The Do Something Principle (With Thanks to a Pommel Horse Champion)

This was a week — let’s call it That Week — when everything I was juggling suddenly became made of knives. Too many high-tension points converging at once. Financial pressure. Personal uncertainty. Some family stuff. The news. My own nervous system.

Nothing catastrophic. Just... too much.

And in the middle of this slow-burning chaos, I was doing what many of us do: scrolling aimlessly in the hope that somewhere, amid the noise, I’d stumble across the thing that would help me feel less paralyzed. I didn’t expect it to come from an Olympic gymnast.

But it did.

Rhys McClenaghan, world champion pommel horse magician (technical title), made a video for his Patreon supporters. And it was in that video — one I nearly didn’t watch because “productivity advice” in high-anxiety mode is often just guilt in a motivational hoodie — that he introduced a ridiculously simple little diagram:

Action → Motivation → Inspiration → Action (and so on, forever).

He calls it the Do Something Principle. It's not original to him — I think Mark Manson might have used it first — but Rhys explained it in his own way, with clarity and heart. No fluff. No hype. Just this:

You don’t wait to be inspired in order to act.
You act, and that action generates a spark.
That spark leads to motivation.
Motivation generates inspiration.
Inspiration gives you the energy to keep going.
And the cycle repeats.

At the time, I was hovering somewhere between “frozen” and “freaking out.” Everything felt like too much, so I was doing nothing — which, of course, was only adding complications. Rhys's little loop made it clear: I didn’t need a grand plan or a burst of motivation. I just needed to start. Pick one small thing. Move. The rest would follow. And, to my genuine surprise, it kind of did.

Now, in case it’s not obvious, I have never touched a pommel horse. I am about as far from a gymnast as a person can reasonably be without violating the laws of physics. But Rhys’s channel drew me in long before this video. It wasn’t the gymnastics (though he’s phenomenal). It was his self-motivation. His ability to set goals, make plans, and work toward them with steady determination.

It made me wonder: have I over-relied what I consider my superpowers - adaptability and patience —are these at the expense of ambition? Of achievement?

Are those mutually exclusive? Or is that just another loop I need to break?

I still don’t have an answer on this. But I do have a screenshot of that diagram within easy reach now. And whenever things feel like too much, I return to it.

 Start with action. 

Any action.

 Even writing this post.

So thank you, Rhys — from this anxious non-gymnast in a faraway corner of the world. You did something. And it helped.

I don't think the world is dying

There’s a theme I’ve seen echoing around the digital void lately — “the world is dying.”
I get it. Climate anxiety is a thing. Late-stage capitalism is looking... well, pretty late. And if your feed is anything like mine, it’s a steady diet of heatwaves, plastic-filled oceans, political unravelling, and billionaires escaping into orbit like rats from a sinking ship.

But here’s my perspective:
I don’t think the world is dying.
I think the version of life that the Western world has come to know and cling to with white-knuckled intensity… that’s what’s in its death throes.

And maybe it needs to die.

Let’s be honest — humans have been a bit of a disaster in the “caretaker of the planet” department. Arrogance and self-importance have been our party tricks for generations now. It’s not that we’ve broken the world; it’s that we keep pretending we own it.

But the world?
She’s survived asteroid collisions, supervolcanoes, ice ages, and a whole host of mass extinctions without even blinking. We are, by comparison, a momentary blip — a flash of carbon-based confidence in the infinite expanse of cosmic time. And despite our best efforts to mess it all up, the planet isn’t dying. It’s adapting. It’s evolving. It’s shrugging off what no longer serves.

Including us, if it must.

Now before you reach for your compostable tissues — this isn’t a nihilistic rant. It’s a permission slip.
To breathe.
To let go.
To stop pretending that you alone are responsible for all of humanity’s mess.

We’re each just a single thread in this enormous, complicated, often absurd tapestry. What you can do (what it’s my intention every day to do) is live with integrity and joy in your own corner of it. Do the best you can, and be kind to your small ecosystem of people, places, and passing moments.

Because here’s the truth I’ve landed on:
If I’m doing the best I can, then carrying daily negativity and self-blame doesn’t serve anyone — least of all the world I do want to help.

I can’t control others’ choices. I’m not responsible for the whole system. I didn’t ask to be born into late capitalism, climate chaos, or whatever season of global collapse we’re in.

But I can choose my response.
And today, I choose peace. I choose joy. I choose to keep showing up with awareness, action, and a little grace for myself and others.

The world isn’t dying.
But the illusion of what we thought the world was?
That’s a different story.

