Working the foredeck

I have spent the last couple of seasons working up the bow of the yacht after our previous foredeck crew were constantly costing us races. After winning the start and being first to the windward mark only to end up last after a poor spinnaker raise undoes all of the good windward work. It needed to change and it needed to change really fast - it couldn't keep going on like this.

Counting down the start is imperative for aggressive positioning in the fleet, a poor start means you spend the rest of the race trying to catch up instead of consolidating your position. I see getting a clear start as the key role of the foredeck crew; they have an unrivaled view of the start line and the other yachts as you maneuver for position in the pre-start period.

This is not only from the time the five minute gun sounds but the pre-start positioning and maneuvering but after the start the foredeck crew spend most of their time sitting on the side providing ballast. However, a knowledge of sailing and tactics ensures you get heard and providing input to the race.

The arrogance of smokers

You can be sitting at a table outside at a cafe or restaurant in South East Asia with no smoking signs at all the tables and you can bet someone will grab a seat alongside you and light up. Once upon a time in Australia that would happen too until the government changed smoking laws; this was, without doubt the best legislation even enacted. The arrogant minority could no longer do as they pleased at the detriment of everyone else.

Their lame arguments that this would destroy the entertainment industry were without foundation. No longer would we come home from a hotel or nightclub with our clothes drenched in smoke. We felt better because we no longer engaged in passive smoking and we weren't poisoning our lungs with second-hand exhaled smoke. The stench of stale ashtrays that once dulled our sense of smell were gone and the cigarette butts littering the footpaths, walkways and common areas have greatly declined. While arrogant smokers walk down the street puffing on a cigarette still throwing their butts on the ground littering the natural environment, I take a certain comfort in knowing their days are numbered.

Ramsay's management style

I used to watch Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares on television. As a frequent restaurant patron, I longed to see the inner workings of a kitchen that included restaurant service and how the integration occurred.

The show followed a defined format every episode, Ramsay would come in, order a meal, he would then trash the decor and service. The meal was always terrible at which point Ramsay would then have enough and storm into the kitchen and confront the chef. This would understandably create tension between members, a fight would ensure, colourful language would enter the vocabulary and the storm out would then occur - then the process of rescue would begin.

The revamp involves a menu overhaul, decor refit and then the long awaited relaunch. The reopening would involve Ramsay proving coaching; this however is not a positive process with Ramsay hurling abuse at selected staff members that includes an onscreen meltdown with Ramsay belittling, bullying and enacting management practices that were becoming outdated in the 1990s.

This was the actual reason why I actually watched the show, I have an interest in contemporary management practices and I like to compare my actual processes against industry benchmarks. There is no way I would ever talk to or treat an employee like he does, now he is running an exact same hotel show on the same tired format - amazing.

The pretender

I have plenty of Jackson Browne songs I like - I reckon The Pretender would have to top that list, it's a pretty long list too. The lyrics tell a story and I believe Jackson Browne is a master storyteller, he maintains high ethical values in an industry and age beset by materialism in the never ending chase for album sales,downloads, merchandising and endorsement deals.

The song centres on the disillusionment of working Americans, their plight to make ends meet along with their hopes and aspirations for the future. Despite the catchy tune, I really love the lyrics, Browne is creating a narrative for the working classes of which I am one, albeit not American, but the value of the lyrics is that many of us can relate to this song.

A Boracay sunset

So many holiday options exist in South East Asia with Thailand heading up most tourist itineraries, a little further south and Malaysia is also very popular. Heading south again and Indonesia is highly popular, this is especially so with Australian and Singaporean inbound tourists due to its close proximity and favourable exchange rates. My preferred travel destination is the Philippines as this country is less developed in terms of tourist infrastructure and also favorably priced.

White Beach on the Philippines' premier holiday destination and whilst more developed than other locations within the country, the lack of big business development makes this destination infinitely attractive. The Philippines is renowned for romantic sunsets, none more so than White Beach - these sunsets are world class. Furthermore, the locals have managed their environmental issues so much more productively than rival destinations such as Bali's Kuta Beach.

I am more than happy to promote Boracay as a holiday destination, the Germans have known about Boracay for some time now, the Koreans and Chinese are also highly supportive of this destination. As for me, even living on the west coast of Australia, I am enjoying Boracay sunsets.

Invest in yourself

It takes a certain degree of courage to invest in yourself, there is usually a large financial and time effort required - self-doubt inevitably follows. Will this investment in time and effort pay off? Post graduate education can take up to four years part time, that is a sizable time investment - it changes your life.

Your social life is non-existant; your friends are going out and you are invited. Naturally you decline as you have a chapter of a reference book to read and digest or a paper to write. After a while, the offers stop coming and you can follow their exploits through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Tumblr when you take a break from research or writing up assignments. Although, don't spend too long following their social status posts as you are likely to lose focus and become distracted.

Will you get that promotion? Will you pick up a higher paying job at another company? Will your qualification even be recognised? Is what you learnt relevant? Will you be able to execute your new skills? I don't know as I am not there yet but I am fortunate enough to be employed throughout and I won't have a huge debt at the end as I pay the individual units off as I go. Whilst a top-tier international institution like Insead has links to industry, an MBA in a second or third tier business school isn't likely to yield the same results.

Then there is the employment cycle, the West Australian job market peaked in 2012/13. From 2014 we were in steep decline, with 2015 showing no improvement and 2016 not much better. With 2017 still depressed with more jobs being shed and 2018 looking poor, the short-term to medium outlook doesn't look great. As I will be finishing my qualification in mid 2017; despite the decision to invest in myself - I am not filled with confidence.

Has the Liberal Party become too conservative?

Has the Liberal Party in Australia become too conservative? I am a liberal in the true sense of the political ideology; I believe in free enterprise, free trade, freedom of choice and personal freedom. A true liberal believes in the virtues and tenants of freedom; as such, I support the liberal psychology.

But now I have to question the conservative psychology, the more right-wing thinkers in the party tend to take a view that may be contrary to my own personal views. Former Prime Minister John Howard stated that conservatives are always welcome in the Liberal Party; that may be true but they can't let their ideology stray too far right of centre - too far left or right of centre style politics usually ensures a lengthy stint in the political wilderness. So where to from here?

I am seeing the Liberal Party beginning to implode under the Turnbull leadership, a return to an Abbott Prime Ministership isn't the answer so an alternative leader is probably required now. I am really not sure what their policies are, at least under Abbott, you were left under no illusions of their policies - stop the boats, stop the waste and reduce the debt. The sad part is, the Bill Shorten led Labor Party offers no alternative and unless Malcolm Turnbull gets his act together very soon, we could be headed back to the disasters of the Rudd and Gillard governments.