You've got to uphold the dream...

So, I'm back at work this morning - my arts course finished last week (sob sob). It feels like a bit of a daze really. A few nights out... the exhibition... lots of talking... out and about...

Now, here I am, where I was just 5 days ago and the seat feels unfamilliar. As if I shouldn't be here! Maybe I am imagining it.

Then, I go to flip my desk calendar to today and Friday's quote catches my eye. Funny (and oh so true) given last Friday was the last day.

"You've got to create a dream.
You've got to uphold the dream.
If you can't, then bugger it. Go back
to the factory, or go back to the desk."
ERIC BURDON*

I kid you not. I have no idea who this Eric Burdon is, but I like him. He is a wise man. And the timing of the quote could not have been more perfect.

We spent much of the week-end discussing how to avoid a return to the full time 'office job'. How to live the dream and afford to live at the same time. I'm working on it people, cos, as my buddy Mr.Burdon says... "you've got to uphold the dream".

Happy Monday everyone.

*Turns out Eric Burdon is singer in The Animals. Thanks Sherrin!
This weeks "This is..." and Exhibition update to come in the next few days. Stay tuned!

All I Really Need To Know...

All I Really Need To Know I Learned in Kindergarten
By Robert Fulghum

All I really need to know I learned in kindergarten.
ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not
at the top of the graduate-school mountain, but there in the sandpile at Sunday School. These are the things I learned:

Share everything.

Play fair.

Don't hit people.

Put things back where you found them.

Clean up your own mess.

Don't take things that aren't yours.

Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.

Wash your hands before you eat.

Flush.

Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.

Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.

Take a nap every afternoon.

When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands, and stick together.

Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the styrofoam cup: The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody
really knows how or why, but we are all like that.

Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the Styrofoam cup - they all die. So do we.

And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned - the biggest word of all - LOOK.

Everything you need to know is in there somewhere.
The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation.
Ecology and politics and equality and sane living.

Take any of those items and extrapolate it into sophisticated adult terms and apply it to your family life or your work or your government or your world and it holds true and clear and firm.
Think what a better world it would be if all - the whole world - had cookies and milk about three o'clock every afternoon and then lay down with our blankies for a nap. Or if all governments had a basic policy to always put thing back where they found them and to clean up their own mess.

And it is still true, no matter how old you are - when you go out into the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.

© Robert Fulghum, 1990.

Opening night...

Tonight was the opening for my Art course exhibition.

Great night. Big Day.

Exhausted.

Will post tomorrow with pics and more details.

Need a laugh? Check this out...

Have a nice day!

:-)

Reason to celebrate...

It was a quiet week-end. Mellow. I travelled to Point Lonsdale Saturday morning and I enjoyed the company of my parents until late Sunday.

Sunday night I watched in awe as my friend Amy sang in her first solo performance, with family and friends there to cheer her on. I felt lucky to be part of the group of people she wanted to share this with - and she was amazing. She looked so calm and relaxed on stage and sang beautifully - a natural.

And on top of these simple joys, I quietly celebrated the passing of the winter solstice. The shortest day of the year is now behind us, and although we are only in the early days of winter, I feel like we have turned the corner and we are on the return journey to Summer.

It's a good reason to Celebrate!

Flashback Friday...

Is it really Friday? Already?

Incredible... Time for a drink!

FLICKR Game...

1. Cinta, 2. Chocolate, 3. Queenscliff, 4. Pink, 5. Wallace and Grommit, 6. Water, 7. London, 8. Chocolate Brownie, 9. Happy, 10. A good laugh, 11. Curious, 12. one little acorn

I have seen this on a few blogs now and decided to join the fun. You can have a turn too if you like. Here are the rules...

Rules:
a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd's mosaic maker

Questions:
1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One Word to describe you.
12. Your flickr name.

Created with flicker toys

This is the space in which I create...

