Magical Melbourne morning...

What a great way to start the day. This is the view on my walk to work.

Have a good day everyone, wherever it is you are.

x

The Butterfly Circus...

Have you seen The Butterfly Circus? It's a magical short film that was introduced to me by my Dad and has become a favourite. In fact everyone who I have recommended it to has been equally entranced.

I recommend you track it down and take some time out to watch it too. It's just over 20 minutes, so grab yourself a drink, make yourself comfortable and lose yourself for just a little while.

You can watch it here on the website...

And once you've seen it and decided you'd like a copy for yourself, you can buy it here. And if you really like it and want to give a few copies away to friends, like my Dad did at Christmastime, you can buy a pack of five here.

It's time to play the music...

It's time to light the lights...

It's time to meet the Muppets...

Their Movie Premiere's tonight!

Yippee! I love The Muppets.

I for one will be going to see it pretty darn soon.

Ma-na-ma-na.

Sometimes it's the little things...

I had to post this little pic today, because it was so much fun to create... I just love the the tilt-shift effect.

Thanks to Bricolagelife for her post, filled with her fun photos that inspired me to go take a look myself.

What do you think? Want to give it a go too? Well, here is the link to the Tilt Shift Maker to try for yourself. You can do it to. Go on, give it a go, it's super easy and it's quite addictive.

Once you've created some pics you like, post them and leave me a comment - I'd love to see how you go! I am going to post a couple more over the next few days.

Once in a blue moon...

Did you see the moon this morning?
You had to be up pretty early.
It was magnificent.
But, in case you missed it, tonight is a blue moon (the second full moon in the calendar month).

Go outside and look up.
You don't want to miss it.
Afterall, a blue moon only occurs... well, once in a blue moon!

Dreaming of escape to a simpler life...

There are days, as the summer fades into autumn and I sit at my desk after a long week-end, that I dream of escape.

I don't want much really... a peaceful view of the water, sunshine on my shoulders, sand between my toes, a pile of books, a few pens, brushes and an empty notebook... and a caravan in which to make up a mug of hot chocolate in the cooler evenings and curl up each night.

This little beauty is an Airstream Bambi, and you can buy one here. At $51,000 it's a bit out of my price range (and I think that might even be US dollars), so I'll just have to keep dreaming.

There is hope... isn't there?

I saw this first over here at Everyday Calm... go say hi!

Getting accustomed to being on my own again...

I am house sitting. A good friend has gone traveling for 10 weeks and was happy to oblige when I offered to house sit in her absence. What a beautiful gift she has given me. Her home is a retreat in the city and I love it.

We met during my arts course last year and she has become a wonderful friend. Her home is much like her... beautiful, artistic, peaceful, welcoming and warmly embracing. It has large windows which welcome lots of light. The top level has a great vista overlooking the rooftops and allows for uninterrupted views of the hot air balloons that can be seen most mornings floating across the city. Downstairs there is a paved courtyard that is bordered by elevated garden beds and is shaded by a big leafy tree.

Tonight is a warm Melbourne evening and the breeze is whispering in the leaves outside. I ate in the courtyard which was lovely and which I will try to do so as much as I can while I am here. My own flat only has a communal garden and so this is an absolute treat.

It is night four on my own and I am feeling far more relaxed now. The first couple of nights I felt slightly unsettled at being on my own again and getting accustomed to being in a new space.

In early January, I was craving total escape. Considered throwing in my job, renting my flat and escaping up the coast to a small seaside town where I could hide from the world. Knowing I wasn't in any state to make any major decisions, I decided to postpone anything too serious for the next 6 months. And so, this next 10 weeks has become my salvation. It will allow me time to think. Time to breathe. Time.

Being alone again is a strange sensation. Mal and I broke up in September last year, and whilst we are no longer together, we are still good friends and he is still living in my flat. He has been especially amazing over the last six months or more... listened to my greatest fears and comforted me in moments of despair and tears (of which there have been many). He has been there to pick up the pieces and saved my sanity on a number of occasions. And for that I will be forever grateful.

