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For those closely watching “The Rat in the Coffee Machine Affair” (please refer to my previous blog), you’ll be pleased to know that Vick has been victorious. A determined woman at the best of times, I was rather pleased to be in Taipeithis week when victory was finally announced. In case anyone else has to deal with getting a rat out of a coffee machine – because it’s such a common thing right? – my best understanding of the strategy is this: Fill the internal waste tray with dish washing liquid When you hear movement in the machine, place a plastic zip lock on your hand – outside in so you can roll it over your catch Whip the tray out quickly If rat is located in the central area of the machine it’s officially screwed, because it’s impossible to get foot traction due to slipperiness of the surface Quickly secure rat in zip lock bag Seal bag Put another bag on for certainty Watch it die Victory is a beautiful thing… most of the time! Now while I’m super pleased to know we no longer have a rat roaming our home, and I’m really pleased that Vick achieved her goal, I am SO happy I was not there. I am completely incapable of watching anything die without crying. Yes, even a rat.  Rats are revolting things to have in one’s home and I have everything crossed it’s the last we’ll see. Oh please universe, pretty please. Thank you Vick. Once again you’ll be leaving us to go home and we’ll miss you with every fiber of our beings, but just think, you can add rodent extinguisher to your resume now. By the way, if you didn’t know who the toughest women alive were before this, I can assure you it is the ladies from the Philippines. Vick makes me look like such an Aussie Pussy! Yours, without the bollocks Andrea

Our New Red Jura Angel One of the great challenges living in a ground floor apartment in the tropics is coming face-to-face with local wildlife. Giant cockroaches, ants and flying bugs is common on any floor, as are geckoes – we like geckoes. Snakes are a little rarer and we’ve had the delight of one snake pop in for a visit. While I wasn’t home to deal with the excitement, the story goes that everyone shat themselves. We also had one rat not long after we moved in last August. The little bugger ran down my body during the night, which got a super dooper screech out of me at 3am in the morning, let me tell you!  Steve never went back to sleep after that. I did. We think the early rat disappeared and another has moved into the kitchen. The evidence of rat activity is startling. Every morning something has been munched, but do you think we can find the bloody rat? Not at all and Vick is on the case – let me tell you when Vick is on the case, no wildlife gets out of this house alive! She’s a serious woman. But we have a backup plan too and we signed Rentokil to help us out. These useless chaps have not solved anything, culminating in delivering sticky traps, which mean one thing – rats running around the apartment with sticky goo on their bodies, making sure said goo goes everywhere! Impossible to get off. We are not getting a return on that investment…. However things escalated this week, when we were all set up to make a coffee and the machine didn’t work. Vick then told us she’d found rat pooh in the coffee machine the day before, and upon further investigation, there was more rat pooh in the machine. But it got worse. The bloody thing had bitten into one of the plastic containers, which meant it didn’t align in the machine anymore, so the machine didn’t recognize the container and that meant the machine didn’t work, which meant no coffee. Catastrophe!! The Steve/Vick Mousetrap Solution… But it gets better. To top it off, the rat was still in there! It’s made our coffee machine home, and that has started a new mission. See above the picture of our coffee machine with a giant Disney bag attached? That is the genius mousetrap solution Steve and Vick came up with – they’ve sealed the entire machine – and the bag is meant to catch the rat when it comes out hunting for food. Ummm… I was a little perplexed with the thinking. Surely if the rat could munch into solid plastic and do some serious damage on the actual machine, a plastic bag wasn’t going to be much of an obstacle? The next morning my thinking proved correct, as a giant hole in the plastic bag was revealed, as well as some munched up bananas. But the rat didn’t run for the hills – it returned to the coffee machine and it’s still there. Steve was determined to get the rat out, and he even arranged for the coffee machine repair guys to come and fix the machine in expectation of rat eviction success. HOWEVER I’m like babe, I don’t give a crap if they can fix everything that needs to be fixed in this machine, a RAT HAS LIVED IN IT FOR A FEW DAYS AND I’M NEVER GOING TO DRINK COFFEE FROM IT AGAIN!! Would you? Boy he resisted. Our beautiful Jura has served us faithfully for nearly a decade and we have always loved it. But bless him, I believe Steve has an emotional attachment to it because I bought it for him as a gift all those years ago. Thus the idea of replacing it just hurt his heart a little. We replaced it though. We were always going to replace it. So if you’re planning to visit, you can definitely expect a loving coffee when you wake up, because don’t you worry, the coffee will always be flowing at our place. And you know what, it gets better, this time we got a RED Jura!!   The bloody rat is still in the old coffee machine though. Vick will not give up until the bugger is dead. I’ve moved on and I don’t care what happens now, as long as it doesn’t move into the new Jura. That would definitely piss me off. Yours, without the bollocks Andrea

