The Fear Of Freedom – 16th March 2025

A paranoia that’s well-earned
Too many times fingers burned
A back stabbed by an active mind
Fears the freedom it has defined

Scared to step out of the light
Shadows whisper late at night
Whips and cracks echo the fear
That freedom is not present here

When they are us and we are them
And together we each condemn
Each other, our freedom’s clear
Surrendered ourselves to fear

Inspired by a short piece by Ryan Holiday

Til The End – 23rd November 2022

Make sure to watch til the end
This video needs the stats
Nothing happens at that point
As you can see within the chats

But make sure to watch til the end
Cos this video needs to go viral
A dollar for every ad served
Within this ever-downward spiral

Make sure to watch til the end
If you really want to laugh
Forget about the time you’ve wasted
Cutting your life in half

Make sure to watch til the end
Scroll and pause, pause and scroll
You’re the product in this game
And the devil wants your soul

So make sure you watch til the end…


The foundations of a free country is that your freedom to swing your fist ends where someone else’s nose begins.

Ryan Holiday

Today I’m feeling:
Reasonably happy.
Today I’m grateful for:
The old auntie at the market that made an old-style Thai dessert that is hard to come across. It’s a little like Japanese mochi, made with sticky rice and flour and other things I don’t recognise.
The best thing about today was:
Explaining some work to a couple of students and seeing the joy of understanding on their faces when it clicked for them. Small steps. Interested students are a teacher’s pleasure. Uninterested students are impossible to get through to and those moments of understanding are far fewer with them. So even a poorer student that shows interest is preferred.
Daily thought
Who is someone living that you admire?
I’ve been thinking about this off and on all day and as was commented on where I found this question, it is much easier to come up with a person that is dead. Why is that? A finished story perhaps. A life that no longer can be spoiled… I admire many of my musician friends, just for their abilities to create music that sparks me. This can apply to artists I don’t know too but the connection feels vaguer these days. This admiration is not necessarily for who these people are but for things they created, though there is a strong connection in the qualities of patience and persistence amongst other things. If I have admiration for who a person is then that would be Amy. She has her ups and downs as much as anyone but in general, is a happy person whose positivity is seen by most and I’m sure has helped guide her through life with good results. I admire her attitude. I’m not like that, not like her in that way. I wish I could be but I just can’t. It’s one of the reasons I want to be with her though. She’s a counterbalance for me.
What’s your best advice for teenagers?
The best advice is what I have learned through reading about Stoicism and understanding the dichotomy of control. As I am teaching teenagers at the moment this often comes up for them in learning about dealing with relationships and situations. It is always something I have to remind myself about every day though. I think I’ll make that a daily question for myself from tomorrow.

I took this picture because this is typical of my students in class. Today I laughed with them but actually, I feel disappointed for them. The environment is just not conducive to learning.

Own Goal – 31st July 2022

In a carefully worded statement
Facts were twisted and obscured
The lines crossed were blurred
And both sides eventually demurred
One step forward, two steps back
Holding hands, stepping into a hole
A status quo must be maintained
Until someone scores an own goal


You are a human being, not a human doing.

Ryan Holiday

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful that our little car is healthy enough to get us to Chiang Mai and back on a quick turnaround trip. Good health to you, Almy.

A Step Closer To God – 15th July 2022

Another winning goal, another scoring shot
A sharing of the soul, a stirring of the pot
Climbing the ranks, lightning to the rod
Living life with thanks, stepping up to God

The title was taken from a commentator’s proclamation during last weekend’s Sydney vs. Fremantle AFL game as Buddy Franklin scored an important goal after the halftime siren.


Why on earth do you need thanks or recognition for having done the right thing? It’s your job.

Ryan Holiday, Daily Stoic

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful that I was able to safely get on and off the roof to put down some waterproof tape. Let’s see if it works.

Jones In Space – 8th July 2022

It’s gonna take sometime
To reinvent myself
It’s a long way
To become somebody else
Cowboys to astronauts
Reaching past the skies
A never-ending journey
Of whats, wheres and whys


There’s probably something wrong with you if you never doubt yourself.

Ryan Holiday

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful for feeling good. I felt bad for too many days and it was getting me down.

No More Maus – 17th June 2022

Burn the books that shook and rocked
Ban the guns all cocked and locked
Pay the man a corporate donation
Say a prayer to save the nation
Scoff as the rest of the world is shocked

The end of days, the Rapture foretold
When shock and awe have taken hold
Scrambling with a personal hell
Now has come the time to tell
About all the lies that have been sold


Most people would rather argue about reality than do something about reality.

Ryan Holiday

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful to see the birdies able to fly – or just trying for their first times. I hope they can avoid our cats.

Two More Questions – 29th April 2022

Where has all the thinking got us?
All the questions are just too tough
For every answer, two more questions
I guess we just haven’t thought enough
For every answer, two more questions
I guess we just haven’t thought – enough!


Getting upset is like continuing the bad dream while you’re awake.

Ryan Holiday

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful to be able to find solutions to minor domestic issues, water pipes broken, taps not working, needing new garden equipment etc.

Personal Hells – 5th April 2022

Eyes agog at AMOLED screens of trusting fakes
Ears alert to every chime, bell and whistle
*They spit weird dilatory rants and pithy takes
Or burp up half-digested chunks of newsfeed gristle*

*from That Guy From The Internet’s ‘This is a newsletter’ newsletter. Love these two phrases.


Reason must lead the way no matter what good fortune comes along.

Ryan Holiday, Daily Stoic

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful that I have managed to survive the last eight days on very little money and especially to Art for allowing me to have daily coffee on credit!

The Last Word – 2nd April 2022

Power exists in concentrated forms
A small group will always control the norms
The real directors behind the curtain
Your loyalty demanded true and certain

You must serve your master with the purse
Even though this way things turn out worse
Diplomacy gives your masters the glory
Your name erased from the final story

Inspired/paraphrased – Robert Greene
19th Jun 2024 – submitted to Writer’s Workshop Prompts


I don’t have to have an opinion about this. I can just let it be, I can ignore it, I can realise it doesn’t pertain to me, or I can just see it as it is… It doesn’t need me projecting my thoughts or beliefs or perceptions on it.

Ryan Holiday

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful to receive my pay cheque yesterday and get to the bank in time. I hope the money clears quickly.