A hint!

sorry, couldn't help myself!

A kiss for luck, and we're on our way......

"Many things in life will catch your eye but few will catch your heart... Pursue those." - Helen Keller

"Happiness is not found at the end of the road, it is experienced along the way. So take not for granted each moment of your life and you will find a reason to be happy each day. Don't worry so much about tomorrow that you forget to live today."
- Author Unknown -

"Far better to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory, nor defeat."
- Theodore Roosevelt

Just a couple of quotes this morning together with a picture of my birth family. I removed their birth dates, which I am confident they will all appreciate, I made this picture which is a culmination of several at our reunion where I was invited and welcomed "back" to the family. It was a very emotional time for me having lived my life being adopted. I will talk more on this subject in a future post. If you want a closer look, I think you can click on the image and it will become a little larger and easier to see and read. Yes, I was born Craig Stephens and adopted into the Peihopa clan. I am the youngest living child. There are two siblings Mary and Aaron who are not in this picture because they both died at a young age, no pictures exist of them that can be found. One of them has a unique story I will share soon.

I am so grateful for a cooler day today. I have a busy day lined up and an exciting evening to follow, but more on that tomorrow. Have a wonderful day everyone.

CP

Remembering a winner called Ched

A note came home with Denzel today from his first day back at school notifying us that there is now a student in his class that has a life threatening intolerance to egg and nut based products. We have been cautioned and politely encouraged to ensure that meals and lunches be prepared with the safety and life affecting care for another. I wonder where and how these intolerances have come about? I do not recall a single episode in my life growing up where I had encountered one single person with this difficulty or whether I had even heard of such a situation. I am not suggesting I am un-symapthetic or even not supportive of ensuring Denzel's meals comply. That is a given. I am grateful that those intolerances are not a daily factor that affect my boy, in the sense that he and we cannot eat peanuts or peanut butter and such that we love and take for granted.

There are so many other things that I see now that I do not recall ever seeing. One of those things I can think of readily is the growing number of wreaths and floral tributes to those whose lives are taken on or by the side of roads. I do not recall ever seeing these as I grew. The statistics and stolid pre-pubescent and post pubescent hormones of late, seem to have little or no acceptance that road stupidity kills, and sometimes even them or their friends. It always happens to someone else...sadly we all know that reasoning to be flawed.

Another sad increase to me is the rise of the homeless. My heart still goes out to people on the street. People who slip through societies cracks. I feel for these people, I do not judge them, in fact at times I have felt like I am a hairs whisker away from them and hanging on a thinner thread. Life can sometimes "deal us a bad hand". I do not think everything in life or perhaps even most things, have any bearing on us as individuals at all. Sometimes things just happen, and when they happen with negative implications, all we can control is our action or reaction. I remember with fondness a great guy I came to know once called Ched Towns. Ched went blind. He possessed a gene from his Mother that only affects men and meant that as he got older he lost his sight. NOTHING he could control, it just happened. I asked him once what made you choose to be so outgoing, he responded and said "Craig, what choice did I have? I could sit there and feel sorry for myself and hate the world or I could move on, and so I moved", and grinned with his cheeky grin.

I would like to quote here from a letter that was submitted to the NSW State Parliament to allow Kane, Ched's son to carry the torch flame during the 2000 Sydney Olympics in Cheds place. It was passed and I saw Kane run in his Dad's place and felt tingles for his Dad, both then and now. I am proud to say I met Ched on several occasions and was moved by the increase in skills and abilities he developed as his sight was lost.To me, and to his family and the thousands who saw the documentary on this wonderful man, He was truly a Great Man. I am wanting to end the post with this letter and then a poem included in the submission to Parliament, simply to highlight the fact that with adversity comes a deeper understanding and strength. And this whole post has been about resilience and windows of opportunities that can open to us when we allow ourselves to see beyond the here and now . Not unlike the beam of light that passes through a glass prism revealing the breakdown of colours that all harmonically unite to give what we accept is a single beam of light, yet inwardly and much deeper is the individual aspects of character that are in a very real sense the fundamental building blocks of who we are.

The Hon. C. J. S. LYNN [10.46 p.m.]: Last week I asked the Special Minister of State, Assistant Treasurer, Minister Assisting the Premier on Public Sector Management, and Minister Assisting the Premier for the Central Coast representing the Minister for the Olympics a question about the possibility of Mr Kane Towns carrying the Olympic torch on behalf of his late father, Ched, during the leg of the relay through his home town of Penrith. Ched had been nominated and selected as an official torch bearer, but his tragic and untimely death on a Himalayan mountain in late January resulted in his name being deleted from the list. I would like to advise honourable members why Ched was such an inspiration to all those who had the good fortune to meet him and to the tens of thousands more who heard his story.

Ched was a graded footballer at Penrith when he began to lose sight. He was completely blind by the age of 19. He found it difficult to come to terms with his blindness. He got on the grog, took a swing at the nearest unfortunate at the slightest provocation, and got sacked from his job at the council. However, he still had to find a way of supporting his young bride, Judy. In desperation, he travelled to the United Kingdom and underwent a bizarre and radical bee-sting treatment in search of a cure for his blindness. Most could stand the pain for only a few weeks before giving up; Ched lasted six months.

He eventually came to terms with his condition. He realised that, while he could not do anything about going blind, he could change everything about his attitude to being blind. With the love and support of his best mate, Judy—and eventually that of his son Kane and daughter Carly—he set himself new goals and new challenges. He competed in more than 200 triathlons, including eight Ironman events. He developed a system whereby his wife, Judy, would swim alongside him and then he would ride a tandem bicycle. When Judy got a bit tired, Kane took over. Ched skydived from 13,500 feet and set a record for the world's first blind free fall from that height. He kayaked from Australia to Papua New Guinea, trekked the Kokoda track, and rode a mountain bike 580 kilometres across the Simpson Desert. He continually set himself incredible challenges. He competed for Australia as a Paralympic athlete.

Ched derived his income from being a motivational speaker. One man who heard him speak, Rupert McCall, penned a poem entitled "Me and Ched". It reads:
He sees a wall of darkness but behind it there's a light
He trusts that it will guide him through the struggle of the fight
There's a knowledge that behind the bad there's always something good
If nothing else his family who always understood
There's a happiness to be alive that grows as he gets older
It started when he took the chip and threw it from his shoulder
So if you see him up a barbed wire fence and obviously stuck
Wish him all the very best but never wish him luck
Cos luck is just an excuse for if he can't get up the hill
As steep as it appears to him he knows deep down he will
It may cause his legs to ache a bit his feet maybe to bleed
But the smallest opportunity is all his heart will need
And me well I remember how he made his presentation
How a blind made my laugh and how he gave me inspiration
And I won't forget the darkness that was taken from my skies
The day it took a blind man to open up my eyes.

