I am an aeronautical engineer by profession, starting out in the Royal Australian Air Force, then moving on to working for the aviation regulator here in Australia, then another ten years or so in industry before working for myself as a management system consultant since 2006. I live in Melbourne, Australia. I was fortunate to live and work in the US for three years, and to have visited Canada and the UK during that time.
I have been interested in philosophy since my early 20’s, but I found academic philosophy unsatisfying as a practical guide to living. I came across a passing reference to Stoicism around 1990 while reading a book on leadership, and it somehow stuck in my mind. So, when the Internet came along I used it to find Keith Seddon’s correspondence course circa 2002. While working my way through this course I realised that I was experiencing a life changing event. The more I learned about Stoicism, the more I was convinced that there were fundamental truths about the nature of the world and our role in it, and more surprisingly, that I had somehow suspected or unconsciously understood some of them for many years. But I am preaching to the converted here, I know. Since then I have come across some patches of adversity in my life and I have seen for myself the power that Stoicism gives the individual to achieve a smooth flow of life. I have decided that in some small way, my participation in the College may help others along the Stoic path and so is an appropriate action. I am glad to be in such fine company.