The lyrics of Keith's song expresses something of how I feel tonight, it is by no means exactly how I feel, but I heard it in my itunes tonight and played it a couple of times more and thought yeah, that really is how I feel tonight. I am fine, just a little melancholy. It is the kind of feeling that encourages me to relax, have a moment to stop and take note of the way things have been. I think tonight, as I work hard on some photographic projects ahead of a very busy day tomorrow, feeling a little drained and overworked, of friends and family. Some here, some gone and I am grateful for each of them. Life can be so hectic at times, I have not stopped for a breather of late and whilst I am not crying, OR drunk, the song seems to encapsulate something of what I feel applies tonight, and rather than dismiss or ignore the emotion I embrace it for tonight.
Here is a picture of Keith I took when he was performing in Martin Place for Channel 7.
Alone in this house again tonight
I got the TV on, the sound turned down and a bottle of wine
There's pictures of you and I on the walls around me
The way that it was and coulda been surrounds me
I'll never get over you walkin' away
I [have] never been the kind to ever let my feelings show
I thought that bein' strong meant never losin' your self-control
But I'm just drunk enough to let go of my pain
To hell with my pride, let it fall like rain
From my eyes
Tonight I wanna cry
Would it help if I turned a sad song on
All by myself, [it] would sure hit me hard now that you're gone
Or maybe unfold some old yellow lost love letters
It's gonna hurt bad before it gets better
But I'll never get over you by hidin' this way
I [have] never been the kind to ever let my feelings show
I thought that bein' strong meant never losin' your self-control
But I'm just drunk enough to let got of my pain
To hell with my pride, let it fall like rain
From my eyes
Tonight I wanna cry
I've never been the kind to ever let my feelings show
I thought that bein' strong meant never losin' your self-control
But I'm just drunk enough to let got of my pain
To hell with this pride, let it fall like rain
From my eyes
Tonight I wanna cry
Tonight I want to Cry - Keith Urban
Australia, you're standing in it
This is a collage I created for Janet Basco, an accomplished and talented filipino singer last Sunday night.
Haven't written for a while, it has been raining in Sydney and surrounds now for the better part of 5 days...and whilst there are inconveniences, I love it. I love that the parched ground is receiving much needed moisture from the heavens. I love that the moisture from tributaries and inlets are making an impact on our combined water reservoirs in the Sydney area. The rain has come with a return of winter's chill as well, which is never a problem for me; I love rugging up and feeling cosy. One of my happy memories as a child was curling up with a Doona (quilt) on the lounge, having some food nearby and watching TV. It’s still something I love but rarely if ever do these days. I stood in the rain again this morning, and whilst it was cold, I love the exhilaration I feel as the drops come in contact with my upturned face, and as the drops reach my skin through the clothing. I am convinced there are neighbours of mine who think I have lost it...and perhaps they are right. I just love to feel the sensation. It is not the same as ascending Everest or skydiving, but to me it is equally as satisfying. It is akin to the feeling I have when I walk barefoot on cold frozen grass in the cold of winter as the blades crunch and bend under my feet. It is just wonderful.
We are also in the grip of electioneering and it is a very different thing here than in the Philippines where I was earlier this year at the height of their elections and the method of how they do it. Our practices between these two vastly different places are very different. Without going into too much detail, in the Philippines their campaigns and promotions assault the senses, some are just a laugh, a deep belly laugh in the happiest sense. On the other hand though I was watching the Taglish (Tagalog / English) news one night and they mentioned the stats of a sub category of elections I had never heard of before that point, called simply election related deaths. What the? Yes, a number of people die in elections there at election time. Sad but true. If I am not mistaken, when I was watching the news report on that station I heard election related deaths listed at 200. There was even one candidate running in Luzon (northern section of the Philippines) killed from what was assumed to be a disgruntled opposing voice. Like most of life in the Philippines, it is different there. For me it is a land of contrasts. They are an incredibly gifted nation of people. A famous Australian friend of mine calls Filipinos the Irish of Asia, and added they are the workers of the world. He said even going to Antarctica and other nations around the world, he has travelled to and written about, he found Filipinos working very hard. He has been to some 150 countries to date.
But back to elections here, I have photographed both John Howard and Kevin Rudd and find Kevin to be a much more personable person than what I found of John Howard, but the situations were slightly different. The fact that Kevin is seeking to be elected, and John Howard has "been there done that" is not lost on me either. My pessimism believes that irrespective of what tune they play or say, the result is that they are ostensibly the same. I am a bit of a person who believes in the fabled Shangri-La where peace, love and harmony are not lofty ideals but actual tenets of living. Ok, it is unrealistic at present, but it is nonetheless a goal I wish we could reach. I saw Burt Bacharach in concert at the Sydney Opera House a couple of months ago, and was amazed at how his music has become the soundtrack of many thousands of lives. I was particularly interested with his new material, which he says is his most important work ever. He almost apologised for his less melodic voice, as he sang songs from his latest Album, as they are songs about the world he once grew up in, and wondering where it has gone to now. He is in his 70's and said that he is worried every day about his children who are growing up in a world that is radically different and scary. His song, which I have mentioned in a previous post, called What The World needs Now, Is Love Sweet Love, has never been more appropriate and important as it is now.
I am not an avid or passionate follower of politics; I do however like the system that in America prevents anyone from serving for more than two consecutive terms. In my mind, that helps "keep the bastards honest", or at least accountable. I think anyone who stays in power for as long as John Howard has, irrespective of Party is not healthy. We need a change for sure. Change is good mostly, and it always helps me find a new way of looking at things. When all is said and done; Australia is a very nice place to live. I love visiting busy places like Manila, where there is a pulse and a heartbeat that just doesn't exist the same way in our fair land, and I love standing in the middle of the road in Times Square New York, or on the Vedette Du Pont Neuf in Paris, or even at the base of the Petronas towers in Kuala Lumpur or in the middle of Las Vegas' strip, or even in the rice field of Macahig on the island of Leyte in the Philippines or even in a dive hotel in regional Australia. I have not visited 150 countries, and I have not climbed Everest, or sailed from Tierra Dell Fuego and Ushwya to Antarctica, but I like to believe and imagine I am a citizen of the world. I love the chance I have to exist and experience the things I do. Each experience and each person touches my life for good.
I am grateful for my cameras and lenses and the growing ability I have to see the world through the lens. I love people and over the last few days, I was able to photograph many friends, old and new, and some performers and am just happy to be here. Oh, and I have decided that there is an iphone somewhere in the world with my name on it!!!! I have decided after looking at a friend's one the other night that this is a gadget that will rock my world!!! I am going to get one! Thanks for showing me Jim. Love ya.
Peace and love to you all today.