Ched was a philanthropist: he donated his time to any charitable cause and gave a great deal of support to the Royal Blind Society. Ched's most recent and challenging goal was to climb Mount Everest and set the world record for a blind climber. He had trained on mountains in New Zealand and the Himalayas and died tragically on his latest climb at 6,800 metres
Ched & Judy with Ched's intrepid dog, whose name i have forgotten.

What an inspiration. I remember having a long discussion with Ched about his parachute jump and it was amazing, I still remember his passion and excitement. I honour Ched Towns in this post and honour his strength and love for life. I can still see his smile in my mind's eye. I salute you Ched! I would like to leave such an impression on the world and perhaps leave the part of the soil on which I inhabit a little better for having walked here.

CP

An ode to service...

Wasn't it a hot night last night. I found it hard to sleep. I think the air conditioner is aging and needs replacing. My brother -in -law had a birthday the other day and last night was the first chance we had to celebrate. We went to Lone Star steakhouse and found the food to be excellent. I looked on the website before leaving and found what I thought to be a great special, that kids eat free on Tuesdays and was really pleased. It would save me $20 odd bucks for Denzel's meal. Fine, in we sit and as I am ordering, I mention the offer to the waitress (waitron - is the new name I have been told is non gender specific and non discriminatory! what the ? ), anyway, once I mentioned the offer, the waitress gave me the look that says you have no idea what you are talking about and when I was adamant that I had seen the offer she beckoned to the manager, a young lady came to the table and looked condescendingly at me with that smile that says "You are wrong, I am right and so you are plum out of luck!" at first her response got me angry, but I paused quietly and then said, "excuse me have I done something wrong, have I been rude or have I offended you?" she responded, "no, why?" I said simply "because if I am not mistaken, you are condescending to a customer and all I am saying is that I saw the offer on line seconds before coming here". I can imagine she hates me, but I just wanted to understand why I was getting the response I did, if Idid nothing to offend her, and I was ensuring nothing in my behaviour warranted the response. As it turns out we were both correct. I had searched the internet and simply typed in Lone Star steaks and sure enough there was the website with the kids offer...but on closer examination it was for the U.S. Lone star. ....oops! This was discovered when I returned home.

So the offer was NOT available on the Australian website. I am eating a slice of humble pie now. I do wonder however, where the term "service" has gone. All it would have taken to rescue my respect, and dignity is to have said simply sir, Craig - as they have my name and details on computer as I walk in, whatever, we are not aware of that offer, but would it be possible to print that off when you get home?, and if we have been in error please let us know tomorrow and we will refund the amount of the kid's meal. Enjoy your Meals! Welcome back, it is great to see you here again.

I ask you is that too much to say? Or is it too much to ask for words like that? Make no mistake, I am not asking perfection of them, as they could expect it of me in reverse for which I would dismally fail. I am just saying, where has the courtesy and kindness gone? It is a dying art in this country it would seem in my limited experience.

I say this country primarily because in America they get paid on tips, as their wages for waiters are much, much lower and so courtesy will determine how much money they get. I don't ascribe a reversal of wages or conditions for people in Australia, but please bring back the courtesy and respect for patrons. I had the same thing walking into a retail store the other day, I stood quietly and politely as an attendant glanced up at me and continued talking. I waited, quietly further and then the phone rang, he glanced at me and and after some almost 10 minutes of me waiting another sales person approached me and asked if I was OK. I was grateful and proceeded on with my business. I fully appreciate the guy was busy, but not even an acknowledgment or I am with a customer sir, be with you in just a moment. I knew it was not a customer because I could see him laughing and covering the handset, but again, I don't require perfection of him, but it is a growing trend that even other people are chatting about to me on odd occasions and so I offer this lament to Service, a kind and aging friend we so often took for granted. It is however, blossoming at Timeline Photography!!!

The other day many people in the photographic Industry left Sydney and headed to Las Vegas for the International PMA - Photo Marketing Association's biggest show held in Las Vegas. Obviously I am not there, but I was there for the last one, and I really liked Vegas for a visit. It is a giant theme Park. I thought I would share some pictures I took there.

This is the Belagio Hotel/ Casino and has Dancing Fountains set to music playing differently every 20 minutes at night and it is mesmerising and beautiful. Check this You Tube clip out! The music and water show changes every performance!. Just wonderful to watch.


This is a view of the Vegas "Strip" from the Paris Hotel / Casino Eiffel Tower, a 50% smaller Exact replica of the real one I have been on. The green building to the left is the MGM Grand Hotel/ Casino and boasts 5,500 beds. everything seems bigger there...and it is!

Lastly, this is my personal favourite, the Venetian Hotel/ Casino based and constructed as though it was imported from Italy itself. They even have gondoliers paddling and singing through a man made aqueduct INSIDE the hotel, with a painted roof that gives you the open air feel as though it is late afternoon, and I was there at two in the morning. It is an amazing place to visit. I found this brief You Tube sample of a Gondolier singing, note the architecture around him, all italian, and the blue sky and clouds above him are all painted on a huge ceiling, and it does look real. I swear if you stare at it and walk ever so slowly it appears that the clouds move, or was that just because I was sleepy.:0)

A completed advertisement I created

A short post today, I wanted to share a design and photography layout I did for a function centre in the Hills District of Sydney called Springfield House. I was quite pleased with the result, though where the green colour appears, I wanted a softer pastel blue which I thought was much more visually appealing, but the client is always right!. A simple business philosophy that I always maintain. It is the hard thing about doing what I do. I can always submit what I think looks or "feels" better, but the paying client is the final arbiter. A saying I heard once that I have never forgotten is;

"Customers make pay days possible for all of us!" and thus it is.

The advertisement is published in the Sydney Wedding and Complete Weddings magazines.

CP

The Southern Highlands

Today we drove to the Southern Highlands and spent what was a wonderful day looking around the area. I have been there many times over the years but always driving through with work, but today I stopped, I breathed in and enjoyed the delights of this part of the state. We went to the Belanglo State Forest, Sutton Forest, Exeter, Bundanoon and Penrose. All lovely places that are worthy of spending time at. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I thought I would place a couple of pictures here of some of the architecture I saw and loved.