 

For Posterity...Life in New Zealand During the COVID-19 Lockdown

28 April 2020

The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It reportedly started at a seafood market in the city of Wuhan, the capital of the Hubei province in China, somewhere around Dec 2019 (although it is possible that it started in November or even earlier and that China was late to acknowledge the import of the disease). The world has not seen a pandemic such as this since the misleadingly labelled "Spanish" Flu pandemic that swept the world in 1918. That one hit on the tail end of World War 1 and in just two months killed half as many people (around 9000) as had just been killed in the war (about 17000) - both significant numbers in a country which had a population of barely 1 million people at that time. Ironically it was returning soldiers that brought the pandemic back to New Zealand with them.

The Pandemic Begins

As of today 3,041,550 million people globally have tested positive for Corvid-19. Many more people worldwide have the disease but are not able to be tested for a variety of reasons including government unpreparedness and government and society apathy.
At first, just three symptoms were indicators of the virus: shortness of breath, cough and fever. Then it was noticed that people with no or very mild symptoms could test positive and also pass the virus to others. This prompted New Zealand to 'go hard and go early" introducing a lock-down that kept us all at home and reduce our social contact as much as possible for 33 days. Later the CDC added the following official symptoms:

Chills

Repeated shaking with chills

Muscle pain

Headache

Sore throat

New loss of taste or smell

New Zealand’s Lockdown Response

New Zealand's own Dr Siouxsie Wiles produced the following graphic (which went 'viral' pretty quickly and has been referred to by millions around the world).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total recorded, attributed deaths world wide today stand at 211,159 (this stat is from the Johns Hopkins stats - this is the site I have used daily to record and make percentage calculations). In the coming months this figure will, no doubt, prove inaccurate as deaths in the preceding months were misdiagnosed or somehow, in all the panic, just plain unaccounted. The majority of the deaths have reportedly been in the over 70 year old age group and those with underlying health issues. 

As of yesterday, Monday 27 April 2020, New Zealand, where I am currently living, has been in Level 4 'lock-down' for 33 days. Personally, I have been in lock-down for about 37 days. At midnight this morning we moved down to level 3. The hope is that our team of 5 million (as our Prime Minister calls us) has done enough in this lock-down to continue the short road to fully eliminate this virus from our shores and keep us safe until a mass vaccination can be developed and rolled out (the plan there being that the majority of people will take it - along with the knowledge that a number of people wont - hopefully not a significant number). Our lock-down has been combined with strict border controls and lock-down rules (we 'went hard and early') and lessons learnt from our compulsive watching of daily combined press briefings from our Prime Minister and our Director General of Health. These have involved a high level of transparency and openness. Strong and caring leadership. Our government closed the border to everyone but returning New Zealand nationals/residents and made it mandatory to self isolate for 14 days for anyone entering the country. Those without an isolation plan are put into lockdown in hotels or other government monitored accommodation. 

Life Inside the Bubble

Social distancing quickly became the phrase on everyone’s lips — a new buzzword for the strange reality of keeping our distance from others, both socially and physically. In New Zealand, that meant staying within our "bubbles": the people we lived with as of 11:59pm on Wednesday 25 March, when we were given just 48 hours' notice before the country entered Level 4 lockdown. People over 70, those with weakened immune systems, or with underlying health conditions were urged to self-isolate completely.

Only essential businesses like supermarkets, pharmacies, petrol stations and dairies were allowed to stay open. Everything else — retail stores, trades, offices — closed their doors. Tape was laid on supermarket floors to keep shoppers spaced two metres apart. One person per bubble was nominated as the household shopper, and strict item limits were introduced to curb panic buying. Still, shelves were stripped bare of toilet paper, disinfectants, paper towels, laundry powder, hand sanitiser, flour and yeast.

Medical services stayed open but moved to phone or video consultations wherever possible. Those who could work from home did so. But playgrounds, bush tracks, beaches, pools, libraries and gyms were off-limits. Entire sports seasons were scrapped. Concerts, tours, weddings, holidays — cancelled. Funerals could only be attended by people within the same bubble as the deceased. Churches, mosques and temples closed. No in-person gatherings, no social visits, no popping by for a cuppa. If we did go outside, we had to stay local, keep our distance, and obey the 2-metre rule.

Hospitals, rest homes and hospices shut their doors to visitors. Meanwhile, shortages of masks, gloves and gowns left many front-line workers without the protection they needed — a worrying echo of what we were seeing around the world.

