We asked our readers to share their commuting stories after the Banking and Payments Federation Ireland warned homebuyers were being forced to live further and further away from their place of work because of price pressures in the Dublin property market.

In response to our call-out we heard many tales of commuting woes, but also some stories of domestic bliss from those living outside of Dublin.

In its housing market monitor, the banking lobby group highlighted a significant increase in house sales in Dublins commuter belt counties Louth, Meath, Kildare and Wicklow. It said this was because prospective buyers were being priced out of the Dublin market.

We moved out to Sallins, Co Kildare early in the year as we could no longer stay in our cramped one-bedroom apartment without working heating. Rents were so high when we looked for a two-bedroom in Dublin that we decided to make the move out to Sallins.

It looked like a good move on paper, with the train line going to Heuston and Connolly, but the transport links are incredibly poor and have left us feeling stranded. Monday to Friday the trains are packed to the point that it is not only impossible to get a seat for the entire journey, but often impossible to even hold on to anything.

The trains on these routes are not made for commuting, there are no handles for standing passengers to hold on to and the windows dont open, leaving people stumbling and stifled. Trains on Sunday are every two to three hours starting at 11:30am, with the last train back from Dublin at 7:30pm, meaning we cant go to family occasions in Dublin on Sunday evenings.

There are bus routes to and from Naas. However, the most frequent bus does not pick up or drop off in Sallins except on Sundays and bank holidays and the other service doesnt take Leap Card and frequently doesnt show up at all. We have problems with other logistics also.

Pharmacies and doctors are closed before we get back in the evenings, often leaving us stuck if our toddler gets sick unexpectedly. There are no doctors in Sallins willing to take on children under six as they are oversubscribed. We cannot avail of childcare in the area because the creches dont open early enough, or close late enough, for us to drop off or pick up our daughter, meaning were taking her on to the packed, airless train to Dublin with us every day.

We had envisioned a fresh start outside of Dublin and Sallins is a picturesque village so we were hopeful about the move, but spending 20 hours a week commuting on a transport service that is not fit for purpose has us regretting our choice. Laura Guilfoyle, Co Kildare

Nearly four years ago my wife and I moved into a granny flat in my parents house in Co Meath for what we thought would be six months. Since then our second child was born and the space feels smaller and smaller. We are saving for a mortgage and are getting closer. We really hope we can get something closer to town. Our dream is to reclaim some time so we can start living our lives again.

We are luckier than many, but I lose nearly four hours a day to commuting. Nearly 20 hours a week. The Bus ireann service is okay, but underfunded. Often buses dont show up because none are available. The drivers are decent and usually apologetic. They, like us, are caught in a bad system. The real killer is all the time spent sitting in traffic. Bus lanes are few and far between on the route in and they tend to stop and start. It is time public transport was prioritised over cars. Bad housing policy and bad transport policy are the bane of commuters lives. Sustainable social and environmental policy would deliver decent and affordable public transport and housing. Instead, profit driven development places burden after burden on working families. Shane Faherty, Co Meath

I commute from Navan, Co Meath, to Booterstown, Dublin, every day by car or bus; we have no train line. A usual day is to get up at 5.45am for a shower and if driving I am now leaving at 6.15am to try and get to work for about 7.30am. Due to additional traffic I now have a 10-15 minute delay at Kilmoon Cross on the N2.

This is due to the installation of traffic lights for Tayto Park several years ago. By the time I get to Finglas traffic is at a snails pace. I used to go down Gardiner Street but due to installation of a cycle lane on Butt Bridge there can be another 10-minute delay.

Many mornings I head down East Wall road and cross to the south side via the toll bridge. Twelve months ago my commute would have been 75 minutes. Now it is usually 90 minutes and can be longer on a bad wet morning. If I left at 6.30am it could take two hours plus! Returning home I usually stay in the office till at least 6.30pm and travel home via the M50, a one-way journey of 75km.

Some days I go via east link, port tunnel and M3. This involves three tolls costing 6 each way! How a train to Navan would ease congestion and reduce our stress levels! Martin Casey, Co Meath

I live in Dalkey and commute to Dublin 1 for work. The quickest way in is cycling 30-40 minutes door-to-door, depending on conditions. Its a nice cycle with beautiful views. I get the train when the weather is a bit dodgy, it takes about an hour door-to-door, only about 35 minutes on the actual train. I drive in very rarely as traffic makes it the slowest option, so I only do that when a need to go somewhere in the car arises immediately after work.

Everything has got busier since the recession. Theres more bikes, way more cars on the road and its standing room only on the train from Dalkey at rush hour even though its only the fourth stop. Im lucky to have a job where I can stagger my start/finish time to miss the peak rush hour jams, dealing with that is like a pure rat race.

Cycling in after 9am is ideal. Nice to work in an office with great shower facilities and a towel service too, those two things make cycling very practical. Robbie Payne, Co Dublin

It seems like destiny that you should request commuter stories after my debacle last night trying to get home to Maynooth, Co Kildare. I left work in the north city centre at 16:20 but did not get home until around 18:30. I spent almost 50 minutes standing on Wellington Quay waiting for a single bus to stop and pick up passengers.

No less than seven buses were full to bursting point while passing the stop on Wellington Quay, including an express bus that originated at Westmoreland Street, with my stop meant to be its second route stop. Having struggled with a Dublin commute since the summer of 2017, I have reached the point where my daily commute is now affecting my mental health, being on the verge of tears most evenings standing in the cold watching my lift home pass me by.

I have sent numerous comment forms and emails to Dublin Bus regarding the level of service to the commuter belt areas, but have seen no improvement or even a hint of any intention to address the issues affecting so many people. Bernie Byrne, Co Kildare

The Government wants us to use public transport. If you live in Midleton and had to be in Dublin for a meeting at 9am you would have to get the 6.15am train from Cork city which seems okay. But to get to the train station in Cork using public transport the first bus leaves Midleton at 7.24am so you cant use that.

The first train leaves Midleton at 6.15am so you cant use that. So to use public transport only you need to leave Midleton the night before and stay overnight in Cork city. This kind of a stupid transport system in this day and age is ridiculous. Public transport in other countries runs 24 hours so that it can actually be used by those who need it. Keith McCarthy, Co Cork

I have the misfortune of having to use Bus ireann to commute from Drogheda, Co Louth, to Leeson Street, Dublin. I have a plethora of stories I could share about my commuting hell . . . I am more than frustrated . . . but understandably. It has provided me with some hum-dingers of stories on occasion though, Ive had many a laugh from years commuting.

That being said, if I could work closer to home, I would gladly say goodbye to the smelly red and white capsule in which I spend far too much of my life. Jenny, Co Louth

Living in Killester, Clontarf or Raheny for the past 14 years (and finally settling in the latter), I have used the Dart and happily continue to do so frequenting Connolly, Tara and Pearse to and from work. Being a culchie (my partner is an honorary culchie), I dont like apartments and like a garden which to some degree I have always had.

