A while back I posted about some radio plays I'd enjoyed so I thought I'd post about my most recent discovery.
The New Yorker has this brilliant free podcast where authors read short stories by other authors and then discuss why they like it and the craft and meaning in the work.
It's like a short little book club and a great way to discover the work of authors you may not be that familliar with.
I went looking for the Patricia Highsmith episode (after watching Perfect Days, the Wim Wenders movie, I'm on a roll with her short stories) but got distracted by the Shirley Jackson one instead. I'm keen to listen to all the Alice Munro and Haruki Murakami episodes too...
I am listening on Spotify but I'm sure you can get it elsewhere.
I loved the atmosphere on the Goods line, less lights but the fires and 'shows'.
In the School of Business they're screening a documentary of people around the world's experience of lockdown. Worth dropping in for five or ten minutes. I really cant get out of my head the guy in New Zealand who did it in a van....
Just outside is Window Dressing, a fun show in the windows of the building. So fun.
This work in Darling Harbour outside the ICC is great too.
We have a new mural going up. I told the artist I thought it was great and she smiled broadly. Afterwards, I realised I should have got her name but I'll go back when the cherrypicker has gone and find the signature...
Last night after the train decided mid trip to not stop at five of the listed stops due to congestion, I travelled around trying to make my way home. The only bonus, as I wasted my time, was this train that lit up with all the reflected lights around it, looking like it was painted neon.
Sometimes the smallest amusements make you smile.
"A museum is a bad place to look at art; the worst context for art is other art" Banksy
I have already written a lot about beauty. Some of my posts around our relationship with beauty fall under these headings:
Beauty is in the eye of the beholderIn this very early post I try to explain the beauty I see watching the Dakar trucks fly through the sand dunes in the desert.
Don't be scared of your Blue HorsesThe story of how the Nazis had a strict view of beauty in art and Eric Carle learning to see the beauty in the forbidden art of Franz Marc.
This time, I want to talk about something different. Summed up best in this quote "The absence of flaw in beauty is itself a flaw". (Havelock Ellis). There are people that are so good-looking, they're almost like a cartoon. A charicature of beauty, if you will. Henry Cavill is one example that springs to mind. A very good looking face but not attractive.
When watching tv, I'm finding more and more I like the wrinkled, rumpled faces of the European and Asian actors than the botox'ed & lifted Hollywood stars. While youth is always good looking , it's the expereince and difference that makes people attractive. Or maybe it's charisma? (young people take note. You are as good looking as you'll ever be, you just don't see it. I promise you, you'll look back on photos and be surprised!).
I think the biggest mistake we make is thinking beauty is perfection, when really beauty is in unique imperfections, that catch the eye, or engage emotions.
There was a quote on Pedestrian TV talking about the Saltburn actor which I think sums it up perfectly.
"Sabrina looks drop-dead gorgeous, Barry looks hot in a weird way". I think we need to worry less about beauty standards and realise that everyone is beautiful in their own way. And I don't mean in that cheesy platitude, I mean really beautiful, if you really look.
The Rone exhibition is extraordinary in part because it makes ordinary things beautiful. So beautiful.
In the same way I can walk down the street to the shops and it's just a busy urban, inner city street or I can walk the dog and there are beautiful flowers and delightfully playful shadows dappling through autumn leaves, it's not the street that changes but my view of it. I'm choosing to take the time to really look at it.
I guess that is the secret. We just need to really look.
“Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.” ― Confucious
We need to not over think it, not sit in analytical judgement but just feel something when we see it. It's reward is the smile, joy or inspiration we feel when we see it. Our reaction to it, or as Rumi says "The beauty you see in me is a reflection of you" and that's where you really find beauty.
And Perth people, one of the most hauntingly beautiful exhibitions is coming your way. I was literally moved to tears by it's beauty. Book tickets to Rone as soon as you can. It will sell out. (My experience here)
Linking with #WeekendReflection for the first pic and the harbour bridge pic, where the reflections on the water make the photo! &#TellUsAbout
Due to some health issues, I've not hit VIVID as hard as I'd liked to. I'm still hoping to somehow squeeze it all in, but not sure when.
However a group of friends did the Tekno Train - not to be confused in any way with the German Techno Train, which was what I was thinking when I encouraged 5 friends to book it. As we all went as singles, the cost didn't matter so much, but if you'd paid $80 or $100 for a family, I'd not have been so stoked.
It was hilariously weird (compared to what I was thinking it would be prior to booking). The email telling us we had to stay in our seats made me realise I had to lower my expectations.
I did feel bad for the people that dressed to rave (clearly not having lowered their expectations, or not reading the email.
Not seen on train
Not seen on train
We had a good time, laughing for most of the hour. There was a family bouncing around in their seats and when they went down to the single carriage to dance, half our group followed them. It was hilarious.
There were two obnoxiously entitled, selfish women who took 4 seats, and refused to move even though the train was full and a father couldn't sit with his child. Even when specifically asked they wouldn't, so I hope their precious coats and handbags that took up the other seats next to them really enjoyed the ride. They could have sat together and the father could have sat with his son.We had been told many times before boarding that the train was full and to help groups sit together where possible. So if you go, don't be jerks. (Especially on the later sessions when most of the time you're in tunnels so the windows don't really add much!!)
Paul Mac, who I was sure had died (who was the Australian DJ that died about 2 years ago?? Old school, fore runner in the scene?) was also a little underwhelmning but I am def a Tropical House girl (or so spotify tells me). However, I leave you with my fav techno song that wasn't on the train but should have been.....and most def family friendly.
Not seen on train
We did have a good time, in large part to laughing at how wrong our expectations had been and making the best of a situation. It did make me appreciate just how enthusastic my friends are. It was a lesson in how it's the people that make the good times great!
The first session is the 'scenic' route which may show you more of VIVID (I don't know), we chose one of the later ones because the train goes faster, up to 80 kms an hour.
If you want to go on the TeknoTrain, tickets are here. It's a family freindly experience, even the later scessions. No nude guard cars on this train.....
A friend keeps tagging me on Insta when she sees a rainbow. I am reminded how much I love the refracted light, and apparently talk about it more than I should.
Then this week I catch one on the wall and decide I should share it like I used to here.
VIVID in the most Sydney thing to do has rainbow lasers. When I was walking, some people in the crowd pointed it out to each other, in delight.
Sometimes the smallest, inconsequential things make us happy.
Not sure this counts for thankful but I do appreciate the small pleasure I get from it. #ThankfulThursday
Not fluffy or furry but it does make me go Aww every single time!
