Random Thoughts
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Old Age Is a Privilege of the Few
I used to think of ageing as something to resist. Loss taught me to see it differently: growing older is not guaranteed. It is a privilege.
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Post-Marathon Fashion
I bought compression socks in an Asian small because I was convinced they’d fit. Nine minutes later, my legs and my delusions were both under considerable pressure.
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Gratitude in Running
Running in the heat has an unexpected way of making a breeze, a patch of shade, a little rain—and even a stranger’s smile—feel like gifts.
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What Queensland’s highest mountain keeps teaching me
George Mallory is famously quoted as answering the question of why he wanted to climb Mount Everest with three words: “Because it’s there.” I know Bartle Frere is nothing compared with Everest, but whenever people ask why I keep climbing Queensland’s highest mountain, my answer is much the same. Because it’s there. But there is…
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Boulder Modelling? Not Quite.
No, I was not modelling for or endorsing boulders. I was trying to figure out how to slide down without breaking anything. The trouble with climbing up things is that eventually you have to work out how to get back down. And apparently my preferred problem-solving technique is to sit there looking comfortable while considering…
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Some Things Take Time to Sink In
I once came across a quote about introverts not always taking everything in while it is happening. I understood it immediately. I can be somewhere beautiful, surrounded by people, talking, laughing and doing things — but sometimes I don’t fully absorb the experience until later. It might be when I’m home looking through the photos,…
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Hiking Reunion 2023
I used to think becoming a better hiker meant becoming stronger and more independent. Group hiking taught me something different: sometimes accepting help is part of being a good teammate.
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Men Should Learn This…
I wasn’t comfortable with the idea of Botox… until my dentist explained what might happen to my “young and pretty profile.” Suddenly, I became remarkably open-minded. 😁
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I Missed This View
I just realised how much I missed this view. I loved watching the birds perch in the trees outside our balcony, but after the tree lopping, the city opened up again. And I realised I’d missed that too. Funny how you can enjoy what’s in front of you so much that you forget what it…
Stories Along the Way 