End of Summer

On Australia Day a Cocky came to visit us on the 7th floor! Mark gave him a piece of bread.


Cocky had a nibble.


Mark and Cocky made friends pretty quickly.


We hope he comes to visit more often.

The end of Summer Holidays! It always comes too quick, and the last 10 days or so have been just blissful as I have finally relaxed properly and let my daily routine flow a bit. Let's just say I can't wait for retirement!

It's been a strange one in Sydney, with only one day over thirty degrees so far this summer, TRUE! But this has its benefits as well... less sunburn, emptier beaches, calmer tempers. In fact, here in Potts Point it is so quiet, one could imagine the whole of Sydney has up and left for a beach holiday elsewhere... more likely they are just at work!

Mark and I have been well, he has been back at work for what seems like ages and it was difficult at first, I felt so bored, and almost guilty I had this extra time! We have a swim in the pool most afternoons and enjoy reading and cooking together. Of course he was totally chuffed by the visiting cockatoo and we are still waiting for him to come back.. Hopefully soon!

Sydney seems chock full of interesting things to do right now and if anything it's just a shame they are not spread a little more evenly throughout the year so it can be more affordable! Mark and I went to The Opera House on Friday night to see Joanna Newsom play with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and I was nothing short of blown away by her talent, her ability, her looks, her accompanists... I was transported to some other place where things are so much more creative and sheltered and nicer and brighter and darker as well... but she is just one amongst a whole throng of potentially interesting artists to see in Sydney right now...

It's been a great summer, I really couldn't ask for much more right now...

So I pack my bag and head back off to work tomorrow and the funny stories will start again and my mind will become crowded once more with worries beyond choosing which book to read or how long to leave conditioner in my hair.

Tis been wonderful chaps x

I HEART: Expresso Coffee and milk blended over ice with two sugars, lychees, mangoes, making my own face scrubs, afternoon harbour breezes, resting on my special cushion and reading the paper, the kind intentions of our Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, thinking about my 30th birthday, my new satay chicken recipe!

I DON'T HEART: Forms, the various charity collectors who 'chat you up' outside Potts Point Woolworths, the idea that spiders have crawled in my window and onto my head!

How to Apologise

Having a nice long holiday has given me a chance to reflect on the last few years of my life and seek out some further information in areas I'd like to grow.
It would be fair to say that I grew up in a family devoid of the ability to apologise effectively, so I'd like to learn how to say sorry properly, and also receive apologies gracefully!
I have found this passage below very helpful, and I think there are many many people out there who could make use of this advice so our world is a more peaceful place.

Adapted from: Choosing Happiness by Stephanie Dowrick

A genuine apology is a powerful thing. it affects both the person giving it and the person receiving it, making way for healing and moving on as nothing else can.
Here's how to do it.
Look at the person and say 'I am sorry to have hurt you.'

Do not convey through your body language or tone of voice that you are not really sorry; that you resent apologising, or that you may be apologising but you will soon repeat the wrong.

An apology carries weight only when it is not forces, when you believe it and you also believe you have learned something and will not do again whatever caused hurt or harm.

An apology needs to be clean, short, simple and genuine. And it needs to be supported by a change in insight and behaviour.

There may be times when someone is clearly hurt by something you have done or that they believe you have done - but you know that they misread you or your good intentions.

It may be, for example, that your best friend is hurt because when she told you about her promotion you paid very little attention and went on to talk about something else. You were careless, but not deliberately hurtful.

Breakdowns in good communication happen frequently. protesting about someone else's reaction, telling them that they 'have no reason to be hurt', getting irritated because they are hurt, is never helpful.

It is possible to say, very simply, 'I am so sorry that you are upset,' without taking pon apprpriate guilt or shame. You may also want to add 'That certainly wasn't my intention,' but the crucial point is that you acknowledge the hurt, and express your concern that they are hurt, without attacking them or going into elaborate self-justifying.

And when someone apologises to you?
Accept it gracefully and gratefully. Do not ask yourself whether you need to go on sulking for another week, or whether you can make them suffer as much as you have.

If someone is routinely apologising without changing their behaviour this is a relationship issue and needs urgent attention.

Apologies - given or received - weave their magic only when they bring a little wisdom and are accompanied by changed action as well as insight.

Reverend Run!

I'm not a Christian nor do I pretend to be. But sometimes I need a little reminding about my manners and so forth...

Who better to remind me than Reverend Joseph Simmons... of Run DMC.
You can read his advice, or subscribe like I have to his 'thought of the day.'

www.revswordofwisdom.com

Peace!

I'm in the paper today!

