I’ve done a lot of complaining today. I’m certainly not the only one, though. I’m one of many people complaining about the election of Donald Trump as the next President of the United States. But enough now. It’s time to quit complaining and start learning. Why? Because complaining is pointless. It achieves nothing. All it does is make me …
Author Archives: Chris Cameron-Dow
Be polite. It helps
I frequently tease my colleagues for being too polite. The conversation goes something like this: Colleague: Chris, do you possibly have time to review this for me? I hope it’s not too much trouble. Me: You really don’t need to be so polite. Reviewing your work is literally my job. It’s light-hearted. We have a …
Screw the lyrics – Satisfaction
I can’t get no bacon sandwich I can’t get no bacon sandwich ‘Cause I try and I try and I cry and I cry I can’t get no, I can’t get no When I’m ridin’ on the bus And a man gets on with food in hand He’s tellin’ me more and more About how much he …
Screw perfection – write that post
I have a problem when it comes to blogging: I want every post to matter. In that respect, I’m a bit of a perfectionist. I don’t want to write something that’s not worthy of having being written. And that’s a little ridiculous. I can identify three reasons this is problematic: I don’t know what is meaningful …
We give up easily
I’ve had KT Tunstall’s “Other Side Of The World” playing in my head for a day or so now, and most of the chorus speaks to my current challenge: I need to just keep going. The words that resonate with me are: The fire fades away Most of everyday Is full of tired excuses But …
Economic inequality and me
On Saturday, two things happened in my life that do not seem unusual at all. And yet, they highlight the enormous economic divide that exists in South Africa. What happened? I had lunch and my flat was cleaned. Let’s start with the cleaning. I employ a domestic worker on an ad hoc basis – roughly …
Screw depression
Screw depression. Really. It sucks. If anything in the world is unfair, it’s depression. My own brain literally just doesn’t do what it’s supposed to, and the result is a compromised, stunted experience of life. I suffer from depression. It’s been a part of my life for a long time, though it took years to …
Perspective
In a life that is full of daily challenges, as mine is (most likely yours too), it’s easy to forget to marvel at the magnificence of the universe and the fact that I’m here to experience life as a part of it. This morning I’ve had a little dose of perspective, and it is wonderful. …
Identifying negative routine
For a very long time, I’ve thought that I am not a creature of habit. I claim to dislike routine and repetitive tasks and prefer to keep my life in a manageable state of chaos. I’ve now realised, however, that I don’t not have routine. I have negative routine. I don’t normally make my bed …
It’s ok to be sad
I’m sad. Right now. As I write this. I know it’s temporary – I won’t always be sad. And yet it’s also not something to be dismissed. Life is not an exercise in acknowledging only happiness. Sadness is real too. Why am I sad? Because I have experiences that have resulted in sadness. I experienced …
Screw the Moon 