31 – Gifts That Matter

I like Christmas. I like the lights, the trees, and the wreaths. I like the music, and those children’s Christmas specials that I still watch every year. I like seeing friends and family who I don’t get to see very often. And I do like getting some gifts, and giving them as well.

30 – Just Keep Going

My writing has slowed down considerably these past couple of months. But that’s OK. I knew it would happen. The important thing is I’ve been able to keep it going despite slowing to a snail’s pace. After all, moving forward at a snail’s pace is better than not moving forward at all.

29 – Have A Nice Day

This essay is inspired by two unrelated events a couple of weeks ago. First, I went on a road trip with my good friend, The WaterDragon, to visit our good friend Mr. E. Second, Lou Reed, the godfather of underground music, died.

28 – Sushi For Breakfast

Many of us work for weekends. We construct our plans for leisure activities around these brief windows when we’re free from dreadful things like punch-clocks, compliance reports, and deadlines. Setting out to make good use of your free time is great. But sometimes the best times pop up out of nowhere and you end up eating sushi for breakfast. 

27 – Guest Essay By Warren Cassell, Jr.: We Become What We Are Surrounded By

“Hang around thinkers, and you’ll be a better thinker. Hang around winners, and you’ll be a better winner. Hang around a bunch of complaining, gripping boneheads, and you’ll become a better complaining, gripping bonehead.”-

Sharon Lechter & Greg Reid, Three Feet of Gold 

What an honour it is to be writing a guest post on The House Newf today. I am a teen entrepreneur from Montserrat, and this year I set off on a journey to encourage others to listen to what nature has to teach us because I believe that nature offers us a wealth of wisdom, if we are willing to listen. This journey inspired me to publish The Farm of Wisdom: 25 Unforgettable Tales that Will Ignite a Wiser You, a book which not only shares life lessons through memorable stories, but also makes readers more conscious of what animals, plants and nature in general are seemingly teaching us.

Plants and animals have taught me that we become what we are surrounded by! The environment that we are in and the people who we are around play a major role in our development. What follows is a parable about eight guavas who found out the hard way that the atmosphere we are in can either nurture or spoil us.

26 – Upcoming Essay By A Special Guest

I’m happy to report that I’ll be sharing an essay from a guest essayist in a few days time. You can read an essay by Warren Cassell Jr. right here this coming Sunday, September 15^th.
  

25 – Special Essay On Medium

My new essay is ready. But it’s not published here. It’s my second essay on Medium, where I published this one previously. 

24 – Music For Making Sense Of It All

I like having days off. They leave so much time to do so many activities. Like writing. I’ve published two House Newf essays today. That wasn’t planned. But the Facebook conversation I recently had with my uncle about the subtle brilliance of George Harrison’s songwriting changed all that. It sparked the idea for this little essay. Nothing beats the unexpected feeling of inspiration.

23 – How You ‘Just Do It’ Matters

Twenty-five years ago Nike unveiled one of the most iconic slogans in marketing and cultural history. Along with the ‘Air Jordan’ and ‘Bo Knows’ campaigns of the late 1980s, those three little words helped Nike completely alter the landscape of sports marketing and consumer culture. You know the slogan even if you don’t think you do. And it’s impossible to say those three little words without seeing the equally iconic swoosh flash before your mind's eye. 

But it’s not enough to ‘just do it.’ How you ‘just do it’ is just as important.

22 – Wisdom In The Store Aisle

This is an unexpected essay. The following episode from my work life popped into my head while I was watching the waves a few days back. And I realized that it demonstrated valuable things about gaining understanding by confronting chaos.