I’m not one for new year resolutions as invariably they are issues or opportunities for which I am currently unable or insufficiently motivated to achieve, otherwise why would I be setting myself a challenge?

There is however quite a list of things that I would like to do at some point and I see no harm, and indeed some potential inspiration, to start actually compiling a list of things needing or wanting doing.

I’ll share a few here:

1. Skydive (tandem is more than satisfactory given I have mild acrophobia)
2. Do a stand up routine – straight comedy dialogue and/or singing
3. Visit some of the countries on the northern side of the Mediterranean Sea - Italy, Spain, Portugal etc
4. Visit northern and southern Japan (already done three trips in the middle)
5. Work outside of Australia for an extended period (with my family)
6. Achieve and maintain a body mass index <= 25 (obviously requires exercise and dietary considerations)

I don’t know whether you now feel encouraged to produce a list of your own, but just seeing these excites me into taking some action so at least one person has had a good outcome!

On reflection of my life in recent years, I felt the need to remind them even at this early stage in their lives, that you need to always keep in mind that the objective is to work to live – not live to work and that money wasn’t everything despite the immediate appeal. I left them with that thought with little hope it would be remembered very long but perhaps at least for a few minutes.

A thing I have learnt about children is that our ability to interact, and therefore convey information, is a series of trial and error bludgening examples observed through a welding mask. For some things they can be easily malleable whilst others are prone to me caving in to the fact of someone more stubborn than myself.

You don’t have to love the job you do, but you do have to like it if you intend to use it as your main earner AND/OR consumer of time. You may tolerate a job that gives you nothing beyond remuneration, but it will drain you in the long run and likely affect your social and personal life.