A lot of big, tragic and important things have happened to this wonderful country of ours since April 2014. None of which I have covered. I was too busy writing about hungover parenting, ancient philosophy and my dog Colin.
Out of the 536 columns I have written, 27 were about that guy. Far too few. He is such a good boy, he deserves an article a week.
Today is the end of an era for me, and whenever these final events pop up in our lives, we can’t help but think about the ultimate end.
Everything we do, we will one day do for the last time. That’s why you have to enjoy things while they are around. It’s not just big events like leaving a job, house or loved one either. Whatever moment you happen to be in now, you will never get it back, and you don’t know how many more you have.
Everything we do in life, from eating pizza to spending time with the people we love, to driving, writing, drinking or breathing, we will one day experience for the final time. It might happen tomorrow. This can be either a depressing or an inspiring thought, depending on how you look at it.
A few years back in this column, I interviewed professor of philosophy William B Irvine, of Wright State University, Ohio, on this very topic. He put it this way on a Zoom call: “Recognition of the impermanence of everything in life can invest the things we do with a significance and intensity that would otherwise be absent. The only way we can be truly alive is if we make it our business periodically to entertain thoughts of the end.”
Today’s column is very meaningful to me because it is my last. Like the last night with a lover before she goes overseas. And just like a lover, there have been some half-arsed efforts put in from me over the years. Last week, for example, I spent 750 words moaning about how bad my cricket team is. But the truth is that any of my columns could have been the final. If I had reminded myself every week for the past 10 years that the end is inevitable, I may have been more grateful for having a column and appreciated writing them all as much as I am this one.
While everything we do could have more meaning with a focus on finitude, some things are inherently more worthwhile than others. There is no doubt my column “The pros and cons of wearing Speedos” from November 2022 was less meaningful than most things in this world. That was a waste of everyone’s time. So, if we only have so much time, how do we pick the best things to do?
Well, Oliver Burkeman, the author of Four Thousand Weeks – Time Management For Mortals, suggested this to me in a 2022 column: “Ask yourself, does this choice enlarge me? You usually know on some unspoken level if it does. That’s a good way to distinguish between options.”
With that in mind, I don’t feel great about my 2018 article on “New Zealand’s best hole”. That didn’t enlarge anyone.
There will be people reading this column right now who have loved my writing in the Herald and are sad to see it end. Others will have hated it and are glad to see me go. Many won’t have any opinion at all. But for those in the first camp, I have good news. I have a book coming out on May 28 called A Life Less Punishing – 13 Ways To Love The Life You Got (Allen and Unwin Book Publishers). It’s a deep dive into the history, philosophy and science of not wasting our time lost in anger, loneliness, humiliation, stress, fear, boredom and all the other ways we find to not enjoy perfectly good lives. It’s available for pre-order right now (google it if you’re interested).
A Life Less Punishing took me two years to write and is equivalent in words to 100 of these columns. Which would be a complete nightmare for those in the hate camp, but as I say, great news for those who want more.
Anyway, thanks to the Herald for having me, thanks to the lovely people who make an effort to say nice things to me about my column nearly every day and thanks to the universe for every single second we get.
Bless!
TAYLOR SWIFT’S APPEARANCE AT THE CHIEFS GAME RAISES EYEBROWS – ‘TOO MUCH WEIGHT,’ SAY FANS
TAYLOR SWIFT’S APPEARANCE AT THE CHIEFS GAME RAISES EYEBROWS – ‘TOO MUCH WEIGHT,’ SAY FANS
Taylor Swift got a lot of attention for her look and outfit when she attended the NFL game to support her boyfriend, Travis Kelce.
Taylor was at the Kansas City Chiefs game against the Baltimore Ravens on September 5, 2024. This was the opening night of the NFL season, and she was there to cheer on Travis Kelce, who plays for the Chiefs.
Taylor Swift made a stylish entrance at Arrowhead Stadium, wearing a fashionable Medusa ’95 Versace denim corset top, thigh-high red Giuseppe Zanotti boots, and carrying a sleek Louis Vuitton handbag.
Fans who saw Taylor Swift’s pictures from the game shared their opinions online. One fan even speculated about a possible pregnancy, adding a pregnant emoji, “She’s getting thick …?”
Another fan criticized her outfit, saying, “So tacky! Can she not get a fashion consultant?” Another added, “With all her money, you’d think she could have had her stylist pick out a better outfit.”
However, not everyone shared the negative views. One fan loved the outfit, saying, “Such a cute outfit.” Another defended Taylor, writing, “Can’t believe some people say she ‘put on too much weight.’ She looks better like this than she did as a stick figure.”
Appreciation for Taylor’s appearance continued with one fan praising her transformation: “Definitely find her more attractive with some extra meat on her bones. Never liked the twig physique.” Another fan kept it simple and positive, saying, “She’s beautiful.”
Taylor appeared to have a great time at the game. Once inside the stadium, she took her usual place in Travis Kelce’s luxury suite, sitting comfortably next to his parents, Ed and Donna.
Videos showed Taylor and Ed enjoying each other’s company during the exciting NFL game. They chatted and laughed together, looking very relaxed and happy.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have become a popular couple, and their photos together often go viral. Recently, their date night photos have gotten a lot of attention for several reasons.
People have been closely analyzing the pictures and some have started speculating about Taylor possibly being pregnant, similar to her friend Brittany Mahomes.
On July 16, Taylor and Travis were seen out on the streets of London with their friends. Photos from that night, shared by their loved ones, have sparked a lot of comments and guesses from people on social media.
Summitt recently shared a fun carousel of photos on Instagram from his trip. The pictures show highlights from their time at nature reserves and beaches, as well as a memorable helicopter ride with Patrick.
One of the photos features a group shot of Summitt, his wife Miranda, Brittany, Patrick, and the celebrity couple Travis and Taylor. In the photo, Travis is seen with his arm around Taylor’s shoulders, his hand resting just below her chest.
For the evening event, Taylor Swift wore a beautiful light-blue dress by Vivienne Westwood, called the “Sunday Gathered Cotton Midi Dress.” The dress is priced at $1,010.
Some social media users were uncomfortable with how Travis had his hand placed on Taylor in the photo. One Instagram user commented, “Swifties take a closer look at this guy … Yikes .”
Another person added, “It looks like she was trying to move his hand to her waist. I don’t think it’s cute, I think it’s cringey.”
Some people focused on Taylor’s dress, criticizing her fashion choice. One person remarked, “Why do her dresses always look like a moo moo my grandma would wear?” Another said, “Taylor needs to fire her stylist.”
Others analyzed a photo of Brittany where Travis had one hand on his lower stomach. A social media user wondered, “Travis is cradling his lower abdomen and pointing to himself. What does that mean?” Another person joked, “Travy, get Tay preggers. We need little besties for life.”
While Taylor hasn’t confirmed or denied the pregnancy rumors, her close friend Brittany has confirmed that she will soon be a mom of three.
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