The picture of Todd's real estate is here because the wording, Motivated.... caused me much thought about the context, the meaning and the thought about many of the words we use, the contexts and suggestions those words invoke. Motivated? I would certainly hope so if you are taking a good commission! It reminds me of a restaurant that I saw once that had a big sign on the front that said "Good Food" I was led to wonder why he needed to reinforce that message. Had something happened there to cause people to doubt the quality. Musings on words and questions that an active mind like mine creates.

The church is one of the nicest buildings I have ever seen. I fell in love with this place when I saw it. I have determined that if I "get there" with my photography I will construct a place whether it is my studio or home or holiday home that looks like this, without the cross on the roof though. It is just so beautiful. I loved the aspect, the strength and simplicity of the design. I loved the pitch of the roof and the grounds were just gorgeous. Hummmm still poor at the moment though!!

That's all. It would appear I have been quite prolific in entries over these past few days. I just couldn't stop from wanting to write my thoughts and activities over the Australia Day weekend, again not for anyone to see necessarily, but to express my life and the fact I am living and experiencing more. Where has 2008's first month of January gone?

CP

Holding a good thought for President Hinckley

The sad news today at the passing of a great and humble man that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints revere as Prophet, Seer and revelator, Gordon B. Hinckley at 97. I had the pleasure and honour to meet this man twice. I was always impressed with his ability to make people feel as though they were the most important person. The reports are legion from people who worked with him and those who were touched by him. He encouraged the importance of "Standing for Something" and throughout his 97 years his life attested to that fact. What a man!

President Hinckley was known, even at the age of 95, as a tireless leader who always put in a full day at the office and traveled extensively around the world to mix with Church members, now numbering nearly 13 million in 171 nations.

His quick wit and humor, combined with an eloquent style at the pulpit, made him one of the most loved of modern Church leaders. A profoundly spiritual man, he had a great fondness for history and often peppered his sermons with stories from the Church’s pioneer past.

He was a popular interview subject with journalists, appearing on 60 Minutes with Mike Wallace and on CNN’s Larry King Live, as well as being quoted and featured in hundreds of newspapers and magazines over the years. During the Salt Lake Olympics of 2002, his request that the Church refrain from proselytizing visitors was credited by media with generating much of the goodwill that flowed to the Church from the international event.



President Hinckley's passing has also caused me to think more on other wonderful men of God from other denominations I have had the pleasure and honour to meet either through my photography or association. I recall with a particular fondness, Australian Priest Cardinal Clancy, who was the second man in the vatican to Pope John Paul for many years. I love the message these men of religious standing espouse. They champion the virtues of love, honesty, morality, civility, learning, forgiveness, mercy, thrift and industry, gratitude, optimism and faith.

I hope I am a better person from learning more about these people and other good people wherever I find them.

CP

On today, and on the country I call Home

Today was an interesting day, I went out this morning and then went to photograph a Russian Orthodox wedding. What an interesting event. It is hard not to appreciate the diversity of experiences I have that might otherwise pass me by in life doing something else. Which I have to say, would make me poorer for missing out on the vast range of experience I enjoy. I noted with some degree of interest, the pictures of Deity and of the Saints, and of Mary and others. They are distinct from the region, and as you can see are different to the images I have seen and grown up with. The whole layout of the church and the style of the ceremony was foreign to me, and whilst I did not understand much, if anything at all, I really enjoyed the experience. It was humid inside a weatherboard church in Blacktown / Doonside but where else would I see and experience such a thing? The priest was precise, and reminded the small but restless crowd gathered that "Be quiet, this is a house of God!"

I also wanted to make note of how it felt over the last couple of days to be Australian. I am very proud to be. I was born in New Zealand but some years ago became a naturalised, certificate bearing, Australian, and was proud I did. I have been blessed to live in this fine country and would be proud to support it's standards. I appreciate the freedoms we enjoy and wish that all those who ventured here to these shores would embrace the freedoms and liberty and recognise that they exist because Australia is largely a tolerant place. Compared to many other lands in the world we are nothing short of fortunate. Like so many things it isn't perfect. There are some things about the country, like taxes, the price of some items compared to other parts of the world that are exorbitant by comparison, occasional pockets of racism and prejudice - and they are small, but inspite of the occasional disappointment and few small minded people, I love this place.

I remember being in Palo, Leyte in the central Visayan region of the Philippines once, famous for where World War II General Douglas Macarthur declared, "I Shall return". I was there as an observer to celebrate the commemoration of Macarthur's return. I recall that with then President of the Philippines Ferdinand Marcos, the widow of General Macarthur and a host of other countries dignitaries, they honoured all the nations who supported the "rescuing" of the Philippines from the hands of the Japanese. When they played the Australian national Anthem, I had been away from home for almost 13 months and I found myself weeping, I think I was one of only a few Australians there but I was proud. Very proud, and missed the country I call home.

I often have disagreements with my mum about why I am not a proud All Blacks supporter, and why I cheer when Australia wins in a sporting contest, my retort then and now is simply, "I live under the freedoms the country affords me, I earn a living here and feel grateful and proud to support the country whenever I can". I didn't want my comments to become overtly patriotic, but I just wanted to express the gratitude I feel for being here.

Lastly, is there something wrong with me? Why are we giving this loser priest in the US any airtime at all saying that death is the best thing that ever happened to the family of Heath Ledger. He has come out and condemned Ledger for being "gay". Has someone not told this guy that Heath is an actor? and don't actors "ACT"?! Heath's sexual orientation is none of my, or his concern anyway.

I don't give a tinkers toss whether someone is gay or not, the point that matters most to me is, what kind of people are they? I am not speaking collectively here, but individually. what kind of person am I? In my limited understanding of things religious and of my understanding of God, He will one day judge us for what we have done, or what we haven't. He will possibly judge us for what we did to help lighten the burdens of another, when we in the west are largely in a position to do something. How do these so called "God Fearing" people honestly think that by intimidating, humiliating and belittling people actually benefits the cause of God?, or will serve as an inspiration to others who may be searching for spiritual enlightenment? The sad man who goes by the title of "Priest" plans on picketing the funeral service of Ledger in LA. All in the name of religion? There is an awful lot of terrible things done in the world under the guise of "religion" and I wonder what an Almighty God might think of, at particularly ugly and horrendous moments in the various epochs in the history of Mankind.

Well, enough of of that. I just recognise that one of the aspects of democracy that can be both a blessing AND a curse, is free speech. Something I am grateful for, in even having this blog. So to that end, I uphold this priests right to express his views. I also choose to use my right to ignore him.

