Last week we lost a friend and mentor of over 60 years.

Ron who was 92 years old started having a positive influence on our lives as our Scoutmaster.

It has also been shown that a positive approach adds years to our lives.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

We are habitual creatures and about 50% of our time we are following regular habits.

Habits affect what we eat, if we exercise, what we learn, and how we sleep,

By slowing improving our habits we can upgrade our lives.

If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, please reach out to me.

‘Having enough’ can be very liberating.

Time is our most valuable asset.

Spending time chasing job promotions, money, and more possessions can become an endless treadmill.

When we have enough, we can spend our time doing things we like and enjoy.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

This past week I traveled to California and watched my two granddaughters and my daughter participate in the Great American Youth Circus.

This circus started in Redlands, California in 1929 and states it is the oldest community circus in the world.

The circus members “enjoy a non-competitive environment that encourages them to connect and collaborate with their peers.” [Quote from show program.]

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

When I started these videos in early 2020, I did not expect it would be over two years before I would travel again.

Travelling has its benefits and challenges. It does not appeal to everyone.

I enjoy meeting people around the world but do not enjoy the touristy aspects.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

We all grow old and this cannot be changed.

What we can do is change our objectives from when we were younger to those that suit the strengths we have gained as we grow older.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

The Sandwich Method is a mindful, sensitive communication strategy that can transform relationships.

This approach can be applied when making requests or giving feedback to a partner, friends, family, and coworkers.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

This is a shortened presentation about the world of Elon Musk which I gave a month ago.

We can learn about passionate projects, problem-solving, and persistence from Elon Musk.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

Instead of becoming furious, we take out and become curious, we can often prevent and solve problems.

It started with a speech a youth gave about getting revenge when someone stole her pencil case.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

During a recent conversation, dancing was discussed.

I realized probably the last time I danced was in Ethiopia in 2012.

I also included some dancing at a wedding we attended in the Omo Valley in southern Ethiopia.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

It’s time for a little levity instead of serious topics.

This video shows some fun I participated in when a friend and I sang a duet at his wife’s birthday in 2017.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

This video reviews the rewards of helping others.

Belonging to a group of volunteers in Emergency Support Services since 2009 has made me understand how rewarding it is to help others.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

According to the book, ‘The Sweet Spot,’ instead of avoiding discomfort, we need to find the right discomfort.

There are challenges we can attempt that help us appreciate what we have, learn more about our capabilities, and make a positive impact.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

The African tradition of Ubuntu struck me in 2012 after extensively traveling through Africa.

Ubuntu represents elements such as respect, community, sharing, caring, trust, unselfishness, and helpfulness.

With what is currently happening in Ukraine I believe we can learn much from this African tradition. If you are interested in learning more about Ubuntu there are many excellent videos available.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

“Not Yet!,” is a phrase introduced in the 2014 TedTalk of Professor Carol Dweck entitled, “The power of believing that you can improve.”

The Growth Mindset is one that we all can practice and benefit from and we can encourage our friends and families to do so as well.

If you have any comments, questions,  or suggestions, please reach out to me.

For many years I have carried a card listing “The 5 Regrets of the Dying” which were noted by an Australian palliative care nurse, Bronnie Ware back in 2009.

It is interesting to notice what people regret about their lives and this makes us think about how we are living our lives.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

As a nomad, I have items that never see the light of day.

They are in a storage box in a friend’s garage.

This video uncovers some of these items like awards that would likely be of interest to future descendants.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

This video outlines many common problems we face.

It asks the question if you know of any approaches on how we learn to cope with such challenges?

If you have any stories or approaches that can help solve such problems, please reach out to me.

This video revisits Thunder Bay where I spent my first thirteen and a half years. Most of my living relatives are there.

A landmark there is the Hoito restaurant which started in 1918.

I share the current status of this iconic restaurant and some other thoughts and memories about Thunder Bay.

Please reach out to me if you have any comments, questions, or suggestions.

This video is the second half of the 1971 road trip and covers Thunder Bay to Niagara Falls, Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal.

