Place: My Office

Poison: Long Black

Favourite Things: the rain dripping down my window…

I am still unraveling the knot inside my stomach, that twisted and dug deep when I visited Wiluna last week.

This Mother Teresa quote sums up some of the tension.

‘I know you think you should make a trip to Calcutta, but I strongly advise you to save your airfare and spend it on the poor in your own country. Its easy to love people far away. Its not always easy to love those who live right next to us.’ Mother Theresa

I met some beautiful people, who daily confront a people group who are living so desperately.

I heard a couple of statistics that shocked me but became very apparrent quickly.

1) 87% of the male population are in jail currently.

2) Also the town has the highest take away alcohol rate per captia in the whole of Australia.

These stats are rumours, but despite this some of the scenes I saw at different indigenous settlements in the town were unnerving.

However there were some town characters who were doing such a super job, despit the crazy town vibes.

People like dave the town school principal, the medical centre, Gayle the larger than life mum who runs the rehab centre and the centrelink office and it seems like the whole town, the art gallery curator who is encouraging local artists to produce beautiful art work and then helping bring money back into the community.

Stand by for a lot of discussion about this trip over the coming days.

Stunned

A

Place: My Office

Poison: Diet Sprite

Favourite Things: Kym rolle is back in Australia

We are getting ready for a big easter weekend here at work. With a promenade theatre piece where the crowd walk through a dramatisation of the crucifixtion of Christ, then a creative program about the open door of Grace, leading into a huge outdoor movie event where we are watching a movie called ‘Evan Almighty!’

So its going to be a huge weekend of lots of fun and celebrations.

Post Easter however I am flying to a place called Wiluna.

I am going to spend a couple of days and going out to hang at some Aborginal settlements.

I am so excited about visiting this part of the great west but mostly I am stirred about the indigenous people of our land, and the way that history has done them a raw deal.

I am sure to have many photos and stories sometime soon, but my heart is leaping at the privelege of going.

If you are in Perth, I am collecting easter eggs to take up to the children.

These are the same children that we gave christmas presents just recently!

Stoked.

A

 

Place: Sydney

Poison: Water

Favourite Things: black belt I found in Claudines car! left here in january…

Unicef and the united nations have declared 20th March world water day.

There are so many great organisations who work tirelessly on providing sanitation and proper water hygenine for the world.

The tap that you walk 5 metres to pour a drink of water from, the toilet you flush without thinking, the reticulation that spurs your herb garden on with… is a privilege.

Donate today.

The simplicity of water is a luxury most of the world does not enjoy.

A

Place: Back in my Office-yehaaaaa….

Poison: an easter egg (yep I know so illegal, considering no resurrection yet!)

Favourite Things: New Computer with a flat screen.

Okay I have a confession to make. Those who know me and maybe those who don’t? ahhh would have an inkling that I danced and taught dance for many years as my job before this one.

I have some mad photos, that shall never be published and some even madder vides, that are totally free wheeling in random family video boxes out there.

Despite this vunderable confession…

I have an even graver one.

I AM COMPLETELY ADDICTED TO SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE. The new Australian one.

And JD was my favourite.

Check this out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NQ3cMHVdEA&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLGyqSX0m0c

He was voted out last night.

I am sooooooo desperately upset.

I know, I know, I know sad

Anyways.

That’s my confession.

Peace out

A

PLace: Qantas Club

Poison: Long Black

Favourite Things: on way back to perth

Yesterday was a moment captured. One of our favourite friends got married yesterday. Marriage and celebrating moments are so special.

 

To be in a room, with people who love your friend so much. To pray, support, remember, encourage and believe for a new life of togetherness, is one of lifes true priveleges.

On my way home now. So looking forward to Easter.

REALLY!

lovin

AMPs

Place: Kylie’s

Poison: Gum

Favourite Things: new socks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fo–9mYFpVM&feature=related

On the way from Sydney to Perth, I whooped with excitement that I was sitting on the front row of economy with no-one next to me, and a plane with individual movie screens, where you can choose your movie.

Yeah your feeling it, I know. Love those planes. Make all other planes now seem so flinstoneville. Tetris. What is that!! I know, I know.

