Topic
Human stories
Personal stories, short fiction, memory and literary observations on human nature and relationships.
On New Worlds, Old Habits, and the Trouble with Starting Over
Henry had found an article about settling Mars. Future colonists, it said, would need exceptional adaptability, a talent for handling crises, and the ability to establish a functioning society.
Margaret needed no time to consider the candidates.
Scientists and engineers were clearly unsuitable. They might build something that worked.
Within minutes, Mars had a provisional president, several ministers, and a committee to oversee construction. The settlement itself could be dealt with later.
For a moment, a one-way ticket sounded like a remarkably sensible idea.
Then Henry began to wonder what, exactly, it would solve.
On the Comfort of Certainty
Most of us are not short of answers. We have careers, savings plans, health metrics, books, podcasts — and a reading list for whatever remains unresolved. One quiet evening, an ordinary man begins to notice how neatly certainty can organise a life, especially when the untidy parts are treated as exceptions.
On Markets, Certainty, and the Fine Art of Being Right Afterwards
How hard can financial forecasting be?
If the market rises, you saw it coming. If it falls, you warned everyone. And if nothing much happens, uncertainty remains elevated.
Henry, Margaret and John may just have discovered the perfect profession — although Brutus still seems to have the more disciplined investment strategy.
One Family, Two Generations, and a Suspiciously Innocent Labrador
A missing piece of toast. A suspicious Labrador. Two generations, one old coffee maker, and far too many opinions before breakfast is over.
Welcome to Henry and Margaret’s morning — where civilisation is still standing, just not particularly steadily.
How to Waste a Perfectly Good Saturday with Purpose
Henry and Margaret have a plan for the perfect Saturday: absolutely nothing.
The problem is that doing nothing, as it turns out, takes a surprising amount of planning, discipline — and a certain talent for ignoring the outside world.
Brutus, naturally, mastered all of this years ago.
Every morning begins with coffee. Then comes Margaret.
Before the second cup, Henry has already developed a theory, Margaret has corrected it, and Brutus has quietly lost faith in humanity once again.
Welcome to the breakfast table — where marriage, modern life, and the world’s daily absurdities somehow arrive before the coffee gets cold.