This is my desk at home. It is the place where I do much of my creative work when I'm not at school. There are a few creations in view - a couple complete and many more ready to begin. Each item in the pigeon holes is intended to inspire. From calligraphy inks to juggling balls, mind puzzles to beads and japanese brushes... It's quite a mix. Of course there is jar full of pens and brushes and a number of books, blank paper and photos on my desk close at hand.

The camera is my Dads. I used it recently for some photography as I wanted the transparencies which are larger than normal (6 x 6). It takes great shots, and has a three or four step process before you can flick the button to take the shot. It's certainly not as instant as digital, but the results are pretty amazing.

So, the area in which I create is small, but as long as I keep it relatively tidy it is a pleasant place to work. When I need more space, the kitchen table is my next option.

The subject for this weeks "This is..." was bought to you by Michelle from Quilting Mick. The "This is..." meme was created by the magical Angela of Three Buttons fame.

Flashback Friday...

This is me with my 2 brothers.
I'm the one in the funky hat!

Quote of the Day...

Happiness cannot come from without.
It must come from within.
It is not what we see and touch or that which others do for us which makes us happy; it is that which we think and feel and do, first for the other fellow and then for ourselves.

HELEN KELLER

This is my favourite travel memory...

I love to travel and whilst it has been a few years since I travelled overseas I have some wonderful memories. I saw some incredible places and met some wonderful people. It was an amazing time for me.
In 1989 I spent 4 months doing an overland trip from Kenya to Morocco which finished in London. It was a journey that included Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, African Central Republic, Zaire, Nigeria and Algeria and more. It allowed me the opportunity to see the mountain gorillas in Zaire and travel across the Sahara desert. I climbed Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and saw wild animals in their natural habitat including elephant, cheetah and lions.

At 21, it was quite a trip. I look back now and am amazed at how lucky I was... I think it was a combination of good fortune and naivety that saw me go to all these exciting places and travel so safely!

This photo was taken in Zaire when we stopped in a town for supplies. The kids were always so excited to see us. I love their smiles. It was a picture that captured their delight and excitement. And if you had turned the cameras on us, we would have been smiling just the same. It was pretty contagious!

The subject for this weeks "This is..." was bought to you by Hila from Your Cover's Blown.
The "This is..." meme was created by the magical Angela of Three Buttons fame.

The roller coaster life of the budding artist...

Do you believe I am nearing the end of my Arts course? I have barely posted about it, but I must tell you it has been amazing. I feel like a new person. As hoped, it has been an intense introduction to fine arts and given me a chance to immerse myself into creativity. I have been so lucky and feel so privileged to be a part of such an amazing group. It has been a great taster, but as with many entrees it has left me wanting more... looking forward to the next course.

I am already stressing about leaving the group, about keeping myself motivated, about whether I can continue my studies (if work will allow it and if I can afford it) and about returning to full time work in the meantime.

I have learned a lot and grown a lot, and I have loved the course - a lot. I have been challenged continually. Most of all, I have been surprised to find that the course has been as much about the mental journey as the development of skills.

My inner critic has become my constant companion.

I’m good, I’m bad. I’m committed, I should be committed. I have progressed, I have regressed. I am competent, I am incompetent. I have talent, I have no talent. I have high expectations, I have low expectations. I am overwhelmed, I am underwhelmed. I am confident, I lack confidence. I’m positive, I’m negative. I have ideas, too many ideas or too few ideas. I lack time and then when I have time, I waste time.

And while I know I shouldn’t, and I try not to, I see the quality and quantity of other people’s work and I can’t help but compare their work to my own and I feel overwhelmed. What am I doing? Who am I kidding? Why am I bothering!

Take lino and print making for example. I wanted this to ‘be my thing’. I love the graphic qualities of print making. I love the technique. I love the feel of the tools in my hands. I love the results. And yet, when I see fellow student's results - their detail and their imagination - I compare myself to them and I am inadequate. I paralyse myself into inactivity.