This trip is another 2,250 kilometers. The video ends with scenes spotlighting the children.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

After being absent from Canada since 1962, nine years later I returned to Canada with my wife, Gail, my two young children, Dominic and Samantha.

I also brought a Super8 movie camera and produced some movies about our trip. This part is about the 3600 km trip from Vancouver, British Columbia to Thunder Bay, Ontario.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

The world is being impacted by extraordinary weather causing incidents like fires and floods.

Here in British Columbia, we had wildfires and now four months later we have had flooding and landslides closing down our province.

What are the steps we can take to help us cope with all the challenges we are facing around the world?

In this video, I introduce you to my faithful and trustworthy chariot, Charlie.

He is my 1994 Toyota Corolla station wagon that has been with me for over ten years and I use to move my belongings from place to place.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

It is now over 40 years since I started having blender meals after meeting an American in South Africa.

For those who often ask, I share the current contents of my concoction that I have on a regular basis.

Also, I discuss some other challenges of eating properly.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

This week my friend Ken and I went to Salt Spring Island on his boat the Sea Holly.

We had a relaxing time reminiscing about our previous adventures together.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

In 1942 there was no Facebook to track a youngster’s progress.

I recently uncovered a baby book kept by my mother. My future descendants may be interested in some of the details found in this book,

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

I have been enjoying the opportunity to do daily ‘forest bathing.’ This is known as ‘shinrin yoku’ in Japan.

Also, the automated kitchen blinds have become disarranged.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

I am staying in a luxurious house because there is a dog and a cat who require company.

We live in an interesting world as this shows how important our pets can become.

If you have any comments, or questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

This video reviews that being a responsible person can lead to success.

Being responsible raises our self-esteem, improves relationships, and increases our trust with others.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

Recently, I had the opportunity to review a photo album that my mother created in the 1940s.

This video contains some of the photos from that time which shows some of the fashion and cars from that time.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

This video is about my dad which may be of interest to my grandchildren and future descendants.

My dad was a gentle soul who loved fishing. This love likely kept him grounded.

If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, please reach out to me.

Courage is something for my grandchildren and future descendants need to consider.

“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage” is a quote from the authour, Anais Nin,

With all the challenges and potential changes we face, courage is an attribute that can affect our lives.

Please reach out to me if you have any comments, questions, or suggestions.

I am back at the location at which I recorded the first video in February 2020.

A lot has changed since then and I note some of the very noticeable changes.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

This week I am in East Sooke and looking after a dog, ‘Baba’ and a cat, ‘Yogi.’

I am here for another week, and then move on again.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

This week’s update is on the wildfires and Emergency Support Services call center and pet sitting four dogs.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

The wildfires in British Columbia have started with a vengeance.

This has resulted in me assisting in the Emergency Support Services call centre here in Victoria responding to phone calls from a variety of people affected by the fires.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions please reach out to me.

After over 15 months we are starting to open up and meet face-to-face. I note why I am grateful to have been on Vancouver Island since March 2020.

Also, next week as people start to travel, I start the first pet/house sitting gig since we closed down last year.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions,  please reach out to me.

In a note to my grandson, I mentioned the important art of mastering human relationships.

He is a very sociable person and this skill can lead to success and happiness.

I refer to a well-known book that most of know about.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

It appears that pet/house sitting may be opening up soon as I have not been able to that for over 14 months.

I discuss some of the things I have discovered since I started pet/house sitting over 4 years ago.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions please reach out to me.

After almost seven months on my friend’s boat, I have moved to a friend’s place for a while.

The message this time is that we cannot do everything ourselves. Having others in our lives is an important part of our lives.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

This video is about avoiding competition and implementing cooperation. By finding common ground and working on solutions with others, this approach can make a substantial impact on the world’s problems.

This approach can help reduce conflicts at many levels.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

After leaving my last job in 2016, I decided I wanted to help our youth gain communication and leadership skills.

I am currently working on setting up a pilot project for a course on How to Start a Youth Club. If you know of anyone who may be interested in knowing about this project, please share this video with them.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

This video ends the journey about the variety of jobs I have had. I did miss mentioning selling woman’s shoes in a shoe store in Vancouver.

