Category: Work

Linux Mint

May 1, 2026

About 10 years ago I swapped my home computers to Linux. My first go was with Ubuntu which worked well. It was a big learning curve as I had only ever used Windows products.

After about a year I found Linux Mint. This is built on Ubuntu but has a much friendlier layout and it looks a bit more like Windows. It has a “start” button in the bottom left hand corner and everything flows from that.

So for the last 9 years I have been using Linux Mint on my laptop. I use this for all of my preaching preparation and for building and maintaining my websites. It has worked really well. So much so that I installed it on my new refurbished laptop I bought this week!

One of the things I was concerned about when I switched over to Linux was how would I replace my programmes I used. In a short time I realised Linux Mint comes with many products similar to what I already used.

For Microsoft Office programmes like Word, Excel and Powerpoint you have Libre Office already included. It opens all the Microsoft programmes and you can save them as .doc, .xls or .ppt after editing. They even have a built in PDF creator which is handy.

For surfing the web it comes with Mozilla Firefox included. For email it has Mozilla Thunderbird. Both of these are preinstalled and easy to use. For website building and maintenance you can install Mozilla SeaMonkey for free.

Another cool feature of Linux Mint is the “app store” called the software manager. This has over 30,000 of free apps for all your needs. I found I could replace all of my Windows based programmes from there and they cost me nothing. No more yearly fees for using products I already own!

Computer experts say that Linux is generally more secure than other operating systems. Mint has a built in firewall called UFW. UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall) is a user-friendly interface for managing firewall rules in Linux. You can also install ClamAV for free from the app store which takes care of viruses and malware.

One of the best features of Linux (apart from being free!) is that it does not have a lot of bloatware that slows down your system. It often brings an old computer back to life as the system requirements are much lower than other operating systems.

If you are interested you can visit the Linux Mint website here. Or if you want to watch an introduction video, I found this just now on YouTube.

Five things to find in this life

June 2, 2025

I believe there are five things we should try to find in this life. Things which will not only make our lives better, but will make the lives of those around us better too. I think we will also be more fulfilled.

  1. Find Jesus – I honestly believe with all of my heart that we all need to find a personal relationship with Jesus. We all have a God shaped hole inside us and we will not make full sense of this life if we do not include Jesus. As St Augustine said,
    “You have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless, until they can find rest in you”.
  2. Find your Church – We all need a church home where we can learn about God, share our faith with others believers, serve others in community and receive the Sacraments. God wants us in community to journey together and grow in our faith together.
  3. Find your partner – I believe most people will find a partner to share their life with. Yes some are called to serve as Priests or Nuns and serve the church, but most are called to have a spouse and family. Back in the Garden of Eden, God said it is not good for man to live alone. We need someone to love and support us, and we need to be that for someone else.
  4. Find your Vocation – For me a vocation means more than having a job. It is about finding the thing that God has made you to do. We are all shaped by God with different gifts and talents. He knit us together in our mother’s womb to do certain things. I believe we are most satisfied when we find and do God’s work for us.
  5. Find your devotional style – By this I mean finding the way you connect with God. Some love sitting in church and worshipping God, some find reading and meditating on the Bible hits the spot, some go on prayer walks in nature and feel God’s presence, some pray the Rosary and connect with the Mysteries. It is does not matter what it is as long as you feel connected to God and do it regularly. God wants to be with us daily.

These are some of the things that have helped me in this life. I really do not think my life would be the same without them. Each of them has added to my life in so many ways. I am so thankful to God He has blessed me with these things.

God Bless,

Dave

Favourite place in Perth

November 17, 2024

What is your favorite place to go in your city?

I live in a smallish country town about 300 kilometres from Perth. Perth is the capital city of Western Australia and my favourite place to go in Perth is Kings Park.

The great thing about it is that I worked opposite Kings Park for 11 years and every lunch time I would go on a prayer walk. It became a real place of relaxing and spending time with God for me.

Kings Park is a great place for families too. There are so many walking trails, picnic spots and playgrounds for kids. When we lived in Perth we would often go as a family and have a great time.

These days I might only go once a year to Kings Park when I visit Perth. I usually spend some time there when I have some sort of conference or training in Perth. I grab an iced coffee at the kiosk and sit and just enjoy the view.

If you ever visit Perth I would encourage you to check it out. The views of the city and river are amazing. Here is a link to the Kings Park website.

My favourite subject at school?

November 7, 2024

What was your favorite subject in school?

This is an interesting one as I have been to school twice. The first time for my education and the second time as a School Chaplain.

First time around my favourite subject was sport. I was good at Maths, but sport was always my favourite. I loved to run, play footy, cricket and always be moving. Especially in primary school before I got Rheumatoid Arthritis.

On my second go around as a School Chaplain it was sport again. I found sport was a great way to connect with the kids in an informal environment. It did not matter if it was footy, basketball, volleyball, or indoor hockey.

I can remember I did sport all day one time. I just followed the new PE teacher around on her first day and I joined in with every sport she set up for the kids. I went home exhausted, but it was a great fun day.

So my favourite subject at school was sport. As a kid and a grown up too!

Listening at work

July 22, 2024

What do you listen to while you work?

What do I listen to at work? Being a School Chaplain I listen to people. Listening is a big part of my job. Listening, asking questions and encouraging.

I must add though, being a Chaplain I am always conscious of listening to the Holy Spirit as I work. Most days I am prompted to go to a particular classroom or part of the school. Quite often there is someone there who needs encouraging or a listening ear.

So what do I listen to while I work? People and the Holy Spirit.