An Instagram Love Story

I discovered Instagram a week ago, in a park, in Armidale NSW.

For those that are at least a week behind me, Instagram is a free smart phone ap that takes photos that you can apply a range of funky filters to including colour and focus effects AND geo-locate them and then share them with friends, following any number of people and their beautiful views of life!

As a sometimes-slack-photographer, I love using my phone and clicking to create effects. It's far more versatile than Hipstamatic which you know was my camera of choice in India and the USA!

Looking back through my week of Instagram photos, I realised that they tell the love story that occured concurrently...

I sat outside at the NERAM gallery cafe where I'd get my morning coffee and it was here that I took my first Instagram photo of a man reflecting.

My coffee was delivered by the owner, Rowan, and I showed him my photograph and put it on the cafe's Facebook page. We struck up a friendship consisting of shared nerdiness, beatles lyric quotes and an identical cutlery collection.

It was raining a bit and very chilly for December, so I wandered into the Museum of Print under the gallery.

I played with the letterpress to create a christmas card I imagined giving to friends. I could spend a week down here!

But the next day, Rowan asked me out.
We only have a week but 'why not', we both thought.

So we ate brilliant food together as much as we could.

We drank martinis and margaritas together when we could.
And sometimes apart - him working and me playing with Instagram.

We discovered a tiny rabbit at the cafe and I made a dozen new friends.

I followed him on errands as any time was good time

I picked flowers from his garden for glass jars we bought at the tip shop

I immersed myself in fresh produce and his housewarming party

We didn't get much sleep

I never made any more of those letterpress cards but nothing seemed more right than to rest the one print I did make against a vase of flowers on Rowan's porch.

It's almost Christmas and now my poem makes perfect sense.

So I'm contemplating Armidale and continuing a love story...

[current mood] Artichoke Hearts & The Beatles

USA Road Trip

I've spent the last 3 weeks on a road trip with a time-telling travelling-banana in the United States of America.

I started with my great friend Liz and then met my family for a road trip through Louisiana.

As per my nature, I didn't take any photographs with my pro camera. I prefer, when on holidays, just BEING.

I still think like a photographer and see the photos all around me, I just don't take them home with me.

Others choose to put an electronic device between themselves and the moment. I like to have direct connection to the experience.

There are a few moments that I just want to shoot though... my memory isn't good and a photo can be a trigger for a whole event. So I whip my pocket sized phone and snap.

Here are those VERY FEW moments...

America: The only place you'll find Spam Sushi. A rainbow over the bay in San Fran as we walk back from our trip to Alcatraz. Reminds me of our nights in San Fran with sailors, strippers, karaoke and, of course, our good friend, booze.

The beautiful Japanese garden in the heart of SF. A squirrel poses in a beam of light. The mossy bed around tree bases. Reminds me about the thrill of Japanese design: It's like perfect chaos. Everything is so rightly beautiful in it's inperfection.

Liz and I have a penchant for taking images of ourselves in the same environment I just realised.
Vegetarian Diner in Santa Barbara. Reminds me where I tried my first root beer and where we wasted hours of our road trip.

The morning after in pink robes at The Madonna Inn. A tastelessly designed motel on the road to Big Sur.
Each room is a different theme. It looked like a mini-Heidelberg. Reminds me where not to stay!

The curving coast road has these plants that look like massive feather darts all over the hills.
Reminds me how I majorly heart Big Sur, log cabins in the wood, fireside dining and American Indian everything.

Liz and I part. I meet my family and head to a Louisiana ranch. It's horse-everything. The guy has a full nightclub out the back, so are forced into family-fun-time, karaoke and line dancing. It reminds me of fun in the oddest of places.

If that didn't kill me, this nearly did. The state fair, healthiest choice was a Turkey Leg. It reminds me of torture.

Something came over me and I bought some genuine Texan cowboys boots (made in Mexico)
and we visited our long lost great-uncle who took us through every variety of Oak tree he planted 70 years ago. It reminds me of the grandfather I never had and where many of my traits come from.

The family then hit the road to NOLA (New Orleans). We ate at Slim Goodies Diner - best breaky out! We dropped by one of mum's old schools. It reminds me of what typifies America's deep south.

