Tell Us about ...Music.

Now I know you thought this would be easy for me, as I talk about music a lot, but I actually struggled a bit to know what to say...

When my Dad was dying, I started using music as therapy. It really provided emotional balance for me. No matter what load I was carrying, after a few hours of singing and dancing in a crowd, I felt the weight lifted and I was ready to face another day. There are studies on dance and confidence & self esteem, physical well being and the benefits of  social inclusion. I have written so many times how dancing gives me a lift, it's in all my self care posts. I even get endorphin rush at the prospect of going to dance, on my way to the event, before I've heard a note!

Friends invited me to the races because Furnace and the Fundamentals were playing. Now I don't like horse racing but I'm going because I was having a sulk that somehow I had 3 weeks ahead without any music booked...I do actually have Sam Fisher but he's slow and you can't dance to him so he doesn't count...

I've used this Hunter S. Thompson quote before “Music has always been a matter of Energy to me, a question of Fuel. Sentimental people call it Inspiration, but what they really mean is Fuel. I have always needed Fuel." and it really does hit home for me. The thought of no music lined up really brought me down, and so the ridiculous effort I'm going to even makes me chuckle. I get energised from it, a sort of high if I can get lost in the rhythm and the dancing. All singing in unison does something too. I guess feeling part of a community. It's probably why churches included chanting and then songs?

This song is all about losing yourself in singing and dancing and his fans got celebrated in the clip. There's so much infectious joy in it. (while not sexual , there is a woman in the shower and a lot of bikinis so maybe NSFW)

As a kid, I was really into music until about 12. I loved all music from the turn of the century up until the weekly top 40. I would follow that religiously, taping soungs off the tv musicals or off the radio. I knew (and still do) all the words of every song.

Then in high school it waned a little, but reading the music magazines and pouring over pictures of bands was added to the mix. I guess it became more about who was cool and who was cute?

Strangely, when I could go and see live bands, in my 20s, I just wasn't that into it. I did at Uni but once I was working, I went to pubs and clubs more, or cover bands to dance.

In my 30's,with kids, it stopped completely. Just too expensive with a sitter.

In my 40s we started having a lot of parties, predominately for me to dance and I started going to gigs again, but a more normal amount. Then my Dad died and that year it got a bit manic. Even I could see that. I decided I would cut back but somehow, since lockdown, it's got more manic, not less. 

My music has evolved from predomintately pop up until my 30s, then rap in my 40s to edm in my 50s. I see rap to edm as a logical progression because it beats and rhythm...though at a glance it probably looks odd.

I was leaving a festival with friends and said "So when is our next one?" and then in a panic asked "We do have a next one?" as I realised nothing stretched out on the horizon...We didn't go to Bluesfest this year because it didn't line up with school holidays and had our anniversary trip to pay for, so we booked a week of Bluesfest side gigs instead, having our own little festival. I have my new ritual of 'practice New Years' with Hot Dub on the Harbour and Harbourlife the next day, and of course Field Day is now bigger than my NYE and a great way to start the year!

“Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without.”

— Confucius

I guess the bottom line is, I've had all different sorts of musical influences over time, but music influences my life greatly, a soundtrack to wellbeing and happiness is constantly feeding my soul, from when I jump in the shower and throughout the day.

Linking with #TellUsAbout

Mother's Day

The seasonal marker of May is Mother's Day (and in Sydney apparently non stop rain and clouds that stop you seeing the Southern Lights when the rest of the world gets to see the Aurora).

I took Mum to Lotus with my sister. I also managed to accidently cancel the booking at 3pm the day before, but a frantic phonecall rectified the situation. 

I was amazed that neither of my family had ever had shallot pancake, ome of my all time favourites (if done right).

The dumplings were sensational, as always and so were the desserts.

Everyone had a good time, but me most of all, as getting Mum out of the house is becoming trickier...not in ability but will. David Jones Flower Show and Mother's Day....big tick. Now to find some other reason to lure her out of the house....

#Allseasons linky runs from Thursday to Wednesday each week.

Link one post that shows something seasonal. Traditional weather wise, a seasonal nature marker or a seasonal celebration. 

Make sure you link back to this  #AllSeasons post. 

Please comment on the post before yours and the host. Don't dump and run 

 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

A tale of friendship and loss

 I used to work with a woman who was about 15 years older than me and we became friends. She'd join us for nights out and weekends away. She moved on to a different workplace, but we remained friends. Eventually she moved to Italy and we even visited her there, children in tow as our lives changed with the passage of time.

She wrote this book, Leaning towards Pisa about her move to Italy and began work on her second novel. Unfortuanely, she was struck down with pancreatic cancer shortly and hurriedly finished the manuscript. She died not long after.

The second novel is historical fiction, looking at three years in the life of Giacomo Puccini while he wrote Madama Butterfly. 

It is the Centenary of Puccini's death and all around the world, Opera Houses are beginning their celebrations of his work. 

Sue's daughter entrusted one of Sue's life long friends from her University days at Cambridge to prepare the manuscript for publishing. As a result, I'll be at the book launch next week and get my hands on a copy. 

It is bittersweet, as she really wanted this book published, and the timing brings a constant reminder of her loss, every time I see Puccini mentioned in the news.

However, the strange part is, in the to-ing and fro-ing of emails, names keep popping up. Her friends that I heard stories about, as you do when you catch up. All these names are very familliar, even though I have never met them, or at least only did briefly at her funeral to put faces to names.

