The last day of the year

We went down to the beach for a last swim for the year. It's overcast and raining occaionally but we still went into the water. We thought about walking up North Head to wait for the fireworks at 9pm but that was still six hours away and the weather didn't look promising. So we're home again, inside waiting for the telecast of the fireworks instead. All of the boys are playing at home, chess, the ipod touch, and other games.

By George Hidden Networks

Infinity Forest
Chan, Cordeiro & Hepworth
A green oasis in the City in the space between fire escapes.

Forgotten Songs
Wong & Towey
A canopy of birdcages with the songs of birds no longer heard in the City.

The Meeting Place
ASPECT Studios, Serlot, Herbert & Mason
A playful installation that encourages passers by meet each other.

The Urban Barcode
Mayer, Tribe Studios, Hadley & Carr
fluorescent lights make the bar code to Gehl's book "Life between buildings" while underfoot is painted the barcode of Jean-Luc Godard's "Two or three things I know about her".

Seven Metre Bar
Goodwin, Lowe & McGregor
If the polar ice caps melt Underwood St will be under 7m of water, also the depth required to submerge Greenland. This installation is made from man made objects and the flotsam and jetsam of human over consumption. At night four days a week the alley becomes the Grasshopper Bar and images of intense weather are projected on the sceen on the side.

Fim Review of Bright Star

Jane Campion's Bright Star delivers all that it promises and more.
As I don't want to spoil the experience of seeing it for you.
I am just going to say that I was moved and enjoyed seeing this aspect of Keats poetry transformed to the big screen through his romance with Fanny Brawne.
The filming is true to it's nineteenth century setting. The relationships between the characters are charming and realistic. The butterfly scenes are reminiscent of all young girls in their obsession with first love. Further Keats poems are recited by Ben Wishaw as Keats over the final credits.

Crag Walk to Sailors Bay

Alex's Poem

The lion gets a hint of french fries.
But realises its a trap and runs to hide.

The lion's teeth and claws form a defensive shield,
So there's no challenges in the barren field.

The lion goes out to hunt for prey,
Then skillfully ticks his calendar off for May.

Global Warming

Global Warming is actually happening to our planet. It is a by product of the success of the industrial revolution and our ongoing love affair with using non renewable energy sources and human made materials.
It is becoming a political football sent between the cash cows of those with more and unpalatable to those with less.
However we are all going to pay the price if Greenland melts under 7 meters of water from the Arctic Circle.
It means more unpredicatable weather, rain and storms in Summer and warmer weather in Winter.
Many households are reducing their energy footprint and recycling.
Not supporting carbon based industries is going to take more effort from everyone. Major polluters of the world must end their output if we are to continue living in the earth's atmosphere.
I also would like to see the countries of the Pacific reduce and eliminate the waste in the Northern Pacific Geyer.
Several people are currently swimming or rowing across the Pacific to show everyone what is happening to our planet. Not to mention Jessica Watson as she circumnavigates the globe in Ella's Pink Lady.

Let's get it together right now - everyone.

A-Z of K-Great

Today when I went to pick Nick up from Kindergarten we were presented with a DVD of all of the children in his class saying goodbye to Miss Giblin their teacher. The presentation was organised from A to Z by the children's first names. Needless to say most parents will be in tears of sentimentality by the end of this great DVD. And show it to all of their friends and rellies over the holidays. Thank you Miss Giblin for making Nick's first year at school a memorable and rewarding experience.

Take Your Time

Today we went to the MCA at Circular Quay to see the Olafur Eliasson exhibition.
Above is "One-Way Colour Tunnel 2007".
Walking through it one way it is monochromatic. From the other end myriad shades of blue, purple, yellow and orange are glimpsed. The exhibition will run at MCA until 11 April 2010. If you are in Sydney it is a definite go see at $15 for adults and $10 for concessions. Children are entranced by the many colours of the exhibits, its mirrored surfaces and the lego table all in white bricks.

