Monthly Update May 2012

WHAT’S THE BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER BEEN GIVEN?

A favourite question of TV presenters when interviewing celebrities is: “What is the best advice you have ever been given?” The answers vary. Sometimes they relate to business or career paths. Often they will relate to the person’s inner thoughts or their relations to other people. Sometimes they are merely clever clichés.

What is the best advice you have ever been given? Feel free to share with me if you have the time and inclination. I love learning from others.

The best advice I have ever been given (the same many times over) is: “Jono, you have to do what God wants you to do.”

We often seek advice when big life decisions are before us. And this advice is the best advice in my view (even for you if you swap the name Jono with your name). Of course it is not very prescriptive or specific. But if we have a solid foundation of what is most important, then the next layers of our decision making processes will not topple.

UKRAINE CONNECTIONS

I leave for Ukraine on June 4th. That is not very far away.  My time there is partially intentional and partially ‘wait and see’. I know that sounds rather vague.

• I will reconnect with many friends from the 6+ years I was there.

• I will sort out a few maintenance issues with my house.

• I will have a number of questions to think through in regards to UTSIM and the future of the business.

• I will be talking to friends about what my future role in Ukraine may or may not be.

LIVING DOWN UNDER

I have just arrived back in Sydney after nearly 8 weeks of living out of a suitcase. The last two weeks was a really special father-son road trip around a part of south east Queensland. We started and finished at my brother Tim’s place and did 4099 kms in 12 days. It was great to spend time with my dad. We had lots of long conversations, enjoyed seeing new and interesting things as well as catching up with some friends. A few highlights include: seeing crocodiles in the wild, emus, cotton, walking the length of Texas (twice), four wheel driving in my two wheel drive car, bumping into my second cousin on a boat, going back to Emu Park after 10 years, Rocky home schoolers reunion, beautiful sunsets, and our daily muffin breaks. I think I am suffering muffin withdrawal now.

Thanks Dad, and thanks Mum for living out a couple of weeks on your own.

WHAT YA READIN’?

Where Love Is, There God Is Also, by Leo Tolstoy. It is only 17 pages long and well worth reading.

THANKS

Dan and Nat Braga for a great conversation on Sunday night.