Imagine Sir James Galway playing 'The Flight of the Bumblebee' on his golden flute and well, that's how this month has been feeling; busy as that very fast, very eratic song. As much as I love that piece, I also feel very exhausted by the time it finishes as well. I remember the first time I placed the needle upon the vinyl and heard it scare the daylights out of me with the first notes. Then, when I was thirteen for only two weeks in 1986, I heard the piece live in Brisbane City watching in awe with James Galway up on stage with that golden flute shining in the spotlight.... I held my breath the whole time and didn't even realise it. It wasn't until I met the man that I realised how wonderfully nice and attentive he was to his fans. And he hasn't come back to Australia since; but I'm watching his tour schedule online waiting so that I can meet him again and show him the photo of when we last met.
But I digress.
This month has been busy. Just in the last two weeks, I've seen my artwork on the television on the '9am with David and Kim' show last Wednesday. It occurred so fast, I didn't have time to let you guys knows. Jim Chambliss and another lady from Epilepsy Victoria had their ten-minutes on that show to let everyone know Epilepsy Week this week and show one piece of my art along with a few others. It was brilliant; but the interview was at the end of the show.
In one of my other blogs - 'My Reading List' - I've had success with the book reviews. A couple of authors have been impressed with how I've written up their books and left a comment on the books I've reviewed. One was for 'Blood Calls' and the other 'Exclusive'. I'm absoluted chuffed about it!
Then, this week, I got to see 'X-Men Origins: Wolverine' on the big screen with Mum at Garden City... so cool! I love Hugh Jackman looking like that comic book character! Mum loved it too. What a movie. By the end of the credits, I wanted to see the whole thing again straight away! Mum wanted to see the X-Men trilogy; which I fortunately have on dvd. So, that was great. But I feel there's another movie between the Wolverine one and the first X-Men one... there were too many questions left unanswered and many more that were posed.
We went for lunch at 'The Book Cafe' and I found two copies of 'Duma Key' by Stephen King and bought the cheaper copy. I can't wait to get into it once I finish 'Thief of Words' by Jack Jaffe. On the way through doing our errands, we ran into some friends and had a chat and then took off into the wet, cool day again.
After that day, it poured rain through Wednesday and Thursday... they were pretty bad. There was flooding and a lot of damage done around Brisbane. I even called Hannah, friend of mine, in the UK to let her know that if they heard anything about wild weather and floods on the East Coast of Queensland that my family and I were okay and not flooded. Our phone call was a great catch up and we talked and laughed about everything and she googled a lot of the places I talked about and she was amazed that Brisbane had changed so much. Hannah is a singer and is recording a new record for export; and so she's hoping to come out to tour. I hope to see her when she comes over here.
On Wednesday, I did my volunteer work, and one of my friends said they'd come in. However, I tried to get them to stay home. However, they showed up anyway and were stuck there for an hour or so until the weather settled enough for them to take off to the train station. It wasn't a busy day at all that day... even the phone was quiet. The lights flickered a few times while the other volunteer I was with and I chatted, read and knitted, otherwise I decided to take off early at 4:30pm because the weather was just really that bad that nobody was going to come in and I didn't want to be stuck there another minute.
Yesterday, I was offered an interview for Epilepsy Queensland. I'm hoping that it works out. Wish me luck with it and I'll keep you posted. Otherwise, this is what has been happening in that last two weeks.... lots, eh?
Friday, May 22, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
Art Vandals and Job Offers
Okay, I've had the most extra-ordinary month... well, half month. Work on another blog of mine has been vandalised and it really ticked me off something bad! And I've had a job offer and I've begun another blog! Yes, I've been busier than usual.
My most recent work on 'A Natural Background' was vandalised in the last month. It's a pretty little brown and beige piece put up in Logan Central and I got photos of it and it was brilliant! Then I walked off to my volunteer work that day; thinking it was would be a great plug for the Logan Art Gallery. Not five hours later, I came back to find my tag I used for it had been ripped off there! Not cut or undone but ripped! Some small-minded idiot who never even thought of coming into the gallery and asking if we knew about the art (or that the artist may have been working nearby) thought the tag was just for them! Idiots! Didn't they think that their phone has a camera on it for a reason? There aren't many phones that don't have them now! I was so peeved that I nearly screamed my anger on that blog... but I didn't. Instead, I was nice and pleasant and said that 'I wish' and 'please don't do that'. Hhmph! Next time, I will not be putting anything in Logan Central.
During the last few weeks, I was offered a job on FlashlightWorthy.com. There's no pay packet, just the joy of sharing what I've read... and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens with it. It's been a little while since I hear back from Peter... however I'll see what happens. I'll be reviewing books that I've read that I think are FlashlightWorthy and I get do to my own blog too... that's where my third blog comes into it.
The new blog is called 'My Reading List' and that's exactly what it's about. I've been reading lots of books since I was young; and thus when I was offered this gig at FlashlightWorthy.com, I thought it would do me a lot of good to get myself a reputation as a reviewer with a difference. So, I've attached my blog's url (www.continuousreader.blogspot.com) to the FlashlightWorthy.com listings I was offered. So far, I've done around 10 or so books in the last week or so with book covers, a review, when I read the book and what the author's up to now. So, enjoy it when you look into my profile and find it.
Otherwise, I'm working tooth and nail through my third Fry Nelson novel... all short stories just like the other two and it's getting very interesting. So is the other books I've been doing. I'll have to get into looking at them again too! The stories in this Fry Nelson are longer than the previous novel; I don't know why, but they are just are.
