Success is a five-letter word —

Memories at the Australian War Memorial — 2003 — I pressed the button, and light glowed over the quilt, showing it to be made up of squares, each one worked with an intricate design, each one bearing a message laden with emotion. …

Challenger II in plastic bricks — Tanks for the memories When I was a small boy a long, long time ago I would be walked past the corner store on the way to school. …

Freedom on the endangered list — Might be a good time to say what I think of the world today. The idea of democracy is that everybody gets a voice. Because it is impractical to have a show of hands on every bit of government (hands up those in favour of financial regulation FR 109(a)(ii) changing…

Planting ideas — The 1986 movie Little Shop of Horrors centres around a carnivorous plant named Audrey II. There is a brick interpretation, I was pleasantly surprised to discover. Just the right size to chomp down on a minifig. Oh, the creative possibilities are endless! 3.13US $ 50% OFF|Moc Plants Bricks Pet Mini Chompers-flower Building Blocks Kit Man Eater Green… Shop moc plants bricks online with free shipping and fast delivery. Made of high quality plastic, safe and nontoxic…www.aliexpress.com

I love Japan. One of my favourite destinations with a blend of the odd and the delightful, weird and wonderful. The food alone sells the place but there are places of awesome majesty, frenetic life, and just plain unbelievable, often in one crowded moment. So it was a no-brainer when…

It’s all about the children — Children are — if we are doing it right — the biggest investment in our lives. Sure, it might take a lot of work to keep a relationship on track but if things get rocky we always have dozens of ways to leave a lover. At four in the morning…

Are your wishes blocked? — When I was a boy, men were training to go to the moon. There was a war in Vietnam that our guys were winning. I walked barefoot to school, read science fiction at lunch time, and I came home to play with my Lego, where I’d build kludgy, blocky lunar…

Calm in the face of change — A day of renewal today. I got my hair cut. I closed my eyes while the hairdresser worked, practicing a bit of mindfulness, noting the various sensations without comment. The buzz of the clippers, the feel of the blade moving through my hair, the smells of sprays and lotions. The…