CP

Yesterday watching a Tongan Tau'olunga

Yesterday, after transferring files and creating more hard drive space I went to photograph a wedding. It was a Tongan wedding. I am a Maori, from New Zealand, and am fully aware of other polynesian cultures and their practices. One thing I love about Island weddings is their dances - though I enjoy most dancers at weddings! The belly dancers at Tristan & Jrisi's wedding a couple of weeks ago was tremendous also!.

For those of you who aren't as aware of these dances or what happens when people dance at an island wedding, relatives bring in painted Tapa Cloths - which can cost hundreds and in some cases thousands of dollars, quilts and then cover the dancers in baby oil and plaster cash to the arms, shoulders and sometimes chest, NOT breast, of the dancer. Once you pin or place money on the dancer it is almost accepted a practice that you then fall in behind the dancer and dance yourself. It is a simple and wonderful demonstration and a lovely expression. Whilst I saw a couple of young adults pretending how "uncool" it was to participate, the clear majority including myself was happy to be a participant.


I love the simple moves and the confidence these dancers have, it is graceful. All the gifts bought in and presented at the time of whomever dances are given to the bride and groom. They can expect at least two dances, one from each side of the family representing his and her sides of the family. Often, the women dancing are a little larger than societies averages would submit, but the one thing I note each time, is the joy and communal respect accorded the dancers is complete. It is a wonderful thing that in an age when many people are consumed with being skinny or having the perfect figure, people who are simply who they are, are embraced and promoted. It could have something to do with polynesians generally though, but there are a high proportion of people in these races they are naturally larger. Life when you are from the islands is not fast paced or rigorous and the life is good, and therefore food is in plentiful supply. Yesterday's wedding was no exception.

I thought I would share this background so you can see the pictures above, and the You Tube sample below to get a feel and have an understanding of what it is like. The shiny arms on the dancer is the baby oil, and remember the strips of paper are in fact cash!!! all for the bride and groom! I enjoy watching this occur whenever I attend an island style or culture wedding. The You Tube sample is almost identical to what normally happens, though yesterday did not have the large number of musicians it did have all the other elements you can see.



Come to think of it, I love most of the cultures wedding dances I have ever seen. I did a South American wedding one time and the Argentinian musicians and dancers were nothing short of spectacular. I guess it would be fair to say that Dance is a wonderful form of expression all round! I am a lover of dance - I was told I couldn't dance once, but was then told at "least I had Rhythm"! thank heaven for small mercies I guess.

Enjoy.

CP

Walking a trodden path

I have been busy all morning since around 6am transferring images over to around 15-20 double layer DVD's. Images that I am proud of, that are rarely used, and just taking up valuable hard drive space. It has been a wonderful journey going through so many images I have taken, that i have in a measure forgotten about, or just had in the wings. I thought I would share two images I found. The first one is of an Indonesian Girl who was a guest at an Islamic wedding I photographed one time. I think she was all of 16 or so, and i asked if I could take her picture. I thought she was stunning. Not in some psycho sexual or perverted way, but in a sincere, and beautiful way. I took the image. Then I showed her, and Dad was behind me of course, with a stone face thinking I would have motives that were less than I did, but when I showed him the picture, the smile and expression on his face was the same as was on mine I am sure. I don't know what it is, it is something that a director who directed Marilyn Monroe once observed, He said "Marilyn had a something, it was hard to quantify or explain what that 'something' was or is, but she had it in abundance" I think he added that it was an innocence or purity. So whatever this young girl had I am so happy I was able to capture it, even for a moment. She mentioned her name, but I have sadly forgotten.

The next one is of a young lady Tamasin, who is a singer whom I believe has the right stuff to make a career if she so desires. I have heard her sing and was amazed at her voice. She was also the singer of the South African National Anthem at the Rugby Union Match at the Sydney Telstra, Now ANZ stadium between South Africa and Australia. What made that feat more amazing is that she is not, nor does she have any South African blood in her, being a generational Australian.

It occurs to me further, that it is, or must be for some, a wonderful stroll over a trodden path as we sometimes reflect on life, what we have done. In my case I have the occasional cringe for things that I did and said when I was much younger and think, How could I have done or said that? I have thought a lot about my life during my school years which was an interesting mix of experiences, emotions and growth. I went to a co-ed school in Parramatta, starting in Parramatta central then, and ended up in the high school next door called Arthur Phillip High School, which still exists. I even became the School Captain (student Body President) for the americans. I reflect over the 12 years of school I did and agree with a man called Val who once said to me that "life goes by like the click of your fingers". He added, "I recall being 12 then I am 60 it was that fast!", "It didn't feel so at the time, but in the walk over a trodden path it certainly was."

I think if you read the comment on my post a couple of days ago "holding a good thought for Heath" andrewc - is a retiree who gave me some insight into his life in the hope that it might impact upon me to do what I want to in my life.

Carpe Diem! Seize the Day!

I was and am so grateful for his comment. It has caused me much deliberation over the last few days and I am starting to put plans into place that I might be positioned well to follow my dreams and make that step he encouraged, and I have most wanted to do. Thank you andrewc. Whomever you are, I am ever so grateful. It is amazing to me that this online diary or collection of thoughts would attract such a comment, and like ripples in a pond, I wonder if he had any idea how much impact his words have made upon me and upon a couple of friends who responded to me privatey. I am thankful. There are many people I am discovering who read my thoughts and see my pictures, who don't know me. It is a little provoking in the thought realm occasionally, but I enjoy the medium...especially when my life can be so positively impacted by insights from people like andrewc.

I hope that for most of us before we begin something that, not in a totally bland and boring way, but with an eye of humour and self respect, we look toward to the sunset of our lives and think how will this choice or decision I make now be viewed by me then? If I get to the end of my life full of regret thinking I should have done this or that, instead of living with the fear and being worried or afraid of actually DOING what I most wanted, I would have truly squandered my life.

As andrew said, and I paraphrase, DO IT! Nike did and look where it got the designers!!

It was my goal this year to live more powerfully, and I am. It is a sobering stroll. There are so many things that prevent me from moving forward with the pace I wish I could. Previous fiscal decisions and choices have limited my options somewhat, but I know that I have what the greatest of all mortal men have had. A belief in themselves, and a belief in what they are doing. That I have in abundance. I walk a few more steps on the path I have chosen, sometimes I get weary from the barks of would be friends and associates for me to move in a different direction, but I am gathering momentum. I will be running soon!

Equipment
Edgar Guest

Figure it out for yourself, my lad,
You've all that the greatest of men have had,
Two arms, two hands, two legs, two eyes,
And a brain to use if you would be wise.
With this equipment they all began,
So start for the top and say "I can."