My friends, I wanted to share a really remarkable moment for two of my great friends Duncan and Lee Ann McKee. Nine years ago, they launched STIX, Motivation Through Music. I was present at their very first corporate gig, and it was an amazing experience. Nearly 100 people, coming together, playing Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” with nothing more than a couple of plastic tubes. It was a special moment for everyone in the room. Lee Ann and Duncan in Action The specialness of the moment wasn’t just because I was witnessing two great people launching a dream, it was also because the majority of this group had never played a musical instrument in their lives. Yet here they were, playing a symphony. It was remarkable Roll the clock forward nearly a decade and STIX has been a great success. They work with the biggest brands all over the world, sharing their special message and motivation. In fact, if you’ve got a corporate meeting coming up, keep them in mind. But they’re not the kind of people to be idle, so they’ve been busy creating something else. For the last two years, they’ve focused on moving this skill beyond business, because they believe everyone can play music – young or old. But it’s not just about the music for Lee Ann and Duncan, they also have a strong desire to make a meaningful contribution in the world – both socially and environmentally. And that’s where Bambajam comes in. Duncan and Lee Ann created Bambajam so we can all experience the joy of playing music together. Many people miss out on music in their younger years, so being able to play later in life often feels like an impossible dream. Well it isn’t. Duncan has worked hard to create a musical notation system anyone can learn to read (see below – very colorful for the kids), and the Bambajam instrument can be played as separate tubes or with a small group of people sitting around the instrument together as a xylophone. This means everyone in a school CAN have an instrument to play. Can you see it in impoverished schools? I can. The top section is Duncan’s music – you can read that! I was lucky to grow up in a family devoted to music, but many do not have the opportunity. However, learning music isn’t just about exploring a new skill. All research in this area indicates that kids who have creative outlets – especially music – perform better across the board. In Asia, with academic success such a high priority, this is a key strength for Bambajam. Not to mention, the kids will be happier! A wonderful part of this story is its sustainability message. The Bambajam tubes (or xylophone) has been handcrafted and sourced from renewable bamboo in partnership with the East Bali Poverty Project. Lee Ann and Duncan are absolutely committed to ensuring the instrument is sustainable and ethical as well. As such, the East Bali Poverty Project are sourcing the bamboo and you can read more about this great organization here. Bamboo reforestation is critical for both sustainable social and economic development in this community. Therefore, by supporting Bambajam, you really can make a difference. How can you help? In the last week, Lee Ann and Duncan have launched an Indegogo crowd funding program and I urge you to check it out, make a donation, plant a bamboo, or better yet, buy the instrument. I think our order is already in, right Steve? Additionally: If you know someone in teaching, tell them about Bambajam. For a small investment, a classroom can play a symphony If you are a parent, buy one of these beautiful instruments, even if you’ve never played music yourself. You’ll be amazed how quickly you are playing a symphony with your family, or maybe some jazz, or a nursery rhyme – there’s lots of music to choose from Or just make a small donation to help them out or pay a small fee to plant some bamboo and help the wonderful people living in the mountains of Bali There are lots of ways you can participate – check out the right hand side of the Webpage here for ideas. I’m just thrilled to see two great people making such a beautiful impact on the community they live in, as well as sharing a new way for all of us to learn music. But we’ve got to help them out because…. Bambajam is the real deal. It’s created by two people with a wonderful, meaningful dream who are now delivering this to the world. It’s a business built from passion and it can change the world. It’s giving jobs to people who need them. It’s making a positive environmental contribution. It can get everyone playing music, no matter the skills or experience. But most importantly, it’s a business built from the heart. That alone is worth supporting. Who’s going to join me and give two social entrepreneurs a leg up on their awesome business? Thanks in advance if you decide to help them out. Cheers Andrea

