Visual Diary

Sorry guys, I tend to loose inspiration if I don't get comments these days. The reason is I am actually keeping a visual diary off line as well.

Ive titled this collage "Love At Midnight". This is the closest thing Ive seen so far, as a still, of how my dreams look.

And a personal best at the bench press of 34.5kg.

Collage Enhanced

Im loving this medium and this time I played with the image in Picassa. Im batteling with myself about enhancing images, not sure how that pans out with copyright. Ill have to do some research on that subject.

A Relaxing Day

Bangarra 2

I'm still having flashbacks about that performance last night. There is so much to ponder.

Today at belly dancing I was able to squat for the first time in 10 years. I'm so wrapped that I can do that now, Ive been practicing at home on and off all afternoon. Belly dancing is really difficult for me because of the dyslexia but I'm not giving up. I just take a while for my body to be able to speak the language of dance. The birthing scene in last nights performance...............theres no words for that.

http://www.abc.net.au/arts/video/tv_program/messagestick.htm#videoTop

Bangarra

Just got home from seeing this wonderful group perform. This is the best live stage show I have ever seen. Lord of the dance with Micheal Flattely comes a dull second.

It creeps up on you and before you know it there are the shivers the tears and lots of emotions fleeting by. Most of the dancing horizontal to the ground, the music haunting, props simple but complex at the same time. Themes such as blankets, busted car turned on its side, use of sticks, huge elastic bands and the gliding scene of water was indescribable.

Costume simple and tasteful, no actual "star soloist" keeping with Indigenous culture. No rampant sexuality. If I had to use two words to describe it it would be energetic harmony. So gentle but strong.

Friedensreich Hundertwasser

Last night Angelica introduced me to this artist, architect and paid a great compliment to me saying she thinks my art style is in this fashion. So when she left I looked him up on the computer and I just love his philosophy and work. Here are some pearler quotes and links.

"Just carrying a ruler with you in your pocket should be forbidden, at least on a moral basis. The ruler is the symbol of the new illiteracy. The ruler is the symptom of the new disease, disintegration of our civilisation."

"The straight line is ungodly. "

"When we dream alone it is only a dream, but when many dream together it is the beginning of a new reality.”

" I will not build home where by nature and the human's soul will suffer" (this might be a solution for building homes the Indigenous people on the NT might want to live in)

And he once gave a lecture completely naked........

http://www.gruene-zitadelle.de/englisch/index.php?id=6

Collage

Ive never liked collage until I saw this ladys http://teeshascircus.blogspot.com/ work. Here is the first attempt and I think Im already in love with it.

Thank You

Over the past 3 years Ive sought people and organisations out that have helped me in some way that I didnt have the time or courage to say thank you to. And also tell them of the examples. Alot of them said "oh, I didnt realise I did". I want to leave this world with minimal regrets and I just found this video that says it all and with rememberance day just passed it has been on my mind about our solders especially.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSfFYxSdKdo

Toxic Stream

“This toxic stream carries a culture of death where sex is sport, where drugs and drunkenness are rites of teen passage, and violence and death are entertainment. It really doesn’t mater where you live, the toxic culture streams into your child's mind through friends, movies, television and video games and the Internet.” Bill Oliver

He thinks Anna Nicole Smith is the poster child of this culture. Talked about the duty of care to celebrities, allowing the popularity not for the content of her TV show but the shock value.

I think this is one of the best descriptions of how we are living Ive seen so far and it is certainly taking its toll, especially on young males. So many suicides, accidental murders and car accidents. I used to be surrounded by that on a daily basis, numb to it really, had to not care unless it was right in your face, but now Ive moved away and become desensitised its really starting to ..... taken a while to find the word - lacerate me.

Great Day

I'm feeling really happy and harmonious today. I had breakfast with an uplifting friend, went belly dancing then out to see Marie at her home. It was funny because I'm not sure if she recognised me at first so I just sat at the table and Chris (who she shares her house with) came up to check me out. They had a few kisses, which surprised me a bit, but after a while he was saying to her that "shes a fat bitch" to which she replied"your a dickhead" and I nearly burst out laughing. Nothing like these people to reflect back to you how the world sees you. It was charming. I called in to the poetry festival at a pub and got some very handy hints including meeting some editors and authors. It was free and very worth the effort. Then home to photograph my first two garlic heads I grew myself and the Maggie Beer burnt fig ice cream which is exquisite. Life is good.