On the north side, no matter where I lived or in the city centre, no matter where I worked, from door-to-door, it always seems to take just over one hour including 20 minutes on the Dart. I have never seen commuting as wasted or dead time as I enjoy walking to and from stations to stay fit and as I absolutely love reading, the time on the train allows me to indulge. As a bonus, my current company pays for travel. While some may find commuting boring, when not reading, I enjoy observing peoples behaviour and reactions (including my own) to interesting situations.

Every so often, something unexpected will happen: be it the novelty of seeing a commuter ferry a tiny pooch in a rucksack or duffle bag; camaraderie and humour found in a shared circumstance such as suffering a loud phone calling fellow commuter; looking on as people scrum into an already jammed train despite the driver announcing that there is a train two minutes behind; hearing people rant to themselves about bankers with golden parachutes . . . observe the compassion and professionalism with which Irish Rail employees have dealt with very trying anti-social situations.

Thanks to having to commute an hour each way, I get to stay healthier, read daily and (mostly) see the best in people which, after a tough day at work, can help renew my faith in humanity. I also get some time to myself to think and even meditate. Living too far from work, and Id probably have to drive, miss much of the above and probably gain a different, albeit more lonesome, experience. Living too close and Id probably miss it all including the garden! Jason Dolan, Dublin

Recently moved to working in city centre and commuting by bus instead of by car which I have done since 2004. I find the headspace and the extra walking Ive been doing having a really positive affect on me and my work attitude.

My aggressive driving style and volumes of traffic on the M50 were really affecting my happiness unnecessarily. I am really supportive now of public transport improvements for all areas and feel this should be a key priority ahead of any other road projects in Dublin city and give people no other option than to leave the car at home or at the perimeter of the city/park & ride Alex McDwyer

I live in Dublin 15 and work in Trinity College. We are spoiled for choice in my neck of the woods as we have a bus route and the Maynooth train line nearby. However I have chosen to get on my bike, and for the last 15 years have been happily flying in and out of work every day without delay, stress or injury. The 11km route takes me about 30-40 minutes, depending on wind and weather, but not on traffic as I gently pass those lost souls stranded in their vehicles. On the few occasions when I do drive, it takes about one hour 20 minutes for the same journey.

I sit there trying to empathise with other motorists, wondering how bad it has to get for them to leave the cars behind. Even when I take public transport, I cant help observing the awkward coping strategies commuters have developed to survive their journey in the company of their fellow travellers. In any case, I feel cheated if I cant ride my bike.

I get to work wide awake, unstressed and generally happy, and Ive probably saved a fortune. There is one less car on the road, less CO2 in the air and less junk in the trunk too. Better cycle lanes would probably help entice more people out on their bikes. But even so it is so much faster and better than any alternative I cant understand why more people arent cycling every day. Chris Murray, Dublin

I am a civil servant living living outside Dublin but working in Dublin city centre. I have two young children, my wife works full time (civil servant too) and had to move down here years ago due to failed decentralisation.

Both of us in financial mess from properties in Dublin that are still in massive negative equity. One is in the process of being handed back to the bank with massive unsustainable debt (and possible bankruptcy), the other mortgage has been taken over. Both of us have good jobs with good pay but we dont have a penny due to our costs and my travelling to Dublin. We break up the trip by staying in Dublin at times but that causes difficulty for my wife with home pressures being left to her. Civil servant

I worked in the service industry in Dublin. I had lived close to the city centre in college (worked full time to afford it), but the apartment I had been living in was renovated and the rent pushed up to unaffordable level.

I dont drive and am an avid cyclist. Always thought it seemed costly and unnecessary and like most of my friends living in or near the city I had little interest [in driving]. I had to move back in with my mother in a village outside Naas, Co Kildare, called Caragh, after I couldnt find an affordable place. My nightly routine was (in all weather) a cycle (usually between 12:30am and 3:30am) from the city centre to the Red Cow. Then wait for the airport link (went every hour but could often be late). I would ride this with my bike underneath in the hatch for 30-plus minutes to Naas.

After getting off I would have another 8km cycle to my home. The combination of vigorous physical exercise and waiting in the cold would often make me fall ill, despite trying to have the correct equipment. During the day I could take the train or bus directly into the city centre (although the average time it takes the 126 from Naas to the city centre during the day is close to two hours and Bus ireann has also begun to add a 10 charge for putting your bicycle in the hatch on a bus where no one takes luggage).

After 11pm there are very few transport options out of the city centre to major satellite towns, which makes it difficult for people in the large service sector (or any late working jobs for that matter) to commute or survive. I had to work in the city centre because it was the only place that could provide the wine training I have now completed.

I am a US citizen so first chance I got I emigrated and now live in Brooklyn relatively cheaply in respect to my wages (I work as a wine buyer). Most of my social life was in Dublin and I want to eventually raise a family in Ireland but I dont think its tenable to move back for at least 10 years. Fergus McArdle, New York, US

Three or four times a week I make the trip from Co Laois to the far side of Dublin city centre, down by the Docklands. I get a train from Portarlington station at 7.13am (a two-minute drive from my home or a 12-minute walk away). I get a seat each morning, as does everyone who gets on the train so far from Dublin. I arrive in Heuston for 8am where I use my 25 per annum Dublin Bikes card to get a rental bike from one of the five depots at Heuston to cycle across the city to the source of the Grand Canal.

It takes 15 minutes on the bike (12 minutes if I cycle as fast as possible, 15 minutes taking my time). I walk into work at 8.20am having left the house at 7.10am potentially. Returning home, I leave the office at 5pm, then cycle down the quays to catch the 5.25pm Limerick train, which stops once in Kildare on the way to Portarlington, arriving at the station (a few minutes delayed generally) for 6.05pm. Daily, Ill cover 70km quicker than my colleagues travelling 7km to Castleknock, be it by bus or car.

A house price in Portarlington is less than 200,000 for a three-bed semi-detached and is probably 25,000 cheaper than an equivalent home in Monasterevin, which despite being closer to Dublin and Heuston has a longer average train journey (and less frequent) than trains from Portarlington.

I enjoy my commute. Ive got a decent data plan on my phone to watch video content or listen to podcasts. Ive a coffee drip on a timer, so I leave the house for the station with a fresh thermos of coffee to enjoy on my way and I can take out my laptop and get some work done in advance of reaching the office. The commute works out at under 200 per month with the tax saver ticket and aside from having to stand for half of the journey on the way home half of the time from lack of seating, I really wouldnt change it other than asking for increased carriages in the morning as soon as theyre available. Ciarn Fallon, Co Laois

There are seven apartment blocks and housing estates beside Portmarnock train station. In the past two years 350 new builds were added and there are several hundred houses and apartments either approved for planning or already under construction.

There are hundreds of people packed on to the platform every morning and evening. Commuters were dismayed last year when Irish Rail took the decision to remove all diesel commuter trains from servicing Portmarnock. This coincided with the introduction of the 10-minute Dart timetable change which benefited almost every station except Clongriffin and Portmarnock arguably two stations with an ever increasing catchment of commuters.

Locals complained and managed to secure the restoration of a small number of diesel commuter services, but ultimately Portmarnock and Clongriffin have seen a reduction in the number of services despite the huge increase in people living beside the train stations.