Look them over, the wise and great,
They take their food from a common plate
And similar knives and forks they use,
With similar laces they tie their shoes,
The world considers them brave and smart.
But you've all they had when they made their start.

You can triumph and come to skill,
You can be great if only you will,
You're well equipped for what fight you choose,
You have legs and arms and a brain to use,
And the man who has risen, great deeds to do
Began his life with no more than you.

You are the handicap you must face,
You are the one who must choose your place,
You must say where you want to go.
How much you will study the truth to know,
God has equipped you for life, But He
Lets you decide what you want to be.

Courage must come from the soul within,
The man must furnish the will to win,
So figure it out for yourself, my lad,
You were born with all that the great have had,
With your equipment they all began.
Get hold of yourself, and say: "I can."

CP

Sing a lotta TSONGA!!

This is a short post today. Those who know me are aware of my general apathy toward much sport, though I do enjoy the State of Origin Rugby League confrontation matches, and the Bledisloe Rugby Union matches, and even the odd Football (soccer match) here and there. But largely, my sports taste is very selective. That said, I really liked watching Tsonga, the new tennis sensation who has come from nowhere, if I believe the blurb. It was a great thing to watch. I love an underdog who gets up and shows the world a thing or two. Bagdhatis did it a couple of years ago and now Tsonga. What a champion.


However, I still admire Federer, the world's number 1, who has been undefeated and entered the semi finals for 15 straight tournaments. It is hard not to admire the skill and talent of this man who is ranked as the finest player who ever played the game! I heard said in the commentary team last night anyway. I like that he is generous in praise and kindness toward his oponents and gracious in humility and charm. He is a man for all seasons. Should make for a fine match tonight!

CP

Holding a good thought for Heath...

Sadly, the news today of the passing of a burgeoning talent in the form of Australian born actor, Heath Ledger was a sobering and poignant moment for me. I was not a particular fan of him per se, But I did admire his talent, I admired his ability and perspicacity. I feel sadness for those of his friends and family who will forever remember this day as a sad one. I just saw a video short of him saying he thinks he would be a 6 year old 'til the day he dies. He felt like it was a great thing to be young. I agree.
I will hold a good thought for Heath, and feel to express the great shame it is that he has gone so soon. He has certainly left a legacy with his many roles on the screen. I particularly liked him in the Patriot and in A knights tale.

I have been somewhat withdrawn of late. Deep in thought about where I am, where I am going and the direction I want my life to take from this point forward. I am happy I think, though am deeply reflective of my movements, thoughts and feelings. I don't think it is depression or anything, though I have seriously analysed my thoughts on this matter, but perhaps where the feeling best reminds me of, is something like a cat, almost ready to pounce. I sense big things are near, but as the apostle Paul describes in the Bible, it can be a little like "looking through a glass darkly." Meaning, that you can sort of see something, but you cannot see in any real detail. I think that best describes where my "space" is at present.


I have been working so hard and so long to achieve a goal, I am at the point where the fruition of what I want is not evident, and the tendency is to listen to the errant voices of a faceless few who might say give up, and do something different, and in the guise of "helping" suggest moving in a different direction. It is a bugger of a thing really. But one thing that I cannot excuse, nor would I wish to, is to recognise that this is MY life. I have to do what I think and feel is right for me. Lord only knows I balls it up on more occasions than I can recall, but I keep trying. I cannot go and sell Amway, Nu Skin, sunshine, finance pkg's, Mortgage Broking, time share, better Health or any other thing like it. For some people it works well.I personally met a wonderful couple who were millionaires from Amway and whatever. Good for them. It is not something that gets my juices flowing at all. I want to be creative, I want the adrenaline of being instrumental in creating something like images, memories that can and often do, last a lifetime.

It has required patience, and it is not something I am given to easily. My craft has been enervating also. There have been moments in recent days and weeks when I have felt like I have taken one step forward and three steps back. But In the time I take images and work on them in my digital darkroom called the computer, I find it satisfying and richly rewarding. It is sooo much more more than a hobby to me, it is a passion. I get upset and impatient with people at times who say, then this is your hobby? Sheesh!! I am trying hard not to react to it. I just have a growing sense of frustration that I am close, yet I cannot touch it, or feel it...YET. I will not give up. I may not be a very good person with money, I may not be the world's best photographer even, or the best person, brother, son, Father or friend - but I try real hard to be the best I can be. I heard it said once that the greatest battles we fight as people are within the walls of our own souls. If that is true, I fight each day to stay the course and see the task through. I picture myself coming through the rain and enjoying a long country drive through the sunshine without the day to day worries that concern most of us, and being able to feel the triumph of having achieved a measure of what I want because I stuck to what I believed in. I guess, said differently. I want to achieve, knowing I backed myself and believed. I know and feel that I have people who silently and inwardly want me to be happy, and want me to find the Nirvana I seek. A friend said to me at lunch today, "You have a high standard for yourself don't you". I guess I do. "Is that a problem I ask?" I ask it independent of any of you who read here, I ask it to the man I see in the mirror.

Yet with all of the above thoughts and feelings which I have expressed, I have come to understand from someone who spoke to me the other day, and said;" There is no power, no prestige, no position that will give you more joy or true and real happiness than to love your children. They are the true jewels of life". WOW! It sort of puts all, or most of my hopes and dreams into a new and deeper perspective. I do so love my son Denzel. As much as my life itself.

I am growing, slower at times than I wish, but I am looking around to ensure I don't miss the journey or the ride. Not sure when it will stop, but I want to make each day, and each moment count for something.

A man without ambition is dead. A man with ambition but no love is dead. A man with ambition and love for his blessings here on earth is ever so alive.
--Pearl Bailey

CP

Reflections

What an interesting few days it has been. I have had a couple of health issues in the last week which have caused me to really appreciate more, the health I take for granted. I hurt my neck on Wednesday night after a small fall, and yesterday some hours after the event I was seeing a strange object, sort of like stars, only this was more like a sickle shape in the left hand side of my vision, whether I closed my eyes or not. It was reminiscent of a test pattern that the black and white lines run together. It was weird. It went after about 20 mins. Amazing, a mind trip! all without any substances or medication of any kind. It has become evident to me that losing the weight was an essential ingrediant to better health for me. I just feel I have to work more on finding a balance in time, to unwind. I guess I have become more attuned in recent days to the fact that I need to be more aware of what my body is telling me. And right now It is saying I should eat breakfast!!! back in a minute.

Hmm, some rice, with a mince meat patty, vinegar and an egg! Yummo.

