Here we are in Wellington New Zealand Aotearoa. And it is now 2010, and already I am delighted by what I have learned.
1. Travelling on aeroplanes causes accents. I boarded in Australia talking in a ‘normal’ accentless voice and after a couple of days I realised that I had an accent. Clearly caused by air travel.
2. Hills have two sides. Arriving at this insight has been enthusiastically encouraged by jogging in Wellington.
3. Start as you would like to continue. I got up on the first day of the year, had a black coffee, went for a jog, came back and did yoga; then had lunch with people I care about and who are important to me.
4. Don’t be seduced by good intentions. As much as I believe in 2. above, I know that human frailty and impulsiveness can de-rail the best of intentions.
5. Being human ain’t no excuse. As much as 3. above is true in terms of 2. above, I can’t use it as an excuse.
6. Asymmetry is good. Both in big picture arrangements and small picture design..
I am led to think this both by the layout of Wellington and the architecture of the city. I suspect the hills here have played a role in these developments.
7. Colour is good.
And Wellington constantly provides it.