This makes no sense. To my knowledge there are no new apartments being built next to other train stations. Clongriffin and Portmarnock are prime examples of stations that deserve additional services. Im gobsmacked that Irish Rail took this decision. I live one minute from a train station but now drive to work. Only in Ireland. Alan Kenna, Dublin

After 14 years of living in and enjoying London, and reading the Irish Sunday papers available locally, I learned in 1999 of the streets being paved with gold back home. This was a complete turnabout of the old song Mountains of Mourne. After decades of social decay and lack of opportunities , the banana republic was now booming. My wife and I decided to move back to family and provincial Ireland. We bought a beautiful house near Ardee, Co Louth, and obtained a good job in Intel. All was great . . . [fast] forward a few years and I started working in Dublin and the daily commute on the M1/M50 was very doable. After the crash the continual increase in road traffic was causing motorway traffic jams at Donabate and the Port Tunnel.

The only practical option for commuting was by private bus operator as trains were packed from Drogheda and car travel and parking was a nightmare. Now in 2019 road congestion and bus lanes along the north quay is markedly worse . We need a decent integrated rapid public transport system in our capital with radial links and large park and ride car parks. I believe the suffering will only get worse. It takes 1 hours for my commute . . . and getting worse!! John, Co Louth

I commute every day via train for the past 15 years. I actually love living in the country and working in the city (which I am from originally). I moved principally for house prices and family connections. I love the quality of life in the country. Mullingar is a great town. I also enjoy the commute and the train gives me the space to read and listen to music every day, while avoiding traffic. There is a community of fellow travellers and all nice people.

If I was to criticise, there needs to be an additional line after Maynooth. Having to wait because another train is delayed can be frustrating. The Irish Rail staff on the train and in Mullingar are very friendly. The service however is often late and rarely runs to schedule.

There is no real time arrival display at stations, and communication is very haphazard, when it works. Tony Hutchinson, Co Westmeath

I was lucky enough to be in a position to buy a property. Ive lived in Bray, Co Wicklow, most of my life and work there now, however the property prices were far too high for myself and my partner. We moved to Rathnew, where we could afford a house that should suit us as a forever home and its only a 30-minute commute by car to my job (one way).

Unfortunately we cannot afford a second car at the moment so I am at the mercy of the Bus ireann 133. I honestly feel like Im wasting my life commuting on it. The first bus to Bray in the mornings is 9.15am. If Im lucky that will arrive 10-15 minutes late every day. If Im unlucky, Ill be waiting until the 10.10am. If I miss the 6pm bus, Im stuck until the one at 7.42pm. Again, thats if Im lucky enough for the bus to turn up on time instead of late or not turn up at all. Myself and many others are often left waiting anywhere from 10 minutes to two hours for a bus.

Its an absolute disgrace considering how many new houses and developments are being built down in Wicklow. All across the country, we are being penalised for owning cars but the Government is doing nothing to improve public transport. Its either completely impractical or extremely expensive. Im paying over 50 a week for a service that rarely shows up on time and often doesnt show at all. Commuting in this country is getting harder and harder. Something has to be done. But will they ever think of the average person? Probably not. Rachael McCracken, Co Wicklow

I live in Kinnegad, Co Westmeath. I commute to work everyday to the city centre. It takes me more than two hours each way. I drive to the Maynooth train station. Park the car in the parking area, catch a train to Dublin and then walk to work. The drive to Maynooth is about 30 minutes and the train journey another hour. The train service is very good.

There are a good few trains leaving from Maynooth in the morning. The parking area at the Maynooth station is hell. It is dark, narrow and driving through it is a scary experience. The situation has improved slightly with the addition of 40 spaces on the other side of the track. However, this parking area is in dire need of improvements: more lighting, better line markings and paving. Sandeep Vaidya, Co Westmeath

I travel frequently from Cork to Dublin on Irish Rail. Rather than rely on the woeful Dublin Bike scheme at Houston Station (there are rarely any bikes) I tried to bring my own bike with me on the train, but alas Irish Rail make it so difficult as you have to book ahead.

You cannot just show up with your bike at the station like every other European city. If there is no room on board then I of course take that risk. My schedule is always uncertain and hence I always buy an open 30-day return which gives me maximum flexibility to travel as necessary at short notice (which you can only buy at the station and not online another oddity from Irish Rail). Accordingly when I arrive at the station to buy my ticket, I cannot bring my bike on board, as I havent booked ahead online. As far as Irish Rail is concerned I can be flexible but not my bike. Pearse Sreenan, Cork

I live in Glasthule, Co Dublin, working in Park West. The stress and anticipation of sitting in aggressive, congested traffic and being a prisoner in the car is affecting my mood. A journey that should take 25 minutes regularly takes more than an hour unless I leave home before 7am.

Public transport is an option, but will take even longer than the worst case car scenario as it involves a Dart to Grand Canal, then a frustratingly slow train via the city centre, loop around the north of the city, through Heuston and on to Park West. Door-to-door the public transport option takes one hour 25 minutes. I have made the decision to move to Cork in the medium term to get away from this rat race hell. Mark, Co Dublin

As first-time buyers earlier this year we were delighted to land our dream home only 30km from the Red Cow. With my husband working in Citywest and I just off the M50 in Sandyford, wed be in work in no time the joy of a city job and the smugness of finally getting on the property ladder! Fast forward six months and we face a 90-minute trip to complete both drop-offs in the morning. We car pool to gain some back time together.

The real joy, however, must be the M50 in the afternoon, where one is lucky to drive for 30 metres without coming to a complete stop. Its easier to count the days where traffic is not at a standstill between Junction 13 and Junction 9. Spending an hour to get through this 11km stretch is often akin to the Hunger Games, the hard shoulder is a free for all and God forbid you leave a safe driving distance between you and the the car in front. That space will be taken by an eager commuter whose time is more valuable than yours. Deborah Kinsella, Dublin

I used to live (rent) in Bray, and could take the Dart from there to what was my workplace, on Merrion Road. The Dart is so frequent, it worked quite well, even if I didnt always get a seat (I have a slipped disc and having to stand up and keep from moving while the train speeds up or slows down really makes the back ache).

The realities of buying a home meant that I had to move to Dublin 15 and this turned the commute into hell. Commuter trains, unlike Darts, are not very frequent. On the Maynooth line, they are also packed to capacity before ever reaching my stop. The number of people I witness fainting on a regular basis especially on hot days, or in virus season is crazy. In addition to the crowded and infrequent trains there was the issue that only a couple of trains would go past Pearse and I would have to change to a Dart to get to Merrion Road.

Each way took about one hour 15 minutes on days without delays far from the worst commute in Dublin, but still 2 hours I could have spent with my children, or going to the gym, etc. Eventually, I took a new job in the city centre, and now I take the train some days . . . and cycle on others.

Cycling along the quays can be a really terrifying experience. The cycle lanes are in bone-shakingly bad condition, strewn with potholes and slippery manhole covers. There are eejits of every stripe on the road, cyclists included, but we are so exposed and people are in such a rush to gain a half a second here or a couple of feet there, that its scary to think of what might happen. I imagine someone calling my wife, the kids having to come see me in hospital or worse. All because our transport infrastructure is so bad that unnecessary numbers choose the car. We have become so insular and litigious as a society that we could not begin to even contemplate a car-pooling initiative, or anything similar, to relieve the problem.

