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Well, ladies and gentlemen, we made it. It's officially the only day of the year where a large amount of chocolate is a sign of popular... -
Are we all just dolls in a plastic grey world? (Courtesy: Looking Glass) The other day I went for a job interview. I didn’t get the job...
Saturday, 30 June 2012
Hey everyone,
This isn't a proper post or anything, but I happened to see Adam Hills' show 'Inflatable' on iView this afternoon. It's not a new show: from what I know it toured way back in like 2009 or something, but it's well worth the travel back in time. Regardless of whether you think he is funny or not (I happen to be lucky enough to find his sense of humour absolutely top-notch in a very relatable and colloquial way - which, ya know, is a pretty good thing), the point of this show, or at least the meaning for the title of show, is such a beautiful and endearing concept that I'd highly recommend finding time for it.
Here's a link for anyone interested (which should be all of you):
http://www.abc.net.au/iview/#/view/884148
And while I'm at it, I think people need to recognise this guy for who he is. He's basically the nicest comedian in the world (NOTE: Have not done nearly enough research for this opinion to be validated. Should probably not be trusted) and I really think he does fantastic things not just for entertainment, but for Australia and of course for the disabled. What a role model for everyone. If you're wild enough in spirit, go just a bit nuts and give this guy a round of applause. Right now, no matter where you are! And don't explain what you're applauding for to anyone, not under any circumstances. Okay, now we're getting ridiculous again. Seriously, though, if you have time, check out 'Inflatable'. I really hope people can get as much out of it as I did.
This isn't a proper post or anything, but I happened to see Adam Hills' show 'Inflatable' on iView this afternoon. It's not a new show: from what I know it toured way back in like 2009 or something, but it's well worth the travel back in time. Regardless of whether you think he is funny or not (I happen to be lucky enough to find his sense of humour absolutely top-notch in a very relatable and colloquial way - which, ya know, is a pretty good thing), the point of this show, or at least the meaning for the title of show, is such a beautiful and endearing concept that I'd highly recommend finding time for it.
Here's a link for anyone interested (which should be all of you):
http://www.abc.net.au/iview/#/view/884148
And while I'm at it, I think people need to recognise this guy for who he is. He's basically the nicest comedian in the world (NOTE: Have not done nearly enough research for this opinion to be validated. Should probably not be trusted) and I really think he does fantastic things not just for entertainment, but for Australia and of course for the disabled. What a role model for everyone. If you're wild enough in spirit, go just a bit nuts and give this guy a round of applause. Right now, no matter where you are! And don't explain what you're applauding for to anyone, not under any circumstances. Okay, now we're getting ridiculous again. Seriously, though, if you have time, check out 'Inflatable'. I really hope people can get as much out of it as I did.
Saturday, 23 June 2012
After the failure of the previous post in explaining my
purpose for this blog, I thought it best to just get things under way and let
things happen as they will. This is perhaps good practice for life as well, if
you are that kind of person.
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| If this does not warm your heart, I sincerely hope I don't know you personally (Courtesy: garryknight) |
And this is where I began to think, for before now was
simply ‘left foot, right foot, birdie, car, tree, tree’. These newfound thoughts were
about silence.
It tells us a lot more than you'd think that it could. For instance, I knew from the kind of silence
between these two that they had been together for years. Twenty, I guessed, if
not more. That’s quite specific for what was in practical terms nothingness,
but amazingly enough I am certain I was right. And there’s a certain pride they
wore which comes from that bond, which I think when we’re serious we can all
agree we long for.
There seems to be this impression that ‘silence is longing’
and all we can do is dream of the other life which for whatever reason we didn't quite get, but I don’t believe in such bitter things or anything
quite so macabre. Not about this. Instead, I think we’re all in want of some
kind of peace. Peace like enlightenment, except instead of knowing heaps or
whatever we’re content to simply sit and breathe the air that we’re in. I know
it sounds like crap and I’m generalising like a madman (READ: politician/artist/anything
remotely religious) but why else do we grow old and quieter, instead of the
opposite way around? Is it that we grow tired from the constant youthful bustle
of noise and brazen excitement, or is just that we only later in life find ourselves
comfortable waiting, thinking, praying, being?
I grew up on a farm, so maybe my ideas are purely my own stemming from all of my country town-ish experiences,
and perhaps I’m overstretching by a long shot in assuming anyone else at all
has these wildest of conceptions, too. Still, for all the rushes of the city,
the activity and passion (which I love, to be clear), surely eventually things
have to wind down when we bring ourselves to calm.
