Nicholas Bate

Great bloggers: they try harder 3

The best blogs and bloggers are not necessarily the obvious ones. For those of you new to my blog who haven't discovered Rowan Manahan, he's here. This is an enlightened blog-a blog with the ability to lighten up; you'll always find an up-lifting streak through Rowan's comments. And don't forget his book here.

How to Think Like: The Tunnel Committee from The Great Escape

1. Dig
2. Distract
3. Garden
4. Sing
5. Bribe
6. Forge
7. Escape.

The A to Z of Moleskine: N is New

Moleskine addicts are always keen to know what's new. Here's a man in the know. the news seems exciting: love those colours!

14 Quotes to Live By, this weekend.

1. Dream as if you will live for ever. Live as if you will die today. James Dean
2. Follow your Bliss. Joseph Campbell.
3. Talent is in choices. Robert De Niro.
4. You are the story teller of your own Life and you can create your own legend or not. Isabel Allende
5. Begin it! Goethe.
6. It is not the strongest of the species that survive nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change. Darwin
7. Love the dip, Love the plateau. George Leonard
8. You must be the change you wish to see in the world. Ghandi
9. Whatever you do, do it with passion. Carlos Castaneda
10. Forget to remember the stuff you don't need any more. Richard Bandler
11. And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make. Paul McCartney
12. Those who never take risks can only see other people's failures. Paulo Coelho
13. Don't be trapped by dogma-living with the results of other people's thinking. Steve Jobs
14. There is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. Dalai Lama

How to Think Like: A Trainee Juggler

1. Balls! All over the place.
2. Phew! One complete juggle!
3. Let's pull that table up close, save my back a bit from all that bending.
4. Balls! All over the place. Again.
5. Three complete ones...whooa....!
6. Aaaggh...more feed-back!
7. Yes!!! I am a juggler.

What a great little site..

..I am sure you will want to bookmark it. It's here.

A to Z of Moleskine. M is Magic

When you get your first Moleskine, a little magic happens. You are more thoughtful, reflective, productive, poetic, creative, insightful, careful and downright inspired. Every book seems to come with a portion of magic for the owner. No guarantees-it just seems to.

You Were There: Guarding Hadrian's Wall, many years ago

Hadrian's Wall. A chilly January morning as the sun comes up.
'So, remind me Marcus. We bring the Brits wine, central heating, straight roads, a cool alphabet, strategic thinking, pannini and gorgeous girls. And we get?'

100 Word Story

The room was small; the room was hot. He craved some cooling water; his confidence was plummeting. From not completing his immigration form properly to a full-blown interrogation about smuggled drugs had been remarkably rapid. Home seemed a long way and several time zones away.

Through a tiny window, small clouds travelled at speed across a glorious sky.

'Let's go through this one more time' said the official. Mike had seen enough thrillers to know they didn't want his current answers-true or not.

The perspiration trickled down his back, his shirt was soaked; he was in serious trouble.

Blast from the Past: Less is often More?

Sometimes less is more: originally posted 28 February 2007

A perfectly pulled espresso is sometimes all you need;
Just two relevant slides in a greatly assembled presentation;
Just 100ml containers if you want less hassle at security at the airport;
A perfect quotation: Make a dent in the universe. Steve Jobs;
A wink across the room from the girl you've been thinking about for days;
That comfy sweat-shirt;
Ten perfect pull-ups at the gym.

Sometimes less is certainly more.