A day in the life ..

Was today typical?

Diary entry July 28

Early start at 4:30 am. Text group leader that I’m in for today’s jump. Feeling groggy but the coffee helps. Check the pack from last night. Yes, everything here except the unnecessary. Take emergency kit with protein drink and electrolytes separately. Yes, I’ve double checked. All here. Doing a fry up. Nothing like a cooked breakfast. Best preparation but have a sinking feeling most of this ends up in the paper bag at 10 thousand feet. Checking text memo from group leader. Great, all’s clear. Jump’s on. Weather good for plane. Just a south easterly picking up mid arvo. Extra details on check list – mm, seems all here. Oh, what’s this written at the bottom?

’At the time of arrival core needs must be met. This includes anything outside requisite procedure.’

No stress. No chances taken. Nothing left to chance. Just jump. Yes, this is it! Right, shower and change. Don’t forget the lucky necklace. Keys, right. Now, make sure everything’s switched off inside. Place pack next to medical kit on back seat. Must get to airfield before dawn.

Just another typical day (I wish).

Teacher

What makes a teacher great?

I guess we’ve all had our fair share of the good and the bad (and the ugly, I mean the really bad). Not sure about the school system these days, but in ‘the bad old days’ many teachers could be described as yes, bad. This includes plain bad, badass, too bad, and far gone. (Best left for another discussion).

Occasionally there were exceptions. But rarely. So rare in fact, they stood out like shining beacons in a stormy sea. Somehow you instinctively appreciated their value and actually paid attention. And yes, they seemed to share universal traits. Patience, understanding, empathy, respect and encouragement.

You remember them so many years later as they form part of your understanding and inevitable appreciation of the world.

There is no single method to this, no magic formula, as the best teachers are as different as the subjects they teach.

Ultimately there should be no communication obstruction, no inhibition. This would surely be the communication between mother and child, as ideas and thoughts are conveyed as if by osmosis.

Just weird

How do you know when it’s time to unplug? What do you do to make it happen?

There is a moment when you realise you have to unplug when you start exhibiting strange or unusual behaviours. It’s surely better to unplug well in advance but as is so often the case the ‘red flags’ are often ignored. Considering the rather strange and ever-changing world we inhabit I guess it’s to be expected.

Nevertheless some of these distraction strategies are a bit weird. Sucking ice cubes, counting Pi (π) decimal places, cold showers, water submersion, obsessive cleaning, cracking nuts, fidgeting and nail biting, peeling glue from your hands, popping bubble wrap, hoarding, smashing glass, ceramics throwing, folding hot towels, watching gross videos on YouTube, listening to foreign languages (without understanding them), reciting recipes and polishing silverware. 😮 Some of these activities seem normal enough but the weirder ones are concerning.

So how do you unplug and what’s the best way to do it? While I admit to fidgeting, watching YouTube (but not gross videos) and buying stuff that I don’t need, the best remedy for me is physical activity whether it be stretching, yoga or just stepping out and taking a walk. Nothing beats a good book for distraction. But a real one and not some generic digital text generated by ChatGPT.

Holidaze

What is your favorite holiday? Why is it your favorite?

My favourite holiday was as a kid and I didn’t have to travel far for endless fun. Exploring the hills above our street or the gully behind the house was a magical playground for me and the neighbourhood kids.

The summer holidays seemed to go on for ever. But I wasn’t really aware of ‘holiday’ in the adult definition. It was just escapism. Today of course, we are hyper aware of the potential dangers of gullies and hills but in those days there was always an elder assigned to supervise any excursion.

If it wasn’t the backyard it was the beach. After a long drive we’d arrive at our destination where the river meets the sea. For a couple of weeks we would immerse ourselves in a place that could only be described as paradise.

Occasionally I revisit these places in dreams and while they seem distant and mysterious they remain with me as if printed on my cortex.

Yes, I do the annual holiday like others. South East Asia has become a favourite, especially Thailand as it seems to represent something special for me. The jungle, the temples, exotic aromas, different social practices. I am taken to another place. But travelling never really compares to those seminal experiences as a kid. Nowadays my favourite holiday is to lie in the grass and bury myself in a book:)