Looking back on this month of mindfulness; first in a new series — What am I doing? I have been meditating, on and off, for 35 years. Although I have journaled sporadically about my adventures in the inner world, I’ve never kept a retrospective roadmap of my travels. It’s a shame; I think I’d enjoy looking back at the journey. Therefore, at the end of each month…

As alien androids confound the crew of the Enterprise, I muse on transplanting consciousness — The imagination boosters were in overdrive when the Star Trek episode What Are Little Girls Made Of? was filmed back in 1966. It has buried ruins, alien androids, romance and fisticuffs — along with some fetchingly scant costumes, papier-mache scenery and comically huge computer banks, of course. Ah! The joy…

Musings on common suspensions of disbelief — I’ve been investing in some screen time lately (read: binging shows both crap and superb). The ridiculousness of some screen tropes struck me last night. Here are some of my favourites: The quickest way to render someone unconscious Ah, that old chestnut: a quick bop over the head with a plank / book / stone / saucepan…

Second thoughts on vitriol — Recently I published an article contrasting the philosophical underpinnings of democracy in the US and Australia in response to Conor Friedersdorf’s query as to whether pandemic Australia could still be considered a liberal democracy. (Short answer: Yes.) …

Perhaps a public confession will help — When I was a kid, my mother and her best friend would have competitions to see whose child was messiest. Mine always won. I’ve never been able to keep “stuff” in order. I’m the avatar of chaos in the world, the eye in a storm of clutter. Belongings nestle beside me, nudging my feet, hemming my laptop, jostling for attention. Let me give you an example. As I type this at my desk…

My “Teacher of the Year” award is in the mail, again — As a science teacher, I’m used to wringing my hands. You may hear the anguished desperation in my voice: But I specifically told you not to do that! If you can remember to come to the lab, surely you can remember to bring your lab coat? I can tell you…

An idiosyncratic response to Victoria’s earthquake — Three hours ago, Victoria experienced a 6.0 magnitude earthquake, centred on Mansfield, in the state’s north east. How did my partner and I react? We locked the doors, ran to each other and asked: “Did someone running over our roof again?” The earthquake struck at 9:15 this morning. Dr Januka…

In defence of Australian democracy — Conor Friedersdorf recently wrote an article, published in The Atlantic, titled “Australia Traded Away Too Much Liberty” in which he speculates whether Australia can still be called a liberal democracy, given the restrictions imposed on citizens during the pandemic. …

Words no science teacher wants to read — This week, I’ve had my Year 7 students design a simple experiment involving the freezing and boiling points of water. The question I answered most was: “What’s an ethical issue?” Typically, they confuse ethical issues with safety considerations. In this context, that’s probably fair, since: (a) I have just finished…