Anyway, Mother's Day has just past here. I went to my Mum's house and dug up a tea chest full of my brother's and mine old childhood books from the late 1970's and 1980's! Wow! Talk about walking down memory lane! It was so good to find all my Enid Blyton books and 'The Neverending Story' by Michael Ende that I knew I had but I never knew what happened to it! So, I collected together all my books that I wanted and the ones I never wanted to get rid of and I took two 'green bags' (they are green synthetic bags with recyclable plastic bottoms in them) home with me! There are so many books I have now that are printed in the UK and I have two that are made in Japan; and you imagine that! Japan! I'm definately not letting them out of my sight! They are most definitely collecter's items.
While I was in the mood to look at the books, Mum and I got on the computer and looked up some of the books on Bookfound.com to see which ones were worth how much. Mum was absolutely astounded at the prices we could get for them if we sold them at auction. She said that I knew which sites to use and loved it that we could e-mail Bookfound.com and get them to help us when they weren't there too.
For her special day, I bought her two packets of TimTams and gave her a card from my Claude Monet stationery kit. She loved them and even gave me four before I went home... I didn't want them, but she insisted. I had made them breakfast with scrambled eggs (with cream, milk, paprika and seasoning) and cooked up some bacon, tomato and mushrooms. They both enjoyed breakfast - even though it was Mother's Day. Dad forgets that I don't get to cook for people very often; just a cute little budgie, and and even then, it's a matter of just changing her seed from budgie seed to finch seed for some variety...hahaha.
Well, this is my blog for now. Take care until next month. Who knows what's going to happen? Only the Universe in its infinte wisdom! And Happy Birthday Buddah!
My most recent work on 'A Natural Background' was vandalised in the last month. It's a pretty little brown and beige piece put up in Logan Central and I got photos of it and it was brilliant! Then I walked off to my volunteer work that day; thinking it was would be a great plug for the Logan Art Gallery. Not five hours later, I came back to find my tag I used for it had been ripped off there! Not cut or undone but ripped! Some small-minded idiot who never even thought of coming into the gallery and asking if we knew about the art (or that the artist may have been working nearby) thought the tag was just for them! Idiots! Didn't they think that their phone has a camera on it for a reason? There aren't many phones that don't have them now! I was so peeved that I nearly screamed my anger on that blog... but I didn't. Instead, I was nice and pleasant and said that 'I wish' and 'please don't do that'. Hhmph! Next time, I will not be putting anything in Logan Central.
During the last few weeks, I was offered a job on FlashlightWorthy.com. There's no pay packet, just the joy of sharing what I've read... and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens with it. It's been a little while since I hear back from Peter... however I'll see what happens. I'll be reviewing books that I've read that I think are FlashlightWorthy and I get do to my own blog too... that's where my third blog comes into it.
The new blog is called 'My Reading List' and that's exactly what it's about. I've been reading lots of books since I was young; and thus when I was offered this gig at FlashlightWorthy.com, I thought it would do me a lot of good to get myself a reputation as a reviewer with a difference. So, I've attached my blog's url (www.continuousreader.blogspot.com) to the FlashlightWorthy.com listings I was offered. So far, I've done around 10 or so books in the last week or so with book covers, a review, when I read the book and what the author's up to now. So, enjoy it when you look into my profile and find it.
Otherwise, I'm working tooth and nail through my third Fry Nelson novel... all short stories just like the other two and it's getting very interesting. So is the other books I've been doing. I'll have to get into looking at them again too! The stories in this Fry Nelson are longer than the previous novel; I don't know why, but they are just are.
Anyway, Mother's Day has just past here. I went to my Mum's house and dug up a tea chest full of my brother's and mine old childhood books from the late 1970's and 1980's! Wow! Talk about walking down memory lane! It was so good to find all my Enid Blyton books and 'The Neverending Story' by Michael Ende that I knew I had but I never knew what happened to it! So, I collected together all my books that I wanted and the ones I never wanted to get rid of and I took two 'green bags' (they are green synthetic bags with recyclable plastic bottoms in them) home with me! There are so many books I have now that are printed in the UK and I have two that are made in Japan; and you imagine that! Japan! I'm definately not letting them out of my sight! They are most definitely collecter's items.
While I was in the mood to look at the books, Mum and I got on the computer and looked up some of the books on Bookfound.com to see which ones were worth how much. Mum was absolutely astounded at the prices we could get for them if we sold them at auction. She said that I knew which sites to use and loved it that we could e-mail Bookfound.com and get them to help us when they weren't there too.
For her special day, I bought her two packets of TimTams and gave her a card from my Claude Monet stationery kit. She loved them and even gave me four before I went home... I didn't want them, but she insisted. I had made them breakfast with scrambled eggs (with cream, milk, paprika and seasoning) and cooked up some bacon, tomato and mushrooms. They both enjoyed breakfast - even though it was Mother's Day. Dad forgets that I don't get to cook for people very often; just a cute little budgie, and and even then, it's a matter of just changing her seed from budgie seed to finch seed for some variety...hahaha.
Well, this is my blog for now. Take care until next month. Who knows what's going to happen? Only the Universe in its infinte wisdom! And Happy Birthday Buddah!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
No Longer Money-Hungry.
I haven't had paid work for over a decade now. And I've found that it's not so bad. You just have to keep yourself occupied and busy during the day and stay away from the brain-rotting box in the corner of the room called 'The Television'. Yes, that thing was a great invention for its time; but it does serve a purpose... night time use only. During the day, there's more to do than to stare at it. Talkshows bore the living crap out of me! Cooking shows can do the same; especially when the hosts get in the way of what's going on and talk over people!