Gaston Buchelard Quotes

"Childhood is certainly greater than reality"

"So, like a forgotten fire, a childhood can always flare up again within us. "

The subconscious is ceaselessly murmuring, and it is by listening to these murmurs that one hears the truth.

“Childhood lasts all through life. It returns to animate broad sections of adult life. . . . Poets will help us to find this living childhood within us, this permanent, durable immobile world.”

"If I were asked to name the chief benefit of the house, I should say: the house shelters day-dreaming, the house protects the dreamer, the house allows one to dream in peace. "

I went to watch the belly dancing school perform last night and also my friends daughter dance.

My First Friend - Jenny

Taken at the museum in Darwin. Ive got a good grip on Jenny in case she got away on me.

Love and Fear

This afternoon I had a "manager once removed" meeting and left feeling something had been removed. I was feeling so bad about myself when I got home I rang my sister and told her I want her to tell me how deadly I am. She launched the spiel where I'm a genius who holds the department up with all the immense efforts over the years of hard work with hardly any pay. I had to pull her up twice and say no your going too far now, but she wouldn't stop until I got shitty then we both laughed. Thats when some of the fear left. Then this couple in the funniest wedding photos ive ever seen, invited themselves for tea and I really wasn't in the mood especially after the once removed and having minimal food in the house. Im no good at hospitality, but they must have known I really needed them coz they come to tell me they are having a baby. I bawled and laughed, poured over their photos and chose these four which are so hilarious. On the way out Jerry was saying his father was asking where they trying.... I piped up and said more like an Olympic sport... no hands, and we all rolled around laughing. That's rid the fear and I'm full of love again.

Visual Diary

I'm always surprised what appears in my visual diary when I am out of my normal environment.

The drawing of the little Aboriginal girl needed to be done because I could not get her gorgeous smile out of my mind until it hit the paper. The picture doesn't do her justice but I wanted to remember that sweet little face.

Unpacking

Its always a struggle for me to unpack the suitcase when I get home from holidays, but I completed that chore today. And it feels good. I want to launch myself into the next phase of work with out all the overheads dragging me down. I'm feeling that this the way to go. Have a day at home before commencing work. Had a nice breakfast at the botanical in the cool air and just for fun, Will (the bug spotter) and I spent some time in the hot house to get our humidity levels back up.

My Home Smells Good

Ive had a great time away. Before I left the girls at work helped me to get this badge together for the trip. Ive discovered that men love badges and caps oh and my jumper leads that could start a mack truck. Comments and fun conversation arose, like "are you taking the piss?" Whats the TAA Junior Flyers Club about? "Are you a pilot" and "If your here, who's flying the plane?" I'm so cranked on this badge now that I'm going to trawl eBay to see if I can find a real one.

But on the trip back home tonight I had the joy of sharing the plane all the way from Darwin with years 4,5 & 6 from the Casuarina School in Katherine. AND... I might add they were beautifully behaved. All wearing the cold weather jackets for the length of the trip. I'm smiling at the little orange footed scrub fowls.....

And I love the way my dad calls Katherine, Kadjarhine.

And Ive seen the Time Traveller Wife twice in 48 hours and give it 7.5/10

And, And AND

Fudge

Laugh, some one broke in to dads place and the only thing they stole was my chocolate fudge I made and the tray it was in. I think that has confirmed my prowess as a chocolate fudge maker.

This is a picture of dad in his "studio". Hes been making these awesome coffee tables for the past 5 years and the one pictured here is for Laurens 22nd birthday.

Naming

Yesterday I took three of my paintings to breakfast with my old school teachers and my first ever friend Jenny. I bawled when I saw Jenny and it was so good to see her at last. Its been over 20 years. I wanted them to name some of kids in the paintings. Ive recently got dad to name two as well. What was so interesting is the men have found it really difficult to come up with names. I asked dad why and he said he was trying to find someone who looked like my figures. Its kind of cute that the men want to find the right names for my kids. When I get back from holidays Ill be asking my readers to name a few as well.