Still, in the midst of all that stress and restriction, moments of creativity and connection emerged. One family’s Lockdown Boogie went viral (the good kind of viral!) showing how people across the country were finding ways to stay upbeat, connected, and just a little bit silly — even when dancing in their living rooms.

 

Global Impact

Across the globe, hospitals are buckling under the pressure. There aren’t enough ventilators. There aren’t enough ICU beds. There aren’t enough nurses, doctors, gowns or gloves. Wuhan, Italy, Spain, Iran, the UK and the USA are the worst hit so far — with the virus infecting nearly 3 million people and claiming over 206,000 lives. The youngest known fatality is just six weeks old.

China initially reports a 3% mortality rate, but many believe the true toll is higher — possibly because the virus spread quietly before anyone knew what it was. Global figures are suggesting something closer to 10%.

In New Zealand, we have 1,121 confirmed cases and 19 deaths. Around 75% have recovered. It’s sobering, but still relatively low — thanks, in part, to our early lockdown, closed borders, and the calm daily briefings from Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield.

Around the world, industries are adapting fast. Distilleries are switching to hand sanitiser. Breweries are making PPE. Car manufacturers are building ventilators. Tip lines have been set up so people can report others who are breaking isolation rules, underpaying staff their subsidy, or price-gouging. Streets are mostly empty. A few people wear gloves and masks. Essential workers are still going to work — and many are scared. Health workers worry about bringing the virus home.

---

Financial & Social Adjustments

The government wage subsidy scheme is helping people hold on. Businesses are paid $580.80 for each full-time worker (over 20 hours) and $350 for part-time workers, and they’re expected to pass on at least 80% of normal pay. For some, it’s a lifeline. For others, it’s not quite enough — but it’s something.

This is the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The World Health Organization declared it on March 11th, 2020, and we’re now four weeks into living under the New Zealand alert system. This is life for now. Possibly for a while.

Moving into Level 3

At Level 3 the country moves to allowing businesses to open up as long as they can provides contactless click and collect, delivery and ordering. No customers are to enter any business’s premises. Workers have to maintain 2 metres distance at all times with other co-workers. They are to wear masks, gloves when they are to be closer than 2m to another person or are manning a click and collect station. Hand sanitiser and cleaning products are of the utmost importance with everything needing to be cleans after every use. Breaks are to be staggered with limited numbers allowed in rooms such as smoko rooms and toilets. We even can only use one stair case to walk up and one to walk down. Our stores have been repurposed into click and collect stores. Checkouts have been turned into packing stations, all sales are done on line and cashless and contactless. We are still to stay home as much as possible. Only allowing one or two people into our bubbles. 

 Still here, waiting

There’s no neat ending here. No ribbon to tie around this story. We’re still in it. Still trying to make sourdough starters. Still waiting for masks to arrive in the mail. Still watching the 1pm updates like they’re the most gripping TV drama in the world.

But we’re okay. Tired, rattled, homesick for a version of life we didn’t appreciate at the time — but okay.

So that’s where we’re at. Not over. Not through it. But here.

Still here.

This Week in World History

Did you know that New Zealand was the first self-governing country in the world to grant the vote to all adult women?

This allowed ALL women in NZ (with the exception of prison inmates) to officially and legally have their say on the decisions and laws that impacted them for the first time in November 1893.

I say ‘all’ proudly, as even subsequently, in other select places, rights were not given straight away to all women but selected pockets that were deemed worthy such as the wealthy, property owners or rate payers.

Previously only the Isle of Man, as an internally self-governing dependant territory of the British Crown, had enfranchised women property owners in 1881 and on Pitcairn Island female descendants of the Bounty Mutineers were allowed to vote for ruling council members from 1838.

It was not until after WW1 that Britain and America allowed women the vote.

Interestingly (to me, at least!) this would have occurred even sooner in NZ had it not been for the concern of certain members of parliament with friends (and fingers) in the Liquor industry who opposed the bills put forward to parliament to allow the vote on the grounds that women would use their new found influence to negatively impact the availability of liquor (as was one of the main drives of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union in those times, which they believed went hand in hand with improving the conditions for women and family life in general).

Kate Sheppard and fellow suffragists travelled our country gathering support (and educating) under fierce opposition. Women who came out in support were ‘recommended to go home, look after their children, cook their husbands’ dinners, empty the slops, and generally attend to the domestic affairs for which Nature designed them’; and told they should give up ‘meddling in masculine concerns of which they are profoundly ignorant’.

