Review: Book (The Death of Ivan Ilyich)

Today I'm going to briefly review Leo Tolstoy's 'The Death of Ivan Ilyich'. Why? Well, I found it to be a really poignant tale that was insightful, eye-opening, and allowed me to think critically about my novels for the first time in a while. I enjoyed the mundanity that other reviewers found irritating. The contrast…

Review: Book (According to Yes)

Today I'm going to give a short book review because I feel the need to talk about this. It's 'According to Yes', by Dawn French. You can buy it cheap here. However, unless you enjoy a shock, I wouldn't recommend you read it. It was 'gifted' to me by a cheeky aunt who obviously wanted…

Dear Father-in-law

I'm writing you, and others like you, this open letter. As I write this, you're a healthy if not overly anxious 70 year old man. You were very fortunate growing up, as you rarely had tales of ill health. Heck, YOUR parents are still alive at 94 years old! Vitality and vigour is not something…

Don’t Put Things Away While Drinking

This blog post is more of a quick cautionary tale than a professional anecdote. However, it has professional applications. Don't put things away while drinking. Here's why; You won't be able to find them again easily. I learned this the hard way when, as Christmas approached one year and I needed to tidy my apartment…

You Can Do It!

After studying Japanese for 10 years, and setting my sights on visiting Japan as my end-goal, we're finally here! I'M GOING TO JAPAN THIS YEAR!! For me, these rewards are what makes the struggle worthwhile. The goal at the end of the task is usually something I assign for myself; and the more challenging the…

Strategy Fatigue

Or, 'when an intervention isn't worth the effort', or 'when doing something is worse than doing nothing'. A common issue in HR literature, and HR work in hospitals, is the issue of Strategy fatigue. Strategy Fatigue in management is, essentially, employees and/or customers getting tired of a 'new approach' or a 'new system' being implemented. It…

Japanese Phrases for Travellers

I'm posting this for the use of a few people I know who intend to travel to Japan later this year, and anyone else who is an English speaker but needs to get around in this wonderful, exciting foreign country. *Now with useful edits! I'm not going to post images for this, because there is…

‘Soft’ skills, and Generation Y

I've been asked by my partner, and some others in my life, how I developed my near-innate ability to socialise and 'read' people. I'll be bluntly honest here; Big family.  I was in a social situation from Day 1. From the moment I was brought home from the hospital, I was surrounded by Grandparents, well-wishers,…

Pulling a Roosevelt

“Never throughout history has a man who lived a life of ease left a name worth remembering.” - Theodore Roosevelt. So I approached a friend the other day and asked them what they'd like to know. Anything about the PhD student experience? Anything about business? Anything about working at one of my country's best universities…

A Day in the life of a Heretic*

*Perception of Heresy subject to own personal belief and cultural norms So I'm starting to mention with increasing frequency my 'white bread' upbringing - but it's actually really important! Being raised an Anglo-Saxon, Irish Catholic strongly shaped my worldview and perception of society as a whole up until I was about 15 years old, so…