I have read a large number of the classic books over the last few years. I cannot remember when I started on the project and I cannot define a ‘classic’ book, either. And I am rereading many of them now. Last week I finished Madame Bovary again and now I am reading The Brothers Karamazov.… Continue reading Interested in classic fiction books? This YouTube channel is a gem
The curse of knowledge, and the great opportunity that presents itself
I was contacted by a client of mine recently who was interested in buying a retail unit for his professional practice. He was confused about what was actually being offered for sale, however, and asked me a number of questions about it. The questions appeared to me to be stupid questions. As far as I… Continue reading The curse of knowledge, and the great opportunity that presents itself
Social media comments-resisting the urge to respond
Many of the comments posted on my social media posts, including video on YouTube, are pure drivel. No basis in any rational thought, not a particle of common sense or rational, responsible thinking. I ignore them. I simply do not respond. I believe this is the best way to deal with them for I cannot… Continue reading Social media comments-resisting the urge to respond
Ignoring the phenomenon of TikTok would be a massive mistake for any small business owner
It has taken me over 10 years to get to 15,000 subscribers on my YouTube channel. But it has only taken 3 months to gain over 19,000 fans/followers on TikTok. Yes, the quality of engagement and support between the different platforms is different. The fans/subscribers on YouTube are probably more committed and supportive of me… Continue reading Ignoring the phenomenon of TikTok would be a massive mistake for any small business owner
Listening to “The Brothers Karamazov” on audiobook
I’ve started listing to “The Brothers Karamazov” yesterday evening after downloading it from Audible. I was uncertain whether I would get the audiobook or the written version, but I was determined I would read it again. I read it before on my Kindle but did not fully appreciate it or the genius of Fyodor Dostoevsky.… Continue reading Listening to “The Brothers Karamazov” on audiobook
“Bound for Glory”-Woody Guthrie’s autobiography
Just finished “Bound for Glory”, the autobiography of Woody Guthrie. I was a bit disappointed, to be honest. The book takes you up to a certain point in time and stops at that point. I know it has to stop somewhere but it does not give any indication of how Guthrie became such an important… Continue reading “Bound for Glory”-Woody Guthrie’s autobiography
The Coming Storm-a BBC Radio 4 Podcast which is well worth a listen
This BBC Radio 4 podcast-the Coming Storm-is worth a listen. It explores the phenomenon of Q-Anon, the movement that culminated in the January 6th 2021 insurrection in the United States after the 2020 presidential election. You will learn some fascinating stuff about how rumours, speculation and untruths can be leveraged into full blown conspiracy theories… Continue reading The Coming Storm-a BBC Radio 4 Podcast which is well worth a listen
My brown soda loaf-a staple in my diet
Twice or three times a week I bake the brown soda loaf you see on this page. It is Neven Maguire’s recipe from a book of his which I was gifted one Christmas. The book is called “Home Economics for Life” and I believe my wife, Sally, gave me the book in an ambitious attempt… Continue reading My brown soda loaf-a staple in my diet
My podcast at a crossroads-kill it or keep it going?
I revived my podcast a few months ago. I gave it a new name (“The Irish Law and Small Business Podcast“), sorted out many episodes in a couple of frenzied periods of batch creation of episodes, and breathed new life into it. Then I watched the analytics of listens and subscribers and the amount of… Continue reading My podcast at a crossroads-kill it or keep it going?
Henry James and Washington Square-not sure what to think
I have just finished the Henry James novel, “Washington Square”. I don’t quite know what to make of it, to be honest. The writing is extremely proper and exact. Some would say legalistic, so anxious is James to describe situations, conversations, and emotions with the greatest amount of accuracy and exactitude. It did not surprise… Continue reading Henry James and Washington Square-not sure what to think