 So we’ve finally got some pussy cats. It’s been a long time coming – 20 years for me personally, and I must admit I’ve missed having a cat every single one of those 7,300 days. I’m a cat person, but it’s impossible to have pets when you have a tendency to move countries on a regular basis. It’s just not fair on them. And of course, I believe it’s important for kids to have animals – they teach them so much – so after making the boys a promise we’d get cats, I’ve been nagged ever since. A promise is a promise. Bedtime loving… Our new family members are divine. A long-legged Munchkin called Riddick and a fluffy, cuddly Ragdoll called Luther. The sheer joy these little buggers immediately brought into our home has been something special. Animals really are one of life’s true joys. But see, here’s my problem. The boys are still young enough (at six and seven) not to have any real concept of death. Lex is starting to understand it, but the idea of an end of physical existence is not something they’ve grasped or been exposed to. That is not a bad thing of course. Many children around the world do not have the luxury of innocence. Butter wouldn’t melt As such, they’re swinging the cats around like bloody toys, and every moment I see them doing this, my heart skips a beat as I worry about the physical and emotional well-being of these cuties. Poor little buggers, but then again, I’m amazed at the flexibility of their bodies – thank god! The other challenge it’s brought is we’re always yelling at the boys to stop doing whatever they’re doing. For example, just now, I asked them to PLEASE STOP pretending to be doggies barking at the cats, because the cats are getting scared. Or PLEASE be kind, PLEASE stop flushing the cats in the toilet, and no they don’t like being thrown in the air, and no they don’t like being pulled out from underneath something (because they’re bloody hiding to escape you) by their tail, etc… And then I’ll experience moments when they’ll both be kissing and cuddling the cats, or going off to sleep with the kittens curled up beside them, or chilling while watching TV together. It’s a relief to have these moments of beauty. However, in the chaos of their rough and tumble play, it’s struck something deep inside me. The idea that my kids can be cruel is abhorrent to me. While I know in my heart of hearts that this is not a long-term possibility, it’s hard for this Mumma to watch. Equally, I understand that the boys do not understand the consequences of this play or how fragile these babies really are. Obviously my greatest concern is that one of those consequences is death. That’s one way they’ll learn about it I suppose… Then again, if it happens, I know my sensitive little lads will be devastated!!! Note Mum’s Ugg Boots I tried explaining what death could mean to Jax one night this week. I just needed him to understand that throwing a cat into a glass door was not a good idea and could kill it. Our chat didn’t go down very well. He sobbed and sobbed and sobbed… great work Mumma! But I want them to understand consequences before something heartbreaking does happen, because I think I need to protect them too. My boys would be inconsolable if they hurt the cats. Our new family members are not an easy experience for Mum and Dad at the moment – bloody hell, kittens and kids together – do we have rocks in our heads? But with them both circling my feet as I write, begging for attention, purring their joy at my company, I sure am happy to have cats in my life again. They’ve just got to survive the boys’ attention. But they survived their first week, so fingers crossed they’ll survive ‘til old age. Anyone else have to deal with rambunctious children and family pets? Yours, without the bollocks Andrea

For the last two days, I had the amazing opportunity to attend the Asia Professionals Speakers – Singapore – Annual Convention. My friend Shaun McEwan told me about it and I am so glad he did. It was the greatest professional learning experience of my life. Seriously. Thanks Shaun. I found creative enabler, graphic facilitator Tim Hamons from www.art-of-awakening.com This event attracts the top professional speakers in the world – you know, the guys and gals that get three figure sums for speaking at events and to corporations. Every single one of these leading lights came to share their knowledge, experiences and insights into how they became the top Professional Speakers on the world stage. The IP they gave freely and humbly was mind-boggling, and this aspiring speaker (i.e. me) now has the tools and insight to turn a long-term dream – hopefully – into a reality. I’m not 100 percent sure which direction I want to take this ambition of course, but now I can see a road-map. Before I didn’t even know where to start. To give you an idea of the caliber of people I met, here they are: Ron Karr – I missed a large chunk of Ron, but equally, as I spilled my coffee and scrambled to get comfortable for my first presentation of the two days, I sat there in shock – almost disbelief – at the high quality and value he was delivering Lesley Everett – wow wow wow was she really sharing so much with us? I knew I was still in disbelief and I walked away very inspired and motivated by the experiences she shared in running her own international speaking business Robert Bradford – let me tell you this is one smart and funny dude. Not to mention, he really did make his clients more than $50 billion. Oh so much to learn! George Walther – my word, what a story, so fantastic – if you get a chance to see him speak, take it – he’ll make you laugh and cry. And I have to agree with him – normal is boring. Of course, I also got to see his red underpants and a photo of his naked “shriveling” skinny dip in the Antarctic. Brilliant guy Debra Fine – Debra was so understated and real, but most importantly for me, she changed my mind about self-publishing and helped me see the power it gives you – she was