Anyone can find a few clues, but not everyone can solve a crime Recognising an opportunity or uncovering a new piece of information is only the first step in the journey. You also need to appreciate its significance and be willing… Read More ›
Inspiration
Serendipity (Part 1) – Why are some people luckier than others?
Are you a lucky person? Do ideas and opportunities just seem to jump into your lap? Or do things like that only happen to other people? Sometimes it’s worth taking a chance When Carmel won a free trip for two… Read More ›
Super Pippo to the rescue – Make the most of your superpowers
I couldn’t resist taking a photo of Goofy sitting in a Palermo shop window. Italians call this adorable but frustrating Disney character ‘Pippo’. In addition to sharing similar names, I have a real soft spot for Pippo as he is perennially distracted and disaster-prone – but somehow everything… Read More ›
Rags to rhinestones – Dolly Parton’s anti-bullying coat & free books for children
Has anyone ever made fun of you? Or have you watched someone being bullied and did nothing to help? Perhaps you were the one laughing at a person who was ‘different’? If your answer is yes, then you’re not alone…. Read More ›
Behold! Music at a tram stop!
The same tram stop that I wrote about a few weeks ago (here) is now home to a new installation – an interactive ad promoting performances of the Messiah next month. While you wait for your tram, you press the button in the centre… Read More ›
Warm Trees 2014 – Dragons, scarves & spiderwebs
The highlight of the ‘Warm Trees’ exhibition (25 July – 31 Aug 2014) at Canberra’s National Arboretum was a single tree on Dairy Farmers’ Hill near the ‘Nest’ sculpture. Here, some inspired yarn bombers created beautiful silvery cobwebs that glistened in… Read More ›
Hidden talent – homeless art & poetry
This week I saw an exhibition of homeless art, stories and poetry that was displayed in shop windows along Carlisle Street, Balaclava and Fitzroy Street, St Kilda in Melbourne. It was both uplifting and heart-wrenching at the same time. The ‘No fixed address’ community… Read More ›
Charity begins at home – with a pair of knitting needles or crochet hook
Knitting and crocheting are no longer just for the blue rinse set. These crafts are enjoying a renaissance across all age groups and are being used to help others and to create cheerful and creative temporary art installations. The knitters and crocheters also receive benefits through… Read More ›
We can all be cheerleaders
Apparently competitive cheerleading is becoming increasingly popular in Australia. Some Melbourne schools even offer this sport as an elective subject. However, cheerleading is incredibly dangerous – with high levels of catastrophic and other serious injuries (as well as rivalry between contenders for the limited positions… Read More ›
A guilt-free Valentine
This post (and the amazing cloud that I saw a couple of weeks ago) is dedicated to all those who conscientiously object to the crass commercialisation of this saint’s day, didn’t receive flowers or chocolates today (but would have liked to),… Read More ›
When did you last catch a real (or virtual) sunrise or sunset?
I have always loved Michael Leunig’s cartoon ‘TV Sunrise’ – where a father and son sit inside watching a sunset on their television while a real sunset is clearly visible through the window. Oslo Davis did a more recent cartoon… Read More ›
Sounds
We should not underestimate the potential for sound to affect us both psychologically and physiologically. Sounds can soothe us, inspire us or stress us out. They can also evoke memories and emotions – in the same way as sights and smells…. Read More ›
Can cricket jargon help to create a better and more inclusive Australia?
What did I just say? A few days ago I found myself saying that Nelson Mandela had ‘had a good innings’ (referring to his remarkable 95 years.) Soon after, I commented that someone was ‘on the back foot’ (even though this… Read More ›
Magic fridges (or How to get what you want 2)
Instead of simply writing down a list of what you want (see my last post), you can increase the likelihood of achieving your goals by putting pictures of what you want in places that you see every day (such as… Read More ›
How to get what you want
In the words of the great philosopher (singer) Joe Jackson ‘You can’t get what you want ’til you know what you want!’ We are often told to work out what we want and write it down – but how many… Read More ›
It’s all a matter of perspective
For anyone wondering about the photo in my last post, it is one of a number of sculptures at the new National Arboretum Canberra. The Arboretum is being built on a former pine plantation destroyed by bushfires in 2001 and 2003.*… Read More ›
When life gives you rubbish…
Check out this video about a music school at a slum in Paraguay. The instruments are made from oil drums, crates, tin cans, plastic pipes and other waste scavenged from the landfill. Before I saw this, I thought rubber tyre swans… Read More ›
Long term impact of decisions we make (or don’t make) today
Things we do or say today may not appear to make much difference in the short or even medium term but can be critical in determining whether or not we ultimately achieve what we want in the long term. Delaying… Read More ›
Sustainability soapbox 