They gathered signatures of around 32, 000 women from all over the country, glued the sheets together and presented it dramatically as a 270 m roll bowled across the chamber of the House in July 1893.

The Electoral Act 1893 was passed (by both houses) and became law on Sept 19^th (even with the opposition of our Premier at the time; Richard Seddon – a friend of the Liquor Industry!).

You can view the list, read the names of the people that signed and find out more info about the NZ Suffrage on the NZhistory.govt.nz website.

Nelson had its own list of signatures of support which was submitted separately and subsequently lost from history so we can’t look at that – however,  I have included below, the text of a leaflet published by the Women's Christian Temperance Union in May 1888, which was sent to every member of the House of Representatives. I imagine at the time people didn’t giggle at all as much as I did when I read it! ( please note: I am grateful I live in a time where I have the right and am able to giggle about such things!).

Ten reasons why the women of New Zealand should vote (1888)

1. Because a democratic government like that of New Zealand already admits the great principle that every adult person, not convicted of crime, nor suspected of lunacy, has an inherent right to a voice in the construction of laws which all must obey.

2. Because it has not yet been proved that the intelligence of women is only equal to that of children, nor that their social status is on a par with that of lunatics or convicts.

3. Because women are affected by the prosperity of the Colony, are concerned in the preservation of its liberty and free institutions, and suffer equally with men from all national errors and mistakes.

4. Because women are less accessible than men to most of the debasing influences now brought to bear upon elections, and by doubling the number of electors to be dealt with, women would make bribery and corruption less effective, as well as more difficult.

5. Because in the quietude of home women are less liable than men to be swayed by mere party feeling, and are inclined to attach great value to uprightness and rectitude of life in a candidate.

6. Because the presence of women at the polling-booth would have a refining and purifying effect.

7. Because the votes of women would add weight and power to the more settled and responsible communities.

8. Because women are endowed with a more constant solicitude for the welfare of the rising generations, thus giving them a more far-reaching concern for something beyond the present moment.

9. Because the admitted physical weakness of women disposes them to exercise more habitual caution, and to feel a deeper interest in the constant preservation of peace, law, and order, and especially in the supremacy of right over might.

10. Because women naturally view each question from a somewhat different standpoint to men, so that whilst their interests, aims, and objects would be very generally the same, they would often see what men had overlooked, and thus add a new security against any partial or one-sided legislation.

Women vote for the first time at a polling station in the tiny South Otago settlement of Tahakopa on 28 November 1893. Despite ominous warnings by diehard suffrage opponents that delicate female voters would be harassed and jostled, the conduct of the election was peaceful and orderly throughout the country.

Of the around 120, 000 NZ women at the time about 102,000 turned out to vote for the first time in the election following the Sept 19^th law pass.

So – this Sept 19^th (Wednesday), 125 years on – take a moment to think about the rights you have, how you got them and how you use them.

Where Am I?

And who the heck am I?

*sigh*

The VLN

Just finished my third session in the Virtual Learning environment of the VLN.  Things are so hectic in there I have not taken any screens my self yet - but my co-ordinator did!

This was from the second session where we dipped our toes into the galaxy just to see what that was like... the numbers out there are RIDICULOUS!

The start of today's session involved a triad of multi-tasking. Not just two things but three for a minute or two. That gets the blood pumping and the synapses firing!!

I have been creating and expanding the potential for more interaction (something I perceive as vital to engage students in a format that has the potential to slip into a mundane fact filled lecture) - however that system is not entirely in my control as it involves students actually remembering to do the small tasks such as going outside and spotting for the moon - so that they DO have something to contribute in the next session.

If today's session had not been taken up with ten minutes of techie issues it may well have scored low on my expectations for interaction because no one did go outside and look at the moon this week 

(and it was a blue one too. Figuratively, not literally...).

Have sent a follow up email to the principals of the schools with students in the class to try and gain some support for those issues. I am quite uncomfortable with just lecturing at them as I know that is potentially a wretched yawnfest!

Another strategy is to come up with more mindsparking deep thinking questions that are opinion based but time is a bit of a limit there as well, perhaps. 

We discussed our nearest star today - I had asked them 'how long it would take to get there and who would go' as their between class thinking last week - however not everyone did that so the deeper thinking part (who would go) did not actually spark for some of them until they heard in today's show that it was 78 000 years.

So then we talked about the Battlestar Galactica concept - a community of people travelling through space to a destination that they themselves would never reach but many many generations in the future would.

Then I blew that all away by saying that then it would be too late because in 33 000 years time that wouldn't even be our closest star anymore, MUWUHAHAHAHAH!