This BusConnects scheme has done nothing to help, every bus still going from D15 takes a route that seems to pass through each housing estate on the way. Until the Maynooth train line is electrified (supposedly that is the plan), the infrequent and packed trains will be a problem. You can cycle from the city to Castleknock, and from Coolmine to Maynooth but theres no way on the canal from Coolmine to Castleknock so its not viable to use that.

The city centre cycle infrastructure is a mess and Ill believe in this 5km quays cycle route when I see it. For now, all I can do is hope to stay in one piece on the bike, fight for a spot on the train and work from home when I can! Graeme Carter, Co Dublin

Commuter hell meant I had to go back to college, retrain and set up my own business. Financially I am not as well of at all, but mentally I am way better off. I moved to Banagher-Birr, Co Offaly, from Dublin where I was born and raised.

I worked in the IT industry over 12 years with big Irish brands. I carved out a very successful career. On paper, everything looked great amazing salary, great perks, working alongside and learning from talented individuals. My commute was 30 minutes into work by bus or car and my social life was brilliant. Friends and family would joke that I was living the Sex In The City lifestyle: work hard, play hard and always socialising, eating out, shopping, exercise classes after work etc; and I loved it all.

Fast forward to 2017 when I moved to the Midlands to be with my partner, while retaining my career in Dublin. I would drive up on a Monday morning, back down Thursday evening and work remotely on a Friday; a perk of working in the IT sector. The average Monday meant the alarm going off at 5.20am, on the road by 6am and then it would take about two hours 20 minuts to get to work, then face into a nine- or 10-hour day, wrecked! Lack of well-linked, reliable public transport meant that wasnt an option.

Thursday would come along [and] Id be in the office early to try and get out early to avoid the really heavy traffic on the N4. Usually it would take about two hours 30 minutes to get home. If there was a accident on the way up to Dublin or on the way home it could easily take three-plus hours. Exhausting mentally and physically. Jobs in IT . . . were sparse in the midlands so after 18 months it was time to assess what I really wanted and make decisions a long commute, with good money, living out of a suitcase and being tired all the time, or something else?

I chose something else. Earlier this year I went back to college at weekends, quit my job and set up my own business. I still travel to Dublin every second week for work because thats where my network is which is helping to build my business, but I schedule meetings to avoid peak travel times because being self employed, I now have flexibility. Financially I took a big hit but I have just one wardrobe and now the suitcase is saved for holidays only. Gillian Lennox, Co Offaly

I commute from Glenageary, Co Dublin, to Dublin Pearse on a daily basis. I am in my 50s and have chronic heart disease, which among other things means that I get fatigued on a regular basis . Not all disabilities are visible and often at times I struggle when standing on packed Darts.

I endeavour to take later trains in the morning and evening to avoid the rush but quite often the trains are packed during school term. I realise that there are designated disabled seats but as my disability isnt visible I have in the past been shouted at for occupying a reserved seat.

I would love to see the introduction of I have a disability badges along the lines of the Baby on Board ones that have been recently introduced. In the main my journeys are fine but sometimes can be hell, especially in the evening when I am tired. Derek Darcy, Co Dublin

I run commute. Its a great way to keep fit, train for the Dublin Marathon, and beat the traffic on the Blackrock Road any day, 10km each way. Shame there is no Run 2 Work scheme to offset the cost of the running gear, because running is not free! Ultan OBroin, Dublin

My daily commute is over three hours. Celbridge is not too far from Dublin but it takes at least one hour and 30 minutes to get to Merrion Square. The buses are packed and uncomfortable with the train station beyond walking distance outside the town.

There is a feeder bus but it is tiny and only comes at certain times. The train usually takes 45-50 minutes just to reach Pearse station. We have a long way to go as a country as regards public transport. Alan Hall, Co Kildare

I lived in Dublin city from 1994 until 2010 and would love to have been able to afford a house in the area I was living. But this was the end of the Celtic Tiger and house prices were at a premium. I grew up in a small town so moving to Ashbourne was appealing and affordable. I am about 10 miles outside Dublin, but as I work on the north side of the city, I can get to and from work in about 40 minutes, each trip.

Ashbourne is on the edge of Meath countryside which is extremely picturesque and full of tourist attractions. I frequently visit the coffee shop by the hill of Tara, which has amazing views . . . As Blanchardstown and Drogheda are a 20-minute drive away, I find myself travelling into the city less and less. Buses regularly leave the town for the city centre so leaving the car behind for a trip into Dublin is very doable.

My 20-something self could not have envisaged living outside Dublin but my 40-something self would now prefer to live in the commuter belt where, I believe, my husband and I have the best of both worlds. The city is on our doorstep and the countryside is a five minutes drive away. Paraic Elliott, Dublin

I lived in Dublin for many years before I got married. My husband and I moved to Mayo 10 years ago for a better quality of life for our children. The downside to moving away from the capital has always been a lack of decent career options.

This is changing. Remote working and co-working spaces are providing choices for individuals/families to live and work in their hometown or move out of the capital. I work in a co-working space in Castlebar as a graphic designer, I can walk my children to school and then continue on to my office which is just off the main street. It may not have the buzz of a large city but its my domestic (car-free) bliss! Eileen Basquille, Co Mayo

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Commuter hell: My daily commute is affecting my mental health - The Irish Times

When you take medicine, your expectation about how well it will work can affect how much relief you get from your symptoms. This is called the placebo effect.

It can even make a treatment that has no biological effect feel like it works because you think it will. And a health care providers style interacting with you can impact how you feel about a treatment. But how can a doctors expectation affect their patients symptom relief?

In a research project funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), investigators led by Drs. Pin-Hao A. Chen, Tor D. Wager, and Luke J. Chang at Dartmouth College carried out three clinical simulation studies. These were designed to evaluate how one persons belief about a pain remedy affects the others feelings of pain relief. The results were published online in Nature Human Behaviour.

According to the NIMH, the studies enrolled a total of 194 students. Participants were randomly assigned to play the role of either doctor or patient. Those playing the doctor were first asked to rate their experience of pain relief after applying two creams on their arm: one called Thermedol and the other a control cream. The creams were actually the same. But the doctors were led to believe that one cream was effective and the other was not.

Next, the researchers tested the patients experience of pain in response to a heat sensation after the subjects playing the doctors applied the creams. The patients reported feeling less pain and showed lower responses to pain with Thermedol.

The team analyzed both the doctors and patients facial expressions using a camera and computer software that modeled painful expressions. How much pain the doctors facial expressions displayed affected the patients overall pain rating and the patients own facial expressions of pain, according to the NIMH. The patients reported that the doctors seemed more empathetic when delivering Thermedol.

Similar results were found when scientists ran slightly modified experiments in two follow-up studies. These findings show how subtle social interactions can impact outcomes. However, what the subtle social cues were conveying to patients is unclear. They may have helped the patients know what to expect, increased their own confidence in the treatment, or simply given them more reassurance.