My last job was selling a project management product over the internet for over 10 years.

All the changes in my life have enabled me to adapt and not fear change.

If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, please reach out to me.

After leaving Datagram, I moved into the recruiting or headhunting business.

I started my own business in 1989 and worked from home for 15 years and networked with other recruiters in North America.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions please reach out to me.

After leaving NCR Comten, it was off to sell Datagram’s data compression devices.

However, I and the other new salesperson discovered that we were not wanted by the local manager.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

In 1985 I left South Africa and returned to Canada after being away for 23 years.

In Toronto, I found work as a salesperson for NCR Comten. We sold front-end processors to IBM mainframe users. These devices interface peripheral units like terminals, printers, disk and tape units to the mainframe computer.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions please reach out to me.

After selling minicomputers, I was approached by two ex-Control Data employees who had the agency for SAS analytics software used for decision making.

This company is enormously successful. It is the largest privately held software company in the world. It treats its customers and employees extremely well.

It was the best sales experience I ever had.

If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, please reach out to me.

This video illustrates how much the world has changed since I sold PR1ME minicomputers 40 years ago in the early 1980s.

This makes us think how much the world has changed and is going to change in the next 40 years.

Please reach out to me if you have any comments, questions, or suggestions.

In 1979, when I left the gold mining industry in South Africa, I joined Control Data Corporation’s Cybernet Services to sell computer services to the mining industry in South Africa.

I share some pictures of what the million-dollar plus computer looked like in those days.

It has been one year since the COVID-19 shutdown was announced here. I review what might be happening this year and the big question is, “When should I get a haircut?”

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

Some thoughts on International Women’s Day which started around 1909. There has been lots of progress and still more needed for women’s rights.

If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, please reach out to me.

During the past weekend, we had a reunion of some of the overland travelers who were on ‘Rosie, the overland truck.

My daughter, Alexis, and I traveled for 4 months with this gang from Capetown to Cairo. I share a video of some aspects of the trip on Rosie.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

This video is about why I wear hats, some places I have worn hats, and some of the hats I wear. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

There have been lots of cold weather including snow throughout the northern hemisphere this past week. I share the power of small choices when we are able to change some bad habits to good habits. This is what can lead to success. (This tip is especially for my grandchildren.) If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

We start with the view of the overland truck ‘Rosie’ from 2012 in Africa, then talk about the cold weather in the northern hemisphere, and why the word “Good” can be used in a positive manner.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me. I look forward to hearing from you.

This is the first anniversary of the Notes of a Nomad videos. It was one year ago that I created the first video. I was not aware of the pandemic at that time. I show the Notes of a Nomad website where you can find a list of all the videos.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me. I always look forward to hearing from you.

This video starts with a short video of me attempting to dance with some Ethiopians in 2012.

I then mention lifelong learning and some of it benefits.

You can find a 2018 posting on my website with more details about lifelong learning at http://www.ourfutureleaders.ca/blog/lifelong-learning-a-skill-for-this-century/

Please reach out to me if you have any comments, suggestions or questions. I always look forward to hearing from you.

In this video, I share how the words ‘laugh’ and ‘noise’ from two books connected with me.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions please reach out to me. I always look forward to hearing from you.

We start with a short trip to Istanbul and then end up with how the motto, “Be Useful” is great to put into practice.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me. I always look forward to hearing from you.

Today I remember being in Tasmania exactly three years ago visiting a historical penal colony where some frightful activities occurred including a more recent event in 1996 which impacted Australia overall.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me. I look forward to hearing from you

I lived in Thunder Bay in Northern Ontario, Canada until I was 13 years old when our family moved to Vancouver.

I believe this move had a very big influence on me.

If you have any comments, suggestions or questions, please reach out to me.

Today is the winter solstice. I review some of what I have been doing one this day over the years including being ‘rescued’ by the ski patrol in Switzerland.

I also discuss the mantra, “‘Discipline equals freedom.”

If you have any comments, suggestions, or questions, please reach out to me

This video gets philosophical and mentions why being a nomad is a mindset on how you spend your time.