We stayed in a 1800's mansion and we all wanted to buy one. This idyllic life contrasted with the gentle crazyness that was New Orlean's Bourban St. Had a ball. I danced to the Cajun washboard in the middle of the day with freelancing hoolahoop artist and co-ordinated dance groups. It reminds me how a city that is based on music is a beautiful place to be in.

My favourite moments were joining a moving-street-party that roamed with a bicycle DJ and scooter bar. I took over a piano at 'the oldest bar in the state' and made a new friend bashing out some notes, looked up and the room was strangely cleared. I ate 3am pizzas, french donuts, burgers and fries, gumbo, fancy scallops, and drank some of the worst coffee known to man. I actually had FUN with my family.

America delivered! And I'll be back for more.

[current mood] Charlie Parker & Quinoa and Sprouts at home.

Stop Thinking & Write a Song

For the past month my brain has been getting incrementally more overpowering. It's actually become out of control. I have to stop mid brain-debate and shout 'shut the f*ck up!!'.

What started as a quiet conversation became louder and louder, soon enough it felt like a chorus of one hundred voices shouting at me with fears, anxieties, attempts to work things out.

If you let the mind just go forth unmanaged it becomes an unruly mess. You can barely hear your soul.

So, too long between meditations and time out was due. I booked a flight to Sydney a few weeks ago to do something arty with a friend and then he recommended I join an intuition workshop as part of the Magicians Way course.

As per usual, when it came to the day of departure, the timing seemed bad and I have so much shit to do I thought 'why did I book this trip?'...

I ended up staying in Heather's cottage, situated in a hidden garden. It's an adorable a-frame super-sized cubby complete with ladder-access attic bedroom. Alone for a day I read all manner of materials, ate super healthy, sat, lay, stretched... I just hung out.

I watched a wonderful DVD by Adyashanti whilst sitting cross legged on the couch.

We also went iceskating and watched the Sydney Dance Company.

I walked around my childhood suburbs and listened to the silence.

Slowly my mind was quietening.

And Heather's piano just had to be touched.
I'm no musician but I let myself muck about on it. With no one around it didn't matter and I recorded it for fun.

I then went to the course and discovered my access to intuition. I was read and I read.
There was transformation and new connections.

And now I'm back here and there is a beautiful beautiful silence in my mind.
I can finally hear my soul again.

Thank goodness I took flight!

Here is what I recorded on the piano with some added words. Listen with gentle non-critical ears please! :)

Singing was a course of its own in non-self-judgement and letting whatever wanted to arise, arise.

x

oh and I also made an elephant.

[current mood] Health Smoothies & The Movie 'Once'.

From India, With Dahl.

One month. No blogging.

That felt alright... and gee, I got a lot of other things done!

But here I am again to share my little creative thoughts and productions.

I spent three weeks in glorious India. A land of contrasts they say, and indeed it was. A place where you just 'get life' more by simply being there amongst it, eating incredible food cooked in a hovel, watching chaos and yet no aggression, avoiding flying concrete whilst getting plentiful advice from strangers, witnessing bodily functions and glowing smiles and squeeky clean hearts, being ripped off and catching them out with a laugh.

I didn't take my camera.

I only brought a small bag (see photo) and didn't want the hassle. But I ended up grabbing my friend's iphone and taking just a few neccessary snaps of the beauty in Hipstamatic style.

Enjoy.

Passing by newly weds. Shot from my cab window into theirs. Mumbai.

The hanging gardens in Mumbai, being demonstrated literally. It's a place where couples and families walk and have their pictures taken with rough looking topiary.

The non stop bustle on the streets of Mumbai.

A sadhu sits out on a ghat on the Ganges. Varanasi.

Pilgrims come in droves. Here are a few sitting for rituals at the Ghats on the Ganges in Varanasi.

One of the saintly circus-like 'Goods Carriers' on the streets of Kerala.

The dapper waiters (who are actually really smiley) in a restaurant in Varanasi.

Travelling at dawn on the Ganges to watch the morning activities. Varanasi.

Streets of Silver in Kerala. I bought ankle bracelets, by weight.

Child of Varanasi.
My favourite photograph.

I'll go back with a camera next time.

[current mood] ABC News 24 on the Cyclone & Freshly Cracked Pecans

The Big Blog Entry

Like all friends that come to the Sunshine Coast, one of the first things Anne asked was "Can I visit the Big Pineapple?"