Keats 1795-1821

Jane Campion's latest film Bright Star is opening in Australia this week.
About the relationship between Fanny Brawne and John Keats at the end of his short 25 yrs of life. The poem from which the title is taken is

Bright Star! Were I steadfast as thou art

Bright star! Would I were steadfast as thou art -
Not in lone splendour hung aloft the night,
And watching, with eternal lids apart,
Like Nature's patient sleepless Eremite,
The moving water's at their priestlike task
Of pure ablution around earth's human shores
Or gazing on the new soft fallen mask
Of snow upon the mountains and the moors -
No, - yet still steadfast, still unchangeable,
Pillow'd upon my fair love's ripening breast,
To feel forever it's soft fall and swell,
Awake forever in a sweet unrest,
Still, still to hear her tender-taken breath,
And so live ever - or else swoon to death.

J.Keats

This poem attributed to Keat's relationship with Fanny Brawne is both romantic and prophetic in its desire for an unconsummated but undying love in death.
There is a new edition of Keats poems and letters out to coincide with the film, including an introduction by Jane Campion describing her study of the poems as she conceived the movie. Most bookshops are selling it this week for $27.95 and including a double pass to the film next weekend.
Naturally I am look forward to seeing the movie "Bright Star" next weekend and will post my review afterwards.

The next big thing

What sort of predictions can I make for 2010 - as the planet enters the tweenies. Those years before the teen years of the 21st Century.

Solar cars entering the sales showrooms of major car dealerships,
The building of new public primary schools and high schools in NSW as a result of population increases in the under 15s. I know that out area is down at least two schools.
Food shortages in the developed nations in conjunction with food price increases of over 10% after climate change continues to cause drought conditions in Australia, Africa and South America.
Employment changes to reflect increased numbers of people using the caring industries.


What would I like to see:
A retrospective of Pro Hart's paintings at the NSW Art Gallery from the Broken Hill collection. He is probably the most under rated Australian artist of the 20th C.
More live jazz.
Free public transport in the City Centre of Sydney with a bus that travels from Wynyard to Central Station.
The emergence of a new group of Australian authors from all parts of the country with a resurgence in poetic art forms.


What are your hopes and wishes for 2010? Send me a comment -

7 New Year's Resolutions

1. Spend less save more
2. Work harder at a work life balance
3. Eat chocolate often
4. Spend time with friends enjoying Sydney
5. Create more garden beds with native plants
6. Write creatively and fluently, edit less often
7. Publish landscape shots on the blog from our travels

Twilight Sailing

Tempest - Sailor's Bay Sea Scouts Boatshed

Hey, I'm Tom, the eldest son. Today is Monday and just in case you don't know it's Twilight Sailing. Today I might be going out on Ron's yacht. She is called EraWai, which means breeze in Aboriginal and is a boat which has a good handicap. Here's to sailing!

4S Concert Song

Alex and his class sing We Are The World

There comes a time
When we head a certain call
When the world must come together as one
There are people dying
And it's time to lend a hand to life
The greatest gift of all

We can't go on
Pretending day by day
That someone, somewhere will soon make a change
We are all a part of
God's great big family
And the truth, you know love is all we need.

(chorus)
We are the world
We are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day
So let's start giving
There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
It's true we'll make a better day
Just you and me

Work Party for Kids

And a jolly good time was had by all in Centennial Park today.

Christmas Party at Ann's

Jon

Catherine &David

Silent Night

Holy Night

All is calm

All is bright

Christmas Concert

This week was Nick's Chistmas Concert. Kindergarten have their own concert and it is held over two days. Nick was in the choir on the first day then one of the Donkeys at the second concert. The theme for the concert was Christmas and its celebration in many different countries around the world. Santa Claus and Mrs Santa Claus were travelling from country to country with Rudolph the Red Nosed reindeer complete with a flashing red nose. We went to Germany, Italy, Mexico and Hawaii as well as to Australia. Each stop on the way had it's own song.

And here is a video pic of kindergarten singing We Wish You A Merry Christmas and it doesn't get much better than that!