This blog has been lashings of fun, but it's reached it's natural end, so I'm closing it down.
Many thanks to all who've been supporters and readers, I'm glad it's been of some use and hopefully some entertainment.
I'm searching my mind for a new project and if it's an online activity, I'll be sure to post a link here.
Adieu mes amies,
Alison.
Tulip Staircase Ghost from here.
Switched on the TV this morn to see a young man performing live ... somewhere... Hmm watching background ...Where is he? This looks familiar. Then the Treasury building - "Aww it's Brissy!" (Underdog city of Australia that is now able to say "Kiss My Bottom Sydney/Melbourne" since it's turned out so cool... and where I spent a misspent youth).
Brisbane is launching National Youth Week with a live music show in the Mall ( I used to call it "The Mauled"). Bris band Butterfly Effect are part of the line up. Pictured:
It's an important week to acknowledge young people in our community and to remember they take the ball from here, in so many ways. (Please don't read that to mean old bags are now washed up).
"NYW is the largest celebration of young people in Australia.
Thousands of young people aged 12-25 all across Australia get involved in NYW each year. NYW 2009 will take place from 28 March to 5 April 2009.
NYW aims to encourage young people to:
From Youthweek website (Check for events)
Ye olde Treasury Building
"People say that your dreams
Are the only things that save ya
Come on baby in our dreams
We can live on misbehaviour"
- performed by The Arcade Fire
Picture from debut album "Funeral" (Tracy Maurice artist).
I've been discovering new blogs to read.Vodka Mom totally stole this from write on, yo and I'm totally stealing it from both of them. And just as an observation, I've noticed some totally brilliant humour coming out of the U.S. in the last few months which makes me think of the relationship between disaster, tragedy and consequent inspired humour. You Yanks are actually very funny! xoxo
The Jewel
There is this cave
In the air behind my body
That nobody is going to touch:
A cloister, a silence
Closing around a blossom of fire.
When I stand upright in the wind,
My bones turn to dark emeralds.
- James Wright
Image from here
I work with adults and children, perpetrators and victims in the area of domestic violence as a matter of occupation - I provide therapy and counsel. I found the following article to be enlightening, reassuring and most importantly, it reaffirmed that this type of work is worthwhile - vital actually.
It's a common hazard amongst private-practice psychologists' to work in isolation and to forget.
The following comes from recent article published by Marie Claire Australia (April 2009)
"Today, one in four Australians aged 12 to 20 witnesses domestic violence, a figure highlighted in a report by the White Ribbon Foundation last November. That's half a million children and teenagers who know their mother or stepmother is being abused by her partner. In September, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd described family violence as 'the great silent crime of our age'...
...Yet the effect on kids of witnessing violence is profound - it can be as damaging to children as physically experiencing the violence themselves...says Dr Michael Flood, co-author of the White Ribbon report... 'It's deeply traumatic for children' ...
...Last May, it (Aust. Federal Government) funded the first-ever review of domestic violence by forming the National Council to Reduce Violence Against Women and Their Children, and its forthcoming report is expected to concentrate on children."
- Article by Anna Saunders.
The effects on children who witness domestic violence can often last a traumatic lifetime.
Coffeeyogurt, highly favoured blogster, has invited us to add to her list of songs to help move a person towards exercising aka getting off the freaking couch. The original cry for sanity was put out by Merlot Mom, obviously a woman after my own heart... am thinking of now calling myself Chardonnay Sister as a tribute.
Anywho's, here's my humble contribution - a choice of songs I love to sit and watch whilst sipping a cold charddy. Oh! I mean whilst doing a yoga headstand.
September: Cry For You A newish song ( for old bags like me anyway)
The Cure: Close To You Robbie Smith and his highly favoured voice (always liked the eye make up too- many have followed him!)
Aw... New Order was formed by ex Joy Division members after the suicide of Joy Divison's lead singer. One must always have a shade of dark whilst exercising. This is a great song:
Spike Jonze (Director of Being John Malkovich etc) is the choreographer here (and you can see the singer from Fatboy Slim at the end congratulating him/them).