I suggested that perhaps the pineapple in the kitchen was more impressive than the 'slightly larger than average' pineapple in Nambour... And then I was taken back to my adventures with Liz in Turkey and how, high on turkish delight, we began a series of alternative 'big things' using our people-fingers.

This awesome series was cut short by a fight we got into over Liz's inability to hold her fingers in a people-like position in front of a "massive menu" and that was the end of that. The series was never published.

But in honour of my would be wife (were we gay) Liz, I bring you the early works of Inflatable Rampage.

The SuperSize Starbucks

The Big Baklava

The Giant Napkin Dispenser

The Colossal Corn Kernal

And a behind the scenes shot of Liz eating nuts with people-fingers. One must be dedicated to their art to wear people-fingers all day whilst travelling around Istanbul. That's the kind of amazing human Liz is.

A new series is in progress around the Sunshine Coast tomorrow with Anne...

[current mood] Lentil, Kale and Sweet Potato Comfort Food & Okkervil River

A Sign of The Times in Nambour

It's called God's Waiting Room by some.
But I think Nambour has more to offer than that... like this collection of signs.

Des gets his own roundabout.

The local IGA doesn't give you specials on roast chicken, it gives you a thought of the day.

In 1980 it was so.

You have direction to all relevant things on the left.

[current mood] Ratatouille & My Guest's Laugh

3 Scrabbles and 30 Teacups

I've been on a long winding journey and it has come to an end. I am unpacking and settling in gorgeous Mapleton in the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast.

To explain the length and windingness:
I intended to leave Perth about 3 years ago so I put my stuff in storage as I prepared to go. Then a couple of relationships got in the way, delaying my travels for 2 years. In that time most of my things stayed packed and others came in and out of storage. When I finally left in the van I packed it all away again.

But the day has finally come where all boxes of things ever stored anywhere have been sent to me in one fell swoop (disguised as a truck).

I'm only part way through unpacking and already I have counted 3 Scrabble sets, 5 sieves, 40 spoons and more teacups than you can throw a teaparty at.

I sort of feel sick at the wasted money, and quite disturbed by how I forgot that I ever owned those other 30 spoons. Some op shop is going to enjoy my drop off!

But the process has felt like Christmas. It's been a continual unwrapping of presents. I love opening things like old bottles full of Cottesloe beach memories...

It felt like such a party that I made some chocolate cupcakes to go with the occassion and danced around in the pink corduroys I found (circa 2003).

And when I was putting my party decoration gear into the cupboard I decided that waiting for a future party was stupid and I should enjoy my party stuff every day. So I ran up and down the backyard stringing up colourful flags.

My house is a dream worth travelling to. I'm opening it up to guests shortly and hope they come in droves to drink multiple cups of tea simultaneously as we play scrabble championships and make music with spoons. 

Fruit and veges aplenty to snack on.

Almost ready...

[current mood] Sprouts & Listening to the unpacked Ipod

Postcards from Oscar

Oscar is overdue for a 'segment'.

Hence I bring you the first in a series of Oscar Postcards from Queensland.
(We live here now!)

We stopped at The Big Pineapple. Oscar thought this pun was great! He's sending it out to mum, dad, chris and mike. And all the dog sitters, beach trip takers and exes out there. xo

Up the top of the range, Oscar took a leak. This is where home is now, Flaxton. It is snuggly nestled between Monteville and Mapleton. This card is for all future vistors. We can't wait to see you! xo

DIY postcards are the best!

[current mood] Daggy 'Glee' songs & Carob covered Licorice

Weaving Papua New Guinea

This is a (slightly silly) introductory video I made with an old friend when we were in PNG a year ago. I edited this together in my cabin in Goroka to pitch a documentary to Australian Business Volunteers. No luck. They were 'restructuring' and couldn't commit. So now I wade through endless footage - enough to make a feature film. Any buyers?

I thought it overdue to share a tasty slice of my experience with you. For six weeks I worked with village weaving women. Virtually all women in PNG are weavers and for many, the sale of their weaved bilum bags is their sole income.

I was brought in to develop their weaving designs to appeal to an international market. We focused on the bilum bags and developed a collection.

Here are some of the women that made the collection...

I asked them 'what is your dream?' They had never been asked that before, some were stumped and I had to get them to imagine that they had a million dollars and the freedom to do whatever they wanted, and after some time, they whispered their dreams to another woman to translate to me. I think their humble wishes really put things in perspective.