I have started to think in recent days what it is that causes me to really relax. I have determined that one of the essential ingredients is nature. I love nature, and whether I am sitting by a rivulet or billabong in the Bondi State Forest on the southern NSW rim or sitting with my camera at sunrise on a northern Sydney beach, or walking through the bird aviary at the Blackbutt reserve in Kotara I drink it all in. I have not been relaxing much of late, and I really need to plan that each week. I envy a good friend Lynn who has a beautiful home in the forest on the central coast hinterland and it is simply divine. I can sit on her covered porch and just drink in the sounds and wind and feel renewed again - her company is good at any time, though the place she lives in is little short of heaven or my imaginings of what peace and tranquility it might be like anyway. I have a wedding to photograph tomorrow but maybe on sunday evening I will go to a beach just to "chill".

I am aware of how busy we are becoming as people. Too busy it would seem to see the beauty or much of anythng that lies all around us. I was in the city on Monday last with an interstate vistor from a major photographic company, and as we were walking around I saw several homeless men sitting to the side of the major city thoroughfares and they generally had a sign that said, I am homeless, please help me eat. Most looked forlorn and down trodden, except one. This particular chap had the racing form guide out and with the feverish intent of a committed gambler was perusing the pages as though his very future depended on it. With an open hat collecting stray coins from passers by, I got a strong impression that no matter what was thrown in the hat, all proceeds would be eagerly spent on the next bet!.

On another occasion I recalled a person with an open hat. I spoke to a saxophonist busker and asked how his collection was doing. He didn't look at all in dire straits financially. He said simply, almost ashamedly, "I needed some money for lunch." I asked "How did you go" he simply said with a smile, "I am off to get something to eat now." I am ever so grateful for being able to "see" things that many people have worked so hard to ignore, they no longer see them anymore at all or so it would seem. The rich colours of the sunset, the darkness of a storm cloud, or the beuaty of the sun's rays that break through the clouds. The picture below shows the storm clouds on Sunday evening Jan 13th under the Sydney Harbour Bridge as the suns rays broke through the small but significant opening in the clouds. I looked around at everyone who was near me to see if another person was looking, or to guage any one elses possible interest at the wonder that was occuring before us, there were none - not a single person I could see. Only when I took some pictures did a young boy say to me "what are you taking a picture of Mr.?" to which I eagerley responded "look at the suns rays over there!" to which he said simply, "ohhh?" when he then proceeded to walk away, almost disillusioned.

I was there to take some pictures of a couple of people. I took some photos of a couple for their wedding invitations and a couple of families who wanted some portraits with the lovely Sydney Harbour in the background....and why not!



A sunset with my car on top of Mount Canobolas in Orange NSW

Sunset Clouds taken as I was a passenger in a car on Sydney's M7 motorway

A sunset in Mudgee in regional NSW

Todays thought...

I have always enjoyed poetry. I have even tried my hand at a few poems and am proud of what I was able to write. I really love the mode of expression poetry is. I am a particular fan of a man called Edgar A. Guest, who lived in the U.S. at the turn of the 20th century. He was reportedly known as a "Poet of the People". I am grateful for his insight, word usage and rhythm. I commend an internet browse on his work. I wanted to share just one of the poems here today that he wrote.

Life
Edgar Guest

Life is a gift to be used every day,
Not to be smothered and hidden away;
It isn't a thing to be stored in the chest
Where you gather your keepsakes and treasure your best;
It isn't a joy to be sipped now and then
And promptly put back in a dark place again.

Life is a gift that the humblest may boast of
And one that the humblest may well make the most of.
Get out and live it each hour of the day,
Wear it and use it as much as you may;
Don't keep it in niches and corners and grooves,
You'll find that in service its beauty improves.

From the book "A Heap o' Livin'" ©1916

Isn't it beautiful? I think so. There are many more gems that he has.

Todays pictures are of Tristan, a songwriter, musician and film-maker. Last Sunday he married his love, Jrisi. She is a South American belly dancer, instructor and accomplished dancer. They are a very sweet couple and I was proud to take their pictures and to show them here.





Have a great day and weekend everyone.

CP

Musings on a balmy January evening

This evening I had my nephew Aaron and his girlfriend Amanda visit from Queensland for a few days. So I did the tourist thing and drove them around the city and showed them some of the sights from the Matrix films. I showed them the best harbour city I have ever seen and then some of the world's best stores like Prada, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Cartier and others and I was gob smacked when Amanda said simply, "all I want to see is Supre!" "Supre?" I asked incredulously? "yep". "Don't they have that in Queensland?" I stammered? "yep, but it's bigger here in Sydney". Go figure! I stood corrected. Oh well so much for that. Ultimately even Supre lovers are amply catered for by their 3-4 floor store in the old Gowings building on the corner of Market and George streets in Sydney.

I also was able to see a beautiful store I wanted and wished to be able to afford something from, and that is in the Nelson Mandela Gallery store in the Darling Harbour shopping complex. I was amazed. These are hand drawn, framed pieces of art signed by the man himself. I wish! Alas however, it was closed, and I couldn't see any prices which is a sign in itself. I have not coveted something so much in a very long time. This man who has walked so large and so gracefully on the world stage, a statesman and a gentle man had original, hand signed artwork here and I so want one...but scarce think I can afford it. He even had a black painted hand print on display framed with his autograph and it was stunning. Hmmm I have to work harder me thinks. I would love one of those pieces on my wall for posterity sake and to think that a little something of this great man could be preserved in my home! Very nice moment to watch, admire and try and figure out how on earth I could afford one of those rare antiquities.


Lastly, tonight, I just wanted to add my sadness of late at the growing incidences of ingratitude I see around me. I am constantly seeing so many people ignore and reject the very basic elements of civility and courtesy which I believe fundamental building blocks in all forms of human relations. Nobody says please anymore, and it would seem very few say thank you. I won't dwell on the growing incidences I find or comment specifically on the actual examples I have encountered recently, but it saddens me. It would seem that in line with this, that the most expensive currency in the world at present is "common sense" which is itself an oxymoron, because clearly it is not common. Well I might be to include common courtesy as well. Not that I believe in a dire prediction, but ever since I saw a Mad max film back in the late 70's early 80's and all futuristic films I have seen since all paint a very dark and dismal future for mankind, and for humanity generally - if that vision is correct we have started on the journey with gusto. I do hold many little shreds of hope that we as a world community of people, can understand that there are many more things that unite us than divide us. Then with that knowledge be more respectful and appreciative of the people who really can enrich our life experience.

Live long and prosper!