I love getting up early - even when it's freezing cold - and facing the day. I'll sit on the edge of the bed and stretch and turn and then stand up and look outside briefly before pulling the curtains and looking for something to wear. The morning starts with a good breakfast and a listen to the radio. Then, I get in and do some housework. After that, I have the day to myself. However, sometimes, the housework gets left until later... which is okay to me. I'm in no real hurry to get it done. I do enjoy pottering around the house and getting some things done.
You see, I'm into Bookcrossing and Outsider Art; both of which take up a lot of my time. I'm also a prolific reader. I'm ravenous when it comes to books. It's only April and I'm reading my 12th book! My Mum is very proud to tell people that I read a lot of books and she really doesn't have a clue how many I've read - just that it's over 10 so far. Gardening takes up my time too. I enjoy getting my hands dirty in the potting mix and planter pots. It's just something I love to do.
Something you'll notice is that I'm not money-hungry. I'm on a DSP (Disability Support Pension) and that doesn't pay a lot. I just scrape by paying my bills, rent and groceries (the latter two of which I pay fortnightly) and I put away $150 into a few accounts (one of those accounts in a bill-paying account). I'm not usually left with a lot to play with. So, when it comes right down to the bottom line of it all, I find that I have to shop around for great bargains, buy second-hand clothes, books and lay-by almost everything I want... or save up really hard for it.
I'm only on Bookcrossing because it's an internet site where we all trade books to each other, conduct bookrings (where you get a list of people who want to read the same book and they receive the book, journal it, read it, and then post it onto the next person on the list) and it saves us buying the book. This site has saved me so much money... however I have found that the money I would use buying a book is now used in postage in sending out the books. However, my best finds are always at either garage sales or charity stores.
It's taken me a few years to realise that it's not the huge salleries and big jobs that make us happy. It's the small stuff; the flowers coming into bloom. The great dvd we just watched with home-made popcorn and melted butter. The boardgame we've just played with the family that makes us happy. When we are pushed back into a corner and find that there's nowhere to go, we look around and sit there waiting for the problem to fix itself when really, all we need to do as pick up the book that's sitting on the floor by our feet and open it. Say, that title looks good... have a quick read of the first few pages; it may get you interested yet!
I love getting up early - even when it's freezing cold - and facing the day. I'll sit on the edge of the bed and stretch and turn and then stand up and look outside briefly before pulling the curtains and looking for something to wear. The morning starts with a good breakfast and a listen to the radio. Then, I get in and do some housework. After that, I have the day to myself. However, sometimes, the housework gets left until later... which is okay to me. I'm in no real hurry to get it done. I do enjoy pottering around the house and getting some things done.
You see, I'm into Bookcrossing and Outsider Art; both of which take up a lot of my time. I'm also a prolific reader. I'm ravenous when it comes to books. It's only April and I'm reading my 12th book! My Mum is very proud to tell people that I read a lot of books and she really doesn't have a clue how many I've read - just that it's over 10 so far. Gardening takes up my time too. I enjoy getting my hands dirty in the potting mix and planter pots. It's just something I love to do.
Something you'll notice is that I'm not money-hungry. I'm on a DSP (Disability Support Pension) and that doesn't pay a lot. I just scrape by paying my bills, rent and groceries (the latter two of which I pay fortnightly) and I put away $150 into a few accounts (one of those accounts in a bill-paying account). I'm not usually left with a lot to play with. So, when it comes right down to the bottom line of it all, I find that I have to shop around for great bargains, buy second-hand clothes, books and lay-by almost everything I want... or save up really hard for it.
I'm only on Bookcrossing because it's an internet site where we all trade books to each other, conduct bookrings (where you get a list of people who want to read the same book and they receive the book, journal it, read it, and then post it onto the next person on the list) and it saves us buying the book. This site has saved me so much money... however I have found that the money I would use buying a book is now used in postage in sending out the books. However, my best finds are always at either garage sales or charity stores.
It's taken me a few years to realise that it's not the huge salleries and big jobs that make us happy. It's the small stuff; the flowers coming into bloom. The great dvd we just watched with home-made popcorn and melted butter. The boardgame we've just played with the family that makes us happy. When we are pushed back into a corner and find that there's nowhere to go, we look around and sit there waiting for the problem to fix itself when really, all we need to do as pick up the book that's sitting on the floor by our feet and open it. Say, that title looks good... have a quick read of the first few pages; it may get you interested yet!
Friday, April 10, 2009
Knitted Trees And Other Games
I've had a very productive month; and now it's April, I'll have an even more fun month. My art is going outside. I'm still painting and doing my writing... however, I've found that I can attach my knitting to trees and other objects outside. It's outsider art and my first piece was placed on 7th, April and it's still there. I've got photos on myspace.com/mozette1791 if you'd like to see them; along with all my other art and exhibitions I've done in the last decade or so.
Otherwise, I've been busy as hell doing what I do - writing. I've finished 'Fry Nelson: Bounty Hunter#2' and thought it would do me good to take a little break for about a week and think of some good stories before I dive back into the futurist mayhem that is the life of Fry Nelson. I'm still editing 'Ravenstine Kingdom and the Three Swords' and my other books are being re-read by me and still have some BIG spelling and grammatical mistakes in them. I'm not fussed, I'm just glad I found them.