                                                                                                               

	SANDY SASAE I am 38 years old with four children. I was fed sweet potato as a child and I still love to eat it! I enjoy working in my garden when I'm not weaving. My dream is to earn enough money from weaving so that I can provide for my children.
	ROSA TIM I am 35 years old and I have one child. I love to eat my home grown sweet potato and one day I hope to own a trade store in my village.
	NANCY JOE I live in the village. I love to weave. I eat from the garden and hope to one day be able to sell enough bilums to support my children.
	UPASI AMERI My favourite drink is Fanta! I am 36 and have two children. I enjoy weaving Bilums and hope one day to make enough money to support my children.
	SAINA TUPUNA I have five children. All I want is to earn enough money from my Bilum weaving to put all five through school and one day to own a motor vehicle.
	SENISI AIZAUWO I am a grandmother. My favourite weave designs are Zigzag and Box. I am learning to do Fork. I like to cook sweet potato and greens. I hope that all my children do well in life.
	JENNI I love  to eat sweet potato, cooked any way. I have two children and I am 33 years of age. My wish is to be wealthy so that I can pay for my children's school tuition.
	AIYOPE SETI I am 42 years old with five children. I love eating chicken twisties and weaving. I weave bilum bags for sale in the markets in Goroka. The money I make is used to support my children.
LYDIA SIOTAGAU My favourite colour is blue and I especially love eating pineapples. I am 22 years of age and have two children but one day I hope to be a truck owner and be able to transport passengers and vegetables to and from market.
	NANCY FIKE I have one child. I am 34 years old and love the colour black and eating peanuts. I dream to one day experience flying in a plane.
	ANGELA WESON I am very busy caring for my five children and weaving. I love to eat cooked banana, rice and coconut. One day I hope to earn enough money for my children to be educated and successful.
	GANUWO PERO I love to weave. I aim to be the best! I most enjoy weaving the 'heart' design. If I could have anything in the world, it would be a tradestore.
	HELA EASTERN My favourite foods are Kumu (greens) and fresh pineapple. I love the colour red and wish to one day be a professional dancer and travel the world.
	JOYCE I am 30 years of age and have one child. My dream is for my son to be successful in whatever career he chooses. The money I earn from weaving will go towards his education.

Here are the women and I with the bags and cushions from our collection.

My eyes still well up when I think of how much I miss them. However the experience of flying in a tiny rickety plane over the highlands stops me short of heading back to hang out.

Without phones, postal addresses or email I can't keep in touch. I'm going to print 20 copies of this photo above and send it to a business near the bilum markets and hope the women receive it.

In one of my alternative life scenarios I'd take this project on whole heartedly and make it happen for these women. They really need someone there on the ground to manage the sales and quality control.

6 weeks wasn't long enough...

[current mood] Wedding Canapes & Lionel Richie

Do you want a foot rub?

After inviting me over to the caravan for a cuppa, Michelle fixed her gaze on my feet.
My eyes shifted from hers to my feet and back unsure what she was looking at, down there.

Then she asked, "Do you want a foot rub?"

What the hell, "sure" I said.

It's simply not often enough that a person offers you a foot rub.

And so another story unfolds, me with my leg up on a woman I've just met in a caravan park on the Sunshine Coast, QLD. Michelle and her man submit their faces for another page in my future book 'In a Sea of Grey Nomads' (title TBC). It may well need to be titled 'I'm parked' as I'm finding more often than not the grey nomads are more like grey statues - unmoving from the caravan park for decades.

I love all the details of living like this.

And I love my interactions as a young freak wandering and a-wondering around caravan parks.

Little things like getting instructions to places I might like on plastic table tops.

I'm also collecting photographs of other people I meet and the quotes they say.

This is Pete who I met in the street. How does a street meet turn into a coffee, bread sharing, chilli-swapping session about paths to enlightenment?

I can't explain that. But now I have a CD that may see me receive "The Knowledge".

I should write down quotes as I don't have one for him.

However the couple said to me:
"Keep moving, never stay more than a day or the crocs will get ya"
and I asked, "Why do croc's wait a day?"
"It's mother nature. They see a pattern forming." he said.

I think he was making an analogy with the crocs...

[current mood] Green Grapes & The Age of Aquarius