by Jamie Miles | Dec 6, 2020 | True Stories & Reflections
The lady in the supermarché handed me my groceries. I beamed a smiled, ‘Arigatou gozaimasu’. She stared at me, leaving me blushing as I made my exit. I was in Paris for work, and on my way to see some friends for the evening. I was picking up a few things from...
by Jamie Miles | Nov 29, 2020 | True Stories & Reflections
There’s a fine line between creepy and compassionate. Turning up at your best friend’s house confessing your love for their partner is a bit much. Though on this occasion, that’s not what I did. I was on a train from Hiroshima to Tokyo. In the Friday rush to get home...
by Jamie Miles | Nov 22, 2020 | True Stories & Reflections
We all love the thrill of a good bit of vacuuming. It sits at the seductive intersection of being productive and offering instant gratification. Though I discovered that the admission of vacuuming as a hobby crosses some sort of social line. ‘How’s your lockdown...
by Jamie Miles | Nov 15, 2020 | True Stories & Reflections
Location Sydney, Australia 2017. Jamie has returned from his trip to the city centre. His backpack is swung over his shoulder, and he’s dressed in swim shorts and a t-shirt. Jamie:Hey – are you awake?I have a quandaryI’m locked out of my friend’s flat in...
by Jamie Miles | Nov 8, 2020 | True Stories & Reflections
Nowadays, why I cry is upside down. Like most children, sad things would move me to tears. I assume it’s because when we’re young, we’ve not grown accustomed to the world’s misfortune. Growing older, my settings have changed. Expecting the unfortunate, it can no...
by Jamie Miles | Nov 1, 2020 | True Stories & Reflections
I can pinpoint the exact moment that I learned to hate reading fiction. I was six years old and sitting in class, happy as a lamb inhaling the book I’d picked up. ‘Oh dear, what was this doing in there? You shouldn’t be reading this.’ My teacher lifted the book away...