We are linked to people in many ways, some just in the shared loss of a friend. You don't realise how much you peek through a window into other people's lives until the storyteller is gone and you realise how well you feel you know the stranger.

I guess that's the legacy of a life well lived:
enduring friendship.

Puccini's Butterfly is available now on Amazon in ebook. The hard copy will be available from 28 May.

Linking with #SeniorSalonPitstop #Stackingtheshelves #AnythingGoes
#Bookdate #SundaySalon #Weekendcoffeeshare #TrafficJamReboot #MonthlyBookworms #WowonWednesday

Taking a punt....

I had a double up last night - one of my favourite things. I feel I'm really making the most of a night. I went to Oliver Coleman for the Comedy Festival (def go if you ever get a chance to see him), then we stopped for a drink a the bar next door. We jumped in an uber and after picking up my friend's daughter to get her home from work, we shot into the city for Sam Fisher. A bit of fun stuff, a bit of Mum stuff, a bit of energising, uplifting stuff....

Linking this photo with #ShadowShotSunday

I'd seen him before, going in at random (Not knowing any of his music, I'd just been seeing his name around). When I said I was going that time, my friend said "I'm really surprised you like him". I had to point out that I hadn't heard any of his music. She continued "Oh, he doesn't seem like your sort of thing".

Anyway, he was really great - and while he was a little slow for me, his chatter was highly entertaining so when I saw he was back, I mentioned I might go on FB. My festival friends announced they'd got tickets and would see me there. I had to point out to them that he wasn't a DJ and might be a little slow for them...they were just going on my say so, also not knowing him.

In the end one was sick so the other brought her husband along. He had listened and liked him.

Fisher was brilliant, and the crowd were really there for him. It's such a great vibe. But this song sums up my existential angst (or mania) perfectly. It's a good reminder to live in the moment, to treasure time and for me, the need to really squeeze as much into daily life as you can.

This gift we have is to be enjoyed while we can!

Linking with #FloralFridayFoto

The bottom line is - you don't know what you like until you give it a go, so take a punt on things. It might just become your new favourite....

I'm grateful to have some friends who are as 'all in' as me. That makes it all the more enjoyable!

Ultimately, curiosity is it's own reward.

(I'd also picked Oliver Coleman at random because he was on at a time that suited me and he's been my favourite so far after Aaron Chen at the Comedy festival, so I now have a new comedian to follow too!)

Linking with #AnythingGoes  #WWWhimsy #SeniorSalonPitstop #HappyNow

Local Street Art

 I was wandering around while waiting to pick up some takeaway and noticed this mural had changed to this:

I think I prefer the Reubszz better. There is another by him still at the end of that street though.

I also managed to get this one without a car in front of it - I don't think I've ever seen a clear view of it before!

There were men working on the walls of the alley, so I must remember to go back and see what they did as it would be finished by now.

Linking with #MuralMonday #MCoW and #AwwMondays cos the two kdis are so sweet!

“This is a tapestry of every sunset and sunrise …It reminds me that if the sun comes up, the day has beautiful purpose." Amanda Dykes, All the Lost Places

 

We are missing the sunshine in Sydney at the moment. So I had to make do with a mere sunrise.

It's been awhile since I've caught a firey one. It sets the house aglow in orange.

It makes me smile, but more importantly, it sparks something positive within me. 

A defualt setting of anticipation - a type of joy perhaps?

A hope that there is sunshine for all of us ahead.

“The sunshine is nature planting a kiss on the face of the earth.”
― Michael Bassey Johnson, Night of a Thousand Thoughts

Linking with #NaturesNotes #HappyTuesday #TheRandom #SkyWatch #GaleriaHimmelsblich

Weather

 What season is this? It's meant to be autumn but it's raining constantly and cold and miserable. Or am I cold and miserable?

The issue with drying clothes that can't go in the dryer is doing my head in. I'm ironing things dry, I'm moving the drying rack around to spots of sunshine. Basically it's taking 4 days for things to dry. And they stink.

I was so excited to get a window of blue sky on our walk that I took a photo incase I forgot what it was like:

The excitement was this huge school of fish swimming very close to the surface and jumping all over themselves (literally).

Fingers crossed we get some brisk blue days to enjoy the changing leaves.

Linking the reflective Ibis for #SundayBest  #Skywatch #Galleriahillesblick for the change in the sky! #WordlessWednesday #KeithsRamblings #NaturesNotes #SaturdayCritters #WaterThursday #WildBirdWednesday

May the Fourth be with you!

Some of Melbourne's Star Wars themed street art.

Linking with #TheRandom #MuralMondays

#Allseasons linky runs from Thursday to Wednesday each week.

Link one post that shows something seasonal. Traditional weather wise, a seasonal nature marker or a seasonal celebration. 

Make sure you link back to this  #AllSeasons post. 

Please comment on the post before yours and the host. Don't dump and run 

 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party

!

Click here to enter

 

Wild Monkeys

 

One of the highlights in Bintan were the beautiful monkeys in the wild. Unlike those in Uluwatu that had learnt to open doors and steal phones and other possessions (we had to sign a waiver on check in that we would keep our doors locked, even when out by the pool!) these ones would only steal food and I never saw them near our villa anyway.

Beautiful glossy coats that shined in the sun.

Linking with #MySundayBest #MySundaySnapShot #ThruMyLens #NaturesNotes #SaturdayCritters