It’s something that I think the Japanese do really well, in allowing themselves to be quiet for the right amounts of time (although if you’re
looking for proof of this, don’t go to anime or manga. But do go to them if you’re
cool and want something awesome to read. Just saying). Here is a picture that I
took of a man in Yoyogi-koen (ie. a park just outside Shibuya in Tokyo):
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| I took this photo, that's right. Now where's my award? |
It’s a tradition on Sundays for buskers to come out to Yoyogi-koen and play their songs and do little performances for everyone to see. Nobody really loiters anywhere (at least not when I was there), but people move through
the park doing mostly their own thing, and you’ll see dancers and actors
rehearsing and whatnot. Very cool stuff. As you can see, it was winter then, so
there isn’t a lot of colour (although that, for me, made it even more thoughtful
and emotive), but here we see a man playing his drums in the middle of the
park. All alone, with not a single person watching. Well, except the strange
white tourists with the rudely loud cameras...
There’s a concept called mono
no aware, which I suppose I’d describe as a wistful or somewhat gentle
sadness for the inevitability of passing time and having lost things with it.
It’s not an idea exclusive to the Japanese. Historically, I don’t even think
they were the first to devise it (far from it, based on what I know). The
reason I stick with mono no aware
(which using my fairly basic Japanese vocabulary, translates roughly to “the
sadness of things”) is because of the slightest essence of optimism that they
seem to have attached to it. Much like the Japanese culture in itself, I get
this sense of sentimentality in such a perfectly, richly and studiously sliced
amount, where it blends itself so well with the existence of life, of emotions
and consciousness.
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| Death looks sure pretty for flowers (Courtesy: monkist) |
So what a blessing it would be, to have found someone who
joins you in that moment. Silent, connected by a wordless foundation of trust
and happily consenting dependence, almost as if they need never speak again. So
yeah, I saw an old couple yesterday. It was kind of cool. Kudos to them and all
that they meant for me.
P.S. This post was NOT just an excuse for me to post
pictures of pretty Japanese gardens or adorable old couples. It was NOT!
P.P.S. A much more visceral experience of mono no aware can be found at http://nighbluey.blogspot.com.au/2010/02/mono-no-aware.html. Feel free to check it out.
So, let’s figure out what this place is and what you guys (the
non-gender-specific version of ‘guys’, whereby I am not actually implying
anything other than that you are people and at least occasional readers making
you immediately closer to my own heart, and therefore making this a simple expression
of kinship or some such casual concept. So don’t get all offended if you’re the
feminist type) should expect to see. Firstly, as we can see, there will be the
occasional rant. Don’t take these too seriously, unless you think there is in
fact some validity to what has been said, in which case take up arms with
brevity and passion and post a comment or something.
I think also there will be stories, creative things that
come in the night like a unique stench or a haunting tapping noise. Perhaps not
quite so affective as this, but certainly the idea will be that I will share
with you the stories I’ve had on my mind, whether this is via short story, poem
or whatever.
Another will be recommendations. Things I think are special,
or interesting, or valuable. This includes authors and books. A few other writers
have been talking about this really neat idea, which is so, so simple but
apparently unthought of. It can basically be summed up as “if you read
something and you like it, share it.” People have been doing this for years
through borrowing books to friends and talking rabidly about the characters or
twists. Why then, do we see so little of this on the great social medias? Writers need help wherever they can get it from whoever
will give it, so please, be impelled by the quality of what you read to tell
people about it.
Here's my book for today:
By Australian fantasy writer Margo Lanagan, Tender Morsels is dark, twisted and really quite cruel a time for its characters. A fairy tale at heart (anyone who has read the Grimm’s Snow White and Rose Red will see the strong connections at work) with the bitterness of the postmodern age and the sweetness of true magical fantasy. It may be tough, but the author, bless her soul, isn’t unforgiving. Certainly, there is plenty here to be made awkward or confronted by. Beginning with a rape scene that slams you like a falling house, the narrative of Tender Morsels stems off casual violence and bestial tendencies (in the most poetic ways, of course) before stepping so effortlessly into times so sweet, so touching and enduringly non-bitter that there is a fantastic scope of emotional variety. I’d recommend Tender Morsels to the strong-hearted who through it all still love to feel sometimes.
This is longer a review than you need to do. Even a “Have
you read this book? It’s really great!” will be such wonders for an industry
that’s struggling like ever. If you can find a way to pick this up, please consider it.
But back to the blog! Of course there will be more than what
I’ve mentioned already. Anyone who knows me well probably suspects that I move from
interest to interest like reading from a global phonebook taken page by page.
Expect more to come, but I’ll try to keep it contained to the interesting parts
only.
And just so you know, this was in fact me giving up on
finishing this entry because frankly, it could have gone for much, much longer
and was already probably longer than even medically advisable. That’s probably
a good warning for you of the way things will go.
Thursday, 21 June 2012
Welcome to the Boobahdore! I'm not sure if this greeting actually means anything yet, as I'm still not entirely sure what you're being greeted into. Hopefully nothing too detrimental to your larger lives, although if anybody asks for your credit card details at any time, you know what not to do. Otherwise, just try to have a good time. Pull up a chair, if you can find one. Someone will be along briefly to take your order... or, well, I dunno... chat or something.
Welcome!
P.S. The next post will be a proper one. If you can bear to wait that long, please hang around.
Welcome!
P.S. The next post will be a proper one. If you can bear to wait that long, please hang around.
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