BUT (and he knows this is the way of my world) I do like my own space. I like my own company and I have lots to keep me occupied. My house sitting stint comes at just the right time. And so, for the next ten weeks, I am on my own. And loving it.

Overheard conversations...

On the week-end, I was visiting a friend in hospital and arrived just at the end of the rest period. The friend was still asleep, so I made my way to the patients sitting room to wait for a while.

I took a seat on the sofa and opened a magazine which did little to hold my attention. There was an elderly couple sitting together talking. They both sat at the only table in the room, facing each other with their hands resting together on the table between them. He was obviously a patient (being dressed in a flannelet dressing gown and slippers) and she was his wife. I know this because I had seen her arrive at the hospital a few days earlier with his walking frame and as she wheeled it along at a brisk pace, she informed us it was for her husband.

It was impossible to ignore the conversation. She spoke quite loudly and he spoke with a very proper English accent, not unlike what I would expect of an army Colonel. Their shared conversation bought a smile to my face. The first thing that got my attention was his distinct voice saying (without a hint of hesitation) that "the only thing that is keeping me going, is the strength of my love for you my darling". She smiled at him and squeezed his hand and commented about the view.

She continued with her talk of getting older and how, now that she was 84, she had to limit herself to only one visit a day. He agreed wholeheartedly, saying she was not to exhaust herself. "It's not like I'm 80 anymore you know" she replied with another smile and another squeeze of the hand.

"I do love you, my darling" he said later in the conversation and she smiled and they were silent for a moment in each other's company. She did not return his words, but she continued to smile and her face glowed. That their feelings were mutual was without question. They were there for one another and no-one could intrude on their time together.

The above image was created using WORDLE.

This is my trade secret...

Whatever you can do,
or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius,
power and magic in it.
JOHANN WOLFGANG VON GOETHE

If you want to be creative.
Get going and live creatively.
Get on with it...
This is my trade secret.

Do not procrastinate.

If you have a dream.
Start living it.
If you aren't sure what it is you want to do...
start the ball rolling and do SOMETHING!
ANYTHING to start the momentum.

Things grow when they are cultivated and given a little TLC.
If you want to follow a different path or make a change, you can't do it standing still.
Be Bold. Be Brave. And as Goethe says in the above quote... begin it.

The theme for this weeks "This is..." came from Amelia at bollewangenhaptoet. The "This is..." meme was started by the very creative 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!

This is my favourite book... actually I just couldn't stop at one...

I deliberated for some time over which of my 'favourite' books to include on this weeks "This is" meme. Sorry guys - I couldn't restrict it to JUST ONE. I tried... really I did. But finally I decided on three... It was a tough call and I have so many more I could have included... How could I not include "The power of One" or "The Alchemist"? And I feel almost guilty for omitting "The Book Thief" and "The Orange Girl". But here they are... just three. It is an odd collection, but all worthy of a mention.

The Man Who Planted Trees is one of my favourite stories because it is such a beautiful and universal tale. It is a story I have read a number of times now, and have given to friends and family as gifts. A link to the entire story can be found here so you too can enjoy it's magic.

Gone With The Wind is the book I read when I SHOULD have been studying for my HSC exams. You may well laugh! It is corny and melodramatic and an epic I could not put down once I had started. Afterall, how could I resist the charms of Rhett Butler and the unbreakable determination of Scarlett O'Hara. It was far more interesting than biology and Maths!

The Tattooed Flower is a recent addition to my Favourites, and I am adding it in the hope it will inspire you to track it down. It is written by a Melbourne woman (Suzy Zail) about her dying father and his experiences as a child of the Holocaust. I cried in the first pages and again in the last, and in between, it regularly took my breath away at the incredible story of survival against the odds. It is definitely worth a read.

Here is part of a review from Scribe Publications... "The Tattooed Flower is the tender and illuminating story of how a father and daughter choose to spend their last years together: Suzy discovering her father’s past as a child of the Holocaust; and her father teaching his family, by example, how to live well, love fully, and die without fear or regret.

