Category Archives: Culture

The Contextual Mentat

Posted on Mar 24, 2023 by nickrichards38

” A little gale will soon disperse that cloud and blow it to the source from whence it came. Thy very beams will dry those vapours up, for every cloud engenders not a storm.” William Shakespeare, King Henry the Sixth, … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Motivational, Wellness | Comments Off on The Contextual Mentat

Strange Paths

Posted on Nov 6, 2022 by nickrichards38

“What If” What if these two words were the most meaningful words in the English language? Of course, that’s a matter of opinion, and there are those who contend that “Why me”, “Let go” or “Thank you” are more significant. … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Motivational | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Strange Paths

Two Days in Florence

Posted on Sep 29, 2022 by nickrichards38

“Everything about Florence seems to be coloured with a mild violet, like diluted wine.” Henry James, Letter 1869 Having spent the summer traveling back and forth several times to a specific country’s embassy in Brussels, Belgium this summer, my wife … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Travel | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Two Days in Florence

Navigating Vacations

Posted on Sep 10, 2022 by nickrichards38

All in One or Outside of the Box If you didn’t get around to travelling this summer, 2022, you may have, like me, spent the time reading articles in the media about travel: travel tips, travel destinations, accessories, airports and … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Travel | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Navigating Vacations

California Skies

Posted on Aug 18, 2022 by nickrichards38

Reading a media article recently about the disrupted state of travel in 2022—plane cancellations, TSA, etc.—reminded me of a particularly memorable business trip I went on in January 2016 to Sunnyvale, California, and writing about the trip was the only … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Food, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on California Skies

Don’t Go Wishing For An Alligator

Posted on Jun 20, 2022 by nickrichards38

Food, and meals in general, is intrinsic to certain cultures and that’s why Zoom video meetings with the colleagues in France are fun, especially when they happen around midday, and lunch is discussed. And that’s precisely why Gallic conversations, full … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Food, Wellness | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Don’t Go Wishing For An Alligator

Letter From America: Reframing Nostalgia

Posted on Jun 1, 2022 by nickrichards38

When I was eleven or twelve, my parents used to listen a lot to the radio: The Archers, Round the Horn, The Forsyte Saga… Because we didn’t have a television at the time, and because I didn’t have much say … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Everyday life, Society, Wellness | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Letter From America: Reframing Nostalgia

Blame The Painter, Not The Paintbrush.

Posted on Apr 18, 2022 by nickrichards38

Routines. You know you want them. They’re just what you need to stop yourself getting distracted by, say, an autocrat’s ego-trip of a war in one country, or the antics of a rampantly dishonourable, incompetent, unethical, and yes, corrupt government … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Everyday life, Wellness | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Blame The Painter, Not The Paintbrush.

At World’s End – A Journey There and Beyond

Posted on Jan 24, 2022 by nickrichards38

I must admit that during a recent winter vacation – a coastal cruise up through the Norwegian fjords to the Arctic Circle, and onto the North Cape – I should have spared a thought for my peers in the US, … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Travel, Wellness | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on At World’s End – A Journey There and Beyond

Lessons from an Erudite Pundit.

Posted on Nov 5, 2021 by nickrichards38

I’d read an article recently analyzing the current form of my favourite soccer team and wondered why the pundit/blogger would use an analogy, The Ship of Theseus, to make his point. Shame on me for not seeing the connection; I … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Everyday life, Music, Publishing, Wellness | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Lessons from an Erudite Pundit.