties
• A couple of family Xmases
• Watching South Africa win the 1994 world cup in the lounge (ecstacy).
• Watching South Africa losing to the Australians in the world cup cricket (run, Alan, run!)
• Lots and lots of cars outside and the dispair of the poor neighbours
• Gerald and the Edwards
• Silvia, my silver monza
• Waking up to the automatic irrigation system at 6 am in the morning
• The wild garden
• Walks up the hill at night to see the amazing views of the suburbs and check out other houses
• The chocabloc garage
• Furniture olympics

Dear Sally

Along with Geena, the most special dog in the world today.

Mind mapping with Mindmanager

I love mind mapping.  Mr Suttle, our Latin teacher, taught us how to do it at school. I used it extensively in both senior school and university. Then at Volvo, I discovered the wonders of MindManager, mind mapping software that took my mind mapping to a whole new level. I used it extensively at Volvo and Blackglass and in my English teaching. Most of all, though, I used it in my own life and it created the start of Compass (My life management system) and Wisdom Trove.  Much of the content in the maps also became parts of Life Trove (this blog).

I don't use mind mapping so much anymore since moving to Evernote, but I'm very thankful for the role it has played in my life.

Purpose 

Vision

Life as an art     View large

Values and Life Pillars

Focus
 

Self-knowledge

Affirmation

Habits

Compass

Taking action

Decision making

Life design

Insights

Humour

My life in review

Life highlights

2005 Highlights

Work experience

Guiding wisdom (that would become Wisdom Trove)

Decision making

English teaching

Poem from Caroline

It was back then, in the fabulous year of 2003
as we first came to meet, you and me.
And I felt already at our initial handshake,
what a super type of extraordinary friends we would make.

And for all kinds of matters, business or pleasure
you sure came to be an irreplaceable treasure
So smart and charming, intelligent as few
you’re always there, able to find the missing clue.

In addition you’ve shown to be just one of a kind
when it comes to understand my own strange mind
Both being Librans - with all what that means -
I’ve often wondered, do we share the same pare of genes?

So how strange it is, my dearest, dearest friend
that this particular journey now has come to an end.
Even though a new exciting one is just about to start,
and I wish you the best of the best with all my heart.

But… don’t you ever think you’ve seen the last of me!
Australia is actually not that far away, you see
One sunny day, when you sense it the least
I will be on your doorstep - expecting a feast!

With all my love to you and Ally,

October 2005

Farewell DVD from Volvo

As part of my farewell, Volvo put together a hilarious video show for me - super imposing my face on various scenes from Crocodile Dundee and other "Down Under" classics. They went to a lot of effort and it was absolutely hilarious. Even better than Martin's farewell presentation. Definitely something I will treasure.

Watch out for the carpet lounger!!

Checked out a house in Duxford today for the Sweden based person who is replacing me. Photos don't give a good perspective of bedroom sizes so Andrew did his thing. What a stalwart. Land lady thought we were a bit strange though.