"A Hummer on Steroids"...

Cars guide.com.au reports that a new Canadian may be making its way to our shores. The Knight XV is obviously for the well heeled and makes a hummer look small.

Chick here to read the article. I thought I would share some of the pictures from their gallery. Amazing. Imagine how much it would cost to service and to run? I guess though that for those who can afford them, those few would not worry about such trivialities!

The journey...

I am sometimes reminded and it is often not an altogether pleasant inner experience, how imperfect and flawed I am. There are things happening on one level that are just spectacular and things on another where people are waiting for things from me and there never seems to be enough time to accomplish the tasks that are before me.

I have however come pleasantly to a place where I know that I give my all to whatever I am doing, and it is OK not to be perfect, and yes some people will be unhappy on the odd occasion, but with patience and persistence I will get to the space where I can be better. I am learning that it is not possible to please everyone. I knew that already outwardly, but on a much more personal level I am understanding this more.

Like most things of worth in life, it is not simply in the destination where one finds a pure joy but in the refining and clarifying journey.

I sure love the journey, with it's incumbent bumps and curves. I love that I am filled with foible and weakness, and thanks to some other people I do not have to look for the areas I need to improve in, others bring that to my attention.

One more day at the show today and it will be the biggest day, all the public comes in today and it will be chaotic, but I am ready for it and will triumph at the end. Sore feet and dry throat from talking all day notwithstanding. My morning walks are a source of rejuvenation and personal time to reflect, plan and dream. I value this space in the dark and cold it is like a daily tune up.



An interesting Postscript

yesterday I received this as a comment. With a smile of interest, I share it with you.

"I love that I am filled with foible and weakness, and thanks to some other people I do not have to look for the areas I need to improve in, others bring that to my attention." What you are telling us is this: I will keep doing anything I want until someone complains about it, or until it becomes painfully obvious that I am breaking the rules!

You are a great impersonator. You have mastered the art of deception without feeling any sense of guilt whatsoever! Even if others bring your foibles and weaknesses to your attention, do you really care? Not at all. One day though, they will all come back to haunt you.

This is a small world Craig. What goes around comes around. It's high time you grow up, and face the music. Honesty is the best policy. -hs

Another faceless voice in the wind who sees it as their contribution to bring me to an awareness of just how troubled and wretched they think I must be. Out of a seeming civic responsibility to "tell it like it is".

I publish this here because this person has no clue about me, about what I am trying to do and accomplish or even any clue about what truly motivates me. They only think they do.

They feel wronged or cheated over an incident that they perceive went a certain way and conclude that their assessment is the only one and the right one and then take it as their personal crusade to expose me yet again for the charlatan they purport me to be. They have no idea and no life it would seem. As stated more times than I wish to review, I am flawed! You cannot explode the bomb once it is gone off I submit.

I make mistakes, they already sadden me, they don't haunt me, I have no skeletons in the closet. To the person who wrote this above who chooses to mask their identity, do you honestly think that I should live like a hermit and be afraid of such a spineless comment like this? think again. I am not without sin or guile and have never purported to be. I am a wanderer along life's paths trying to find a way to make the area of ground and the people with whom I associate a little happier and feel a little more special and in that wonderful light feel appreciated and happy that I could discover and do something that pleases and interests me and hopefully touches the lives of those I come in contact with.

If I have wronged anyone and they have the courage to approach me privately in full view of who they are and air their grievance I will sincerely apologise and try to make amends where I can, and if I cannot, I will seek their forgiveness and go on my way and wish them the best for their journey. I simply cannot and will not live a life of regret. There has been enough pain and anguish with things I have already faced in my life without unnecessarily adding more in to the mix.

This person obviously has no concept of how innately regretful and anguished I feel within, at many of the mistakes I make day to day, or in times past, or even the current times. The whole point of this post was to suggest that I have noticed that Haba na haba (little by little) I am maturing, and my perceptions of what I think life really is and what my place in it is, is constantly being reviewed and refined. I do not suspect that any person who achieves a level of advanced years is ever totally happy with everything they said or did when they were younger. That is why the saying "You cannot put an older head on younger shoulders exits" because often times we wish we could to save us all the grief. But I strive to seek the best within inspite of the many times I have fallen and continue to fall, short of my own expectations. I simply cannot live a life to please others because then I would be an impersonator, though I absolutely am not. Watch me soar as I strive to go beyond the limits that you and others set before me.

Jasin Boland

Last night I had the opportunity to spend time with a world famous photographer Jasin Boland. Most of you would not know who he is but many of you have seen his pictures, he is a movie stills photographer and has covered many of the worlds big blockbuster movies. In fact next Wednesday he is off to China to do another movie with Jackie Chan and will try and get one of the pictures I have taken of Jackie Chan autographed for me when I met and photographed him some time ago now.

I really enjoy photography and am passionate about it, Jasin has my all time dream job, and who knows I may even follow in similar footsteps in time to come. This You Tube clip really highlights Jasin's enthusiasm and commitment to his craft and it is infectious. I really am appreciative of his time and words of encouragement.

This man numbers Tom Cruise, Brendan Fraser, Will Smith, Matt Damon and many other major celebrities as friends, he knows them and more importantly, they know him! I think it would be fair to say that his eye and perception is very good. His attitude and warmth is evident and certainly would be a major factor why these people like and employ him. I share his enthusiasm and passion for the image.