Anyway, this post is supposed to be serious.

I watched a movie that moved me to the core ‘The martian child’. As random and sci fi as it sounds, it was so compelling.

A single father, adopts a child, who believes that he is a martian. This is so strange, yet so normal considering the levels of rejection this young child has faced.

How often do we respond to situations with a level of complexity, because it is the only way we know how.

The beauty of this movie, is this father, allowed this child to be himself and truly find out the normalcy in the expression of his past.

What is normal anyway?

I am so challenged by this notion right now. How often do we try to change people to try and fill our need for acceptance and try to make people fit the box of normal.

If we are all unique and if we are really honest with ourselves, then there is no normal. There is no status quo. There is no bar. The people who set it, are so unaware of their own complexity and their own level of plastic shaped normalcy.

BE NORMAL…what is that?

I cried so deeply for the hours I wasted as a child trying to be normal.

God I so hope one day I can have a child, or adopt one and have enough guts to empower them to be unique and transparent in the expression of who they truly are.

A

Place: On the train

Poison: Water

Favourite Things: Space and ipods

I am on a train in Sydney, travelling from paramatta to the city. Groovin with Alicia Keys challenging my thoughts and the everyday perspective I hold about people.

I am struck by a little old man wearing an apricot short sleeved shirt, his peace pervades our carriage, Part japense part maori, maybe, or is it nepalese.

Then I twist to see a chinese student with a glow slogan tshirt, hidden by an army overcoat. He seems so sad, so withdrawn, most likely so deep in thought not even aware that I am intrigued by him.

Then a guy with a red shirt (pulp fiction at that) with his lunch in a plastic bag, It looks like yoghurt, maybe cream cheese. He’s so on his way to a uni class to study graphic design or even media studies.

The business indian man who has just seated himself next to me exudes confidence in his purple, pink, blue and red striped shirt. Who was it that designed it, was it manufactured by children in china…why am I so judgemental, what made him by the shirt, did his mum, wife or girlfriend? Who is he talking to on his cell phone? He’s so not enjoying the conversation.

The old couple accross from me were quite disgusted by the backpackers carrying a large bottle of toohey’s beer in their hands. As they left the husband (or is it partner, maybe their having an affair) in their 60′s whispers sweet nothings into his wife’s ears (no they are definately married) that make her smile. The simplicity of their intimacy is so birthed in marriage.

Thats the thing about humanity…So different, yet so the same.

I believe we reflect the image of God.

Man he must be one crazy cat!!

Indescribable.

A

Place: Clauds Office Sydney

Poison: Water

Favourite Things: flower power resteraunt.

Last night on a 5 hour plane trip, I read the qantas magazine from cover to cover. This trip is only a week long, and I didnt bring any books to read (unusual, bible not included its an appendage that goes wherever I go). Despite no books, I have 6 different journals with me. Crazy hey!

I am intending on writing a lot this week, thus the journals. Anyway…miss verbose this morning…

Whilst reading the mag, I read an article which was really challenging. (I ripped it out too. smile)

It basically showed the statistics in Australia about both divorce and working hours for the average Australian over a life time and compared them to the early 1800′s.

Cool hey!

What they surmised, is that the divorce rate in Australia has in fact not increased, it has actually increased. The average length of a marriage is over 20 years. How challenging is that theory!!

Also we retire earlier, we work 27% less hours than our forefathers in the 1800′s did. Our lifestyles are easier with the change in technology. Yes we may pack more into a day, but we actually work less not more. Our work days are more flexible, we have more disposable income and definatley more choice. We travel more, which means we holiday more.

Perspective gained. Its actually not as bad as we all say it is.

There is just more choice.

I want to choose well.

A

Place: My Office

Poison: Berroca

Favourite Things: perfume in oil

Easter is just around the corner and we have been working on the presentation for months.

Check this out!

 

If your in Perth, come and visit.

A

Place: My Office

Poison: Orange Juice

Favourite Things: You tube

I have just been researching some information for our next months theme and it’s called ‘Praygrence’. Someone sent me this link and it completely cracked me up.

Go with it.

Amen!