Little Miss Stevie is going well. In case you're not sure who that is, she's that cute little bird you see as my default. I don't see much of her during the day, so she's on here and myspace.com. And she's a favourite amongst my friends too. So, she's cool. And seeing it's been getting that way on this side of the planet (and believe me, we're going to be in for a cold Winter, seeing the nights have become cooler this early), I've been spending a lot of time with Stevie at night. What we do is: I'll get her in my right hand and she'll just lay there and curl up next to my neck or cheek and go right to sleep; feeling all safe and warm. Once in a while, I hear her click or chirp, but she'll be good for about an hour before she gets restless and I'll put her back in her cage gently and she'll snuggle up against her mirror and snooze. And yeah, I can hear you all saying: 'Aaaaww, that's gorgeous... but doesn't that spoil her?' Sure... but you see, my little bird doesn't see much of me during the day. I'm normally on here writing or surfing the net as a regular BookCrosser and so most of my day is used up on here. So, spoiling her in the early evening is something I do regularly so she knows she's loved.
The garden is looking okay I guess. I'm not real happy with it right now as it does need a lot of work. My folks reckon it looks good, but I see the faults in its design. So, I'm trying to save up the money for plants, potting mix and other things that'll make it look the way I want it to. My garden is the place where I escape to be myself, to celebrate the Sabbaths and just be so I can get into a book or enjoy the silence of the yard on the weekend.
So, Easter is upon us already and the fridge is full of chocolate goodies! Sunday will be a greasy breakfast day (the first in a long time) and I'll enjoy being around the house to just enjoy the place for once. I'll try and stay off here for the day to read the paper; but I don't think I'll stay away for long as I'll have a computer monitor to bring in here to replace my old one. There's a book to read ('I Know Why The Cage Bird Sings' by Maya Angelou. A bookring from BookCrossing) and some other knitted swatches to complete that I'm hoping to attach to other trees before the end of next week is out with my tag on them in ziplock bags to that the weather doesn't get to them.
Until next month's blog, this is Mozette signing off for now. Take care and don't eat too much chocolate over this holiday.
Otherwise, I've been busy as hell doing what I do - writing. I've finished 'Fry Nelson: Bounty Hunter#2' and thought it would do me good to take a little break for about a week and think of some good stories before I dive back into the futurist mayhem that is the life of Fry Nelson. I'm still editing 'Ravenstine Kingdom and the Three Swords' and my other books are being re-read by me and still have some BIG spelling and grammatical mistakes in them. I'm not fussed, I'm just glad I found them.
Little Miss Stevie is going well. In case you're not sure who that is, she's that cute little bird you see as my default. I don't see much of her during the day, so she's on here and myspace.com. And she's a favourite amongst my friends too. So, she's cool. And seeing it's been getting that way on this side of the planet (and believe me, we're going to be in for a cold Winter, seeing the nights have become cooler this early), I've been spending a lot of time with Stevie at night. What we do is: I'll get her in my right hand and she'll just lay there and curl up next to my neck or cheek and go right to sleep; feeling all safe and warm. Once in a while, I hear her click or chirp, but she'll be good for about an hour before she gets restless and I'll put her back in her cage gently and she'll snuggle up against her mirror and snooze. And yeah, I can hear you all saying: 'Aaaaww, that's gorgeous... but doesn't that spoil her?' Sure... but you see, my little bird doesn't see much of me during the day. I'm normally on here writing or surfing the net as a regular BookCrosser and so most of my day is used up on here. So, spoiling her in the early evening is something I do regularly so she knows she's loved.
The garden is looking okay I guess. I'm not real happy with it right now as it does need a lot of work. My folks reckon it looks good, but I see the faults in its design. So, I'm trying to save up the money for plants, potting mix and other things that'll make it look the way I want it to. My garden is the place where I escape to be myself, to celebrate the Sabbaths and just be so I can get into a book or enjoy the silence of the yard on the weekend.
So, Easter is upon us already and the fridge is full of chocolate goodies! Sunday will be a greasy breakfast day (the first in a long time) and I'll enjoy being around the house to just enjoy the place for once. I'll try and stay off here for the day to read the paper; but I don't think I'll stay away for long as I'll have a computer monitor to bring in here to replace my old one. There's a book to read ('I Know Why The Cage Bird Sings' by Maya Angelou. A bookring from BookCrossing) and some other knitted swatches to complete that I'm hoping to attach to other trees before the end of next week is out with my tag on them in ziplock bags to that the weather doesn't get to them.
Until next month's blog, this is Mozette signing off for now. Take care and don't eat too much chocolate over this holiday.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Life is What Happens When You're Busy Making Other Plans
Yeah, I thought to start this one off with a John Lennon quote. It's been three months and I've been so busy with my books, publishers and trying to get grants that life has just passed me by... quite literally. However, whenever I'm working on my books - whether it's editing or writing new stories - I've found that my meals are healthy, but not up to the usual standard that I usually do. The weekends are the worst for me. I start here on the computer in the morning and finish around 4pm and that leaves very little time for planning a meal. My God! If I had a family, they'd starve! So, I've been eating home made vegetarian nachoes and just plain foods to keep myself well. No takeaway foods or junk. I've also taken up my Hattha Yoga again and meditation... it not only helps me sleep, but it also keeps my back from cramping up too.
Otherwise, I've been trying to keep myself out in the garden... well, since the last lot of loud and smelly back neighbours were forcefully made to leave last week by the police, all has been quiet. Fires have caused millions of dollars of damage in Victoria in the last few months and just last week, Melbourne had an earthquake measuring 4.6 on the richtor scale; the largest they've had in 36 years. And now, off the coast of Queensland, there's Cyclone Hamish; which has been dodging itself around 3 - 5 catagories of cyclone strengths. Evacuations have been happening all up and down the mid-Queensland coast.
