Continuing my list of '100 Gratitudes', I am grateful for...
41. 'F**k It. The Ultimate Spiritual Way' by John C. Parkin - this is one of those great books that gets you laughing, and yet it also has a profound message in it as well. Parkin suggests that life is fun, life is meant to be enjoyed, and that using the phrase "f**k it" is a strong way to remind ourselves of this fact. Parkin says fill your life with the things that give you pleasure and bring you joy. Life flows along, without any help from us. So wouldn't it be better to let go of fear and stress and just flow with life? Life is far too short to spend it worrying all the time. And that's what I love about this book because it's so true - I often find myself worrying about little things, flooding myself with tension and anxiety, and for what? How does this serve me in any way? All it does is make me feel awful. And that's no way to live. So F**K IT!! Let go, relax, and move on.
To quote Parkin - "F**k It is a most profane way of saying the most profound thing: that when we relax and give in to the simple flow of life, we will experience the ultimate freedom."
42. bookshops - I've always had a thing for bookshops. I can spend hours in them, just browsing. I love to see all those books lining the shelves, or stacked on tables, or being displayed in the windows. It's not only because I one day hope to see a book I've written on a shelf in a bookshop, but because I simply love books. All books. There is something comforting about diving deep into the pages of a book. I've learnt a lot about life by reading books. Some books inspire me, some books entertain me, some books help me grow a little wiser. Books bring me joy. So when I walk into a shop that is overflowing with books, I'm instantly filled with excitement!
43. 'Fragments. Poems, Intimate Notes, Letters by Marilyn Monroe' - this book was just published recently and I snapped it up quick smart! Marilyn Monroe has always intrigued me. I've read a lot about her life. I've seen her movies. But this is the first time I've read anything written by her. Marilyn wrote many notes and poems, as she tried to make sense of her world and of life itself. She wrote down her feelings, often in poetic form, in an attempt to heal herself of past pains and to understand herself better. This speaks to me because I have always done the same. Long before I turned my attention to fiction writing, I kept a journal of my thoughts. Writing has always been my way of working things out. In that sense I will always be a writer, whether my novels ever find publishing success or not. Writing is a way of life, and reading Marilyn's musings and poetry has helped remind me of this fact.
44. 'Mslexia' - this is a magazine 'for women who write'. I enjoy reading the interviews with women who have achieved success with their writing - it helps to keep me inspired and motivated. And it reminds me that the dreams of a writer can most definitely come true.
Wednesday, 17 November 2010
Wednesday, 10 November 2010
Today is Gratitude Day!
I am grateful for...
37. Cherry Blossom trees - this year my partner and I were in Washington D.C during the annual Cherry Blossom Festival. Hundreds (or even thousands!) of these beautiful trees surround the Tidal Basin near the Jefferson Memorial. We sat in the shade of the cherry blossoms and had a picnic, with the delicate pink petals that had come loose in the breeze raining down on our heads. It was magical!
38. green valleys - as I've said before, green scenery in nature makes my heart sing.
39. yoga - I love yoga as exercise - it's the perfect combination of movement and meditative breathing, and it always manages to calm me. But there is much more to yoga than exercise. I'm still learning about yoga as philosophy, rather than just its westernized association with Hatha Yoga and physical exercise alone. I've read that yoga translated from the Sanskrit means 'union'. As I understand it, yoga philosophy is about self-realization leading to connection to spiritual consciousness and union with the Supreme. A true journey of enlightenment. Just what the spiritual me is looking for in life!
40. meditation - I have a few different meditations that I try to include regularly in my daily routine. I use Reiki meditations, chakra-balancing meditations, crystal meditations and even the good old focus-on-your-breath meditation. I use visualisations to help me switch off my thinking brain and connect to my deeper consciousness. I use meditation to remind myself that life is about the present moment, the here and now, and that sometimes we just need to take a step back and breathe. Our mind will still be there after we take a moment to relax, but hopefully it will be a little calmer, a little less stressed.
