• Ideal growing conditions

    Thursday, February 22, 2018

    I believe that the real work of life is trying to figure out what kind of person you are, and what your ideal growing conditions are. We’re not always born in the right climate. Just like a plant, we all have basic requirements: soil, sun, water, temperature, nutrients. Have you ever seen a frangipani trying […]

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  • Phone-a-phobia

    Wednesday, February 21, 2018

      I have a confession. I hate mobile phones. I like being able to check my email and social media accounts. I use the banking app. I love Spotify. But the actual phone that rings? I HATE IT. 15 years working in the media has made me allergic to the sound of a ringing phone. I […]

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  • The circuit

    Wednesday, February 14, 2018

    I have a theory. It’s nothing new but I thought I would share it with you anyway. I believe that love is a circuit. You only get out what you put in. I am fortunate in the sense that I have an abundance of love and support around me. Subsequently, I believe that it is […]

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  • Why I need retreats

    Monday, February 12, 2018

    I recently returned from a two night stay at Billabong Retreat and – wow – what a difference. The 48 hours I spent there shifted something. The past month has been really tough and I’ve felt it in my body. My stomach has been sore – in both the muscles and digestive system – and sleep […]

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  • What happens when you damage a rental car

    Sunday, January 14, 2018

    Have you ever wondered what will happen if you damage your rental car? Well, friends, you can rely on ol’ spatially challenged Castle here to deliver. On my recent East Coast road trip adventure, my friend Michael and I hired a car from Avis. To our great delight, when we went to pick it up […]

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gentle living
Jun
26

In praise of the everyday

After years of writing about – and occasionally experiencing – some pretty fancy stuff, I have to say that I am loving the humble life. Aldi Champagne instead of Veuve. Homemade casseroles instead of degustations. Days of laundry, writing, baby mama-ing and coffees with friends. There’s a lot of joy to be found in this new […]

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The fourth trimester
Jun
22

The fourth trimester

There’s nothing like a new baby to mess up your relationship. I am not saying we don’t love him. We obsessively, completely do. We are both like super crazy thriller movie stalkers (think of a room wallpapered in pictures of our baby’s every move with some black pen drawings for extra craziness. And maybe some poems. […]

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Salad
Jun
21

Walk, salad, stretch

I am currently going through a stage where I am really conscious of how everyday actions affect me. Life with a newborn is a marathon, not a sprint. After three months of night feeds, severe C-section-related back pain and getting into the groove of freelance writing, I am finding that a new mantra has emerged. […]

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What you can learn from a baby
Jun
20

What you can learn from a baby

I spend a lot of time hanging out with a Tiny Person these days and there are a few things that I’ve noticed that could really help us all be a bit happier. Stretch Whenever Baby Joey wakes up, he does a massive stretch. A head-to-toe, back arching stretch. Yoga may not be your thing […]

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This article is about how to make friends and include 10 tips to forge better relationships
Jun
8

How to make friends

I am lucky enough to know some very socially gifted people. From observing them, I have learnt some key things about how to make friends, and also how to be a great friend. Do you want to make new friends? Or have better relationships with your existing friends? Read on for 10 tips to ace […]

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Jun
6

Friendship mosaic

I have a theory that we are all more beautiful when you put us together. Groups form patterns, and viewed from outside, the unified form becomes much more interesting than a single unit. Friendship groups have energy. They grow and breathe, like a forest with a complex web of interconnected root and soil structures forming […]

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Robert Robertson art teacher Tamworth High
Jun
1

Levity

I had an art teacher named Robbie Robertson who was born on February 29th. He was a master of levity. Being a head teacher is a responsible position but he made it seem like a rock and roll adventure. Being around him always made you feel like you were up to no good; mischievous, irresponsible […]

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May
29

Memories

What kind of memories are you handing out? It’s worth asking yourself this because they are the sum total of your life. They could be the result of the smallest interaction or a lifelong relationship but, upon death, they are the only thing that lives on. Consider this: you have millions of little avatars running around in other […]

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May
18

Poop

There is nothing quite like a good poop to make you feel better. The strange thing – even with all the talk of fermented foods, gut health, and probiotics – is that no one really talks about the end game. The Poop. I was shocked and delighted when a colleague of mine casually mentioned that she […]

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May
17

Joy

A few weeks back I read a wonderful post by Elizabeth Gilbert about how your soul is always guiding you towards joy (click here to read it). The basic premise is that the further you move away from what makes you joyful, the louder your soul will protest. Joy, not to be confused with pleasure, is […]

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