Tag: dailyprompt
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Watership Down
What is a piece of media (book, movie, song)that changed how you see the world? I loved Watership Down when it came out in 1978. I saw the film first, and was so affected by it that I went on to read the book. That is very rare for me. Usually, if I have seen…
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The Wisdom of Unfinished Endings
If you could change the ending of any book, which one would it be? I must admit that I baulk at the question. The reason is simple. I respect art too much. A book is not a product for my satisfaction. It is the work of another person’s imagination. So whether I like the ending…
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Meeting People Part Way
Which languages do you speak and how did that impact your life? I admire people who can speak multiple languages. Working in a university college, I spend my days talking with students from all over the world. The are here to study degrees that are taught in English but many of them speak multiple languages.…
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Keep It Simple
What’s the best advice you’d give to someone younger than you? The best advice I would give to someone younger than me is this: keep things simple. That may sound too plain to be useful, but a lot of wisdom is plain. We often make life harder than it needs to be. We overthink, rehearse,…
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Making It Happen Without Making a Fuss
Who are you most inspired by? I am increasingly inspired by people whose names never appear in headlines. They are the ones who turn up, notice what needs doing, and do it without making a fuss. Brilliance has its place. We need gifted people. But as I get older, I find myself more deeply moved…
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Character Outlasts Achievement
What is your top tip to be successful in life? My top tip for being successful in life is simple: character outlasts achievement. We live in a world that measures success by what can be counted, announced, awarded, or displayed. Titles, income, influence, publications, prizes, and recognition all have their place. Achievement matters. Good work…
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Watching M.A.S.H. for the First Time Again
What’s a book, movie, or TV show that youwish you could experience again for the first time? I was late to the party when it came to M.A.S.H. It was not a show we ever watched at home. Then I went to college, and suddenly it became part of the daily rhythm. Straight after dinner,…
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Joyful, Anyway
What is a common misconception people have about happiness? A common misconception about happiness is that it means being satisfied with everything. That is not true. In fact, it may be one of the more damaging ideas we carry. It suggests that if we are truly happy, we should be undisturbed by grief, injustice, disappointment,…
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The Instrument I Wish I Could Play
If you could instantly master any skill, what would it be and why? If I could instantly master any skill, I would choose the piano. I love music, but I have no musical skill that I am aware of. I listen with great pleasure, but I do not play. I admire people who can sit…
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Practical Compassion
What is one way you have grown this year? One way I have grown this year is by learning that compassion has to become practical. Over the years I have become increasingly aware of how much pressure some students carry. International students can carry loneliness, financial stress, uncertainty about accommodation, worries about family, the need…
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Recognising the Thread
What is something you wish you could tell your 20-year-old self? At 20, I thought life was a linear progression. You chose your path, dedicated yourself to it, and then walked it. The challenge was to make the right decision early, commit to it, and stay faithful. At 20, I knew what my passions were.…
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The Cost of Being Always Available
Write your guide to setting healthy boundaries in relationships. I am not sure I am qualified to write a guide to healthy boundaries, except as someone who learned them too slowly. For 20 years I was a parish minister. That meant working in a caring profession. People had real needs. Crises happened. There were weddings,…
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Colonising Mars
Do you think humans will ever colonize Mars?What would life there actually look like? With the listing of SpaceX on the stock exchange, the idea of humans living on Mars feels a little closer. Not close, exactly. I do not expect to see a million people living in a Martian colony in my lifetime. But…
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I’m Not Controlling
What’s your favourite meme? We’re dog lovers in our household. More specifically, we love female border collies. They are intelligent, active, great company, and intense. Very intense. A lot of staring takes place in our house. There is staring when it is time to go for a walk in the park. Staring when it is…
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Toussaint
What’s a cultural tradition from another countrythat you wish existed in yours? The tradition I wish we had more strongly in Australia is not really Halloween. It is what sits behind it. In France, All Saints’ Day, or Toussaint, is still marked as a public holiday. Families visit cemeteries. They clean graves, place flowers, light…
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Australia’s Most Beautiful Mistake
What are the biggest mistakes people make when visiting your country? When people ask about the biggest mistakes visitors make in Australia, they probably expect me to talk about snakes, spiders, sharks or crocodiles. But that is not where my mind goes first. I worry about water. I worry about it especially because I work…
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Boogie Wonderland
What’s a song that always puts you in a good mood? I’m a little surprised, but the first song that comes to mind is Earth, Wind & Fire’s Boogie Wonderland. It is not really my kind of music. At least, it is not the kind of song that I would play by choice, but when…
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The Truest Sentence
What is a fear you’ve overcome — and how did you do it? I have often been afraid that I do not have much to offer. I sit down to write and wonder whether the thought is too ordinary. Someone else has probably said it better. Someone else has probably said it with more learning,…
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Entrusted
What is the best way to build self-confidence? I am not sure self-confidence is the right place to begin. It can sound like trying to convince myself that I am impressive, capable, and ready. A better word, for me, is entrusted. I have been given certain gifts, responsibilities, people to care for, and work to…
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How Do You Build Loyal Subscribers?
How do you build loyal subscribers? I’m not sure you do. The question sounds like something from marketing. How do you build loyal subscribers? How do you grow an audience? How do you keep people coming back? I understand the question. Anyone who writes and shares their writing knows the quiet hope that someone will…
