There was once a researcher who explained to his team of lab assistants that he had stocked his lab with two types of rats. One lot of rats was well above average in intelligence and the other lot were well below average in intelligence. He had placed signs on each rod...

I'll admit it! I have a question obsession. And if I had to narrow down when it started, I’d say it began as a survival technique. As a minister’s kid, my family and I moved to new churches and schools every two to three years. This led to lots of up-the-front-of-churc...

His name was Stevie Starr and he was a professional regurgitator. A few of us went to see his show in a local town hall outside of Melbourne one night. When he asked for a volunteer and looked right at me, I knew there would be nothing voluntary about who would end up...

Sometimes, when my heart was wrecked with the things that break a woman’s heart, we’ve stopped and sat in the dirt, her pressing her forehead into my chest, absorbing the bees of my pain; me, face dripping and pressing soft kisses between her eyes on the silky indent w...

All families have traditions and in-jokes, and ours is no different. In our family, we love a good discussion about how to (and how not to) use words. 

For instance, the boys and I had this conversation this morning on Messenger from opposite hemispheres of th...

Dogs. Man, I love them. 

This is not news if you’re my Facebook friend. You will notice that I photograph them sleeping, running, sleep-running, and about to slobber on my face. I’ve even made a Haiku Deck presentation about what I would do if I were a dog, where I list...

Ruby, my sick hen had been confined to a smaller cage to get better. She was joined by Clucky. 

Clucky was furious at me whenever I came near the cage, telling me off with a ferocity I'd not seen from her before. She’d gone broody, or 'clucky' as my...

Dear Single Friend,

I hear you're not having much fun in the dating game and I really just want to offer my love, support and a wee story that might make you feel a bit better.

But first, let me tell you what I heard a relationship expert say the other day...

You don’t walk into someone’s living room and change their furniture. You just don’t.

The things we choose to include in our living rooms are personal. A friend of ours has a fully-functioning, six foot Dalek standing in his living room. Being a Dr Who fan, he chooses t...

Twenty years ago today, I sat in front of the televisionas details emerged about a terrible massacre in Tasmania.Jamie, my oldest, was due in six weeks. It was my 30th birthday. Martin Byrant, the shooter, was only a year younger than me.He had just killed 35 people an...