Thursday, 4 November 2010
Today is Gratitude Day!
I am grateful for...
33. 'Friends' - yep, I'm one of those people who watches Friends repeatedly. I can't help myself. Even though I've seen every episode at least fifteen times, and I own the entire series on DVD, if Friends is on TV and I'm at home I'm most likely watching it. You know the great thing about Friends? No matter how much I watch them, the jokes still crack me up. It's like I'm hearing them for the first time. That's brilliant comedic writing, if you ask me!
I can't say I have an all time favourite Friends line; because there are way too many hilarious ones. But here are two that spring to mind right now -
i) Joey: "You don't own a TV? What's all your furniture pointing at?!"
ii) When Chandler and Rachel are eating cheesecake off the the floor and Joey walks up, looks at them curiously, takes a fork out of his pocket and says "All right! What are we havin?"
34. New York City - I've been to NYC four times, always with my sister. I can't imagine being in NY without her; it's almost as though the city was created just for us! And I can't really explain why I love NY so much. But it does something to me, that city. It makes me feel like the world is my oyster and that whatever I dream of in life can be mine. I think it has this affect on me because travelling to NY the first time, in 2004, really was a dream come true for me. I'd watched the city in movies (and on Friends!) for years and then there I was, being bustled by the crowd in Times Square, walking through Central Park, gazing down from the top of the Empire State Building, catching the Staten Island Ferry. I was livin' the dream! :-) NYC has also played an important part in the direction my life has taken, because it was while I was there in 2004 that I realised I wanted to write. I was a bit lost at the time but New York City inspired me to choose a path and here I am, six years later, still following the dream!
35. London - another inspirational and significant city in my life. London is where I met the love of my life. London is where I discovered who I really am and who I want to be. London is where I finally grew up. London is where I opened up to my spirituality. Without London, would any of this have happened? Without London, would I still be me? Just how much does our location in the world influence our very being? From my experience I would answer - immensely. Living in London has changed me for the better.
36. St James' Park - one of my absolute favourite parks in London. I consider it special because of the afternoon I spent there when I'd first moved to London. I was alone, sitting under a tree in the shade, notebook on lap, pen in hand, and surrounded by a city that was proving to be an exciting discovery every single day. And do you know what I felt as I sat there? Do you know what feeling was flooding my body, almost bringing joyful tears to my eyes? It was freedom. I was in a new city, embarking on a new stage in my life. I was twenty-one years old; the world was full of promise. Even now, years later, that same intense feeling comes back to me whenever I'm in St James' Park.
33. 'Friends' - yep, I'm one of those people who watches Friends repeatedly. I can't help myself. Even though I've seen every episode at least fifteen times, and I own the entire series on DVD, if Friends is on TV and I'm at home I'm most likely watching it. You know the great thing about Friends? No matter how much I watch them, the jokes still crack me up. It's like I'm hearing them for the first time. That's brilliant comedic writing, if you ask me!
I can't say I have an all time favourite Friends line; because there are way too many hilarious ones. But here are two that spring to mind right now -
i) Joey: "You don't own a TV? What's all your furniture pointing at?!"
ii) When Chandler and Rachel are eating cheesecake off the the floor and Joey walks up, looks at them curiously, takes a fork out of his pocket and says "All right! What are we havin?"
34. New York City - I've been to NYC four times, always with my sister. I can't imagine being in NY without her; it's almost as though the city was created just for us! And I can't really explain why I love NY so much. But it does something to me, that city. It makes me feel like the world is my oyster and that whatever I dream of in life can be mine. I think it has this affect on me because travelling to NY the first time, in 2004, really was a dream come true for me. I'd watched the city in movies (and on Friends!) for years and then there I was, being bustled by the crowd in Times Square, walking through Central Park, gazing down from the top of the Empire State Building, catching the Staten Island Ferry. I was livin' the dream! :-) NYC has also played an important part in the direction my life has taken, because it was while I was there in 2004 that I realised I wanted to write. I was a bit lost at the time but New York City inspired me to choose a path and here I am, six years later, still following the dream!