When the doctor thought that the treatment was going to work, the patient reported feeling that the doctor was more empathetic. The doctor may have come across as warmer or more attentive. Yet, we dont know exactly what the doctor was doing differently to convey these beliefs that a treatment works. Thats the next thing that were going to explore, Chang says. What we do know, though, is that these expectations are not being conveyed verbally but through subtle social cues.

To learn more about NIMH and its work, click here to visit the agencys website.

Original post:
Doctors' Attitude toward A Treatment May Influence A Patient's Reaction to It - ThirdAge

One in five Americans experience symptoms of depression during their lifetime. And yet, a distinct stigma still exists around the topic, especially in the workplace, according to the book Mental Health in the Workplace, co-authored by psychiatrist Michelle Riba, M.D., M.S., associate director of Michigan Medicines Comprehensive Depression Center.

Employees may be hesitant to speak up about mental health issues for fear of being unfairly judged or worries that it may lead to a reduction in job status, loss of future opportunities or termination.

However, as awareness continues to spread, the conversation is changing, and its an important one, says Riba.

Many adults spend their waking life at work, so its important to determine if we have the safest and healthiest work space for people, Riba explains. Employees and employers need to create this environment together its not top-down or bottom-up. And it needs to be addressed jointly, she says, and thought about in advance before any emergencies occur.

But beyond the negative personal impacts that stress, anxiety or depression can cause, it can actually take a toll on the business itself. According to Ribas book, depressed, anxious, stressed, sleep-deprived, or substance using workers can be unproductive and accident-prone.

"People who arent feeling present may not be able to perform their job. They may be distracted and not concentrating, Riba explains. If its a service organization, they may not be able to work effectively with customers or they may be out more, which can interfere with productivity; its a domino effect.

However, there are ways you as a colleague or supervisor can help in these delicate situations. Below, Riba discusses signs of depression to be aware of, how to respond appropriately and what resources to have in place when it comes to employee mental health.

Signs of workplace depression

Depression in the workplace can be invisible and go undetected. However, there are noticeable signs that could initiate a conversation.

Perhaps youve noticed a colleague whos been keeping to themselves lately, or an employee whos been coming late to meetings or missing them entirely, or someone whos been absent more than theyre in the office? If so, it may be time to delve a little deeper. But keep in mind that signs of depression vary based on the individual and situation.

Its important for people to ask and have regular, non-threatening ways for employers and employees to talk to one another and give feedback to each other about both the positives and negatives about work, Riba says.

One Michigan Medicine employee, who asked to remain anonymous, recently wrote about her personal experience with depression at work in the midst of dealing with a divorce and several other personal situations:

My usual, upbeat personality became withdrawn and sullen. My office door went from open and welcoming to closed and uninviting. I would keep my head down to avoid eye contact with those I passed so they couldnt see my red, puffy eyes. I wasnt me anymore, and I knew it. I was unsure how to remedy my feelings and my work started to reflect my feelings.

Broaching the subject

Although you might notice a change, it may feel difficult or awkward to inquire about, and how you do it should be based on your relationship to the employee, Riba advises.

For a coworker, it depends on how close you are with the individual, but offering to go out for lunch or meet outside work for tea or coffee to talk privately may be a good starting point, she says. Also, volunteering to help the individual on a project may increase trust and relieve stress.

Try to be a listener and sounding board. Offer them collegial help to get them the right attention and their needs met, Riba suggests, which may mean looking into specific insurance information for themor talking them through a particular personal issue. It depends on the situation, but asking whats going on or what can I do to help you can feel supportive to them.

Managers should create opportunities for confidential, nonjudgmental conversations, like weekly or biweekly one-on-ones, where theycan openly ask the individual whats going on and how theycan help, while assuring them its a safe place to chat. While some people may not open up to their supervisors for fear of judgement and job security, a simple thank you for your work on this is an easy way to express appreciation for that individual's work. Kindness from a manager could shift the trajectory of someones day.

Remember that each scenario is different, though. Ifyou feel that a colleague or an employee that you supervise is unsafe, and you dont feel comfortable addressing the person directly, Riba recommends speaking privately with another supervisor or with a human resources officer.

Maintaining an open-ended conversation

Employees should feel supported 100% of the time by their colleagues and bosses, especially during personal hardships, Riba says. Encouraging an open-ended conversation allows employees to feel comfortable in freely approaching the subject, or a new one, whenever needed.

But once addressed, how do you appropriately, and respectfully, check back in?

Riba explains that these should be ongoing conversations, especially if you havent seen any changes or improvements in the coworker or employees attitude or behavior. But depending on what the problem is, a check-in may not be required.

If someone needs to be seen for physical or mental health, help figure out the best way to refer them; make sure they have time to go and get the time off they need to get that help, she says.

Offering a book, or sharing an article or video are also indirect helpful ways to maintain a conversation and build trust.

Providing effective mental health resources at work

Nows the time to review what mental health resources are available at your company, regardless of whether youre employed at a large corporation or a local coffee shop.

Every organization needs to look at itself Are there regular educational seminars or information being made available online or in pamphlets, guest speaker events or other ways employees can get information on physical and mental health issues? Riba asks. A company could already have a bunch of brochures on a table, but if theyre in a room no one goes into, then whats the point?

In smaller businesses, sometimes the benefits officer is a colleague and confidentiality might not be trusted.

Employers and employees may not think about this aspect during the hiring process, but what happens when a difficult life issue occurs, like an unexpected disability? Even for smaller organizations, there can be significant ramifications on the business, Riba says.

How can upper management help with this component? Consider creating a survey to find out if employees understand what resources are available and how to access them, Riba suggests. Out of your comfort zone? Outside firms can be hired to come in to assess the environment and ensure whats being provided is getting to employees in the right way.

There should be opportunities for workers to seek help, and not from just the immediate supervisor, but from employee assistance or other ways the organization has set up, Riba explains. It should be clearly acknowledged how one does this, making signs and materials easily accessible so that people know where to go and what to ask in a confidential manner.

Sometimes one person can help shift an entire culture. If you see that your company or organization is lacking in support of those dealing with mental health issues, be the person to help change the stigma and impact your works environment. The first step in helping could be asking, Are you OK?

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When Depression Shows Up in the Workplace - Michigan Medicine

The following awards and recognitions were recently presented to Barr-Reeve athletes who participated in Boys Tennis this past Fall sports season.

