A Purple Paradise
A Purple Paradise DM 5th April 2025 I wonder if anyone in the history of the world has ever combined all their so-called special (‘purple’) days into one. For instance, they celebrated their birthday in the morning, their wedding in the afternoon; in the evening they received their statement of clearance from university debt, and […]
Navigating life
Navigating life DM 29th March 2025 We were doing a complex cross-city journey. My wife was driving and decided to turn on maps. I hadn’t heard the nav-man for a while, and it was good to hear his voice again. But sad to say, some of his instructions were not followed. Yet he remained patient. […]
Splitting the G
Splitting the G DM 22nd March 2025 Among the frothy festivities of St Patrick’s Day is the attempt at the bar to ‘split the G’. That is, to raise a glass of the brown stuff and take one or two carefully calculated gulps to reduce the froth line to a point where it comes close […]
Lex Rex or Rex Lex?
Lex Rex or Rex Lex? DM 15th March 2025 I once had a hardback copy of Lex Rex on my bookshelf. It was written by Scottish Presbyterian minister Samuel Rutherford, published in 1644, and meaning the “law is king”. (I always liked the title because I have a friend named Lex and knew a dog […]
Aced it!
Aced it! DM 8th March 2025 Funny how the top card can also be the bottom one. I’m not sure I can think of another game besides poker where this is true. Whoever invented the game gave to the ace special powers to both be at the head of the pack, and yet, if needed, […]
A candy life
A candy life DM 1st March 2025 My daughter showed me this cute video of a raccoon washing cotton-candy in a pool of water, only for the poor critter to discover that the pretty pink substance disappeared before its very eyes. (When I was growing up, we used to call it fairy-floss.) Some have claimed […]
Eulogies
Eulogies DM 22nd February 2025 I continue to be amazed at how much I learn about a person at their funeral. The person’s surviving family is on display, telling stories and disclosing ‘safe’ family secrets. The person’s life-journey is on display, via a series of pictures from birth to decline. The person’s faith is on […]
The Music of Heaven
The Music of Heaven DM 15th February 2025 I wonder how many Christian ‘psalms, hymns and spiritual songs’ have been written since the days of Adam. A million? More? And will we get to sing them all in heaven, or hear them presented by choirs in the language of the people who wrote them? Maybe […]
The Big Fool
The Big Fool DM 8th February 2025 I’d driven past the Big Merino in Goulburn, the Big Banana at Coffs Harbour, the Big Mango north of Townsville, and the Big Tennis Racket in the main street of Barellan. But I was actually going to go inside the Big Pineapple near Nambour. I was so excited, […]
The Ironic Blessing
The Ironic Blessing DM 1st February 2025 It takes some time in church to hear things right. Most new attenders mishear the Aaronic Blessing as the Ironic Blessing. The Aaronic Blessing is a form of words given by God to Moses’ brother Aaron the priest, with which to bless the Israelites: “The Lord bless you […]