35. London - another inspirational and significant city in my life. London is where I met the love of my life. London is where I discovered who I really am and who I want to be. London is where I finally grew up. London is where I opened up to my spirituality. Without London, would any of this have happened? Without London, would I still be me? Just how much does our location in the world influence our very being? From my experience I would answer - immensely. Living in London has changed me for the better.
36. St James' Park - one of my absolute favourite parks in London. I consider it special because of the afternoon I spent there when I'd first moved to London. I was alone, sitting under a tree in the shade, notebook on lap, pen in hand, and surrounded by a city that was proving to be an exciting discovery every single day. And do you know what I felt as I sat there? Do you know what feeling was flooding my body, almost bringing joyful tears to my eyes? It was freedom. I was in a new city, embarking on a new stage in my life. I was twenty-one years old; the world was full of promise. Even now, years later, that same intense feeling comes back to me whenever I'm in St James' Park.
Wednesday, 27 October 2010
Today is Gratitude Day!
I am grateful for...
29. mexican food - the Tex Mex version (which I know is probably a major insult to authentic mexican food). I'm a vegetable fajita girl. I love 'em with lots of sour cream and guacamole. I could eat so many of 'em that I could turn myself into a giant vegetable fajita. I love 'em, I love 'em, I love 'em.
30. lists - oh where would I be without my to-do lists? It would be struggle town, population me. That's for sure. I write grocery lists, reminder lists, presents-to-buy lists, people-to-call lists, things to do and even gratitude lists! :-) I just can't help myself. Maybe it's the writer in me needing to put pen to paper, for whatever reason. I don't know. Maybe it's because I can be so forgetful sometimes. Or maybe (and this is probably closer to the truth) I just like to be organised and in control. With lists I know where I am and I know where I've got to get to. Ahh the joy of ticking off a list!
31. J.K Rowling and 'Harry Potter' - I'm gearing up for the release of the second-to-last film next month. Can't wait! But it's not just the films that excite me, oh no. It's the books too, of course! I'm not the least bit embarrassed to admit that as a writer I certainly envy J.K Rowling's success. She did what we all dream of - she dedicated her life to her craft and it paid off. She got to write about what she wanted to, in the way she wanted to, and she was able to inspire us all in the process. I think she is wonderful and I admire her dedication to Harry Potter. I'm grateful for her imagination and how intricately she put that on the page. I'm grateful the world of Harry Potter exists because it has provided me with many, many hours of entertainment.
32. imagination - speaking of J.K Rowling's imagination got me thinking about just how magnificent the whole thing is. The imagination isn't tangible in the physical sense and yet, as any creative person, or child, can tell you; it's as real as everything else in this world. When I'm writing fiction and I'm making up characters and settings in my mind, they become palpable. The world I'm creating in my imagination is just as powerful as the 'real' world. And how brilliant is that?! How truly spectacular is it that we are able to conjure up people or places or events out of nothing, just with the power of our imagination. I'm so grateful for this ability. Without it I would scarcely be alive.
29. mexican food - the Tex Mex version (which I know is probably a major insult to authentic mexican food). I'm a vegetable fajita girl. I love 'em with lots of sour cream and guacamole. I could eat so many of 'em that I could turn myself into a giant vegetable fajita. I love 'em, I love 'em, I love 'em.
30. lists - oh where would I be without my to-do lists? It would be struggle town, population me. That's for sure. I write grocery lists, reminder lists, presents-to-buy lists, people-to-call lists, things to do and even gratitude lists! :-) I just can't help myself. Maybe it's the writer in me needing to put pen to paper, for whatever reason. I don't know. Maybe it's because I can be so forgetful sometimes. Or maybe (and this is probably closer to the truth) I just like to be organised and in control. With lists I know where I am and I know where I've got to get to. Ahh the joy of ticking off a list!
