Share Four Somethings - September

 

It feels a little early for this, but never the less, here we are.

Something I loved Given I spent two weeks not allowed to eat anything normal or nice, and being very sedate, I've hit the ground running with dinners, dancing and much merriment. Griffyn was so fun, both the dinner before at Queen Chow and the laughs that came with it.

Something I learned Magnolias were around since the dinosaur days, before bees. Which is why they are pollinated by beetles.

That was the softener for the bad news I learnt. In Australia, Bowel Cancer is the deadliest cancer for people aged between 25-44. The gender divide for people diagnosed with bowel cancer is 54% male and 46% female, so do those tests, go to the GP with any symptoms. Don't mess about! And know your family history because 30% of cases has a family history or hereditary contribution. (Note I was at doctor for stomach not bowel but that was the reading material on hand....It's not personal, it's just unfun facts.) 

Something that went well The daughter of my husband's colleague was in a play and my husband thought I might be interested. It was only $25 so I put it to my theatre crew and was surprised when three of them said they would come. I was a little stressed it might be terrible, as I knew nothing about it...but it was EXCELLENT. Part of Belvoir's 25A project (def keep your eyes on those), it was funny and thought provoking. Very enjoyable to me as I'd read and seen a lot of Pirandello and there were similarities in theme but it was also quite interesting to look at us now, with the fake news and false reporting of events framing individual realities. A reworking of a play that was written in 1636, you can see that the world has little changed since then....I thought Ariyan Sharma was fantastic and I thought Ariadne Sgouris was hilarious in the party scene - she really stole attention with every line. Wonderful stuff! 

Something I let go of  I'm not sure I can answer this again this month. Need to get focused and organised. Just reacting and running in the hamster wheel...

Linking with #ShareFourSomethings #FineWhatever #SeniorSalonPitstop #TalkaboutitTuesday

Sydney Contemporary

As well as Father's Day, Spring, footy finals and Singapore F1 that I discussed here, another annual September event is Sydney Contemporary. It's the annual art show, and even if you don't have pockets that can afford to buy a piece, it's worth the price of admission to see all the great works on offer from smaller galleries.

My favourites were by Hwang Seontae (Pontone Gallery) - they are back lit and they glow and you feel (emotionally) the warmth of the light and shadow. They were beautiful and moving.

Justin Miller Art (didn't note the artist, sorry) had this stunning work, which I found movingly beautiful.

This Hockney-esque work is by Sydney Nolan, which took me by surprise.

I adore Teamlabs so it never fails to make me smile.

Because I love Singapore, this one by Park Jieun (Pontone Gallery) caught my eye.

If you can believe it, Claire Healy & Sean Condeiro created this from lego! (N.Smith Gallery).

If you haven't been before, there's plenty of bubbles and gin on offer to enjoy (but I'm so clumsy I just can't go there! I couldn't even go into one of the booths filled with stunning glass - my husband laughed when he came out and asked why I didn't go in...I could just see us footing the bill for 6 figures for some smashed item I'd knocked off the pedestal). As much as I would have loved a glass of Pommery, I declined and enjoyed the art without lubrication....

It is an annual outing for my husband and I, a date with a difference & one we both look forward to!

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Ongoing art tale....

 Near me there is a little wall known as the Nelson Street Gallery. Paintings and murals appear and go. 

My favourite, was the appearance of this suitcase. Succinct and powerful story telling..It did make me laugh (and a little sad) .

Then a few months later this:


And about a year later, this timely update....

So simple, yet never fails to bring a smile...I will be cheering on Maureen through her next suitcase tale...

Whoever started this, I hope you know what a joyful bit of the world you've made a totally nondescript corner become. Thank you.

Linking with #WordlessWednesday #KeithsRamblings #WordlessWednesday #MuralMondays #TalkaboutitTuesday

Wellness Month

 It's Wellness Month at South Everleigh and there's all sorts of classes, some free, some for a fee to get people out of the office and into action. Pickleball, Yoga, Sleep Hygiene, Pilates and even Bonsai and getting your colours done! 

I went to Hoop Fit. It was so fun learning to hula hoop, and great exercise. It was free and everyone happened to be beginners the day I went so don't be daunted by lack of ability! There are 2 sessions today, Saturday 20th, so if you've nothing on, head over and join in.

This week's timetable is here and 22-28th timetable is here - including massage and manifestation among other things!

And of course, there are plenty of great takeaways to have lunch in the sunshine (or a great IGA to knock over the grocery shopping if you need to).

If you want to put a joyful spring in your step, head over to Everleigh and grab a hoop!

(As I pottered about afterwards, I noticed the history section and workshop near Brew Dog. I'll be back with the Wednesday Club to do some welding...) I am constantly amazed at how much goes on in Sydney that you are unaware of...you just have to look!

Linking with #GalleriaHimmelsblick #Skywatch #SundayBest #WWOT #ThruMyLens #MCoW #WednesdayAroundtheWorld

The loss of people you'll never meet

 There have been two significant deaths in my little blogging world recently. One came out of the blue as a surprise, and one, while he'd been sick and absent for awhile still came as a shock. I'd even just reached out to check in the day after he died (but before the news was shared).

Both were men I really knew nothing about but once a week, if not more, I would get a glimpse into their life and what they were doing, where they were exploring or just a weekly chuckle at a shared joke or meme.

So it is a little strange how connected I felt, only realised by how sad I was to hear of their passing.

More bloggers announced retirement this week, and so the blogging world keeps shrinking.

The landscape has changed significantly since I started. My real connections are much smaller than they were yet my numbers are way up, higher than ever before (but I can only assume that is bots crawling all over the words, rather than eyes of real readers).

The dead internet theory seems more and more realistic these days, and yet, I don't lose my desire to write. A friend shared the 4 pillars of meaning (in a reel by Haileypaigemagee on Instagram), and the fourth one was Storytelling - how you have a narrative of who you are and how you got there. I guess that's what the blog is for me. Sorting out my thoughts & sharing the things I love in the world. Even if eventually it's just a personal diary lying bare to the bots, genuinely a lone voice screaming into the void...

However, that may be a few years off, in the meantime, I'll keep enjoying the fragile universe I share with people around the globe that once a week I mix with - looking at their world and sharing mine.

Linking with #SeniorSalonPitstop #TalkaboutitTuesday #WWWhimsy

Spring

 

As we begin to finally see the back of the rain (fingers crossed), the sun is beginning to warm up and the washing is finally drying outdoors!

Best of all, there are flowers and birds everywhere. Even the weeds make you smile...

My poor family is suffering from terrible hay fever. I don't know about that, but my guess is that's genetic as I seem to be the only one who doesn't get it....

In a bit of craziness, we had not one, but two bush turkeys in the tree in our backyard - I've only ever seen them on the ground strutting about!

“When spring came, even the false spring, there were no problems except where to be happiest... each day had no limits."
― Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast

(This quote actually has a negative slant about people, in true Hemingway style but I think Spring is to be enjoyed with friends, the dog as well as on your own so I cut that part out!)

Linking with #WildbirdWednesday #FloralFridayFoto #AwwMondays #GardenAffair