The VIVID Sydney Opera House

The Opera House is always spectacular but in VIVID season it goes that extra mile.

 Vantage points are all over the harbour, even from the trains.

VIVID runs until the 14th of June so don't miss it!

The website is here with all the details.

“Twinkle lights are the perfect metaphor for joy. Joy is not a constant. It comes to us in moments—often ordinary moments. Sometimes we miss out on the bursts of joy because we're too busy chasing down extraordinary moments. Other times we're so afraid of the dark that we don't dare let ourselves enjoy the light." Brene Brown

VIVID is an easy way to enjoy the light! A short cut to joy and wonder.

#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.

 

The Sunday Morning Detective Agency

I walk with a friend on the weekend - a brisk walk and talk, enjoying the scenery and catching up on the week. (Annoying her when I stop for photos with a 'you keep going, I'll catch up').

This week was unexpected excitement - we found a wallet. We took it to the apartment buildings to put in the mailbox but they were inside the security doors. We messed around a bit trying to get in until someone finally left and we scurried in. I then set about letting her know she didn't need to cancel her cards. I put messages in community fb groups and sent some PMs, only for the people with the same name to tell me that it wasn't theirs.

I googled her. Found her and sent an email through the business address. Realising that wouldn't be seen until too late, I texted someone in her industry and asked if they knew her. The person they were with actually DID know her, texted her and all was resolved.

I was there thinking how easy the tech world made it to solve these problems when my friend said "It shows you how easy it is to stalk someone". So I guess there's a lesson there, on privacy and our digital footprints. They are huge, even if we aren't on Social Media. 

However, as someone who has had to cancel cards and reset up all the direct debits, I was glad to save her that task unnecessarily.

Linking with #MySundaySnapshot #HappyTuesday #HappyNow

The Island of Lost Toys

I posted awhile back of the Tale of Lost Children and on my morning walk was reminded of the haunted world around us....(my haunted photography series, at least!).

I will admit no amount of playing with filters could make the cute little kitty sad or melancholy, or ominous.

Weirdly all taken on the same morning walk....

Linking for the first time in a long time with #WeekendinB&W 

May Reading

I read In the Miso Soup while travelling in Japan had pretty much had to finish it on one day (on a train and then plane, and then got up early the next day to finish it). It's a horrible story but the menace is brilliantly created - you never quite know if it's real or not. That doubt you have when your intuition tells you something is off and then you start to question if you're just making it up. Piercing takes a little longer to start and for awhile felt like a clumsier attempt at the same, but then there's a shift and it's funny how you process the story. It's prompted me to order two more of his works. These are not pleasant stories, nor for the faint hearted but the artistry in the writing is worth it (for me at least, it's not for everyone).

I went and saw Kara Swisher talk and really enjoyed it. I found her very interesting so gave Burn Book a go. It's about all the tech leaders, and a little on the tech evolution. I found it amazing that most of the tech changes were really only 20 years ago. I can't remember life before it, and yet, I lived half my life without it. I enjoyed this book, and there's a lot to think about. Niche history, I guess you'd call it. Yet history that changed the world, both in lifestyle, dependance and influence - political and global.

This book I didn't love as much as my friend who recommended it, similar to the Before the coffee gets cold or Lost Recipes books, but with a library. If you like those, you'll like this. I just found it less charming (in the true sense) as those ones. Ironically, my friend loves this one, but didn't like the Coffee gets cold series. I'm the reverse....

This was a book club book by a local author. It has some good ideas but it didn't really work for me. I would have liked the Dice Man aspect explored more and I found the rom com movie aspect too predictable. There was one thing I didn't see coming and it's easy and fun.

I am not a fan of Matt Haig's fiction but I did like this one. I think there is something in it for everyone. I like the idea of advice helping when you need it most but you don't have to be looking for a life raft to learn something. It's a short book, and it little bits so you don't have to commit much time in any one sitting. Which I think is also good for people feeling overwhelmed or depressed. I really liked the bit about lighthouses, and we don't always need to be reading out to people.

Note spoiler in Trigger warning discussed.

I assumed this was junk crime but there's a little more too it than that. I like that the protagonist is a woman. I like the murky complexity. I do think it needs a trigger warning as I found it quite upsetting in one part re the loss of a child and the emotional fallout in grief. It's not a must read brilliant literature but there is a bit more to it than the cover implies.

I did enjoy it more than I expected to.

Linking with #TalkaboutitTuesday #Bookdate #StackingtheShelves #SundayPost  #SundaySalon and #SeniorSalonPitstop

“Stories are light. Light is precious in a world so dark. Begin at the beginning. Tell Gregory a story. Make some light.” ― Kate DiCamillo, The Tale of Despereaux

VIVID in Barangaroo is all about story telling. Sit around a campfire sharing stories. 

A Bon(d)fire.

Listening to the stories of our past.

My favourite of the night was the Fantasmagoria on the Bond Building. A whimsical & delightful voyage.

Note all the installations are near the Metro station, on the top or in the park.

There is nothing around the restaurants so you don't need to make that hike unless you want to.

My other favourites were the swans and the lightning. I had been thinking it was a little lack lustre collection until when a New Zealand woman was asking security if there were more in the park - I think she didn't want to walk off into the darkness alone. He didn't understand her for some reason, so I interrupted and explained that there were, and the first one was just around the curve. She burst into a huge smile and excitedly thanked me. I suddenly saw it though her eyes, as a first time visitor. It really is magical delight and beautiful. We get so jaded of things we love. It was great to see it anew, in all it's wonder and joy.

VIVID runs from now until 14 June, nightly from 6pm.

Linking with #TravelTuesday #MCoW #WWOT #WeekendCoffeeShare #WednesdayAroundtheWorld

VIVID website is here.