Today I had my first ever letter published in The Sydney Morning Herald.

http://www.smh.com.au/letters/index.html?page=3

Sydney Festival

It's mid January, and if you're not relaxing on some fine sunny shore, The Sydney Festival can be your saving grace! Mark and I purchased tickets way back and have been lucky enough to see some great performances so far, if only we had the moneybags to attend a few more gigs!

First we went to The Spiegeltent to see La Clique. Oh, how lucky we were! The whole season sold out at two shows a day, with tickets selling on Ebay for three times what they are worth!

The Spiegeltent itself is a wonder to visit, wood and stained glass all around, almost if you have stepped into an old-fashioned jewellery box. And the delights once inside...


This picture speaks for itself. This is the wonderful David O'Mer. His bathtub act, well... it's just one of the sexiest things...
Watch his performance here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Lrg4wV-Uqo
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=7280970


This is Yulia, she does wonderful things with hoops!


Then last Saturday the 12th January 2008 we went to The State Theatre to see Sufjan Stevens. I'm not an expert at writing reviews, but I know I enjoyed the show, particularly in these unique surroundings.

There were lots of visuals and Sufjan arrived on stage with a 10 piece? band, which nicely rounded out the sound with brass and woodwind. The crowd was very well-behaved, which I think confused him at times!

However, I did become increasingly annoyed at the people sitting around me taking pictures of the show! When you turn a camera on in the dark, it becomes very distracting! It gives the area that mobile phone-like glow: and when a quiet song is being played and the artist (YES, Artist) is attempting to connect somewhat with the audience, it becomes infuriating! Stop it, stop it! Just enjoy the moment, and forget about the shaky, over-exposed shots you are taking that your friends aren't even interested in seeing anyway. grrr.

Sufjan was also supported by a new York act called My Brightest Diamond which I really enjoyed. A voice like Jeff Buckley, loose stage moves, and she sits at a piano like Tori Amos! She also plays in Sufjan's band so that's a bit of trivia for you...

Next is Joanna Newsom in two weeks at The Sydney Opera House... another treat!

Visit Potts Point!

This is pretty much the view from my lounge room window. yes, this is my moment to brag!

I thought I should get together some information about my local area... it wouldn't take a whole day to get around Potts Point, but there sure are some interesting places to see, eat and stay! Here are a few things to get started:

PLACES TO VISIT

I was going to do this myself but there is an awesome website called Urban Walkabout with local shops and nice things to see! Here is the link to Potts Point:
http://urbanwalkabout.com/pottspoint/

PLACE TO STAY - Budget

The Maisonette Hotel


This is clean looking, quiet and accessible hotel on the trendiest street in Potts Point! Lately they have been selling rooms from just A$85, which is actually cheaper than Formulae1... I think some of their rooms have a kitchen too.

PLACE TO STAY - Luxury

That would be Simpsons of Potts Point!



I haven't stayed here because I live across the street. What I do know is that it is quiet and the architecture is beautiful! I often see people eating their breakfast through the window as I walk past and I drift off into holiday mode!

FREE ACCOMMODATION



Yes, true! There is a very trendy little hotel up the street called Regents Court. They offer residencies to artists and writers for 3-5 weeks each... and you get to stay in the hotel for free! I keep bothering my friends who think they are 'not good enough' but I would just go for it and not worry about it. A free holiday in Sydney, the only rule being some creative output!

For details go to: http://regentscourt.com.au/residency/information/

Finally, a special mention to a very special shop - it's out of the way off Macleay Street, but it's up there with the best, especially for ogling and inspiration. Today I walked in and they were trying to work out the way to display stuffed peacocks! It's called Becker Minty.
http://www.beckerminty.com/

Rwandan Coffee Club

I'm pretty sure I first saw this on TV sometime before Christmas...

Rwanda has had lots of troubles, in 1994 over 1 million Rwandans were killed in 100 days.

A Rwandan Refugee Support Group has been formed in Southern Tasmania, Australia to assist a small community of Rwandan genocide survivors to build a sustainable community.

And so began The Rwandan Coffee Club!

Read the remarkable stories of these survivors, and buy some fair trade coffee and tea, it's actually cheaper than the supermarket!

http://www.rwandancoffeeclub.org/coffee.html

Want $25k?

I was sitting in a cafe in Canberra recently where I spotted a postcard...

The Churchill Memorial Trust offers annual fellowships to Australian Citizens of about $25,000 each! They award about 120 fellowships per year.

You don't need qualifications, and merit of your proposed project and a desire to report your findings back to the Australian community is the only requirements. It can be on any subject... exciting...

Each fellowship includes international travel and a living allowance... from looking at previous winners one can see that a whole cross section of the Australian community has been successful at obtaining these fellowships, not just academics and/or high flyers!

Click below for further info, applications close on the 29th February, 2008.
http://www.churchilltrust.com.au/index.php