Self imposed pressure rests on my shoulders every time I pick up a pen, a paintbrush, a tool to carve lino. If it was someone else having these feelings of doubt, I would reassure them they were doing ok, to keep going. And yet I can’t seem to give myself the same freedom... the same reassurance. I am trying, trying, trying to shake off these self doubtss and focus on my own art and no-body else's, but it is a constant battle. It's like riding a roller coaster.

Did I tell you I went paragliding...

I went paragliding at Easter-time and I can't believe I forgot to tell you! Following my most recent mosaic, I received an email from an friend (and regular visitor to my blog) who reminded me I didn't post about my paragliding experience. So here is the update.

Before I begin though, I should just explain, parasailing is the one where you are pulled up off a water based platform and sail along, being towed by a boat. That is parasailing. I went paragliding.

Paragliding is where you go to an elevated area, run until the wind fills the sail, lifting you off the ground and where (hopefully) the thermals carry you higher and further away from certain a death plunge. It's where you glide around in the thermals and eventually (ever so calmly) return to the lower landing area and glide (ever so gracefully) to a stop. That is pretty much what paragliding is supposed to be. In a nutshell. In theory.

...ever so gracefully... hmmm...

1. SignLifeAway, 2. Instruction, 3. Bright, 4. View

I think you can probably tell by my face in the pic, I was pretty nervous... Looking at it now, I can well remember what he was saying... "so, when I say 'GO' you run straight toward the cliff, and keep running until I say stop! OK?"

Do you see the puzzled look on my face? The one where inside my head I am saying "What do you mean run straight toward the cliff and DON"T STOP! Are you !!*?&^# CRAZY? ??? You can't be SERIOUS" (do the "You can't be SERIOUS" in a John Mcenroe voice and you'll get the idea!)

Surely I had misheard? But no, it turns out, my hearing was fine, it was just my legs that were beginning to fail me!

Mal had organised it. As a surprise. Yep. It was a surprise alright! He's a gem hey! Actually to be fair, and not quite so melodramatic, I had wanted to go for ages, so it was in the ranks of a good surprise.

Of course I was nervous. As I signed my life away on the liability forms, I couldn't even spell Malcolm's name.
The writing was a bit shaky too if I remember correctly. But, as you know I survived to tell the tale, and I have to admit, it was an incredible rush.

I was attached securely. Believe me I checked. A few times. I was attached to the sail (the wing) AND to my instructor. (You don't seriously think I was going to do this by myself did you? I'm crazy yes, but not THAT crazy!)

The wing was lifted into the air and collected by the breeze. And we ran. The wing filled and pulled backward. And we ran. And the edge of the clearing loomed and disappeared out of sight. And we ran. And our feet were no longer touching the ground. And I ran. Feet madly running in the open air until I was told I could stop and I was hitched into the harness. And I sat, holding onto the straps and looked around.

It was FANTASTIC. An amazing view. Pine trees way below and mountains around us. Dark clouds at the horizon and in the distance and the township of Bright lay in early Autumn reds. There was a pretty good breeze, cool, but not cold and I even managed to take a couple of quick pics. We could see other gliders circling and riding the wind. We also circled and lifted briefly, but were unable to find any decent thermals and so it wasn't long before we were heading (at a pretty decent pace) toward the landing field.

Did I say field? Did you picture a cleared area with soft grass ready to cushion and welcome us to the earth in a pillow of loveliness. If you did, you would be wrong... So so wrong. It was a landing field - in a paddock. Yes a paddock. A paddock where cows roamed untethered. Where prolonged drought had turned the earth to uneven humps and pockets. Where there was no welcome mat and no soft landing place. Where uneven ground and a tiny gust of wind unceremoniuosly dumped this earth loving sailer into the dust. Where I was dragged for a few meters until my instructor managed to bring our gravel grazing journey to a stop.

So much for the ever so graceful landing. He was rather good about it really, given that I was his first tandem to trip the entire week-end. Maybe it had something to do with the fact his fall was well cushioned! Yes - you guessed it - by me!