Blue Chip All Conference Kayden Graber, Nathan Hunt, Tommy Kidwell, Aaron Wagler, Hagen Knepp, Logan Graber, Most Valuable Player Kayden Graber;

Best Overall Team Records Kayden Graber, Hagen Knepp, Logan Graber; Team Mental Attitude Award Brycen Graber; Senior Leadership Awards Nathan Hunt, Jaeden Lengacher, Jayce Raber, Dalton Whitehead; Senior Manager Award Moriah Bullock, Most Improved Player Jayden Graber; Varsity Tennis Letter Winners Brycen Graber (3), Tommy Kidwell (3) Nathan Hunt (3), Logan Graber (3), Kayden Graber (2), Hagen Knepp (1), Aaron Wagler (1); Tennis Doubles Team Tommy Kidwell & Aaron Wagler Named All District 7; Indiana HSTC Academic All State HM Nathan Hunt; Team Academic All State Honor -Brycen Graber, Kayden Graber, Nathan Hunt, Tommy Kidwell, Aaron Wagler, Hagen Knepp, Logan Graber; District 7 Coach of the Year Brock Higgins; Boys Tennis Season Team Success Season Record 18-1; Blue Chip Conference Champions 5-0, IHSAA Tennis Sectional Semi-Finalist.

Originally posted here:
BR Tennis awards - Washington Times Herald

Smith will tackle the endurance events at Januarys HSBC UK | National Track Championships, and despite retaining a preference for road racing, says that being thrown in at the deep end against Britains elite will stand her in good stead.

Ahead of the championships, she says:

Track nationals is so important in terms of gaining more experience. It simulates some of the highest level of racing there is, which is so invaluable as the best in the world are in the bunch.

There is an infinite amount to learn from these experienced, world-level riders, from their micro-movements within the bunch to their mental attitude and preparation around events and training. I am in awe of their achievements, knowing what it takes to get to that level. Fingers crossed, I will one day!

For 17-year-old Smith, selection as part the Great Britain team for the junior womens road race at Yorkshire 2019 was a big step on that ladder to the top of the sport. Having assessed that race from a personal point of view, the Ripon rider has set herself goals on both track and road for 2020.

She explains:

At Yorkshire, having a domestique role highlighted to me what I need to improve on in a supporting role, but also where I might have my own strengths as a future team leader.

I have some pretty big personal goals on the road for the next year to have a crack at a podium in both British and international road races, and hopefully to be selected to go to the road world championships again.

There is no doubt that I currently prefer riding on the road and getting out into the Yorkshire countryside, but Im working hard on the track, and it is growing on me! I make sure that theres a mix of sessions and races throughout the calendar to try to do my best in both disciplines and keep my options open.

On the track, Id love to make the squad to go to junior track world or European championships, as well as trying to retain my junior national points race champion jersey. At nationals, Id love to meet the qualifying time for the individual pursuit, and aim for a top 10 in the bunch races.

The HSBC UK | National Track Championships take place over the weekend of January 24-26. Tickets are available here.

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Abi Smith looking forward to 'invaluable' experience at HSBC UK | National Track Championships - British Cycling

Katie Sandler uses her life experiences and education to help her clients reach that a-ha moment, enabling personal and professional transformation. However, shes not a life coach, instead, Sandler is an Impact Coach. Her goal is to help clients meet their unmet potential, find purpose in their lives, and ultimately make an impact on the world around them. Sandler herself has overcome immense physical and mental hurdles, including being born without an ear, overcoming paralysis at age 17 and subsequently facing depression head-on. After struggling to keep her head above water, Sandler discovered the benefits of mind-body medicine.With over a decade of experience, including a Masters in Mental Health Counselling, a Bachelors in Psychology, and a background as a psychiatric research assistant from Johns Hopkins, Sandler uses her expertise to impact her clients through one-on-one consultations, group consultations and her Impact Retreat and Group Impact Adventures, which take place all around the world.

We sat down with Sandler to learn more about what an Impact Coach does and what she has planned for her luxury impact retreats next year.

Photo Credit: Katie Sandler

KS: I was actually born without an ear and my parents decided to put me through reconstructive surgery for a chance at a normal life. My parents always had a great attitude about my situation and I believe some of that attitude and character was instilled in me at a young age. I remember when kids would stare at me, instead of hiding I would ask them if they wanted to know anything about my ear. This set me up to face many hurdles that were still to come in my life including suffering from transverse myelitis, a rare neurological disorder that left me paralyzed from the waist down at 17 years old. Thankfully, I come from a family with resources and I was able to find help at Johns Hopkins because they were the only institution studying the disorder at the time.

The hardest part for me wasnt the physical ailment, rather it was the subsequent depression which was brutal to deal with. I struggled with daily life, but then I was introduced to psychology and more specifically mind-body medicine. I was 17 when I was catapulted into the field of psychology and decided to invest my time and efforts to understand it and myself. I graduated with a bachelors in psychology and ended up working at Johns Hopkins, studying a handful of things in neuropsychology, but specifically purpose in life. This ultimately led to my journey as an Impact Coach, diving into private practice, working in hospitals and now owning my own business where I focus on enabling my clients to succeed in life, whatever that may be for them, while also finding purpose.

Photo Credit: Katie Sandler

KS: I created what I call an Impact Retreat, which is a three to five-day, one-on-one or group retreat designed to focus on personal transformation, cultural experiences, and relaxation. In terms of where they take place, it really depends on the situation and the clients wants and needs.With one-on-one situations, I go into my clients environment, with their blessing, to get a first-hand experience of their day-to-day life. From there we typically stay within the client area as to make the program conducive to their daily life and schedule. Other clients opt for a destination for their retreat, for instance, Ive taken clients to Anguilla or a neighboring state. I also offer group retreats, this is a different experience all-together; not nearly as intensive and immersive as the one-on-one Impact Retreat.

In May I will be taking a group to Italy, in particular, the Tuscany region, for a mindful food and wine experience. Im also planning a group retreat to Greece in September and Marrakech in October is almost completely sold out. Im excited about Marrakech because I think its such an interesting destination.I have an interior designer coming with me to Marrakech and weve been talking about how excited she is to be inspired by the culture and aesthetics at the destination. She is also looking forward to seeing how her experience will translate when shes back home.

There is an application process as were selective. No more than 8-people can be on a trip as I want to keep it exclusive, as well as wanting to ensure everyone gets along; good synergy during the trip is essential as the small-group size also provides the opportunity to meet like-minded people.

KS: Every retreat I plan is different from the other. For instance, in Italy, well be discussing mindfulness in regards to nourishment. When we think of nourishment, we associate it with eating or drinking, but we also nourish ourselves with relationships, self-care. I want to focus on incorporating mindfulness when traveling and indulging with people on trips. We will look at portion control, recognizing healthy foods and ingredients and at the end of the retreat, we will explore how to move forward with what was experienced. I want clients to be able to walk away with an idea of how to incorporate this knowledge and new sense of being into their daily life when they get back into their real world.

Photo Credit: Katie Sandler

KS: For me, living the process is based on mindfulness and awareness. I think its important to get off auto-pilot and approach the day with awareness. However, my version of mindfulness and wellness will be different from your version of mindfulness and wellness. Its vital to understand that your life is yours and your process needs to fit who you are. Once we get off auto-pilot and try new things, we can see what works and what doesnt. It helps give us more direction in life, which leads to living life with purpose and making a positive impact.

Photo Credit: Katie Sandler

KS: First of all, every morning is a morning to set an intention of moving forward. I think we can use mornings effectively to set the tone for the day. It doesnt have to be an elaborate or big move, it could be as simple as saying Im not ready for today, but Im going to keep a good head on my shoulders. Whatever you decide, it needs to be real for you.