P.S. Yes, I realise there is a danger that my sense of humour is really only funny to me.

The Bare Truth

It’s important that the bare skin of regular women is seen more often — especially in published images. When we cover up our normal selves because we don’t feel “good enough” to compare with idealised images, we’re doing ourselves a disservice. We’re also silently agreeing that only those curated, flawless bodies are acceptable enough to be shown. That’s not just untrue — it’s harmful.

100 Years Since Gallipoli Landing....

It's that time again (when I post the list of family members that I know of that served in some capacity).
Back in Nelson for this one - it was moved to Trafalgar Park because of the 100 year commemorations and the large crowd expected... check it out... Nelson Dawn Service!



For me not a glorification of war (as I still have some people say to me) but a day of remembrance and respect for those men and women, husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, sons and daughters who suffered trauma and sacrifice no people should have to suffer in order that we are among the lucky people of the world who have the right to complain about things like the "glorification of war" on social media such as twitter and facebook.

While I am standing in the chill and lifting-dark of early morning at the Dawn Service I am thinking about how cold, dirty, sick, hungry, lonely, confused, sore and scared the majority of soldiers were in that transitional time between night duties and day duties on front lines.
I also often think about the agonising unbearable unknowingness that people at home must have felt in a time before skype, satellites, cellphones and high speed internet.
Not my idea of glory, that's for sure.

Thank you to those people I know of in my family who were changed immeasurably and in some cases lost their lives and futures as a consequence of war.
Especially remembering Uncle Bob Papps who died a week ago.

I do my best to remember you all, especially today.


Uncle Bob Papps 1922 - 16th April 2015
WW2 Navy

Uncle Bob Silcock  1917 - 1999
WW2 #296993
4th Brigade 20th Battalion 2nd NZEF 1939 - 1945

I found out this year he was part of a tank crew.

Uncle Les Papps 1923 - 2006
WW2 reg# 618429. 
Compulsory military training. He was called to service overseas including Egypt and Japan. 
 
Uncle Richard Papps 1931 -
Served in army in Malaysia

Uncle Jack Park 1926 -

Great Uncle Edgar Noble Papps 1908 - 1998

Great Uncle Charlie Papps 1883 - 1943

Great Uncle Henry (Harry) Papps 1878 - 1958

Great Uncle George Samuel Papps 1874 - 1948

Great Uncle Arthur Papps 1888 - 1977
WW1 #33149 Lieutenant New Zealand Rifle Brigade

Great Uncle Herman Wendleborn 1896 - 1962
WW1 #7/1160 & WW2

Upon enlisting in 1915, Herman stated his year of birth as 1894 to appear older and therefore be eligible for service. After being wounded at Gallipoli (head wound) and spending some time recovering in Egypt, Herman was sent home to New Zealand on 11 February 1916.

At the outbreak of WWII, Herman re-enlisted for duty with the Home Guard. He again changed his date of birth, this time to make himself seem younger (40 instead of 43). He served at Papakura Military Camp, Waiouru Military Camp, and HMNZS Devonport until his discharge on 2 January 1944.


Great Uncle Laurence Wendelborn 1893-1918
WW1 #7/291 Corporal

Laurence served in Egypt, Gallipoli and Western Europe.
His military awards included the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
He was wounded in action at Gallipoli on around the 7th August 1915 and admitted to hospital on the 9th. He was discharged back to base and readmitted to hospital a few times throughout August, through September and into Dec 1915. On 13 Nov 1918 he was admitted to the Featherston Military Camp Hospital in Wellington and died on 15 November 1918, age 25.

Great Uncle Darkie Wendelborn 1884 - 1952

Clifford Wendelborn 1914-1995
WW2

Lance Corporal Clifford Laurence Wendelborn - serial number 16215. Clifford served as an infantryman, despatch rider, tankman and driver during WWII. He repeatedly refused promotion. 

Ron Wendelborn
 WW2 Reg #: 21111 NZ Army Corp 1939/1945 

He returned to New Zealand on 23 January 1946. During the trip back, Ronald requested a demotion from Sergeant back to Corporal.

Jack Leslie Friend 1920 - 25 May 1941

WW2 reg #8378
Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force (2NZEF), 1st Echelon 20 Canterbury and Otago Battalion
Died of his battle wounds in Crete

Stanley James Wendelborn 1919 - 1945
WW2 Gunner, New Zealand Artillery, 4 Field Regiment
Died at war - Cassino, Italy

Henry (Harry) John Windleborn 1910 - 1988

WW2 Chief Petty Officer Airman
Military awards include  the 1939-45 Star, the Africa Star, the Pacific Star (Burma clasp), War Medal 1939-45 and the New Zealand War Service Medal.