31. J.K Rowling and 'Harry Potter' - I'm gearing up for the release of the second-to-last film next month. Can't wait! But it's not just the films that excite me, oh no. It's the books too, of course! I'm not the least bit embarrassed to admit that as a writer I certainly envy J.K Rowling's success. She did what we all dream of - she dedicated her life to her craft and it paid off. She got to write about what she wanted to, in the way she wanted to, and she was able to inspire us all in the process. I think she is wonderful and I admire her dedication to Harry Potter. I'm grateful for her imagination and how intricately she put that on the page. I'm grateful the world of Harry Potter exists because it has provided me with many, many hours of entertainment.
32. imagination - speaking of J.K Rowling's imagination got me thinking about just how magnificent the whole thing is. The imagination isn't tangible in the physical sense and yet, as any creative person, or child, can tell you; it's as real as everything else in this world. When I'm writing fiction and I'm making up characters and settings in my mind, they become palpable. The world I'm creating in my imagination is just as powerful as the 'real' world. And how brilliant is that?! How truly spectacular is it that we are able to conjure up people or places or events out of nothing, just with the power of our imagination. I'm so grateful for this ability. Without it I would scarcely be alive.
Wednesday, 20 October 2010
Today is Gratitude Day!
I am grateful for...
25. incense - I am burning Nag Champa at this very moment. I love its fragrance and, of course, its mood altering qualities. That's right - the resin actually has a mood altering compound; call me stupid but I only just found this out! :-) I always knew Nag Champa had an effect on me. I always knew it made me feel calmer and helped me to meditate. But I never stopped to think about HOW it did this. Again, call me stupid...
I just love the smell. And there is something mystical about the way the smoke rises too. This was something I tried to describe in a poem I wrote many years ago. Maybe I was under a resin-induced 'high' at the time! ;-) Decide for yourself -
Smoke rises, curling like
a mini twister.
Out of the incense it burns,
a fire flame
of bright white hue.
A torch leading upward
until an invisible breath
blows the flame
into a cyclical dance.
Little smoke e’s
spin and spiral
like carvings
on an ancient cave wall.
Puffs dive as stingrays
might glide through clear water.
Or dragons might sneak
across a night sky.
Smoke spirits ascend
high in seamless air
they twist, they fumble
like acrobats of the mystical.
Or prisoners released
from an incense hell.
a mini twister.
Out of the incense it burns,
a fire flame
of bright white hue.
A torch leading upward
until an invisible breath
blows the flame
into a cyclical dance.
Little smoke e’s
spin and spiral
like carvings
on an ancient cave wall.
Puffs dive as stingrays
might glide through clear water.
Or dragons might sneak
across a night sky.
Smoke spirits ascend
high in seamless air
they twist, they fumble
like acrobats of the mystical.
Or prisoners released
from an incense hell.
26. clouds - not the rumbling gray ones that spew rain at us, but the wispy ones that make patterns in the sky. Remember when you were a kid and you lay down on the grass to watch the clouds go by? Even as I sit here now, gazing out my window at the white fluffies floating in the sky, I can recall the wonder of childhood - when everything, even everyday clouds, had the potential to amaze you.
27. fireflies - it might seem strange for me to include these little beetles on my gratitude list, but writing about clouds reminded me of them. I've only seen a firefly once in my life and it was last year during a trip to the US with my partner. It was summer and we'd taken an evening stroll after dinner. As dusk settled around us I saw these tiny charges of light bursting in mid air. I was mesmerised! I felt the glee of discovering something truely amazing and I was instantly transported back to childhood where everything in the world was new and powerful and full of surprise. For that short moment my adult mind stepped aside and I was able to view those little bursts of firefly light with innocent eyes.
