Happy Birthday to my Mum! XX

So, what's the above picture of me at a 'brand camp' with young marketing students got to do with my mother and her birthday today (Jan 31st, NZ time)?

Well, I guess it's all about reflecting on all the things she's 'taught' me.

And how, on this day, I think about how lucky I am because of everything she does and has done for me to bring me to a point in my life where I'm in an office in New York City teaching young students about how creativity and creative thinking can connect people.

My Mum's special in so many, many ways.

And as inadequate as this blog post is to pay her a little tribute (she'll also likely be somewhat embarrassed) I did want her to know that she means so much to me.

'Cos that's how I look at birthdays these days. A chance to pause and reflect on the impact a person has made on your life. (This is even more true when you've faced life-threatening illness.)

Birthdays are certainly not about 'what present can I grab from a department store' or 'shall I mail a quick pun-filled card?'.

Conversely, you think about all the gifts the birthday boy/girl has given you throughout your life and how important it is to take those gifts and commit to do everything you can to put them to good use every day to help inspire, motivate, excite, drive, challenge and nurture others.

Which is just what I'm trying to do.

Every day.

A bigger, real-life game of pass-the-parcel.

Happy Birthday, Mum!

Love

Your wee boy

Philip

The perfect pick-me-upper

Was in my local deli at lunchtime today and spied this new drink in the cooler.

It's called Synergy: some tasty Kombucha tea brewage.

It's going to be an acquired taste. But I'm up for it. It's bliss for the insides.

Am guzzling on a bottle right now. While listening to The Notorious B.I.G.

The perfect mix.

Pee

Why the empty carriage?

Today was Martin Luther King Day here in the US and A.

For most, a public holiday.

But I had to head into the office to play catch-up post vacation.

Even though most were taking the day off, the 6.10pm train from Grand Central to Larchmont was still packed.

Apart from one carriage. "Bloody great!", I thought.

I jumped on board and quickly realized why it was so empty - a busted bog. Yep, it was a toilet carriage. And the said porcelain was fully packed and off the rails.

Bless the cutbacks that the MTA has made.

Pee

A military style tattoo

Last week while on vacation in Orlando I popped into Hart & Huntington - a streetwear-come-tattoo-parlor owned by Carey Hart (the freestyle moto-x champion who's married to Pink).

Bagged some top new threads and even contemplated getting some new ink work done on my left arm.

Decided to save that for Lower East Ink here in Manhattan next month.

Pee