Windswept sails

Feeling at home

I went to a hidden furniture shop today. It was one of those swanky, edgy places that was part warehouse conversion, part art gallery. The European brand names on the doorpost were the kind of names you pretended to know but couldn’t afford. I was greeted by a warm enough voice, but I focused on …

Just do it afraid

I had lunch today with two very pregnant friends in Newtown. One is due to give birth in a few weeks, and the other a few months after. The conversation inevitably turned towards birthing, as they discuss the myriad of options available. There’s the standing up birth, the all-on-fours birth, the lying down birth (apparently, …

Some things don’t stop being a novelty

I’ve lived in Sydney for most of my life and I never get sick of visiting Darling Harbour. You’ll be pressed to find a Sydneysider that doesn’t have fond memories of walking around the brick-paved paths, taking in the views of the western part of the city, reflecting on the water. Sydney’s cheating – it doesn’t …

It’s gonna take a lot to drag me away from you

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTQbiNvZqaY I used to roll my eyes whenever I heard this song when I was a teenager (the finer points of 80s music was lost on me, you see). But like coffee, wine and Phil Collins, this song has also grown on me in the passage of time. I hope your week has been pleasant. …

You say it best when you say nothing at all (it’s ok to shut up)

Silent pauses during dates are awkward. A half second pause is ok because you or they are probably thinking of what to say next. Longer than that half second allowance gets really uncomfortable and you start to think of bringing up that you’ve got work early the next morning.You know you’re comfortable with someone when …

Let’s start over

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gs069dndIYkhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gs069dndIYk Let’s start over I’ve always felt a “newness” about September. It might be because it’s the start of spring here in Oz and the potential of new growth is upon us. Oddly enough, my friend informed me tonight that it’s the start of the Jewish New Year. So I guess there’s new life and …

It is not always the end

This is the daffodil plant that lives on my tiny balcony outside my room. Last spring, I forgot to water it and so the soil got so dry and hard, I thought it was dead. I even forgot it was there after a while. After the rains we had a few weeks ago, the plant …

Where I am is where I want to be

I often have trouble being “present”. I mean, I pay attention but I’m not sure if I fully appreciate where I am all the time. Sometimes I wish I was elsewhere or doing something else. I think it’s a personality thing. More technical people are present but can have trouble imagining, says Myers-Briggs. Anyway, I’m …

Your attention is finite

I was watching a speaking presentation recorded at the Vivid Festival by a dude (whose name escapes me) who was talking about data visualisation and how to make it beautiful.Somewhere after the part about whale hunting in Alaska and some dead owls, he talked about what he defines as ‘beautiful’ from a data vis but …