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The Small Safe Review

By Home, Money / Finances, Reviews, ShoppingNo Comments

I recently purchased this small safe:

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Small safe: ideal for passports, cash and jewelry.

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Inside the Small Safe: Has holes on back and bottom for bolting.

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Small Safe Key: Double bit lock, modern aiming to prevent the use of the Bulgarian pick method.

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Bolts for securing to wall or other surface (such as inside a wardrobe).

The Pros are:

  • Small – Doesn’t take up much space and perfect size to be hidden away somewhere. It is the ideal size for passports, cash and jewelry.
  • Easy to install and secure into place with bolts.
  • Double Bit lock.
  • Three keys provided.
  • Lightweight.
  • Colour black means it may not be noticed by a thief or others whom you might not want to know about it.
  • I imagine it would be more difficult for a thief to get into than a standard key lock cash tin.
  • No need to remember a combination code.
  • No electronics therefore no chance of electronic failure or the requirement of replacing batteries.
  • It would take a thief quite some effort to get into it. However an expert lock smith could probably open it easily (should you ever loose your keys).
  • Price and availability are good.
  • Lots of positive reviews on amazon.

The Cons are:

  • The safe is so lightweight that it requires bolting to a surface. Otherwise a thief could literally pick it up and walk off with it. I would also recommend that you hide it away somewhere e.g. in the wardrobe, or under the bed, or at the back of a cupboard, or somewhere similar. However if you had a cash tin the thief could do the same, the difference being that this small safe gives you the option to bolt down whereas a cash tin can’t be bolted down.
  • It isn’t fire resistant or fireproof. However it probably is more secure than fireproof safes.
  • Only someone with a key can access. This means if someone hasn’t got a key but you need them to gain access for you, they wont be able to. Unlike a combination safe were you could give them the code.
  • There are probably more secure safes on the market. This is not necessarily a Con, just a fact. But this is the only one of this small size that I could find.
  • It isn’t big enough to keep documents in. This is not necessarily a Con either. It’s just something to be aware of if you’re looking for a safe to keep documents in.

A tip if you choose to buy this safe: There is a trick to getting the key into the lock. You need to line up the missing bit out of the key head to the red dot on the lock. Then the key will slide easily into the lock.

There are more pros than cons for this small safe. I’m happy with my purchase. For obvious security reasons I’m not going to tell you where I’m keeping my safe or what I intend to put in it.

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Blog soon,

Antony

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Book Review: This Is Going To Hurt by Adam Kay

By Amazon, Books & Authors, Happiness & Joy, ReviewsNo Comments
This-Is-Going-To-Hurt-Adam-Kay-Book-Cover Comedian Adam Kay hasn’t always been a Comedian. In a former life he was a Doctor in the National Health Service (NHS). At the time he dutifully kept a reflective diary, as he was encouraged to do so as best practice.

In the best-selling This Is Going To Hurt Kay shares this secret junior Doctor diary with the world. As a junior Doctor Kay mainly worked in maternity. Kay tells true stories with a humorous flare. Obviously patient’s details have been changed to ensure anonymity.

In this book Kay is completely honest and because of this honesty it really does tell you what it’s like to be a junior Doctor in the NHS. Along with what it’s really like behind the scenes in the NHS.

Throughout the book there are brilliant footnotes that explain the medical terminology in an easy to understand way.

All of the stories are interesting, made so by Kay’s constant use of humor. Writing humor in a book is difficult, so Kay should be highly commended for pulling this off as well as he did. A couple of the stories were so so funny that I laughed out loud reading the book.

Kay’s diary is dated and at each change of job, he explains his mental state and shares his thoughts around topics including: commenting on Politician’s meddling in the NHS; under funding and under resourcing; the staff often working for nothing because they feel morally obligated and want to do the best for their patients; the NHS relying too much on the goodwill of staff (in all roles) to the point were the goodwill is almost gone and staff morale is non-existent; the sneaking privatization and what it will mean for all; that our expectation of Doctors and Nurses to be super-human are unrealistic.

Kay wraps up the thoroughly enjoyable This Is Going To Hurt by telling the story of a patient that made him decide to leave the medical profession. It is deeply tragic, as is Kay’s loss to the profession. Kay describes receiving a letter after 4 years of quitting from the General Medical Council (GMC) removing him from active registration due to lack of required practice hours. The ending of the book caused me to cry.

This book reminded me that every person has and is their own story. We whom work in the NHS should always remember this, along with the fact that patient’s like to share their stories whether good or bad of contact with NHS services. Staff in the NHS generally work there to make a positive difference to people’s lives. We certainly don’t go into it for the money!

The success of This Is Going To Hurt has led Kay to recently publish a follow up book Twas The Nightshift Before Christmas, in time to be a stocking-filler for Christmas. I just hope that this follow up book has new diary entries in, rather than a reprint of stories from the first.

Review soon,

Antony

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Book Review: Dare To Lead by Brené Brown

By Amazon, Books & Authors, ReviewsNo Comments

I first discovered Brené Brown when I saw this TED talk titled The Power of Vulnerability:

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Which Brown followed up with this TED Talk, Listening to Shame:

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dare-to-lead-brene-brown-book-cover So when I started on a leadership course at work, I decided to buy Dare To Lead by Brené Brown.

Dare To Lead is about leadership that is vulnerable, values-based, trusting and resilient. The book is split into four parts.

