In this episode, Dara is reflecting on the year that was and acknowledging the tendency many have to do New Year’s accounting. For him it is not only the start of a new year, but also his birthday – another prompt to do a stocktake. 2024 wasn’t kind, and as he looks down the road of 2025 he wonders what tools are going to serve him best.
New Year’s Inventory – Clearing Out the Stockroom! – Episode 188 Read More »
In this episode, Dara looks at the idea of psychological defeat and the metaphorical hills we are determined to die on. Fundamentally an issue of faith in one’s own psyche and worldview, what happens when our confidence in that vision begins to crumble? Can faith be restored?
Men Need Not Apply – Women Who Leave Men Behind – Episode 183 Read More »
In this episode, Dara is spurred to reflect on Francis Ford Coppola’s latest film, ‘Megalopolis’. In the great master’s wild and not-so-wonderful saga, one brilliant man carries the burden of saving society from itself, but must contend with a rival who epitomises more mundane aspirations. Is the film about Coppola himself, or is it his thesis statement of whose visions are worth following? Whatever about its intention, the execution is an unwieldy mess.
The Anticlimax of Megalopolis, or What Would You Do With Coppola’s Money? – Episode 182 Read More »
In this episode, Dara shares final thoughts on the US presidential election and speculates that the Democrats still haven’t shaken the patronising habit of belittling those who disagree with them. He argues that if you take this attitude in the world of martial arts, you are setting yourself up to fail – the assumption of superiority is a dangerous flex of ego that can result in complacency and abdicated diligence.
The Humble Art of Reading the Room, or It’s Not All About You! – Episode 181 Read More »
In this episode, Dara reacts to the re-election of Donald Trump to the US presidency. Did the Democrats and Kamala Harris once again fail to take seriously Trump and the Republican voter base? Whatever the cause, politicians of the liberal centre or centre-left have not been convincing enough to get themselves back into power. Four more years of Trump is a worrying prospect for the larger wellness of a very divided nation.
Four More Years! Trump Restored and Gore Vidal’s Presidential Writings – Episode 180 Read More »
In this episode, Dara has an update on the fox situation at Hashtag Blessed and admits he views the surviving chickens differently since last week’s attack. Is it just him, or do they seem to be grieving?
Caring Enough to Act, or Do I Really Need to Laugh at That? – Episode 154 Read More »
In this episode Dara reviews some recently watched movies, including William Friedkin’s To Live and Die in LA (1985), and Sidney Lumet’s Prince of the City (1981), two much-lauded cop thrillers that each have their strengths and weaknesses and are very much products of their time.
July Miscellany! Movies, Weddings, and Reading the Signs – Episode 114 Read More »
In this episode, Dara talks about the affection for survival narratives and considers the respective legacies of the recently deceased singers and songwriters Tina Turner and Christy Dignam. He wonders whether we should be defined by what we’ve overcome in life. He also questions the value of legacy and argues for the need to be more concerned with our present-tense impact.
Survival, Transcendence, and the Myth of Whatever Doesn’t Kill You – Episode 108 Read More »
This week’s episode begins and ends with a hug, because we all need a hug sometimes, right? Dara thinks so, and he looks at the idea of self-soothing in a wellness context, arguing that it is a particularly useful practice when aligned with mindfulness.
Hugs, Threats, Non-Transferable Skill Sets, and a Day Told in Reverse – Episode 104 Read More »
In this, the 100th episode of the show, Dara permits himself a stocktake. He reaffirms the recurring themes he has continued to weave through the podcast and examines what wellness with attitude means.
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