The Most Dangerous Food of ALL

Ric Vatner | August 27, 2010

A doctor was addressing a large audience in Oxford. He said, “The material we put into our stomachs should have killed most of us sitting here, years ago. Red meat is full of steroids and dye. Soft drinks corrode your stomach lining. Chinese food is loaded with MSG. High trans fat diets can be disastrous and none of you realise the long-term harm caused by the fluoride and germs in our drinking water.

But, there is one thing that is the most dangerous of all……….

From Experience

Ric Vatner | August 22, 2010

We look before and after,

And pine for what is not:

Our sincerest laughter

With some pain is fraught;

Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thought

David Choi – Won’t Even Start

Ric Vatner | August 19, 2010

However far man may extend himself with his knowledge,

however objective he may appear to himself -

ultimately he reaps nothing but his own biography.

How My Mum Beat the School Bully

Ric Vatner | July 23, 2010

I can remember at least three bullies that made my life hell when I was at school. But as a parent I now realise that it is no fun for the parent to watch either. I had to learn to deal with each one of them and it never got easier. I guess if I [...]

How I Got My Nickname

Ric Vatner | March 8, 2010

Every time we watched an old movie they would turn to me and ask, “Was it really like that Dad?” One day we were watching Camelot and they turned to me, but before they could open their mouth, I said “Exactly how old do you think I am?”

That’s how I got the nickname Dinosaur.

The Great Chocolate Rip Off – A short Story

Ric Vatner | February 14, 2010

I just added a short story to my blog at Shadow in the Flame – you can read it here: http://bit.ly/avBfQd

It’s a simple parable about an enterprising boy who starts a great little business at infant’s school. I like the little blighter but he does make you think. This is the American Dream (which is now the world’s dream) but is it what we really want.

David Jones Parramatta – A True Story

Ric Vatner | November 13, 2009

I know David Jones in Parramatta. Or rather, I know the car park. I used to park my car there when I went to Parramatta to visit my clients. One Friday afternoon I parked there, visited my client, went for a few drinks (as you do) and then we decided to go out to dinner. We may also have had a few more drinks, I can’t remember much about the night except that when I went to pick up my car the car park was closed. I believe it was about 1am.

A Love Story

Ric Vatner | November 10, 2009

“Excuse me” she floated over invading my space but I had already surrendered so I didn’t object. “It won’t go” She said looking back at the car and then at me waiting for an answer.

when I realised that she expected me to fix her beast I had a panic attack and just starred at her in awe and in terror. I couldn’t tell her what a useless sod I was she would find someone else (in a snap). This was a god sent opportunity and I was not going to pass it up.

Check Out Chick

Ric Vatner | November 6, 2009

I ducked out yesterday to buy some milk for the office and when I got to the cash register you can imagine my surprise when I was directed to a self serve register. Or maybe you can’t, I’m not a regular shopper so this was very new to me.

At first I was told I had a choice, I could use the self serve register or I could go to a regular check out with a much more experienced cashier than me. But when I looked at the long line of registers that are normally manned by cashiers I noticed that 75% of them were empty and the queue to use those that were left was rather long.

The Great Book Purge

Ric Vatner | August 24, 2009

Recently I had to face the fact that I have many more book buying years ahead of me but somewhat less shelf space. So for the first time in fifteen years I took every book off the shelves and sorted them by category and (more importantly) by which to keep and which to move on. The nineteen bookshelves, assorted tables and boxes are whats left.