The Tattooed Flower finds hope, love, and beauty in the saddest of places. This is a remarkable, compelling book about life’s lessons, and how one man can leave a mark and make a difference."

The subject for this weeks "This is..." was bought to you by Dees at DaisyinLaLaLand.
The "This is..." meme started by the very creative Angela of Three Buttons fame.

I am almost too scared to read everyone else's posts as I just know it will only add to the pile of books already waiting to be read. But how can I resist? Wish me luck!

Good-bye 2007, helloooo 2008...

I promised myself 2007 was to be my year of living more creatively. Instead of just letting things happen, I decided 2007 was the year to consciously make creativity a priority in my life. It has been an eventful year and as 2008 begins, the results of 2007 are set to continue and grow.

This is the year that was...
I did a writing course in January, a road trip of over 2000kms for a week of intense tuition. Bellingen magic. I love to write and whilst the course wasn't quite what I was expecting, it was both stimulating and thought provoking.

I met up with Mal in Sydney on the southbound journey and we travelled home via NSW and VIC. On the way we visited a beautiful straw bale house that inspired us both and the visit confirmed it is another thing I would like to do in the future.

I did a one week calligraphy course in June and renewed my love of the art and later in the year I introduced myself to book-binding, feeding my love of paper and books. I set up my blog and entered the world of technology. At the same time, I organised a business name, with the long term goal of working in a more creative arena.

I applied for, and was accepted into, an arts course that starts in February 2008. I put together a portfolio of work for the application which covered a range of creative examples including painting, sewing, drawing and calligraphy. It will give me the chance to develop skills and meet lots of like-minded people. The course will challenge me and hopefully give me some indication as to my creative potential. It is a fantastic opportunity to stretch my skills and grow artistically. I find the more creative I become, the more it motivates and drives me, so I am looking forward to emersing myself in more and more creative pursuits..

Amongst these things, in 2007 I continued my studies in practical philosophy, in October I turned 40 and in August I started jogging and ran my first ever funrun... an incredible 10kms in December!

So if 2007 gave me a taste for a more creative lifestyle, 2008 promises to be even better. Excellent in fact. There are so many exciting things on the horizon.
Roll on 2008! Bring it on!
Happy New Year every-one!

Happy Christmas...

Season's Greetings and best wishes to you.
May your day be filled with love and laughter.

Whatever makes you happy

Do it. Life is too short.
Find something today you really want to do - something you really love - and do it. Dance, eat chocolate, sit in the sun, read a book, go fishing, go for a run, walk along the beach, talk with friends, share a drink, meditate, phone your best friend, sing, rejoice. Laugh.

Today is Friday.
Do whatever makes you happy and forget the rest!

What is it that makes you happy?
Friday night with friends is something that makes me happy.

When everything just falls into place...

It's funny the way things just fall into place sometimes.

I have often found that things happen in my life as if by chance. Via a collection of incidents, I often reach my destination as if it was predetermined, as if it was meant to be. If I stay awake to the world around me and listen to the signs, life goes more smoothly and the pieces all seem to fall naturally into place. The destination is inevitable.

Such is my path towards the teachings of "The Artist's Way".

The book of which I am talking is all about stimulating creativity.
It is a 12 week program that is followed a chapter a week.
It has 2 non-negotiable requirements.

1. Every morning complete 3 pages of writing. First thing. Find a place you won't be disturbed and write. Write anything. The clock ticking, work, family, music, sounds, what awaits in the day ahead, anything that comes to mind. Clear all the useless thoughts from your mind and in doing so, clear the way for more freedom in your thoughts (and thus creativity).

2. Each week set aside a couple of hours for an 'artist date'. This date is with your 'artist within' and is to be done alone - a solitary outing without distraction from company. It is to intended to stimulate the senses - taste, sound, sight etc. The date can be anything from going to a gallery, a concert, a movie, a festival, or walking in the garden.

In addition, there are weekly exercises to complete. It does speak of a God, though to me, it is more about the human spirit and inner strength rather than any of the world's religions.

