Monday, November 15, 2004

Woods for the trees


woods4trees
Originally uploaded by Mark Lawrence.
There are times when it gets so difficult to see the woods for the trees. When you've been so busy that you don't know if you're coming or going. Or, even if you did realise you are meant to be going, rather than coming, you just don't know where you're supposed to be heading! You just know you are meant to be going somewhere.

I'm having one of those times. I have been so busy that I've hardly the time or energy to post recently, and have seem to be running dry on ideas.

It's one of those times that stepping back could hopefully give me the sense of perspective to remember where I'm heading, or if I'm travelling in the right direction. But I don't know how to take that time to stop, or where to start figuring out where to next.

Read more!

Tuesday, November 02, 2004

Not just another horse race

Makybe Diva, ridden by jockey Glen Boss, has just won the 2004 Melbourne Club not twenty minutes ago.

Immediately after the win, Boss, with tears streaming down his face in the rain and all choked up at just winning the race, declared, “I’ve only cried like that when I watched my children being born.” For Boss the win was, “the best thing in my working career.”

I think this expresses the huge shift we’ve seen in the world of men and fathers today. Yes, in Australia, men are allowed to get teary and emotional over sporting achievements (or failures). But Boss has so publicly declared his emotions and openly acknowledges that the only other occasion where he had felt so strongly was at the birth of his children. It has to say something about fathers these days. Hopefully, it says more about men in general.

To also give credit where credit is due, Makybe Diva is the first mare to have ever won the Melbourne Cup twice.

Read more!

Monday, November 01, 2004

Happy Day of the Dead

I grew up knowing this day as 'All Saints' Day', but I'm not that way inclined anymore. I'm more likely to appreciate the Mexican's more festive Day of the Dead. Check out Ricardo Salvador's article on this tradition. I can do without the cloying incense, droning rituals, singeing my fingers on candles or trying to keep scalding wax off my skin (strange how the hippies and New Agers have embraced what many are critical of the Catholics for...) - what accompanies the Days of Saints and Souls.

The Mexicans have a great way with melding Catholic and pre-Columbian cellebrations and embracing festivity. And what seems like a healthy appreciation for death. One more thing to thank the Aztecs for - that and chocolate.


Read more!

Out of the blue

This afternoon, while we had family over for lunch, an old friend called me out of the blue. We hadn't spoken in probably a year, if not more, so I was very surprised to hear from her. More surprised to hear she is now in Arnhem Land! We both apologised to each other, profusely, for not keeping in touch more and calling or emailing much sooner. But, cheekily, I said that ours was the type of friendship where we could drop out of touch for a while but pick up again where we'd left off and reconnect, once we'd made contact with eath other again. While I don't want to belittle our friendship, or seem blazé or make excuses for not keeping in touch, I think that some friendships are like that. What's strange is that I came across her email address while going through my addess book earlier this week, and thought to email her soon. Then today's phone call! Weird. I'm glad we're in touch again, as she is one of the first friends I made when I came to Melbourne, and someone I've wanted to keep up my friendship with. So, here's to old friends.

Oh yeah, Happy Day of the Dead, Em. (If I remember your stories about that festival in Mexico, you'll be thinking about it.)


Read more!