As I look out my window this Monday afternoon, the day has changed from a warm sunny one with a cool breeze to a cool overcast one with a strong wind. They reckon there's going to be rain and winds for the rest of the week. Well, I'll get a lot of reading done then seeing it may effect the television reception (as it did last night at around 9:30pm).
Over the last few months, I've been finishing off the second book of 'Fry Nelson - Bounty Hunter #2' and editing 'Ravenstine Kingdom and the Three Swords'. Both books are coming along well. However, despite getting a publishing company interested in one of them, I'm having a hard time scratching together the money for the grant. A community grant is out of the question because I have give a lot of the money I make back to the community; which is fair enough. But I read the fine print and found out that the community grants often don't support writers because it's mostly the publishing side that eats up the money and they don't see that as an art (so why include us in the advertising if they're going to take it away from us?). So, I'm going to get into trying out for an Arts Grant from the government... should be interesting.
As I said, my back neighbours have left. They not directly over my fence... they were on the diagonal and backed on the unit complex I live in. However, they were noisy and had two dogs that stunk up the place! Eeew! Anyway, they're gone now. So, I'm saving up some money to get into my garden and fix it up. Sounds great, eh? There's going to be more plants and I'll be also working on my front garden this year too to make it look pretty; not just my backyard, because it's calling out for a make-over. Two small-leaf jades and a rock just aren't the way to go! I'll be getting in heavy pots with hardy plants and other rocks too... but that'll take time. Wish me luck!
Well, this is the end of the blog for now. I'll check in next month and let you know how everything's going with my books, publishing and the garden... it may seem boring to some, but this is life on a disability pension. I don't have a social life, but I have the net at least that's something. :D
Otherwise, I've been trying to keep myself out in the garden... well, since the last lot of loud and smelly back neighbours were forcefully made to leave last week by the police, all has been quiet. Fires have caused millions of dollars of damage in Victoria in the last few months and just last week, Melbourne had an earthquake measuring 4.6 on the richtor scale; the largest they've had in 36 years. And now, off the coast of Queensland, there's Cyclone Hamish; which has been dodging itself around 3 - 5 catagories of cyclone strengths. Evacuations have been happening all up and down the mid-Queensland coast.
As I look out my window this Monday afternoon, the day has changed from a warm sunny one with a cool breeze to a cool overcast one with a strong wind. They reckon there's going to be rain and winds for the rest of the week. Well, I'll get a lot of reading done then seeing it may effect the television reception (as it did last night at around 9:30pm).
Over the last few months, I've been finishing off the second book of 'Fry Nelson - Bounty Hunter #2' and editing 'Ravenstine Kingdom and the Three Swords'. Both books are coming along well. However, despite getting a publishing company interested in one of them, I'm having a hard time scratching together the money for the grant. A community grant is out of the question because I have give a lot of the money I make back to the community; which is fair enough. But I read the fine print and found out that the community grants often don't support writers because it's mostly the publishing side that eats up the money and they don't see that as an art (so why include us in the advertising if they're going to take it away from us?). So, I'm going to get into trying out for an Arts Grant from the government... should be interesting.
As I said, my back neighbours have left. They not directly over my fence... they were on the diagonal and backed on the unit complex I live in. However, they were noisy and had two dogs that stunk up the place! Eeew! Anyway, they're gone now. So, I'm saving up some money to get into my garden and fix it up. Sounds great, eh? There's going to be more plants and I'll be also working on my front garden this year too to make it look pretty; not just my backyard, because it's calling out for a make-over. Two small-leaf jades and a rock just aren't the way to go! I'll be getting in heavy pots with hardy plants and other rocks too... but that'll take time. Wish me luck!
Well, this is the end of the blog for now. I'll check in next month and let you know how everything's going with my books, publishing and the garden... it may seem boring to some, but this is life on a disability pension. I don't have a social life, but I have the net at least that's something. :D
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Strange But True
I have found the when I go away on holidays, everything about me changes. I don't know if it's because I'm not in the same state or the same city/suburb, but when I head off to Brunswick Heads on the north coast of New South Wales, it's as though another me takes over. I settle in and read more books, take in the sea air, listen to ocean breezes at the surf walls as the salt spray mists the air. I even get on a bicycle and ride around the small, rough streets of the place I grew up around during school holidays.
But it takes a while to get as settled in as that. I have to get used to not having the television around and not having the computer to sit in front of during the day. Being a writer, I'm so used to getting my mind into surfing the net and writing and editing the next short story of a book I'm working on that when I go to the coast, it's the most difficult thing for me to unplug from this world and just to go with the flow. For about three days I just sit and look around for hours on end because I'm so up tight about not being able to type on a keyboard and read the letters on a screen in front of me. I get dreadful writer's cramp from trying to keep up with my mind when I'm writing in longhand, and then having to keep a journal of what happened that day... then write a postcard or two to some friends ends up being just scribble.
Strangely, my nails grow nice and strong and long; something that's so alien that I stare at them every day and end up purchasing a nail file because they catch on everything. I sleep well and eat better and earlier in the day. I take a good look around Mullumbimby and comment on how I could easily live in that town because it's so cool and nice and quiet compared to the place I live that's on a main road, with concrete all around and hardly anyone smiling with hot winds all the time through summer.
Yes, everything changes when I go on holidays... even the attitude of my bird changes. She enjoys the cooler breezes and loves sitting out in the cool of the fly out the front of the van where she sings to other birds. But when it came to watching me pack, she knew it was time to come home. She ran around the cage like a lunatic and knew it was her turn soon to have her cage cleaned out; readying her to be stuck in a car for an hour and half until we got home.