Over a year ago now, I was loaned the book by a friend and quickly become absorbed. It seems I was not alone. As I explored the internet, I found that 'The Artist's Way' has a huge following and an equally big reputation.

For quite a few weeks I was driven by it, I bought my own copy and was rising every morning at 5am to complete my morning pages. In addition I was doing all the exercises and taking myself on my weekly artist dates. As I worked through the early exercises, there was an amazing momentum building around me. I was writing without restraint and my mind was alert to new ideas. It was an exciting time for me.

And then somehow, life, an especially crazy phase at work, and eventually pure mental exhaustion took over and, almost as quickly as it had entered my life, it vanished. But not completely...

A few weeks back, I stumbled across a blog of a woman who works in the creativity field in Melbourne and is interested in doing the program with a group - to act as a support network. Although it is in the early planning stages, I have already told her of my interest. And then, over my week-end away, The Artist's Way was part of our philosophy discussions.

All the signs are pointing in one direction, and it seems, once again, as if the destination is inevitable. It is time to begin again, to commit to the entire 12 weeks and to make a start. If I want to be more creative, it goes without saying, I have to live my life more creatively. It seems a good place to start afresh.

Ask and the universe shall provide...

A story about white feathers...

Many years ago now, when I was working and living in London, there was a woman who was coming to London to hold a seminar that I wanted to attend. Her name was Denise Linn. Denise is an international lecturer, healer, and author who teaches about the benefits of working with subtle energies, feng shui, and space clearing.

OK, go with me here, I can already hear groaning from some people. Keep an open mind...

She teaches from wisdom she has learned from Native Americans as well as from other native cultures around the world and is a widely acclaimed speaker. Nowadays she has written 14 books, covering areas which may or may not be of interest to you from Feng Shui to Sacred Spaces. In any case, I really wanted to go and see (hear) her speak. The sessions were unsurprisingly rather pricey. And so, whilst I wanted to go - a lot - I couldn't really justify the cost.

Part of her marketing said if white feathers started to appear in your life, then it was a 'sign' you were meant to attend. I am pretty open minded about these things, however I am also of the belief there are a lot charlatans out there. Unfortunately there are also a lot of gullible people who follow blindly without questioning and this sort of ploy could well be looked upon as a bit of a gimmick (or at worst a scam). I was a little bit cynical, never the less, I decided to keep an open mind and be more awake to any signs that might come my way.

Over the course of the next few weeks I did find white feathers entered my life. Or perhaps I was just more aware of them! Of course they were in the park around areas where birds gathered and of course they were around areas where there was open air eating and birds picked their way through spared crumbs. It was, I decided, an excellent marketing tool... I was not an easy convert.

The day I walked to the bus stop and a white feather drifted down from the sky and landed in my hand, it did seem a little out of the ordinary, and yet I remained unconvinced. The week-end before the talk, I sat in my front room arguing within my head as to whether I should just 'bite the bullet', pay the money and go along to the seminar. Finally I decided I needed a stronger sign, something more conclusive.

I asked that white feathers come to me in the form of a pattern. That would be the only way I would be persuaded. And then I went for a walk.

My partner and I walked to Chiswick House and gardens. This heritage house is beautiful and set in a 65-acre estate in West London and it was a local favourite on a Sunday afternoon. I did not speak of my 'request'. We talked as we wandered along and enjoyed the fresh air and quiet escape from the busy streets. Not far from where we planned to stop for a drink in the garden cafe, I looked down to the edge of the path and there, delicately arranged, were 5 single white feathers set out like the spokes of a wheel. Seriously. It took my breath away. There was no question. White feathers. Just as I had asked. Amazing.

Needless to say I attended the seminar and was impressed by what I heard. Denise was indeed an interesting person to hear speak. She had a certain calm and belief I admired. I couldn't tell you the details now (it was nearly 20 years ago and the details have faded somewhat) but I do remember her words touched me at the time. White feathers still remind me of that magical moment.