Laurie Smale

02/09/2026

MAGIC MINUTE // Ever found yourself caught in a bout of uncontrollable laughter where you nearly choked?

Well, this day, me and my 12-year-old mate, Gary, retired to a patch of bushy scrub to savour our b***y of purple Angelina plums we’d just helped ourselves to from an overhanging tree.

As we greedily sank our teeth into them, we didn’t expect them to still be green and strongly asidic.

It was here that the laughing trouble took hold.

The astringent acid had fastened the hard plums to the shiny enamel of our teeth, both top and bottom, so we could neither open our mouths to free the plums, or breathe!

Convulsing with choking laughter at the sight of it all, we were now gasping for air!

All we could do was crawl away from each other to stop laughing, and desperately try to pry the plums free!

I would never have dreamed this could happen – but it certainly did!

I’m Laurie Smale… Till my next Magic Minute. 🪄

31/08/2026

NEWSLETTER // 🦋Laurie Smale Inspirations Author Newsletter Edition 29

1. Quotes
2. Magic Minute Videos
3. Article – Making Business Calls With Confidence

https://lauriesmale.com/newsletters/edition-29

Laurie Smale Author Newsletter Monthly Summary of Inspirational Quotes, Magic Minute Videos and an Article shared during August 2026

25/08/2026

QUOTE // “When disappointment pulls you up short, allow your mind to reflect on lessons learned for another enlightened go!”

Laurie Smale, Inspirational Speaker and Author – “Finding Me Finding You” 🦋

21/08/2026

QUOTE // “Funny how a touch of humour can help us navigate life’s challenges”

Laurie Smale, Inspirational Speaker and Author – “Finding Me Finding You” 🦋

19/08/2026

MAGIC MINUTE // What are the chances of being run over by a bulldozer when you’re quietly going about your day?

I was nearing the end of my postal run without a care in the world along a sleepy lane way near Melbourne when I noticed some sort of building works going on behind a hedge.

I tentatively wheeled my bike past an opening in the fence when a miniature Bobcat bulldozer reversed at speed in front of me with inches to spare!

The driver and me looked at each other in shock. “What are you doing here?” I said in astonishment.

It was my brother, Brian, who I hadn’t seen for ages.

“This is my brother!” He proudly announced to his supervisor.

“Well, you nearly didn’t have one!” he said.

Brian and I sheepishly promised to catch up soon and gingerly got back to our tasks at hand.

As I walked away, I reflected on what a close call it was.

But I’ll never forget the day that my brother Brian nearly ran me over with a bulldozer!

I’m Laurie Smale… Till my next Magic Minute. 🪄

lauriesmale

10/08/2026

QUOTE // “Insightful hope and happiness awaits us all if we just keep struggling through knowing it will come”

Laurie Smale, Inspirational Speaker and Author – “Finding Me Finding You” 🦋

05/08/2026

MAGIC MINUTE // Ever been looking forward to a conversation when another person wedges their way in, takes over, and wrecks the whole atmosphere?

When I was young, I went to see Ike Cole, Nat King Cole’s brother, perform in a suburban pub on the outskirts of Melbourne.

And yes, I’m talking about ‘the’ Nat King Cole!

How I longed to share with Ike how much his brother’s inspirational words and music had been of great solace to me as a lost and lonely person.

Nat’s voice always seemed to get through to me and gave me hope.

After Ike’s show some random guy gate-crashed our conversation and started raving on about how bad apartheid was, ruining the magic of the whole thing.

Yet like his brother, Ike Cole had an innate sensitivity to another’s feelings.

Before he left, he sought me out and said, “I can see that Nat meant a lot to you. So for him, hold on to your dreams.”

Nat Cole may have left us too early, but his thoughtful brother’s kind words left a real imprint on me.

I’m Laurie Smale… Till my next Magic Minute.🪄

02/08/2026

NEWSLETTER // 🦋Laurie Smale Inspirations Author Newsletter Edition 28

1. Quotes
2. Magic Minute Videos
3. Article - Simple Secrets of Story Telling
4. Publication

https://lauriesmale.com/newsletters/edition-28/

27/07/2026

QUOTE // “A touch of gratefulness warms the soul and helps us reflect on the things that matter”

Laurie Smale, Inspirational Speaker and “Finding Me Finding You” 🦋

21/07/2026

MAGIC MINUTE // Here’s a cheese that revolutionised the global dairy industry!

In 1916 James L. Kraft, invented the iconic blue box of pasteurised, bacteria-free cheddar cheese that didn’t spoil in hot weather.

Wrapped in foil, it stored safely, and for the best part of the 1900s was the go-to cheese for most of the world!

In the 50s, 60s, and 70s we kids were always making our delicious Kraft cheddar grilled cheese and tomato toasties, and never got sick of them!

While others around the world were doing their own cultural thing with this handy cheese too.

While sharing this story with my Italian friend Dominic, he said: “We did the same with it as kids in Italy.”

“You Italians, eating that blue-box cheddar cheese!” I exclaimed!

He went on to tell me that in WWII, his village was reduced to abject ruin with little to eat.

Then the Americans came with their truck-loads of food – and a seemingly endless supply of this boxed cheese.

Dominic fondly recalls those little blue boxes of tasty wonder!

This humble, shelf-stable cheese, really did make a difference to the world.

I’m Laurie Smale… Till my next Magic Minute.🪄

lauriesmale