a great giver of her knowledge  Sam Silverstein – apart from reminding me of my favorite uncle growing up, he’s funny and so right – No More Excuses! Superb. I got a lot of clarity from Sam and can’t wait until his next book comes out Ava Diamond – Ava is awesome. She could not share enough knowledge with us. She gave away so much great information – practical stuff, but she also gave her heart. Ava made me appreciate the concept of the manifesto and why it is so powerful. I’m already working on mine Scott Friedman – a well-loved speaker by all, Scott is all heart and he stirs emotions in you. You can see why he is loved. Fabulous stuff Jana Stanfield – what a fabulous, loving, entertaining, funny and brilliant woman. I missed her very first performance on day one, and when I met her later on I felt gutted I didn’t see it. I got a little on day two and just thought she was a magical human being David Price – a fellow Aussie, I can only describe his speech as a musical symphony with a steady drum beat of incredible humor, brilliance and motivation. He’s a top bloke and I felt honored to hear him Andrew Bryant – one of the MCs, delivered a speech at the end of the second day that got us all pumped up. He’s got a fascinating story, so understanding his journey and hearing his message was superb Let’s face it, everyone above is on my list of people I admire now – a list we all need, because exposing ourselves to great people – inspired people, intelligent and passionate people – well it helps us to grow and be better ourselves. But the greatness of this event was not only due to the people listed above. There was a gamut of panel speakers and people participating, plus an audience of people – some like me, as well as many firmly on their journey – and everyone was superb, open, welcoming, giving, funny and driven. It’s the community I’ve been looking for and it felt great to be amongst it. It obviously won’t surprise you that I felt incredibly privileged to be at this event. I had access to the minds and hearts of people who are changing the world, and that is wonderful. But the thing that really stood out was the amount of sharing. Tim Hamons www.art-of-awakening If you know me, you know I’m a sharer and a supporter. People often ask me why I do it? Why do I put so much time into my blogs and social channels? Why do I give away so much? Well I do it because I believe that in the last 20 years, working and living across four continents, travelling across five, perhaps I have something of value to add into the knowledge mix. I don’t think I’m right, I just have a perspective and I think it’s important to participate – hopefully  inspiring younger professionals in my field, or perhaps helping peers to understand where I’m coming from and why. There are many reasons to share, some practical, some heartfelt, but I believe we all have something to offer and I don’t think it’s optional anymore. We all need to be sharing and growing together. It’s just the world we live in now. However I also know this mindset isn’t “typical.” There are not many people in Asia participating in this way, and my goal is definitely to get more people involved and passionate about what this new age

A couple of weeks ago, I started to notice some pretty significant changes in Lex. Not only has he gotten more responsible, he’s gotten more vulnerable. He’s needier than he’s ever been, clingy when we’re out and about, super affectionate (which is gorgeous), but mostly, he’s become a little bit scared of taking a risk. Now being fearful of taking a risk is saying something when it comes to Lex. Lex is a go-er. Life has never scared him. He has always wanted to climb the highest structure, leap the tallest building, and scale the most challenging climbing apparatus. It’s a magnificence in him, and because we agreed early on to give him the space to pursue this need, it really has been remarkable seeing what he’s capable of. Equally, it’s also amazing to witness his incredible sense of what is and what is not possible. Many people don’t see this. They see a risk taker. We know him, and we see a carefully considered decision making process going on behind the mental scenes. But recently, Lex has not wanted to hang off the escalator five stories up, because he appreciates that over the other side is certain death. He’s also had a few falls recently – tripping up on his scooter last night resulting in some deep elbow and knee gashes – ouch! You know, normal kid stuff. We’re wondering if this is making the difference – understanding pain? Thus I must ask a question of my fellow parents – is this just a normal development phase? Perhaps a realization of the true risk some activities bring – i.e. death is suddenly possible and understood? I mean nothing big has happened to freak him out, so that’s why I’m asking. He’s also not talking about death any more than normal, so I don’t think that is it. So perhaps it’s just a sign of development and broader awareness of life? I suppose one good thing for Steve and I is we haven’t gone to bed in recent weeks saying “no one died today, that’s good isn’t it? High five!” It’s certainly felt that way for most of this parenting journey. Bloody kids I tell you, but it sure is lovely seeing Lex grow into a calmer, more considered little man. I hope he doesn’t lose his risk taking qualities though – while grey hair material, it’s certainly been awe inspiring watching him take life by the balls. Any parents willing to share? Yours, without the bollocks Andrea

