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 ›
music
Celebrate, respect, remember & sing out loud
It’s Australia Day again (or Straya Day as we say in the local dialect), sparking the inevitable debates about whether this is a day of celebration or shame. We’re also being encouraged to participate in familiar discussions about our national anthem, our flag,… Read More ›
Not simply ‘community art’ – Glimpse the world through the eyes of artists with disabilities & experience of mental illness
I was lucky enough to see the 2015 Connected Art Exhibition in Melbourne last week. It’s finished now but I’ve prepared a short post so more people get to appreciate its creativity and the artists’ insightful comments about their images. (They were on display in the… Read More ›
Superlatives – Does this ‘Organum Maximum’ in Sicily live up to its name?
This photo/story challenge seemed like a good opportunity to find out the story behind the name of the organ in the Duomo di San Giorgio at Ragusa Ibla, Sicily. (Inspector Montalbano fans would probably recognise the Duomo as it regularly features in episodes… 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 ›
It will take power & passion to save the planet
Yesterday I attended the Krebs Lecture 2015 at the University of Canberra given by Peter Garrett AM on the environment, climate change and ‘five simple steps we can take to save the hand that feeds us – our planet’.* Garrett’s credentials include former… 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 ›
Great walls & fences of Australia 2
Anyone who read my last post about wild dog, dingo, emu and rabbit-proof fences in Australia, will hopefully appreciate the humour in my favourite TV commercial that encourages parents to invest in an Internet connection to help their kids with… Read More ›
Eco-sounds
I talked about sound in a recent post and its ability to evoke memories and change how we feel. Even inaudible sounds (i.e. those outside the audible range for humans) may affect us or be felt as vibrations. As we become more aware… Read More ›
Horror movie marathon – Round the clock news
In the 70s, an Australian band called Skyhooks had a hit song called ‘Horror Movie’: ‘Right there on my TV – It’s the six thirty news!’ Nowadays, it’s not just at 6.30pm. We can watch bad news from any country… 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 ›
Once a jolly swagperson – Australia’s national songs and political correctness
On reading a post about political correctness this morning, I felt compelled to share a fabulous PC version of ‘Waltzing Matilda’ – Australia’s national song – performed by Shortis & Simpson. For a more traditional version, I recommend true blue Aussie Slim Dusty’s version… Read More ›
Canberra – Smack bang in the middle (but just a bit closer to Sydney)
A great song was released in honour of the Centenary of Canberra this year. I recommend watching the music video.* The title of the song (and this post) refers to when Australia was selecting a location for its federal capital city… 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 ›
Sustainability soapbox 