Now, we're back at my place, she and I are getting back into our same old routine. But I don't want that. The coast always changes a small part of me permanently... and each year, I let it stick with me. And one of these days, I'll pack all my stuff up and I may end up in Mullumbimby just because it's a nice town to be.
But it takes a while to get as settled in as that. I have to get used to not having the television around and not having the computer to sit in front of during the day. Being a writer, I'm so used to getting my mind into surfing the net and writing and editing the next short story of a book I'm working on that when I go to the coast, it's the most difficult thing for me to unplug from this world and just to go with the flow. For about three days I just sit and look around for hours on end because I'm so up tight about not being able to type on a keyboard and read the letters on a screen in front of me. I get dreadful writer's cramp from trying to keep up with my mind when I'm writing in longhand, and then having to keep a journal of what happened that day... then write a postcard or two to some friends ends up being just scribble.
Strangely, my nails grow nice and strong and long; something that's so alien that I stare at them every day and end up purchasing a nail file because they catch on everything. I sleep well and eat better and earlier in the day. I take a good look around Mullumbimby and comment on how I could easily live in that town because it's so cool and nice and quiet compared to the place I live that's on a main road, with concrete all around and hardly anyone smiling with hot winds all the time through summer.
Yes, everything changes when I go on holidays... even the attitude of my bird changes. She enjoys the cooler breezes and loves sitting out in the cool of the fly out the front of the van where she sings to other birds. But when it came to watching me pack, she knew it was time to come home. She ran around the cage like a lunatic and knew it was her turn soon to have her cage cleaned out; readying her to be stuck in a car for an hour and half until we got home.
Now, we're back at my place, she and I are getting back into our same old routine. But I don't want that. The coast always changes a small part of me permanently... and each year, I let it stick with me. And one of these days, I'll pack all my stuff up and I may end up in Mullumbimby just because it's a nice town to be.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Our Wasted Mindspace
First a word of warning... I wrote this last year in a book, put it to one side and forgot about it. Now, I'm going to type it up here. So, what I say in it will be what came straight out of my mind and put onto the paper... only because I didn't know how to do blogs here online. Now I do, well, I don't write in the book anymore.
My life has changed so much in the past six years. I've done plenty and have a lot more to achieve to get where I want to be. However, for now, I'm happy; that is hard to achieve in this day and age of technology. Life is a gift and not a lot of us realise this until it's at risk of being lost. We don't care for our bodies, our minds; we don't keep up with educating ourselves and have the wont to learn all the time throughout our lives. Our minds have so much potential and it's a waste that we don't absorb and learn and push ourselves beyond our own boundaries of learning.
As from a very young age, we are pushed to learn and experience everything of our world. So, once we get a job and have a family, is that supposed to cease for us but not our kids? This world may not be exactly the same as it was when you were young, but then that's where your stories come into it... to fill in the spaces where school and books don't. Life is to be experienced throughout your life; not only when you're young. We must enjoy ourselves as though we're birds; free from constraints and boundaries, always willing to learn and see life from all angles possible.
It's not just learning we must keep doing; it's our attitude as well. A positive outlook to life will open doors, make the impossible possible and allow us stretch our wings fully, tilt our faces toward the heavens and take flight like the fallen angels we are. We only need to search for knowledge from the right resources and places to educate ourselves; as it needn't cost us thousands of dollars in university fees or loans. Knowledge is a powerful thing to possess; using it correctly requires tact, and when you do use it right respect follows you around. yes, if we use our wasted mindspace, fill it with knowledge - useful knowledge - each of us will learn to respect each others' faults as humans should. But the unfortunate reality is that we don't and won't; that we are in this day and age, still as self-destructive as our caveman ancestors. It is bad enough that it's to the point that eventually, we will extinct ourselves from our own home by destroying our natural resources and thus our very existence.
After that, what do we do next?
My life has changed so much in the past six years. I've done plenty and have a lot more to achieve to get where I want to be. However, for now, I'm happy; that is hard to achieve in this day and age of technology. Life is a gift and not a lot of us realise this until it's at risk of being lost. We don't care for our bodies, our minds; we don't keep up with educating ourselves and have the wont to learn all the time throughout our lives. Our minds have so much potential and it's a waste that we don't absorb and learn and push ourselves beyond our own boundaries of learning.
As from a very young age, we are pushed to learn and experience everything of our world. So, once we get a job and have a family, is that supposed to cease for us but not our kids? This world may not be exactly the same as it was when you were young, but then that's where your stories come into it... to fill in the spaces where school and books don't. Life is to be experienced throughout your life; not only when you're young. We must enjoy ourselves as though we're birds; free from constraints and boundaries, always willing to learn and see life from all angles possible.
It's not just learning we must keep doing; it's our attitude as well. A positive outlook to life will open doors, make the impossible possible and allow us stretch our wings fully, tilt our faces toward the heavens and take flight like the fallen angels we are. We only need to search for knowledge from the right resources and places to educate ourselves; as it needn't cost us thousands of dollars in university fees or loans. Knowledge is a powerful thing to possess; using it correctly requires tact, and when you do use it right respect follows you around. yes, if we use our wasted mindspace, fill it with knowledge - useful knowledge - each of us will learn to respect each others' faults as humans should. But the unfortunate reality is that we don't and won't; that we are in this day and age, still as self-destructive as our caveman ancestors. It is bad enough that it's to the point that eventually, we will extinct ourselves from our own home by destroying our natural resources and thus our very existence.
After that, what do we do next?
