This is a light green-coloured ribbon. It’s sitting flat on a 30° angle, pointing to the right. The top of the ribbon is shaped like an arrow head. There’s a hole near the top, with a piece of black string looped through it and knotted at the end. This allows the ribbon to be hung. The bottom of the ribbon is jagged, like it was torn from a piece of perforated cloth. The word “participation” is stitched in black in the ribbon’s centre. The word is written in capital letters.

Participation ribbons are for the soft ones

May 12, 20244 Comments

The hard truth about being soft. Served up in 733 spicy words on The Davis Daily.

A surfboard stands upright on a beach. It’s facing the ocean’s rolling waves, its tail end dug firmly into the sand. There’s a pattern on the back of the board: two sets of three wave-like lines running horizontally from side-to-side. The lines aren’t exactly symmetrical. The board has three fins near the tail end. One fin is close to the left edge of the board, the second fin is close to the right edge of the board, and the third fin is in the middle.

The secret to a bitchin’ ride

March 3, 202416 Comments

How not to surf life like a paddlepuss: 362 words about acceptance, resilience, and intention. The Davis Daily.

Two small dogs are sitting down and staring straight at you. The one on the left is fluffy and is wearing a bandana around its neck. It’s sticking its tongue out and smiling. The dog on the right has its head cocked to the left, as though it’s curious about what you’re thinking. Both dogs have their ears perked straight up. Their boopable noses are black and their eyes are kind and loving.

Put a leash on patience: take a paws with pocket dogs

February 24, 20247 Comments

Take it one day and one dog walk at a time. With 3 practical lessons in patience on The Davis Daily.

The ferryman, Charon, stands in a small boat. He wears a robe of black, his face hidden beneath the hood. He moves a boat as black as his garb along the river Acheron with a long, ebony pole. A light hangs from the leading end of the pole. Its yellow light guides Charon to the souls awaiting transport to the other side.

From Dead Week to New Year: your guide to crossing over

December 27, 2023December 26, 20242 Comments

The benefit of reflection and how tiny wins live longer than New Year’s resolutions. In 581 words on The Davis Daily.

This is a black and white winner’s podium. There are three platforms. The tallest is in the centre. It has the number one engraved on the front. The second tallest platform is on the right, with the number 2 engraved on the front. And the shortest platform is on the left. It has the number 3 engraved on the front. Each platform of the podium is empty. The winners are yet to be determined.

Squash (the sport) and 5 universal lessons about success

December 16, 20233 Comments

What it takes to win in life, your career, and a meaningless squash tournament. In 618 words on The Davis Daily.

Three brown square tiles are laid out on a white background. The centre tile is propped up slightly, sitting atop the bottom-right corner of the left tile and the bottom left corner of the right tile. The left tile is slightly angled away from the centre tile; the right is also angled away from the centre tile. A black letter and a black number are etched into each tile. On the left tile is the letter W and the number 4. The centre tile features the letter T and the number 1. The letter F and the number 4 are on the right tile. The tiles are from the board game Scrabble, and they form the acronym WTF.

Scrabble: how my mom “rigged” the game (and why you should, too)

October 1, 2023October 1, 20233 Comments

Small but mighty. A short lesson about the compound effect in 264 words | The Davis Daily.