Stuck in the middle

I went shopping yesterday for some black trousers. Black is one of my favourite colours. Is there anything it doesn't go with? The difficulty is, and has always been for me, that very few places have a large or classy range of clothes for my size. I am in the middle range of mens clothes. They have quite a few HUGE sizes and then there is heaps of what I call "small" sizes but as for the middle ground where I walk it seems very sincerely like no mans land. Some months ago I was a much heavier person, and a more well girthed one to boot. I have lost some 23 kilos over the last 6 months. I have gone in pants sizes from my largest pants at 126cm down to 122cm then to 117cm then to 112cm and I now have a pair of pants at 107cm. Whilst cuts and sizes for men seem to vary greatly across the range, I have discovered, it has been a huge task to lose that weight. It has not been easy. I did it and continue to do it by not drinking soft drink - I now love water, reducing significantly the sugar I take in and then walking. I walk an average of 6km a day, though over Christmas / New year the distance has been OK but I took a few mornings off. My desire to reduce came about primarily because a Doctor and an iridologist friend of mine, whom I admire and see as a client, said that if you continue down the path of eating without consequences - they will inevitably arrive, and may carry eventualities like loss of sight. It was a much better a way to motivate me to change, than simply caning me with threats and dire predictions. I have always been a person that if you want me to change or want me to do something, motivate me. Enroll me in what you want and the possibilities it holds for me and if the outcomes are attractive enough for me, I will do the tasks required to get there.

The first time I went to the US and France was on a work sponsored trip from a washing machine manufacturer. They basically set me a goal that I needed to sell as close to a million dollars worth of electrical appliances, (as I worked in a major retail chain in Sydney's north at the time), and I would qualify for the trip. At first I tried so hard to sell appliances and went two steps back every time I tried. I think every customer could see I was too eager to sell. So I hit this space when I thought, well I AM going to go overseas - you know it, but act as though you have already been. So I relaxed more and selling was a natural result. The outcome was that I made the cut! I was able to plan and go to the USA and France and have been there since a couple of times as well. It was a great teaching opportunity to me that if I want something bad enough, and imagine that I can do it or am doing something that I want, by hell or high water I get there, and realise the dream. The same thing occured when I wrote and co-produced a children's video in Hawaii back in 1999. I ate it, I slept it and I breathed it in every aspect of my being. I didn't know how to get there and inspite of never having made a commercial video before, and inspite of being penniless, and inspite of knowing I had to get some 40-50 peoples written approvals to use either their music and or lyrics in the childrens video, I knew I would get there. And I did. I found the people, the $250,000 dollars to make it, I found it was like the whole universal axis turned ever so slightly to accommodate my request. I am still so proud that I was a part of something so very unique and special, notwithstanding the outcomes, external to the video itself were stressful, and financially onerous. I won't use this forum to go into the outcomes of what happened after, though it can suffice to say simply that the results were a mixture of good and bad. For me there are a few key moments in my life when I have known that sheer stubbornness, perspicacity and focus, can bring about some gigantic things. I have not mentioned here either, that I believe the very hand of God was waved kindly in my direction on those key times as well. I think it would be remiss and arrogant of me to even remotely submit to you that it was all me, when I felt there was something much bigger than just me in the process, and I am grateful. I raise this now, because I face another huge task this year. It is my desire to reverse my fortunes and work for myself in the next 12 months, earning an income, and prospering from something I love so passionately with my photography.

The task is sobering. I have more than my fair share of debt remaining from poor fiscal choices made along the way over the past few years, but have chosen to reverse that this year - in one year. I have started to set out plans and work as though I have never been busy before. I don't know how long I have to live, not that there is anything wrong or that, but I just feel it important to make this year count more and more. I am putting those thoughts down in this blog as a way for me to publicly declare my intent, as though I now want to stand behind and follow thru on what I have said here for my satisfaction and continuing personal growth. It is a powerful reminder to me that some of you who visit here whom I know, will be watching to see if I come good on what I say or not.

I have several friends who are independantly wealthy and prosperous not simply financially, but with an overall life balance. I have however most admired that they are in a position to spend their lives doing something they are not only good at, but really love. WOW, that is powerful stuff when you realise that most of the world is not that fortunate, or not that pro-active. Having these people as friends has served to show me that if I want something similar to what they have, I can have it. It is not easy, but then none of the aforementioned milestones in my life ever has been. Take having my son for example. He has had 26 admissions to hospital and had several major surgeries on his eyes, nasal pssages, lungs and heart. Then there were the lumbar punctures to find simply what was wrong with him when he got ill. But ask me if I think that it was worth all the worry, pain, prayer and stress to see him as he is today, the clear and resounding answer is yes. So, in that spirit, I want to turn the finances around and work for myself by the end of this year. I have been wanting and saying it for so long I am now at the point when I feel I am truly ready to take the next step. It comes with a degree of trepidation and fear as I need a sum of money each month guaranteed just to meet my financial obligations, but I am equal to the task. 2008 is going to be big for me. Watch this space as I journey forward. Admittedly I walk into the tunnel hoping the the light I see at the end is not the light of an oncoming train, but the light of what bright future awaits.



Do any of you reading need portraits taken and or graphic work done? I know a guy! he is trying to learn hard that if he charges like a wounded bull, people really believe he must be really good! and he is!

CP

Feeling flushed?

This topic won't be for the faint-hearted, or indeed for many people it will be unpalatable altogether - so if you read on and are disgusted, you were warned at this point, don't read on!.

It occurs to me how grateful I am of late for the small but wonderful feeling of relief and joy it is, after being able to go to the toilet on occasions when you are just busting to go. On New years Day at 5 am after I was photographing the sunrise I became aware that I had a window of around 2 or 3 minutes where I would need to ah, well, go to the loo and fast.

Being that I was on the beach, I knew the surf club had toilets below, and hoping they were open, I made a fast yet careful dash to the loo and the overwhelming relief was scarcely an emotion I or anyone in good company talks about, but hey it was as good a feeling as I have ever known! Whew!!!! It was indescribable. I know that most, if not all of you do know that feeling!