Secondly, we all need to have a bank of things to pull from. The bank will include tools. Whether it be yoga, painting or calling a friend, you should be pulling from this bank on a regular basis.

Thirdly, use your support system. Dont do life alone. Its also helpful and important to find someone who can hold you accountable.

My fourth tip is to express compassion to yourself and others. When you express compassion you express gratitude, which is intrinsic and wildly beneficial for your overall well-being. Lastly and most importantly, you need to breathe. Your breath has been there since the day you were born and it will be there until the day youre gone. It is the one thing you can constantly rely on to help you at any moment. Use it!

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Impact Coach Katie Sandler Talks Luxury Retreats Next Year And Shares Wellness Tips - Haute Living

The cure for being stuck in victimhood is to see ourselves as responsible for making our own choices

Over 2,000 years ago, the Stoic philosopherSeneca wrote, Show me a man who is not a slave. Seneca was speaking of mental enslavement: One is a slave to lust, another to greed, another to ambition, and all men are slaves to fear.

The Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius was also a Stoic philosopher. In Meditations, he wrote, Alexander and Caesar and Pompey. Compared with Diogenes, Heraclitus, Socrates? The philosophers knew the what, the why, the how. Their minds were their own. The others? Nothing but anxiety and enslavement.

Conquering politicians may have ruled over millions, but they still couldnt control their own minds.

Do privilege and wealth help one escape mental enslavement? We have only to look at all the dysfunctional behavior in Hollywood and see that money cannot buy psychological freedom.

Aurelius reproached himself: Stop allowing your mind to be a slave, to be jerked about by selfish impulses, to kick against fate and the present, and to mistrust the future.

Their contributions are great works of humanity because they reflect timeless themes.

Few of us have not suffered bitter setbacks, asRyan Holiday, author of several books on Stoicism, observes:

So much of what happens is out of our control: We lose people we love. We are financially ruined by someone we trusted. We put ourselves out there, put every bit of our effort into something, and are crushed when it fails. We are drafted to fight in wars, to bear huge tax or familial burdens. We are passed over for the thing we wanted so badly. This can knock us down and hurt us. Yes.

Each of us forms our identity around what could be called our story of me. In his book Question Your Life, Greg Krech observes how often these stories contain resentment. Through our stories, Krech cautions, we create our own burdens:

Wearing a garment of disappointment, resentment and anger is a great burden. It continuously weighs us down as we try to move forward in our lives It affects our fundamental view of life. It buries us in a complaint-based lifestyle in which our attention is consistently drawn to what is going wrong and how the world fails to meet our expectations.

In his book, Bonds That Make Us Free, philosopher C. Terry Warner asks us to reflect on this question: Why do we embrace our miseries and preoccupy ourselves with our victimhood?

Experiencing other people or circumstances as having more power over our own happiness than we do, Warner says, is to be stuck in our victimhood. We believe they have the ability to cause troubling feelings in us that we cannot do anything about, no matter how we try.

When we believe other people and circumstances are responsible for how we feel and for the choices we make, we are living a lie of victimhood.

Warner asks us to reflect on times we are most troubled. The real source of our afflicted emotions can be found in our self-absorption. Warner writes, Those times when we feel most miserable, offended, or angry are invariably the occasions when were also most absorbed in ourselves and most anxious or suspicious or fearful, or in some other way concerned about ourselves.

In our self-absorption, we betray our sense of right and wrong. Warner helps us recognize that our self-betrayals can occur in small ways, as in this story of a busy man:

A busy man driving home late at night notices the gas gauge dropping near empty. Almost imperceptibly, yet unmistakably, he feels he ought to fill the tank for his wife so she wont have to do it the next day. But he doesnt.

In the mind of this busy man, an urge arose to act from his highest values, yet he did not. This is self-betrayal.

To justify his choice, the busy man may have searched his mind for data. Thinking of all the things he does for their household that his wife doesnt, he may have concluded,Im far busier than my wife; she should be keeping the tank filled for me.In his mind, he became the victim of an unsupportive wife. His wife, not he, was to blame for his failure to put gas in the car.

In this trivial example, the busy man got stuck in his thinking. Portraying himself as a victim, he undermined his relationship and a happy life.

Warner writes, Life becomes hard to bear only when we, as self-betrayers, cast ourselves in a victims role by regarding others as our victimizers and nurse our misfortunes as if they were badges of honor.

Feelings of irritation [escalating to anger], humiliation, self-pity, resentment or frustration come with self-betrayal. These emotions are accusatory. Warner writes, Only people who are doing something that goes against their own sense of right and wrong have to spend time and energy spinning out a self-justifying story.

Our self-justifying stories create resentment. Warner writes, To take up a hard, resentful attitude toward others is to have to live in a resented world, a world full of people who oppose and threaten us. How they are in our eyes is reflective of howweare.

Warner warns of three aspects of self-betraying conduct: Accusing others, excusing oneself, and displaying oneself as a victim. We cant seek vigilantly for evidence that others are mistreating us, as self-betrayers do, unless we actively put ourselves in the victims role.

Having chosen the role of a mistreated victim, we may also choose to feel resentful and entitled. We may see the world as unjust and owing us something. We may believe we are broken while seeing others as advantaged and privileged.

In our victimhood, we believe we are not responsible, others are. And many politicians are happy to exploit our false belief.

What might one say to a man who grew up in a single-parent household in a violent inner-city neighborhood and attended a public school where he learned little and was bullied by classmates? This man may face racial discrimination. If he fathers illegitimate children with several women and is and in out of prison, is he responsible for his behavior? Is he not a victim of his circumstances?

Warner recognizes lifes trials and sees life beyond victimhood:

Though none of us is responsible for the misfortunes that befall us, we are, thankfully, responsible for how we use those misfortunes. We cannot alter past events, its true. Not having been responsible for them, we cannot take responsibility for them. But we are responsible for the effect they have upon usfor the meaning we assign to them and the way we remember them. And we can learn and grow from them.

Marcus Aurelius put it this way in Meditations: It can ruin your life only if it ruins your character. Otherwise, it cannot harm youinside or out.

Warner acknowledges that one may be called uncharitable for holding the view that we are responsible for what we make of our lives. Yet to say a person is not responsible says, You cant! rather than You can!

Warner reflects on what it means to believe that a person is not responsible:

Although those who hold this view think theyre being compassionate and kind, they are only being indulgent. Indulgence is a punitive counterfeit of charity. It extends no hope at all for freeing ourselves of our emotional troubles. It takes the position that we are stuck with being the deficient vessels we think we are and are doomed to cope with our lot as best we can.

Genuine compassion, seeing in all people the ability to take responsibility, is hopeful. Warner writes, It is because we are responsible for whatever we have become that there is hope for us to change fundamentally. True compassion can be found only in extending this hope to others, never in denying it to them.

Look around, Warner says. Have you known people who seem to have made a lifestyle out of amplifying their victimhood? Dont stop with seeing the choice for victimhood in others. Warner asks, Do you see any of this tendency in yourself?

The cure for being stuck in victimhood is to see ourselves as responsible for making our own choices.

