Author Archives: John Worne

Sociabilidad

Time was… I was a miserable old soul. Grumpy, cynical and unsociable. A heart of gold; but a ‘crusty’ carapace. But the onset of children, middle years – and life in generally good shape – means I surprise myself sometimes. … Continue reading

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Cheerfulness

Hard yards at the moment. Much ado at work and plenty on at home. But the top tip of this week comes from the Royal Navy – cheerfulness counts. From the Battle of Trafalgar to the present day, Britain’s Royal … Continue reading

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Irrelevant Complexity 1) – Odd Jobs

‘Relevant complexity’ is my theory of everything: satisfaction and joy arise from the pursuit of complex, worthwhile and comparatively challenging pursuits. Art history, particle physics, the raising of children, the preparation and enjoyment of good food etc etc – all … Continue reading

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Cogito ergonomics sum

I think therefore I am – ‘the cogito’ – is Descartes most famous contribution to philosophy. I might doubt everything else; that I am thinking is a certainty. But thinking – and doing something about it – requires a comparative … Continue reading

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Sunshine

After the longest winter I can remember, warmth and sunshine break through the never-ending clouds and cold. What a difference the sunshine makes. Yesterday, in the driving rain, I debated with my daughter whether this country is just too chilly … Continue reading

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Physics

I’ve just spent the weekend at @CERN – home, among other things, to the biggest physics experiment on earth, the Large Hadron Collider (above). It’s quite a place. Much like a campus university; a jumble of blocks and walkways, carparks, … Continue reading

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Hmmm

Half me, half her. Qualities mine, faults hers. Hmmm. Some things about him aren’t either of us? Ok. Quarter her folks, quarter mine. Makes sense. Hang on a bit, Her folks aren’t all bad. Some of his qualities might be … Continue reading

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Winter

A bit like being winded by a whack in the solar plexus, this poem takes the wind out of your sails – and leaves you gasping. Clive James’s wit and humour of have always been rapier sharp. But here, his … Continue reading

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Small Pleasures

Today the email system at work catastrophically collapsed. Ironic that, as we were at an Away-day discussing our digital strategy. Ho hum. I bumped into one of my team on returning to the office. He commented on the crash in … Continue reading

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Dead Mum or Dinosaurs

I was debating with a friend yesterday whether he should feel any more concerned by the beliefs and values of his dead mum as the behaviours of dinosaurs. Both belong to the past; we live in the present. And soon … Continue reading

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