Tophe Adventures

Friday, October 04, 2024

Joan as a policewoman - Whelan's - 4 Oct 2024

Oh Joan

Monday, September 30, 2024

How come I did not know abou this song before !!!

Thanks Hank I guess

Sunday, July 28, 2024

Reviewing an old post

In an old post from 2008, I was getting excited about the upcoming Pixar movies.... 16 years later, here's an update

2008 - Wall-ee -> Saw it, and it was brilliant, still one of my favorite movies.
2009 - Up -> Saw it, very good.
2010? - Toy Story 3 -> Saw it, probably the weakest of the trilogy,

Those two actually appear in theater in a different order

2011 - Newt and The Bear and the Bow -> In 2012, Renamed finally Brave, another brilliant entry.
2012 - Cars 2 -> in 2011, Good but not as good as the first one.

It was followed by :

2013 - Monsters University: slightly disappointing

2015 - Inside Out : absolutely brilliant, shoot up to the top of my favorites.

2015 - The Good dinosaur: okay, but first Pixar where I was not fully on boarded.

2016 - Finding Dory: A very strong follow up to "Finding Nemo"

2017 - Cars 3: A much stronger entry than the second one.

2017 - Coco : A very emotional and lovely story.

2018 - Incredibles 2    An excellend second opus
2019     Toy Story 4 Interesting conclusion, unforsenn
2020     Onward Cool
2020     Soul     really interesting but did not leave a lasting impression.
2021     Luca Refreshing and so nostalgic of Italy
2022     Turning Red brave and terrific
2022     Lightyear     did not see that one.
2023     Elemental yet to see that one
2024     Inside Out 2 I liked it

Plus a new movie from Bard Bird: 1906.

DLR baths

Monday, July 08, 2024

Things I learned in the last 20 years

That post was initially called what I learned in the last 15 years... but I keep pushing the publishing date out.... so 20 years soon, since I moved to Ireland.

Mid way through the roaring 20's , let's see what I learned in the last fifteen-year span if anything.

On giving up / being resilient:

- I have dropped out of becoming a leading diver 3 times at this stage. The first time was an accident, I injured myself ( cracked rib ) which meant my diving season was cut short. However the second and third time, I had lost interest in scuba-diving, in particular the time spend on the activity, I wanted to do something else, and I had much more pleasure simply snorkelling.

- I also dropped out of a Msc in Statictics ( only earning a post-grad diploma instead ), I basically gave up while writing the dissertation, main reasons were:

1. A change of personal circumstances, having to support my wife while she was going back to study (which turn into becoming a father ).

2. I could not see myself in a beginner job again, doing statistics (I still love the maths but could not find an attraction in the prospective jobs).

On learning, or re-learning:

I thought for a very long time, that when I would have kid of my own, I would be a teacher and an educator, but it is turning to be the opposite.

I discover, on a daily basis, that I am at the receiving end of a great deal of education from my daughter. I now truly believe that I am learning a lot more from her than the other way around.
At level zero, there is the simple fact that I knew nothing about parenthood, and even now three years after a birth, I still don't know a lot. So this turn out to be a powerful learning experience.

First thanks to her I have rediscovered the simple joy and practice of being on the ground, through playing, crawling and rough tumbling. My body has become painfully aware of its stiffness, and how many natural movements have become alien to me.

So let's go through the long and ever increasing of things I am being schooled at:
   - patience:
   - time value and relativity : slow down, dealing with impatience, slowing dow on othe
   - be play-full.
   - keep being curious and continuously ask question.
   - improvisation but also the great power of being organised (plan plan, failure to plan is planning to fail )
   - assertivness ( authority )
   - the power of laugh
   -being tough and flexible
   - trust
   - being less selfish and more grateful

Having a kid is a fantastic teacher, an incorruptible reality checker:

1. Yelling does not help

2. Patience, take a deep breath

3. It is fun, everything can be fun, funny.Laugh more, laugh all the time, have fun

4. Move move, dance all the time.

Leading by example, and as a result improving my own habits for example brush your teeth everyday. It is actually better than telling someone to do it.

Kids are sponge, that take the best and also worst of us.

Life is short and can end up so fast