It’s about what interests you, such as people, places, and things. that you explore.

Please reach out to me if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions. I always look forward to hearing from you.

Need your help to find a person or persons in North America who has a connection in education to help with a pilot project of introducing a simple and easy problem-solving approach to youth.

Hope to find someone before the end of December 2020. If you know of anyone, please reach out to me.

When we learn to solve problems, we can create a lot of value in the world, assist other people, and gain self-satisfaction in our lives.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me as I look forward to hearing from you.

This video has me sharing some stories about some of the meetings I attended this week, plus my thoughts about soup.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

This video contains mumblings in my beard after being over two weeks back on the boat.

I review why the boat works well for me and some thoughts about what to do after the boat such as traveling and tiny houses.

In this video, I reflect on two words that can impact our lives. Having grit and knowing when to quit can be effectively applied during our lifetimes.

If you have any comments, suggestions or comments, I look forward to hearing from you.

This video is simple with no philosophical comments.

Just about what has been happening this week in my small world.

It is mainly for family and friends to know what has been keeping me occupied.

If you have any comments, suggestions, or questions, please reach out to me.

How have you coped with the challenges that life throws at you, including COVID-19?

Today the topic is about learning to navigate life’s many challenges..

We have many disruptive changes over the course of our lives and it is how we respond that can make a big difference.

If we dig deeper, we can make the world a better place. Our lives are short and precious.

It is important that we spend it being happy, so dig deeper.

If you have any comments, suggestions, or questions, please reach out to me. I always look forward to hearing from you.

It’s Thanksgiving in Canada. In this video, I present some of the reasons that I am grateful for living on Vancouver Island, on the west coast of Canada.

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions about the Notes of a Nomad videos, please reach out to me.

This video covers routines that can help us to reach the goals/dreams we have.
A recent book has helped me realize that if you have good habits, the goals take care of themselves.
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

Last week, members of our old Rover Scout Crew went to visit FastEddy in Kamloops, British Columbia. We share lots of food, played cards, and had lots of laughs as always.

I think we can all learn some good lessons from FastEddy.

If you have any comments or questions, please reach out to me.

In this video, I become a little philosophical about life and show some pictures from the past.

This was triggered by a letter I recently received from the Canadian government.

If you have any comments or questions, please reach out to me.

In these interesting times, we look at surviving and thriving.

If we approach it with fun, passion, humor, and style we will not only survive but thrive. This topic gives me the opportunity to show a few pictures from Africa and wear a strange hat.

This week my scouting friends from 60 years ago went for a boat trip as mentioned in the previous video. I talk about what we did and saw and also mention some contact with Agora Speakers International for which I am an Ambassador for Canada. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

This week 3 old friends from our boy scouting days from over 50 years ago are going on a boat trip around the Salish Sea.

This is where cook for each other, play cards and reminisce about our youth and lives. The video shows some pictures from our previous trips.

This past week was an exciting week with the release of the three youth club manuals on which Ravi in Nepal and I have been working.

Since it was the 4th-anniversary 24-hour round-the-world marathon of Agora Speakers International, it was a great time to release the manuals.

It was an exciting and inspiring week. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please contact me.

In this video, I recall what I was doing in August over the past 4 years from when I started my journey as a nomad.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please reach out to me as it is always great

In this video, I start with pictures of the Columbia Icefields in the Canadian Rockies.

Then due to a project on which I am working I move on to the chaos of life and how action needs courage.

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

I look forward to hearing from you.

In this video, I show some photos from the Okavango River Delta in Botswana Africa.

I also discuss what I have learned from living a nomadic lifestyle and the attitude it genders,

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please contact me

In this video, I share pictures of the luxurious Blue Train which goes between Pretoria and Cape Town in South Africa.

The contrast between that journey and subsequent camping makes me appreciate the good things we have.

I share a few thoughts on how important it is to appreciate and show appreciation.

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Respect which has been defined as a feeling you show when you accept that different customs or cultures are different from your own and behave towards them in a way that would cause offence.

If we all practiced respect it would have a powerful impact on the world.