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