Percy Herbert Windleburn 1885 – 1945
WW1

New Zealand Mounted Rifles, Reserve Battalion. # 80399. When he enlisted in 1918, Percy gave his birth year as 1890 rather than 1885, making it appear that he was only 28. 



Lawerence (Lon) CF Windleburn 1897 – 1974
WW1 New Zealand Expeditionary Force 42nd Reinforcements D Company

Philip Edward (Tulip) Windleborn 1920 - 1990
WW2 Korean War reg # 72279 & 207892

 

New Zealand Field Artillery, 29 Light Anti Aircraft Battery: Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force (2NZEF) & Kayforce.

Military Awards

• 1939-45 Star
• Pacific Star
• Italy Star
• Defence Medal
• War Medal 1939-45
• New Zealand War Service Medal
• Korea Medal 1950-53
• The United Nations Medal (Korea)

Henry Charles Schroder 1895 - 1971
WW1 reg #: 26461 New Zealand Expeditionary Force, 14th Reinforcements New Zealand Engineers

Percival August Edward Schroder 1896 -
WW1 Reg # 35501  NZ Rifle Brigade 11th Reinforcements 4th Battalion, (H Company )

Albert Charles SCHRODER 1874 - 1929
WW1 reg# 72861. New Zealand Expeditionary Force 37th Reinforcements C Company

Bernard Austin Schroder 1897 - 1956
WW1 reg# 25/570. NZ Rifle Brigade 3rd Battalion, C Company

Cecil Lawerence Schroder 1883 - 1968
WW1 reg# 59463 New Zealand Expeditionary Force, 31st Reinforcements Auckland Infantry Regiment, A Company

Henry James Schroder 1881 - ?
WW1 reg#25/144   New Zealand Expeditionary Force 3rd Battalion, B Company

Arthur Charles Schwass 1905 - 1982
WW1 reg#74550  New Zealand Expeditionary Force 40th Reinforcements E Company


Leo Philip Schwass 1897 - 1918
WW1 reg#48413  New Zealand Expeditionary Force 26th Reinforcements Canterbury Infantry Regiment, C Company killed in action 15 July 1918 Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France


Sidney Charles Schwass
WW1 Reg# 29307 New Zealand Expeditionary Force 18th Reinforcements Canterbury Infantry Battalion, C Company

Lewis Henry Windleborn 1893 – 1917
 WW1, Canterbury Infantry Regiment, 2 Battalion, 13 Company

Polygon Wood (Polygoneveld, or Bois de Polygone), named for its shape, was a large wood near the Ypres-Menin road at Veldhoekn (north east of Ypres), Belgium.
A prominent artificial mound in the wood, called the Butte, had been used by the Belgian army as a shooting range prior to 1914. Fought over during the First Battle of Ypres in October/November 1914, it thereafter remained in German hands until Third Battle of Ypres (aka The Battle of Passchendaele) in 1917.

The NZ Division went to Polygon Wood during the winter of 1917-1918 (about October). It was a very cold winter. NZ suffered about 3000 losses during that winter in Polygon Wood. They carried out the attack on Polderhoek Chateau on the right hand side of Polygon Wood on 3 December.
 On the 13 December Lewis was killed in action here.
At the end of February 1918 the NZ Division were relieved from their post.

Lest We Forget 
.

Walking

1 hour 40 min total

148 at gate.   166 at sun corner

132 at top 

51 mins up

Personal Evolution

 From Marianne Williamson

I'm not an enlightened master but this is where I am in my life.
I'm not evolved beyond having crazy thoughts...but I think I 'm beyond being in a place where I am telling myself they are not crazy.
If I am having an insane moment I think I'm evolved enough to know I am insane in that moment.
Which means most of the time I'm evolved enough to not act on any insanity I have.
You can feel angry but that doesn't mean you have to send that email; doesn't mean you have to answer that text right now. Doesn't mean you have to say something.
You can know I am feeling like telling that person "WHOAAA!" But I can know this is not the real me feeling this. The fact that I am feeling it doesn't mean that it's the authentic me. If you are angry and you say, well, that is how I authentically felt - how you authentically feel in any given moment is not necessarily who you authentically are.
Who you authentically are is love - but that person said something or did something that so triggered you based on childhood wounds that you are not able in this moment to answer with love and feel psychically like you are getting your needs met.