The first and biggest part is Rumbling with Vulnerability. In this section Brown discusses what vulnerability is, why it is important, myths about vulnerability, using courage to drop our armor as leaders, dealing with shame and empathy and curiosity grounded in confidence.

The second part is Living Into Our Values. Values are very important to me, so unsurprisingly this was my favorite part of the book. This section covers what our own values are, what organisational values can be and how to turn values into measurable

behaviours. The List of Values activity I completed with some of my colleagues at work and I found it an incredibly useful in terms of learning more about them and what they value. Since I have also contributed to a consultation at work around our organisational values.

The third part of the book is Braving Trust. This section of the book is all about building trust as a leader and recognising how trust is built up gradually over time and can be easily lost.

The fourth part of the book is Learning to Rise which is all about resilience. This part of the book is about recognising emotion within ourselves and others as a leader, being curious about emotions and being self-aware enough to recognise what is going on emotionally for ourselves and others.

Throughout Dare To Lead are many helpful strategies that if implemented would make you a better leader. Including strategies around: having difficult conversations, increasing self-awareness, being aware of the values of ourselves and of the people we lead, being aware of the stories we tell ourselves (that may or may not be true), how to build trust and courage in the people that you lead.

Dare To Lead is written in a way that feels like you’re having a conversation with Brown. She gives examples from her own experience and also asks open questions styled in a coaching method to encourage the reader to think about how these experiences relate to their own life.

About Brené Brown
Brené Brown is a Research Professor at the University of Huston, is a Social Worker and delivers talks and training on leadership around innovation, creativity and change. Brown has worked with Pixar (Disney) and Facebook around leadership. You can learn more about Brené Brown on her website here.

Dare To Lead by Brené Brown is available to buy on Amazon.

Review soon,

Antony

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Book Review: Curses, Hexes, & Crossings by S. Connolly

By Amazon, Books & Authors, ReviewsNo Comments
curses-hexes-crossings-by-S.Connolly-book-cover The universe likes balance. Creation and destruction. Light and dark. Good and bad. All Witch’s should know about blessings, healing and positive magic; along with curses, hexes and negative magic.

Knowing about and understanding how curses, hexes and the like work, enables a Witch to better protect themselves and others against this sort of magic.

In my personal practice I would be more likely to bind (to stop) or to banish (to get rid of) someone or something that is having a negative impact on me or those around me, rather than Curse or Hex them.

Now with all that written, let’s get to the review:

This superb book has been written for the experienced Witch. It covers what cursing is. The Ethics of Exceration Magick, with the key messages here being: is a curse justified?

It takes a lot of energy to create and maintain a curse. Are you willing to take responsibility for your magick and any consequences (be them intended or unintended)? There’s a fantastic chapter on the history of cursing from ancient history up until recently, covering a wide range of cultures from across the world.

Curses, Hexes, & Crossings covers the psychology of a curse. That the victim being aware that they are cursed can attract negative energies and be self fulfilling – even without the Witch ever actually doing a ritual or casting a spell.

Connolly explains how the Witch can make their own curses and spells; before providing a large number of curses, hexes, & crossings with Connolly sharing her experience with each.

The curses, hexes and crossings are from a wide range of cultures, but many are highly influenced by Daemonolatry and Santansim, which is not surprising given the author’s occult background.

Connolly writes about herbs and stones for cursing, then explains how to break curses. Connolly writes about unintentional or curses cast by your subconscious without your conscious awareness, we’ve all done it. Throughout Connolly writes about how understanding curses and how they work can be used to defend against them and deal with curses aimed at you from others.

Connolly has a fascinating perspective on curses, she explains that a curse can be the start of the emotional healing process. By casting a curse, the Witch can release the intense emotional reactions of rage, anger, frustration and the need for revenge. The Witch having let go of these emotions, can then start the healing process.

The whole of this book from start to finish is brilliant. Connolly’s passion for the topic comes through in her writing. She is not afraid to speak her mind and be honest with the reader, knowing that not everyone will like what she writes. Here are some examples:

Right now I think it’s prudent to point out that some people will object to this book’s mere existence…

The modern Wiccans, for example, have been so busy trying to be accepted by the Christian mainstream that they insist upon distancing themselves from anything that could be misconstrued as “evil”. This includes cursing…

I believe there are instances where curses are appropriate. As I mentioned earlier I also believe curses can go a long way to helping the magician psychologically. For everything negative something good will come of it. Everything is a shade of gray. We could reasonably argue that prosperity magick has a dark side…

“If you discuss ethics and cursing you’re a fluffy bunny.” This is often said by people who want to practice only the blackest magick and arts so arcane that they may dress in black and purport to be the scariest mosty evil magicians to walk the earth. To them I say, eventually you’ll grow up, get off your high horse, and join the rest of us in reality.

(From: Curses, Hexes, & Crossings by S. Connolly, pages: 4-5, 2011.)

The only way this book could have been any better if Connolly included some more advanced protection magick. Curses, Hexes, & Crossings by S. Connolly has been self-published on Amazon. I’m so glad for self-publishing, as this book probably wouldn’t have seen the light of day without it, given its subject matter.

Curses, Hexes, & Crossings by S. Connolly is available to buy on Amazon.

If you like books about this subject matter, you may also like Utterly Wicked: Curses, Hexes & Other Unsavory Notions by Dorothy Morrison. Utterly Wicked is currently out of print, but Morrison (the author) is in discussions with another publisher to have it re-released. So wait for re-release until you purchase to get it at a reasonable price.

Review soon,

Antony

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