I suggest using this one to end your routine. The song itself ends in complete anarchy and then your head explodes:
I know I've had a distinct music bias in my recent posts and I promise to start talking about bathroom sinks really soon, but these girls are so very cool, you have to know about them. Melia and Nerida are the sisters who form Scarlett Affection. They are incredibly talented women, beautiful voices.
Their website introduces them as "Australia's Best Kept Secret". Not for long.
You can hear them at: ABC local
Driving to work yesterday, listening to the radio, I came across intriguing piece of interview with a man called Steven Strong. Details are sketchy here folks, but the upshot is that for decades the concensus of opinion amongst historian-types is that the human species originated from Mother Africa.
Turns out that's not right. In fact our origins were Australian aboriginals. This book details the research and the back-ups ( you know, juicy stories about human skulls etc.) that support this groundbreaking theory.
We are so interesting in this country! Yeah! We are also really freaking dumb since this book has no distribution here except for the two local bookshops that Steven himself has approached: Mary Ryan's in Byron Bay and an unnamed shop in Lismore (ABC radio can't advertise, he was cut off quickly!)
Steven said if the book/theory had to be attended to first in the US and Europe, then so be it. Of course, the Americans have embraced it ( why are we so stupid in promoting our own ideas?) and bless them for that. Hey when you're in New York next, buy a copy here.
Or Amazon. Fascinating stuff.
"It's, as I say, a desire to affirm my faith in life, not in some formal religious way but with enthusiasm, with emotion.... It's a rather joyous song." ~ Leonard Cohen.
My favourite song ever, sung by someone completely unknown to me and she's has nailed it entirely. Covered by scores of high cool artists, this song for me is best handled by a woman called Allison Crowe. I'll even overlook the fact she spells Alison wrong. This is tear-inducing:
For Col.
Saturday mornings are for wearing jammies and watching RAGE.
Ben, my favourite 10 year old drew my attention to this clip on Coldplay. Lashings of fun:
Ok back to bed for my mid morning snooze...Happy weekend!
Inspired by a love of Australian music and a post written by Theresa Lee Duncan.
There is a story behind this. It starts in the year of 1983, when I was 22. I met a man and married him. It was a difficult marriage that ended in 1989.
Amidst the difficulties however, and as a result of this union I developed two long standing relationships: a love of motorbikes and a love and respect for Alison Wafer (pictured above).
The marriage ended and eventually so did my contact with Al.(Please don't think the two events were related).
In September of 2008, I met and fell in love with a man who arrived into my life on a Moto Guzzi 1100 Griso.
"Oh you just love him for the bike", say those evil doer's.
Well sheesh - look at the bike! Nah. He's the bestest, this man.
So after 15 years of quietly observing motorcycles, sideways glancing quick, pointing out the sound of a Ducati to my kids and thinking "That's all in the past", I met Col and willed Alison back into my life.
Alison has been a motorcyclist since her maiden years. I tracked her down via the net and her blog (see this is why you need to keep writing blogs - your old pals find you!)
Et Voila! Australia Day shall now be remembered as the day for reunion.
So I meet the man of my dreams - someone I respect and admire, say yes when he asks me to marry him, get to ride on the back of a motorcycle I sniff/pat with delight AND meet up again with the most interesting woman I've ever met.
And - that's AND! - I decide to learn to ride myself knowing I am completely protected and supported by these two exceptional artists of life.
Life is good!
Alison's artwork here.
Charcoal sketch of (Ben Wa)by Alison Wafer.
It's just so terribly sad. New fires starting up today with windy conditions are threatening more homes. 35 American fire fighters are on their way to help out.
The lives lost are confirmed at 173, expected to increase.
My thoughts and prayers go to the one's who have lost so much and to the emergency workers and fire fighters who continue to courageously work in such harsh and tragic conditions. Give them strength.
There have been huge donations of food and clothing from people particularly in Melbourne but the Red Cross are asking for cash in order to distribute it to the communties in effective ways. About $12 million dollars has so far been donated from Australians to the Red Cross. If you wish to donate go to the Red Cross website.
Picture from ABC newspage