28. forests - green scenery in nature makes my heart sing; its as simple as that.
Wednesday, 13 October 2010
Today is Gratitude Day!
I am grateful for...
21. Inception - I just saw this movie for the second time and I have to say it really blew me away...again. Of course you wouldn't expect anything less than magnificent from Christopher Nolan, the genius who brought us Memento. I love these types of films - the extraordinarily original ones, the movies that never really leave you. They hang around in the recesses of your mind for hours, days, weeks after you exit the cinema. They perplex you, they inspire you, they amaze you. They change your life. I lost myself in the world of Inception. It was unique and oh so captivating. Now that's the sign of a brilliant film!
22. driving - I love being in the car, either as the driver or a passenger. We were one of those families when I was growing up - the sunday drive type family. Especially when we were visiting my grandparents in Sydney. I have many a memory of driving through the city, my grandfather at the wheel. It was never about going to anywhere in particular; the act of sitting in the car and driving around was enough in itself. Once I grew up and got my own car, one of my favourite pastimes was to jump in my car, heading nowhere, and just drive. I'd sing along to my music and feel totally free. And maybe that's what it's all about - the freedom of movement. You're going somewhere, even if you don't know exactly where that is when you start out. Ahh, the joy of discovery, huh? :-)
Ironically, when I was an infant, travelling with me in a car was nothing short of torture. Just ask my family. Apparently, I would cry and scream from my car seat for the entire eight hour car trip from our home to Sydney. And then I would finally give up and fall asleep...five minutes from our destination!
23. internet - I often find myself saying to others - 'what did we do before we had the internet?' - and shockingly I just as often don't know how to answer my own question. One time I literally forgot how to look up a phone number without internet access. Yellow pages, anyone? It's probably a bad thing right, that we rely so desperately on this virtual world. But I don't know. Is it really? Everything is at our fingertips. You want information, you open your web browser. We have access to everything we could ever need. Surely this is great for our growth, our expansion as humans? Ok, I get that mindless surfing is an addictive and negative behaviour. But something I also understand is how the internet has opened the world to us. My eighty-six year old grandfather is online now. I can see him as I talk to him on Skype. This is invaluable given we live on opposite sides of the globe. And just think, without the wonder of the internet you wouldn't be able to read my blog. What a dreary world we'd be living in then! ;-)
24. dancing - much like my singing, my dancing is average at best. But no one ever said you had to be perfect at something to enjoy it. I know I'm in a good mood when I feel like dancing. And I know that dancing will only make me feel even more elated. Dancing puts a smile on my face! Right as I'm typing this I'm doing a bit of a shoulder sway, and a head bob, in my chair - Prince's 1999 is on the radio. :-)
21. Inception - I just saw this movie for the second time and I have to say it really blew me away...again. Of course you wouldn't expect anything less than magnificent from Christopher Nolan, the genius who brought us Memento. I love these types of films - the extraordinarily original ones, the movies that never really leave you. They hang around in the recesses of your mind for hours, days, weeks after you exit the cinema. They perplex you, they inspire you, they amaze you. They change your life. I lost myself in the world of Inception. It was unique and oh so captivating. Now that's the sign of a brilliant film!
22. driving - I love being in the car, either as the driver or a passenger. We were one of those families when I was growing up - the sunday drive type family. Especially when we were visiting my grandparents in Sydney. I have many a memory of driving through the city, my grandfather at the wheel. It was never about going to anywhere in particular; the act of sitting in the car and driving around was enough in itself. Once I grew up and got my own car, one of my favourite pastimes was to jump in my car, heading nowhere, and just drive. I'd sing along to my music and feel totally free. And maybe that's what it's all about - the freedom of movement. You're going somewhere, even if you don't know exactly where that is when you start out. Ahh, the joy of discovery, huh? :-)
Ironically, when I was an infant, travelling with me in a car was nothing short of torture. Just ask my family. Apparently, I would cry and scream from my car seat for the entire eight hour car trip from our home to Sydney. And then I would finally give up and fall asleep...five minutes from our destination!