Barry Brownstein is a professor emeritus of economics and leadership at the University of Baltimore. He is the author ofThe Inner-Work of Leadership. To receive his essays, subscribe atMindset Shifts. This article was originally published on the Foundation for Economic Education.

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Responsibility Is the Antidote to Mental Enslavement - The Epoch Times

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Malema swears to throw out Makhubo as Joburg mayor

EFF leader Julius Malema has warned the ANC not to celebrate its return to power in the countrys metros.

In an interview with Sunday World on Friday, Malema said his party would again work with the DA if the official opposition changed its attitude.

Malema spoke ahead of the partys elective conference at the weekend, where he is expected to be re-elected unopposed.

His statements come in the wake of a tumultuous week, during which mayors from the coalition partnerships formed after the 2016 local elections were ousted.

On Wednesday, some DA councillors and its coalition partners voted with the ANC to give Geooff Makhubo the mayoral post of the countrys economic powerhouse with 137 votes.

Makhubo, who is ANC regional chairman, is accused of receiving millions of rand from Regiments a company embroiled in state capture for helping it get a lucrative tender in the City of Johannesburg before he joined the city as a councillor.

Malema said Makhubo could soon be thrown out, as the EFF would not only hold him accountable but would also engage small parties about his future.

If the DA changes its attitude and say they want EFF, the ANC is out. The ANC shouldnt overcelebrate [sic], especially Geoff, because it is just a matter of time before his stories come to real life, he said, adding talks with the ANC collapsed after the ruling party insisted on Makhubo.

Geoff is not safe because Geoff could not remove a speaker, a day after being elected. How do you say you are safe if you failed to remove a speaker?

Malema said they would work with any party that was prepared to share power with them in order to respond to criticism that the fighters have no experience in governing.

This, he said, will be on the principle of anti-corruption and prioritisation of black communities.

As the court overturned the decision to remove controversial Tshwane mayor Steven Mokgalapa, who was involved in a sex scandal, the EFF is smelling power.

But Malema had harsh words for the DA, after talks with leaders including Helen Zille on the Joburg mayor post collapsed, and accused it of white arrogance and racism.

Asked whether the ANC was becoming the better devil to work with, Malema said: It is a matter of the EFF must govern, and they [ANC] are prepared to vote for the EFF and we voting for them on condition they give us power that is legislature that can be used to hold them accountable.

There is no other devil. Were not choosing between two devils.

The other devil is just not willing to participate, he added, accusing the DA of not wanting to share power in metros to consolidate its white voter base.

By George Matlala matlalag@sundayworld.co.za

Original post:
If the DA changes its attitude, the ANC is out - Johannesburg Sunday World

Im a huge fan of butterflies, not the insect but the metaphor, and my interdependency upon the motion of their wings. In chaos theory, the butterfly effect is the sensitivity and relationship between initial conditions whereby a small change in a state of a deterministic nonlinear system can result in large differences in a later state. Whew!

Although Im not smart enough to fit too many pieces together mentally, I enjoy conceptualizing the trail of big events backward to their birthing butterfly. Of course, since there are so many threads to time and life, nothing will have a clearly defined path but on balance it isnt difficult to imagine the connections if you dont require absolutes by relying upon imagination and assumptions.

For those of you who havent yet turned the page of the newspaper to something more interesting such as an advertisement for a vacuum cleaner, this subject settled into my thoughts along with my thoughts regarding December 7, 1941. Way back on that Sunday, I was short of 10 months old but in that moment the history of what would be my world pivoted to an entirely new direction.

Of course the Hawaiian attack was simply part of the ongoing result of many separate yet convergent butterfly wing-flaps. Long before the actual attack, a thought or a concept or a wish in a garden or at a table in Japan emitted conceptual breeze, eventually spoken out loud and eventually adopted as a good idea or necessary or advisable. Regardless of motives, the idea flew and eventually blew its way through the planning and preparations and execution.

The big idea and effort didnt just spring out of nothing. Butterflies started the process and I find that concept both interesting and comforting. My point is that wherever and in whomever the idea initially gestated it changed the world my world forever. And in my personal opinion, it turned out to become an eventual blessing to global humanity.

In late 1941, Britain was under virtually constant attack by Hitlers Germany. The prevailing attitude in this country at that time was to rely upon the ocean to insulate us from what we considered a European fight. We provided the British with what covert support we could such as reporting U-boat activity and sightings and clandestine efforts not privy to the American public. The unanswered question which has always floated asked if this country wouldve stood by to see England fall? Japan made that question moot in December of 41. Japans attack brought the United States fully into the war making it a world war.

In total, its estimated about 85 million people died in World War II but it wouldve been more had we not been able to defeat Japan without actually invading their island homeland. Based upon our experiences island hopping and on Okinawa, defeating Japan using conventional warfare, foot by foot, street by street, tree by tree wouldve likely cost us a half-million lives, not to mention the millions it wouldve cost the Japanese. The two atomic bombs cost a half-million lives give or take but likely saved ten times that number.

And today when you see nighttime photos of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, the physical scars are long gone. Im sure there are mental scars remaining in some of the population but Im somewhat cynical about any remorse. In my version of reality, I have to point out that it was their butterfly that initially started the whisper of war winds (read Herman Wouks Winds of War) and that tiny ripple of a breeze eventually brought the battleship Missouri into Tokyo harbor.

And it also brought a prosperous Japan in which my daughter resides. Sundae married an excellent Japanese citizen 14 years ago and have resided in Tokyo since then. Her and Shingo and Rentaro (Bug) visit us a couple of times every year. I so enjoy talking to Shingo about history and customs and economies.

This year were all meeting in Hawaii for Christmas. One of our planned excursions is to visit the Arizona Memorial. Ann and I have been on that tour a few times but the kids havent. Its a great monument and an amazing testament to history. The monument rose from somebodys initial idea or concept. Butterflies are everywhere.

Our lives have all sorts of twists and turns, pivots and hinges, stops and starts. Everything is intertwined. There are so many threads, theres no way to know where one came from or exactly where its going. But we all know that there are tiny breezes that are going to blow our futures in different directions and even into different realities.

This political thing we have going on today is just another example of an initial wing-flap growing and expanding although in this case, I doubt it was a butterfly that caused the initial ripple. It was probably the flap of an eagle. Whatever has happened or will happen, were surfing a wave of history and Im enjoying the ride.

Like my somewhat weird view of the Pearl Harbor attack ending up as hugely beneficial to humanity as a whole, I think this impeachment spasm will likely end up hugely beneficial to people like me.

If liberal governance is effectively resisted for another 4 years, I think the benefits to the country will be lasting. Well see what happens. Therere a lot of butterflies (and eagles) flapping in the world, some in the halls of government. In my opinion which Im sure many dont share; this ongoing nonsense is just congressional flatulence that will eventually vent into the atmosphere.

But of course, wings are wings and wind is wind and history is an amazing river.

Otis Gardners column appears here weekly. He can be reached at ogardner@embarqmail.com

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Column: Pearl Harbor and the butterfly effect - Opinion - New Bern Sun Journal