Singapore is breathing a HUGE sigh of relief as the first rain in months arrived recently and for the first time in weeks, the air tasted a bit clean. While the recent haze in Singapore is nowhere near as bad as the filth that swamped us last year (see below a series of pictures from my office of MBS in June 2013) it’s arrived much earlier than normal, and once again the people living in Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore suffer – with those living in Sumatra and Borneo- especially the poor – suffering much much more in poorly insulated dwellings. The view of MBS from my office in June 2013 – expected to be worse this year So what’s changed since last year? From what I can see, not much. Oil palm expansion is on the rise as is its market price, soy and palm oil production is expected to rise (both destroy the environment), and if we keep going with use expected to double by 2020, well the Orangutans don’t stand a chance and none of us will be able to breathe. I often ask myself would I care so much if I wasn’t impacted? Well I hope so, but the truth is, most of us don’t do anything unless it’s a real and present danger to ourselves. I get that it’s hard to understand something is important when it’s happening so far away, and often outside of the media glare. But this issue (along with many others) is critical for all of us – seriously. Equally, the work that is being done by an amazing and dedicated group of people who are giving their hearts to make a difference, needs to become mainstream. You and I need to act. We can’t turn a blind eye and continue living our lives, enjoying our commodities without thought. Orangutans could be gone in five years. The Sumatran tigers in three. The quality of air we breathe? Who knows, but it’s at risk to. We can reverse this. We still have time. When the Western Black Rhino was declared extinct last year, my great mate Willie said “we’re all responsible for that.” And you know what, she’s right, we are. I don’t know if my writing a single blog will help much, but in this case, it’s all about momentum and education to ensure the products you are buying come from sustainable palm oil companies. And all we need to do – at a minimum – is be more conscious of what goes in our grocery trolley. We can do a lot more, we can write to the companies using palm oil, we can swamp their social media pages and ask them to change, but if everyone shopped more consciously, what a start! My boys and Aunty Vick in June 2013 Never imagined I’d live in a place where masks were necessary If you don’t keep reading – because it’s a longie – I want you to take four points away from this blog: The Sumatran tiger will be extinct within three years if palm oil production continues at its current rate The Orangutans will be extinct in 5-10 years The countries using products with palm oil most extensively are America, Australia, New Zealand, England and Europe – so it is the developed world creating this havoc and it is us that needs to change To change this trend we need to buy products with no palm oil or sustainably produced palm oil. Currently, more than 50% of our supermarket shopping has palm oil in it – we can change this by paying attention and making different buying decision OK got that? We can change this. It’s up to us. We cannot mourn the loss of two magnificent creates and say there was nothing we could do. We have the power to make a difference. Let’s do it OK? Where do you find palm oil? Shampoo, ice cream, cleaning products, margarine, baking products, biscuits, and make up. Check out this link for a list of palm oil products – with some in the image below. Are they sourcing palm oil sustainably? That’s what we’ve got to find out. It takes a bit of effort, but that’s what’s required now. I’m bummed to see Dove Soap in there – my definite preferred soap and a brand that represents something good in the world – please Dove, I want you working with me here. To keep using Dove soap, I will now check out their sustainability practice and if they’re not playing nice, I must act. I must. Anyone else with me? And any other favorite products jump out at you? I know this is an Australian site and this is a global issue, but there are many global brands on this list, so if it’s in Australia, it’s certainly going to be in the products it produces elsewhere. The big brands, like Johnson & Johnson, Proctor & Gamble and Kellogs are using palm oil. If it’s not sustainably harvested, we need to make them accountable. The one company that REALLY surprised me though is Ben & Jerry’s – come on guys, you guys are awesome. You can do better than that. Also another little gripe. I was in one of your Singapore stores recently and before you always offered customers free water. Now we have to buy it – which means more plastic bottles in the world. Not happy Ben & Jerrys. Then there is Harmony products, Balance Bars, chips/crisps/biscuits of many brands (including Tim Tams hello Arnots!!), Girl Scout Cookies (!?!), McDonalds (hardly a surprise), Jewel cookies, Milk (which often contains Vitamin A Palmitate), many Soy Milks, Mrs. Fields (booh!), Pepperidge Farm (booh!), Quaker, Sweet ‘n’ Low (it’s got aspartame too), Avon products, Clinique products, Cover Girl, Herbal Essences, Head & Shoulders, Neutrogena, Mary Kay, Revlon and many other beauty products that also have “healthy” looking names, including organic in the title. Well how can it be organic? I am astonished