23. internet - I often find myself saying to others - 'what did we do before we had the internet?' - and shockingly I just as often don't know how to answer my own question. One time I literally forgot how to look up a phone number without internet access. Yellow pages, anyone? It's probably a bad thing right, that we rely so desperately on this virtual world. But I don't know. Is it really? Everything is at our fingertips. You want information, you open your web browser. We have access to everything we could ever need. Surely this is great for our growth, our expansion as humans? Ok, I get that mindless surfing is an addictive and negative behaviour. But something I also understand is how the internet has opened the world to us. My eighty-six year old grandfather is online now. I can see him as I talk to him on Skype. This is invaluable given we live on opposite sides of the globe. And just think, without the wonder of the internet you wouldn't be able to read my blog. What a dreary world we'd be living in then! ;-)
24. dancing - much like my singing, my dancing is average at best. But no one ever said you had to be perfect at something to enjoy it. I know I'm in a good mood when I feel like dancing. And I know that dancing will only make me feel even more elated. Dancing puts a smile on my face! Right as I'm typing this I'm doing a bit of a shoulder sway, and a head bob, in my chair - Prince's 1999 is on the radio. :-)
Wednesday, 6 October 2010
Today is Gratitude Day!
I was away last week so this time it's a double gratitude list!!
14. purple - my absolute favourite colour. It does something to me when I see the colour purple. More than a soothing feeling, it's actually like a coming home, an embrace. It's appealing to my eye, that's for sure!
15. Dawson's Creek - teenage angst at its best! For those who didn't follow this show you might be wondering why I am so grateful for it. All I can say is that it was on when I was a teenager myself; I related to the characters. And the soppy romantic that I am clung to the Pacey-Joey storyline, viewing their developing love with such intensity you'd think it was real life! Embarrassing to admit, or not? I'm sure there are others (women!) out there who know where I'm coming from. Long did I dream of finding my own 'Pacey Witter'...and good news...I have! And my real life version is a thousand times better.
16. singing - I don't have a fabulous voice, but that doesn't stop me from enjoying belting out a tune as often as I can. Music is a wonderful creative gift and I'm so very grateful for it's place in our world. I admire those singers who can bring tears to my eyes with their soulful voice, or can make my heart literally expand in my chest with wonder. It amazes me how powerful an instrument our own voice can be, and how some singers sound like angels to me. Plus - singing is just fun! I love it!
18. cinema - the whole experience of it! Nothing beats going into the auditorium, the lights going out and the music blasting out at you. Films are life changing for me and that's something I'm not embarrassed to admit. I adore them! I've found hope in a movie when I've needed it, I've been warmed by a love story, I've been broken by a tragedy. I know it's not real life, but on the contrary...if we allow films to speak to us, they will. If we allow movies to do more than just entertain us, we can discover something profound about the human condition - each film is a snap shot of a director's intention, a writer's vision and an actor's creativity. If that collaboration, with all its imagination and skill, is not a perfect example of how truely brilliant it is to be a human being, then I don't know what is.
19. turquoise ocean - last year my partner and I had a wonderful holiday in Zanzibar. The colour of the ocean there blew my mind. It was so incredibly breathtaking. I've never seen anything like it. In fact, words fail me, so take a look at the photos below. They say it all...
20. ladybirds - they're so cute!! When I was a little girl I went through a bit of a ladybird obsession. It probably had something to do with the fact that they weren't scary in any way - unlike the heaps of poisonous, or hairy, or just generally freaky, spiders that reside in Australia! So one day I caught a bunch of ladybirds from the grass in our backyard and kept them in a hand-made garden; I used a tupperware container that had a lid with ready-made air holes in it and I filled it with grass clippings and twigs and leaves. I enjoyed playing God - creating a 'natural' environment for my new ladybird friends. I spent hours watching them climb up and down the blades of grass, intrigued by these harmless, beautiful little insects. I especially loved watching them take flight, spread their ruby red wings and dash from one side of the tupperware to the other. Spectacular!
