I just bought new running shoes today.

(My wife asked me if they’re any good. I said — “Nike says so. I’ve yet to meet them.”)

Then I looked at my old ones.

The journey that we had together; all the roads and grass and dirt I carried them while they protected my feet.

They got wet, they got muddy.

Over time, they got torn.

I glued them back together, nursed them to health, and we were both up and running in no time.

Consumerism heresy, but I love my old shoes.

When I look at my old shoes I…

These are my go-to books when I need to realise how rich I actually am:

• A Short Guide to a Happy Life, by Anna Quindlen = Titularly short, this can be read in an hour or so for an instant view of a world full of things to be happy about.
• How to Stop Worrying and Start Living, by Dale Carnegie = A classic from many decades ago, with some timeless advice on how to spend less time worrying, ergo more time to live.
• Consolations of Philosophy, by Alain de Botton = Great philosophers have given us some gifts we…

This is not your typical #blessed spiritual lip service.

This is science.

“If [thankfulness] were a drug, it would be the world’s best-selling product with a health maintenance indication for every major organ system,” — Dr. P. Murali Doraiswamy, head of the division of biologic psychology at Duke University Medical Center. (source)

There’s strong evidence that weaving gratitude to your daily life is akin to popping certain pills.

“Research studies have shown that practicing gratitude can make you feel happier, lower your stress, and even give you a better night’s sleep. But these effects aren’t just spiritual or psychological, they’re…

I love pineapples.

Even if you don’t care for it, I’m sure you can appreciate it’s a special kind of fruit.

You can get it for less than a pound in the UK, where once (the 17th century) only the super rich were able to delight in its tangy flavour, for the handsome price of the equivalent of £5,000.

It was brought from the Caribbean but in order to grow it in Europe, conditions had to mimic the temperature and humidity found there. That’s why only the extremely wealthy could afford it. …

Election

In America, there’s a country called the United States and they recently went to vote in something called election, where they pick their president, which is like their king, or queen.

It’s not really like the king or queen because they can’t do anything they want. It’s more like being the boss — a good boss chooses what’s important and what the country should focus on based on what they think is best.

Democracy

Elections is what they do in countries that are democratic — every few years, the people of these countries vote for who they believe is the best…

Dear daughters.

Soon you’ll learn about some truly remarkable women.

There have been many women who were the first women to achieve something amazing.

From Amelia Earhart, who was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic, to Valentina Tereshkova, who was the first woman in space (also solo), to Junko Tabei, who was the first woman to summit mount Everest.

Stuff that comes out of my daughter’s mouth, and sometimes nose.

I was invited to speak for the virtual summit Play for Peace — a celebration for World Children’s Day, about the importance of play in children’s lives.

Thank you Liway Tayag for the invitation.

Here’s what I have to say (as an education technology entrepreneur*, game designer, a voracious reader of parenting literature, and most importantly — a father) about play, learning and growing:

• Separating work and play is a mistake. Playtime should not be a reward for putting in the time to study. For me, as an academically accelerated child (many many years ago), this distinction created a sense…