It also became apparent to me that many of my life's most embarrasing moments revolve around a toilet. What's with that? There are the times when I have been busting, and I mean busting, to go to the loo with dire consequences. I was in the Philippines one time when I was eating at a restaurant called the Mansion House, and whilst the restaurant was a little spartan, the food was excellent. I used to eat there twice a month and order a dish they called Choma (sweet and sour pork). It was really good. I had never needed to use their amenities until one day, I could tell something wasn't quite right, and so I walked in to their amenities to use one of the cubicles. Imagine my horror as I walked in the door of the cubicle only to find the door height was about 4 feet, I am 189cm or 6'3" tall! I commenced to prepare myself to sit, then guys came to the door and opened it and just stayed there and stared at me! What the? about 3-4 guys came to the door and just stared at the white guy with a fat behind...then! Sensing a growing well of performance anxiety within, I gingerly stood, prepared to leave - without transacting any business and said to the people I was with, I will be back I have to go, to which their confused looks told the whole story for me - how do you explain this?

I went downstairs, jumped in a taxi and was heading for La Paz where one of my friends and associates lived, I jumped out of the cab after a 20 minute journey scarcely able to stand, and rapped on his door so hard I thought I broke the hinge. I knocked and tapped and after a further 5 minutes, I realised, he isn't damn well home!! I jumped back in the cab and drove to someone else's house - they weren't home either and so I had a brainstorm. I would go to the local Jaro Caltex servo!!!! I got the key, ran in the loo and was able to lock the only door into the room so I wouldn't be disturbed and now some 35 minutes after my initial alarm was sounded that I needed to find a loo, I was here. I ran in, closed the door and then realised there was no seat. I didn't care, I was able to find a receptive facility and was able to transact business. Ahhhh. I STILL truly remember that moment of joy and happiness. In that special moment, I then reached out to the paper and realised, Oh crap. There was none!!! enter the music from Psycho, suffice it to say, I was able to rescue some semblance of decorum and found a mode that I was able to hygenically clean with. The details I will refrain at this point from going into for our combined sake. I then went to the tap to wash and found that the loo must have used all the water as there was none - and in this loo, no soap either. So I went outside and plunged my hands into a water canister, don't ask what it was for or what was in there, but I was confident it was better than not washing at all. I hopped back into the cab and said "let's go back to the Mansion House" (where the people I was with were still waiting to eat) and the cab driver says, "you look much happy" and am convinced for me, that was the understatement of the year. No sh.. Sherlock! a further point worth noting. On the way back to the restaurant I bought some rubbing alcohol for my hands to be cleansed before eating!

So it is with a slight perversion, but a genuine gesture of gratitude that I thank, albeit into the cosmos, one Thomas Crapper for his invention not of the toilet as there were many of those who took out patents from as early as 1775, but Thomas is attributed with creating the FLUSH in the modern toilet, he died in 1910. I have used holes in the ground, holes in the tiles, I have used those ugly loos where they are dressed holes in the ground that store the combined waste of the family, grounds and anyone else for a period of weeks before they would be emptied, and each time I tried not to use them felt when I did I was being sucked through the seat into the pit of no return. I hated every moment. My departed Father was a chronic toilet reader, which I hated then and now. I cannot believe anyone would willingly subect themselves to an odorous content foreign and unappreciated by most to read and inhale as they sit idly and read for extended periods of time. I find that abhorrent. I am not a reader in the loo, I transact my business, and depending on the scale of business conducted will light matches to remove the smell totally, not simply mask it like those terrible cans of supposed air freshener. I am sure people who come to my home and see the matches in the bathroom think that I smoke! but it is the smoke that not masks but physically removes the odour altogether that interests me! I was introduced to that method of using matches in Haleiva in Hawaii by a lovely lady I was working with at the time. She said when I asked to use the loo, "make sure you use the matches". When I asked why she explained. I am confident further that my nostrils and the comfort of many others, has been grateful ever since.

I was speaking once to a doctor who indicated that people in society are very diverse. He treated people who only go to the toilet once a week. He said they had "trained" or conditioned their body to go infrequently, and that some people have a particular fear or anger at having to go at all. I guess there are conditions of all sorts of things I haven't thought of. He added that in some cases these people who avoid going to relieve themselves can have very bad skin conditions and other negative side effects. So whilst it is a physiological function that is a little unsavoury to dwell on, it is nonethless a vital component of a healthy and happy life.

Well, I don't know if the topic is one of a particular interest to any of you or not, but I felt it important to comment on. It is a little spoken of activity that we often take for granted and one that is vital to our overall well being and I just felt I would express simply and hopefully tastefully, how grateful I am for the improved facility. Although I have a particular dislike to the American toilets I have had the experience to utilise. They have this nasty system of flushing. Permit me to explain. The evidence of your transacted business is in the bowl (I am sorry!) and when you press flush, the water rises slowly up with the remains of the day, or night and the music of psycho making another almost inaudible appearance, and then after rising to what seems like the brim of the bowl, slowly recedes and gets sucked out of the bowl with the slapping sound of water then slowly refills. eeeewwwwww. I hate them. It's like a nightmare just reminding you. Just give me the straight ocean flush that takes the remains away out of sight immediately!!!

I won't even go to the tangent of Public toilets, but oh gee, that is a whole other discussion I will avoid.

A friend of mine Orson, has a new loo from Japan, where he is currently, that looks like a command station from moon base Alpha, it has a control arm and can spray water into the dark regions of your posteria, and also dry with a shot of warm air. It can massage your butt, it can play MP3 music and is all electronic. It opens and closes and flushes by itself. Orson invited me to use it once and I respectfully declined. That is taking the experience or me to a place I don't wish to be at presently. But it is very interesting I submit. Well I think that is sufficient on this topic. I shall not broach the subject again.

Copy and paste this link below into your browser to watch a Japanese Toilet commercial! it is fun!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5217853509242206793

CP

first light

Happy New Year everyone.

After watching the fireworks last night, I caught a couple of hours sleep and then at 3:45am arose and went to Long Reef located on the mid northern beaches of Sydney and wanted to watch the dawning of a new day and a new year. I wasn't disappointed. Whilst there is no doubt the fireworks are spectacular, for me the beauty and majesty of natures early light of dawn is just wonderful. I saw the very first light and was in awe of it. There was even fog, and mist around which certainly obscured the full majesty of the light, but it filled me with a lot of respect and appreciation for the planet we live in.



As I watched the light arise, I felt a vein of sadness for a brief but real moment, but then felt an overwhelming feeling of hope, excitement and pleasure for the unfolding day and year ahead. Then we went to McDonalds as it was the only thing open at 6am for some breakfast. After which we traveled to the car park at Taronga Zoo and as the zoo didn't open until 9am we had two hours to wait and therefore sleep became an easy thing to do. After we awoke, we went in to the zoo and got to appreciate more of the animal diversity in the world. The lions, tigers and other big cats were all asleep, sadly, but I will return again soon to capture more of them. I was able to capture a few other animals which I was proud of and thought I would show them here for you.