I am grateful for...
13. gelato - I have just spent ten amazing days in Lake Como, Italy, where I managed to sample the gelato in many a village along the lake. My favourite is always to get a scoop of chocolate and a fruity type, say strawberry or mango. Love the combination of flavours! My gelato tip - always get it in a cup. I believe you get more gelato that way (which is of vital importance!) and all you get is the scrumptious taste sensation of the gelato itself, uninterrupted by an often stale cone.
14. purple - my absolute favourite colour. It does something to me when I see the colour purple. More than a soothing feeling, it's actually like a coming home, an embrace. It's appealing to my eye, that's for sure!
15. Dawson's Creek - teenage angst at its best! For those who didn't follow this show you might be wondering why I am so grateful for it. All I can say is that it was on when I was a teenager myself; I related to the characters. And the soppy romantic that I am clung to the Pacey-Joey storyline, viewing their developing love with such intensity you'd think it was real life! Embarrassing to admit, or not? I'm sure there are others (women!) out there who know where I'm coming from. Long did I dream of finding my own 'Pacey Witter'...and good news...I have! And my real life version is a thousand times better.
16. singing - I don't have a fabulous voice, but that doesn't stop me from enjoying belting out a tune as often as I can. Music is a wonderful creative gift and I'm so very grateful for it's place in our world. I admire those singers who can bring tears to my eyes with their soulful voice, or can make my heart literally expand in my chest with wonder. It amazes me how powerful an instrument our own voice can be, and how some singers sound like angels to me. Plus - singing is just fun! I love it!
17. The Sound of Music - keeping with the singing theme...I adored this movie as a child. In hindsight it was probably this film that sparked in me a love of singing. But it was more than that - it was actually the first movie that had a powerful impact on me. I remember watching it at a friend's house and just being blown away by the theatrics of it - ohh the singing, the Alps scenery, the love story. It was grand and amazing to my innocent, small-town-girl eyes. I think I wanted to be a part of it all. And so my love affair with movies began.
18. cinema - the whole experience of it! Nothing beats going into the auditorium, the lights going out and the music blasting out at you. Films are life changing for me and that's something I'm not embarrassed to admit. I adore them! I've found hope in a movie when I've needed it, I've been warmed by a love story, I've been broken by a tragedy. I know it's not real life, but on the contrary...if we allow films to speak to us, they will. If we allow movies to do more than just entertain us, we can discover something profound about the human condition - each film is a snap shot of a director's intention, a writer's vision and an actor's creativity. If that collaboration, with all its imagination and skill, is not a perfect example of how truely brilliant it is to be a human being, then I don't know what is.
19. turquoise ocean - last year my partner and I had a wonderful holiday in Zanzibar. The colour of the ocean there blew my mind. It was so incredibly breathtaking. I've never seen anything like it. In fact, words fail me, so take a look at the photos below. They say it all...
20. ladybirds - they're so cute!! When I was a little girl I went through a bit of a ladybird obsession. It probably had something to do with the fact that they weren't scary in any way - unlike the heaps of poisonous, or hairy, or just generally freaky, spiders that reside in Australia! So one day I caught a bunch of ladybirds from the grass in our backyard and kept them in a hand-made garden; I used a tupperware container that had a lid with ready-made air holes in it and I filled it with grass clippings and twigs and leaves. I enjoyed playing God - creating a 'natural' environment for my new ladybird friends. I spent hours watching them climb up and down the blades of grass, intrigued by these harmless, beautiful little insects. I especially loved watching them take flight, spread their ruby red wings and dash from one side of the tupperware to the other. Spectacular!
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