Monday, December 8, 2008
This Time
At this time of year, I get to thinking about what I'm going to be doing next year. Last year, I didn't because I had accomplished a fair bit in 2007 and so when December 31 came and went, I sat out the front of my parent's caravan at Brunswick Heads at 5am and looked around the very wet and cloudy morning wondering what the hell I was going to do with my year of 2008. I had a clean slate to do whatever I wanted... nothing... everything.
This was going to be fun!
So, what I didn't do was write out any resolutions. I looked upon this year as a year of 'whatever comes my way, I'll get in and do', and that sounded good to me. A few days later, I came home with my budgie, went shopping and paid the bills. Then, my year began in typical Queensland style with heat, rain and storms. I also began reading as many books as I could this year. Last year, I read 22 books. And right now, I'm up to my 22nd book and it's December. The one I'm reading is 'Eat, Pray, Love' and it's good so far. But I want to read more books before the next few weeks are gone and 2009 begins... I want to beat last year's record. If I can't, I'm not going to sweat it. I'll see if I can do it next year.
This year, I got into a Big Book Giveaway on BookCrossing.com, an art project that included three collages of bookmarks (all of which were donated by bookcrossers), I took part in a national study about epilepsy, migraine sufferers and art and how the three can be linked; this took up a good part of my year. I Then began pulling together my poetry book and a book I wrote last year that was all short stories and novellas and began another book on a character I knew very little about (but it's been very successful).
The collages were shown and books registered on BookCrossing.com were mass released at the showing. I've got art currently showing on the net that's for sale and I've totally enjoyed this year; even when my computer caught itself a virus and I had to move everything off all the drives, onto cds and reformat and redo everything; right up to reinstalling all my programs. Not a fun thing, but it was educational in itself.
Now, it's December, I'm looking at getting together three more books and getting them published through another publisher online, doing more paintings and reading even more books! I'm even going to work harder in the backyard on improving my garden - as it has been a little neglected this year.
This may seem like small stuff to most, but to me it's a lot. Next year, just after we all settle back into our routines, I'll be back into my Christmas shopping... sorting out who's going to get what for December 2009.... yeah, I start straight away.
So, I hope you have all accomplished all that you've wanted this year. If you haven't, there's always next year and that's a good thing. Keep on thinking positive and looking the good in all.
This was going to be fun!
So, what I didn't do was write out any resolutions. I looked upon this year as a year of 'whatever comes my way, I'll get in and do', and that sounded good to me. A few days later, I came home with my budgie, went shopping and paid the bills. Then, my year began in typical Queensland style with heat, rain and storms. I also began reading as many books as I could this year. Last year, I read 22 books. And right now, I'm up to my 22nd book and it's December. The one I'm reading is 'Eat, Pray, Love' and it's good so far. But I want to read more books before the next few weeks are gone and 2009 begins... I want to beat last year's record. If I can't, I'm not going to sweat it. I'll see if I can do it next year.
This year, I got into a Big Book Giveaway on BookCrossing.com, an art project that included three collages of bookmarks (all of which were donated by bookcrossers), I took part in a national study about epilepsy, migraine sufferers and art and how the three can be linked; this took up a good part of my year. I Then began pulling together my poetry book and a book I wrote last year that was all short stories and novellas and began another book on a character I knew very little about (but it's been very successful).
The collages were shown and books registered on BookCrossing.com were mass released at the showing. I've got art currently showing on the net that's for sale and I've totally enjoyed this year; even when my computer caught itself a virus and I had to move everything off all the drives, onto cds and reformat and redo everything; right up to reinstalling all my programs. Not a fun thing, but it was educational in itself.
Now, it's December, I'm looking at getting together three more books and getting them published through another publisher online, doing more paintings and reading even more books! I'm even going to work harder in the backyard on improving my garden - as it has been a little neglected this year.
This may seem like small stuff to most, but to me it's a lot. Next year, just after we all settle back into our routines, I'll be back into my Christmas shopping... sorting out who's going to get what for December 2009.... yeah, I start straight away.
So, I hope you have all accomplished all that you've wanted this year. If you haven't, there's always next year and that's a good thing. Keep on thinking positive and looking the good in all.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Mother Nature's Beauty
There's nothing like witnessing the raw and absolute rage of a Summer Storm. It howls, tearing the trees and branches to and fro; splintering them as though they are meer twigs and pelting the broken pieces through the air as though they are javelins; sharp, fast and deadly. And that's just the wind. What I love to watch is the lightning bringing the darkened skies to split-seconds of daylight only to have the thunder pound and grumble in return. This conversation starts off in the distance and get closer. It's kind of like watching a fight erupt between two good friends, seeing it come to blows then them figure it out. On the way through is the destruction of their disagreement... and what a disagreement!
Besides storms, there's other things I love about Mother Nature. It's not all violence and destruction. I love the way a flower opens and displays its most beautiful colours to the world; along with a heady scent. There's the stars in the sky that look like a scattering of diamonds across black velvet with our lunar satelitte moving across it; ever transient and ever pale with beauty, controling our tides.
The Great Barrier Reef is something to behold. Don't just go by what people tell you about it... actually get yourself there before it bleaches again and again. That dreadful thing is happening. The parts of it that are still beautiful and colourful are just spell-binding.
And it's not just the reef. The vivid blueness of the ocean is something to behold. It can change from sky blue and transcend to a teal where you've reached the deepest of oceans where the waves move and heave against the ship's bow.
Mother Nature's beauty can be found in the smallest things like a lady bug walking across your arm. Or it can be found in the possum that's taken up residence in the back of your garage. The one thing I love about it is that her creatures show up when you least expect them to; when you're having a bad day, they make you smile. When you're sad, they'll make you see something you've missed. That's what Mother Nature's all about really.