He is on the Nikon stand at the PMA show in Sydney today and tomorrow at 4:15pm in Sydney's Darling Harbour exhibition centre if you want to meet him! It is the biggest photographic show in the country and it is amazing to see all the vendors and all the equipment, it is a photographers equipment dream. I am involved for Nikon doing training on some cameras for members of the public today and tomorrow as well using Nikon's new D5000 camera for people who are new to DSLR, and it is fun. This is mecca to a lot of closet and professional photographers, so if you like cameras or photography come on down.

Black Friday

Well it is Saturday morning here now as I write this and by now the world is fully aware that Farrah Fawcett has died, along with musical genius Michael Jackson. I think it would be fair to say that one time when I was in my formative years I and every other young man I know would have been swept up in Farrah fever and gone with her in a heartbeat, I thought her smile was wonderful.

Now for Michael Jackson, I saw this guy in concert twice and was mesmerised. I can honestly say of all the concerts I have ever been to, seeing Michael was never like closing your eyes and listening to a CD of his music, he really entertained, he assaulted the senses and really delivered a show that left you breathless. I for one shall miss Michael Jackson, there are already lots of tasteless jokes circulating about him and someone said to me yesterday when it was announced he died, "Good Riddance!" to which I believe was an unkind assessment of a person who lived most of his life in a fish tank with the eyes of the world looking in, under such scrutiny I wonder how many of us wouldn't look weird in some measure.

Admittedly, he is not the same facially as he once was, but so what, if that is what he wanted. I wonder why he was so disdained and vilified. When other people get facial or breast or other surgeries, they may be criticised in some measure but the world's media seemed to go after him with relentless voracity calling him WHACKO. It's a shame. A shame that a person's worth and overall contribution is dismissed and removed in the broad sense because of a single moment of poor judgement or in a more sinister and disguised way, because someone is different. Who will the paparazzi target now?

Farewell Michael and thanks. My autographed picture of him has taken on a whole new importance to me.

All the fuss!

Australian's seem to be in a bit of a lather at the present over the infinitesimally small and remote whiff of winning Australia's biggest lottery prize of $90 million - TAX FREE for our international friends.

Let it be said and known, that I am not interested in buying a ticket and living on the hope that I could win. I work damn hard for the few bucks I get and the feeling I have is that I may as well give my money $20 I am told, to get a few games, and help a homeless person get a decent feed or whatever. No denying I have thought about what one would do with such an obscene amount of money, which I will admit I have little or no concept of, but I genuinely will not buy a ticket But wish those who do all the best. I even found an article where people have studied the numbers and came up with the most popular numbers so I post them here for your listening and dancing pleasure - Good luck for those who want to buy a ticket .



As for me, I place my hope in the big man upstairs who has never let me down. I am in awe at the things which are developing before my very eyes. I cannot share all that is unfolding at this stage, and it may be some months before I can, but I am in awe with the gratitude I feel for seemingly random meetings and events which are opening a world to me that I have only ever dreamed about.

Dreams do come true, I am living proof they do.

Another busy night

A serendipitous day yesterday. I was training a group of people in photography yesterday morning, then came home to work on the images of the last week, and then got a phone call inviting me to one of the biggest concerts in Sydney for Simon & Garfunkel. I went not as a photographer, but as a guest and witness, and yes I don't go anywhere without a camera and took a couple of shots as well.

That event coincided with the Sydney Swans & Collingwood AFL (Aussie Rules) game in the ANZ Stadium next door and with inclement weather and cold air combined for a huge array of people waiting to get in to cars and public transport back home and to the far distant carparks. I walked briskly back to my car about 3km's away and then went to another concert of the Brewster Brothers at a private residence in a warehouse. It was owned by a wonderful young man who collects mannikins and curios that spanned generations, what an interesting venue. I was there for a couple of hours and got home very late or very early depending on which side of midnight you look at. It was a very interesting day, and I am so very grateful for the opportunities that are available to me and growing.

My review on the Simon & Garfunkel Sydney concert number 1 at the Acer Arena was an interesting one. It was a great feeling to be at the feet of such musical legends. Their tunes have spanned the years and are warmly enjoyed by millions, including me. I absolutely loved Artie Garfunkel's voice. It transcends the years and was truly inspiring. Paul Simon's section of the concert where he sang his songs was also great, however when they were together, I could not help feeling that despite Art Garfunkel's warm and generous praise he showered on Paul was not reciprocated. I could be totally wrong here, and will accept the criticism if leveled at me, but I sensed Paul was not totally happy to be there. Perhaps he was tired, perhaps he was un-rested or whatever, it is just that after the concert of Tommy Emmanuel, and afterwards at the Brewster's I felt that Paul didn't connect with his audience as warmly the other people did. Artie certainly did. Despite that I loved the concert and was again very grateful to be there, especially when the seats I was in were selling for $385 each! But musically, harmoniously they are still so good. The back-up band who played for them did such a great job, they were very good.

Then the Brewsters!

What can I say about these guys I haven't said already, I love them. They have introduced a new member called Andrew Toner and after having met and photographed him, I found him to be a wonderful guy. John Brewster's son Sam is now also starting to play along as well in different venues. It is a very nice experience to be such a small part of.

The Simon & Garfunkel shots were taken on the Nikon P90 which is a great little camera.