Besides storms, there's other things I love about Mother Nature. It's not all violence and destruction. I love the way a flower opens and displays its most beautiful colours to the world; along with a heady scent. There's the stars in the sky that look like a scattering of diamonds across black velvet with our lunar satelitte moving across it; ever transient and ever pale with beauty, controling our tides.
The Great Barrier Reef is something to behold. Don't just go by what people tell you about it... actually get yourself there before it bleaches again and again. That dreadful thing is happening. The parts of it that are still beautiful and colourful are just spell-binding.
And it's not just the reef. The vivid blueness of the ocean is something to behold. It can change from sky blue and transcend to a teal where you've reached the deepest of oceans where the waves move and heave against the ship's bow.
Mother Nature's beauty can be found in the smallest things like a lady bug walking across your arm. Or it can be found in the possum that's taken up residence in the back of your garage. The one thing I love about it is that her creatures show up when you least expect them to; when you're having a bad day, they make you smile. When you're sad, they'll make you see something you've missed. That's what Mother Nature's all about really.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Traveling Is...
I have found that since I began traveling around the world at the young age of nineteen, I was completely addicted to it. However, you don't have to own a passport to do it. And you don't really have to watch all those travel shows to experience those places either. The imagination is a great thing. However, you must be able to use it properly.
With the internet, it's become so much easier to travel around the world and never have to leave your home, your lounge room or your office building. Everything's right there on your computer. The fun part of it is choosing where you want to go today! And then, you click your mouse or press your enter key and away it goes happily searching the phone lines to find what you asked for. Wonderful! But sometimes, it's not enough is it?
I've gotten used to not being able to travel too far. So to me, reading about a far away place or traveling three hours to the coast is - in its own way - a real vacation. It gets me away from my home, my suburb and into a place where I'm away from the television and away from everything else. I sometimes hate it... but once I get used to it, I feel okay. I guess it's because I'm so used to having the control over my own environment that I don't like being away from it.
Don't get me wrong... I have actually been outside the protective beauty that is Australia. My first overseas vacation was Vanuatu and I was nineteen years of age. It was incredibly hot, the Vanuatuans were wonderfully kind and the French were rude (even if I did speak French; which I did a little, but they didn't like it). It was Tiger Shark Season and the daytime temperature ranged between 43 - 48 degrees Celsius. In the evenings, it was around 27 - 35 deg Celsius... not very comfortable. The local water had flouride in it and I encouraged not to drink it. But the place was amazing; even if the army was roaming around fully armed for most of the day... and it creeped me out more than a little.
The South Island of New Zealand was the next place I went to. I don't remember much of this place but I do remember that it was freezing, I caught the flu and was sick for most of my tour. Then, one person I was staying with caught chickenpox when I was about to leave to come home. She had to catch a plane with them.
The UK, Scotland and Wales was my last major trip overseas. And it was my most beloved holiday. It was seven weeks long and I visited and met up with friends and relatives I hadn't seen in such a long time! The one thing I didn't want to do was come home... and it was unfortunate that I did because a week after I got back, I lost my job. So, there went my globtrotting for a long time.
But I still travel... in my mind... in my books... the ones I write and the ones I read. I believe that where there's a will there's a way to get to travel. Life is fun... learning to travel in more than one way is even more fun! Like I said, you don't really need to leave the country to travel around the world - or the universe for that matter. It's just how you look at it.
With the internet, it's become so much easier to travel around the world and never have to leave your home, your lounge room or your office building. Everything's right there on your computer. The fun part of it is choosing where you want to go today! And then, you click your mouse or press your enter key and away it goes happily searching the phone lines to find what you asked for. Wonderful! But sometimes, it's not enough is it?
I've gotten used to not being able to travel too far. So to me, reading about a far away place or traveling three hours to the coast is - in its own way - a real vacation. It gets me away from my home, my suburb and into a place where I'm away from the television and away from everything else. I sometimes hate it... but once I get used to it, I feel okay. I guess it's because I'm so used to having the control over my own environment that I don't like being away from it.
Don't get me wrong... I have actually been outside the protective beauty that is Australia. My first overseas vacation was Vanuatu and I was nineteen years of age. It was incredibly hot, the Vanuatuans were wonderfully kind and the French were rude (even if I did speak French; which I did a little, but they didn't like it). It was Tiger Shark Season and the daytime temperature ranged between 43 - 48 degrees Celsius. In the evenings, it was around 27 - 35 deg Celsius... not very comfortable. The local water had flouride in it and I encouraged not to drink it. But the place was amazing; even if the army was roaming around fully armed for most of the day... and it creeped me out more than a little.
The South Island of New Zealand was the next place I went to. I don't remember much of this place but I do remember that it was freezing, I caught the flu and was sick for most of my tour. Then, one person I was staying with caught chickenpox when I was about to leave to come home. She had to catch a plane with them.
The UK, Scotland and Wales was my last major trip overseas. And it was my most beloved holiday. It was seven weeks long and I visited and met up with friends and relatives I hadn't seen in such a long time! The one thing I didn't want to do was come home... and it was unfortunate that I did because a week after I got back, I lost my job. So, there went my globtrotting for a long time.
But I still travel... in my mind... in my books... the ones I write and the ones I read. I believe that where there's a will there's a way to get to travel. Life is fun... learning to travel in more than one way is even more fun! Like I said, you don't really need to leave the country to travel around the world - or the universe for that matter. It's just how you look at it.
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