The Greatest Smallest Forest

This week was the birthday of my friend Nathalie (Nat)

https://smallestforest.net/

An artist, with many talents and a woman who I admired for her humor, her capacity to see through bullshit (including mine), her straight talking cynicism, her taste for strong coffee and her propensity for freedom over comfort and truth above conformity!

It was heartbreaking when Nat died at the end of February last year. I have missed her deeply.

She had so much talent to share with the world and produced art that in my opinion was the best in Darwin!

Nat was also pretty good at Calligraphy she designed and drew the guest book when Prince Charles visited Darwin in 2018. 

My mum has a hand written copy of Desiderata that Nat wrote in beautiful calligraphy before Christmas in 2018. It must have taken her ages.

Please check out her work on her blog The Smallest Forest, it is full of so many wonderful surprises. I have no idea how long the blog will continue to be hosted. Chances are it will be taken down pretty soon.

The Smalest Forest

Put on a Happy Face

If you travel the cycle paths and back streets of Darwin you may occasionally see some rather unique street art.

Of course the roadside rubbish sculptures of Trevor (Rubbish Warrior) Jenkins have been a reoccurring fixture of Darwin street life for many years (more than 10), but there are other obscure serial effigists floating around who have also left their mark on our town.

I don't know the person who does these but they appear on several tree trunks around the place, some in high use areas and amazingly on the whole they have been left in tact and un-vandalised. 

Here are just a few of the smiley faces of Darwin.
I reckon they're all made out of beer cans, not sure if there's a deeper message involved but the appear a benign addition to street life around our town.

I had heard that the artist may have been the same person who was, at one stage, using discarded wine bladders to create artistic sculptures around the place. I think there may be a connection between these sculptures and the prevalence of alcoholic beverages  consumed and containers/people discarded in the process.

Long grass sinking

Long Grasser by Geoff McKenzie

There's a freedom you can't buy and a slavery you can't buy your way out of

There are a 1,000 sails calling me to sea and a crack in the earth keeping me here

I hug the earth

A bed of cans and foil plastic pillow

drinking sinking, no sailing today

Nuclear waste.... dump on Muckaty

Meanwhile back in Darwin the gang were getting down at the Music for Muckety protest rally. Here's a couple of the banners Sam whipped up.

Here's a little Japanese Reggae from Rankin Taxi to help you ponder life in a nuclear waste dump....


...meanwhile the stinging irony bites me in the ass as I consider how many x-rays and radiology scans I've had in the past three weeks! 

Synth spin'n floppy invasion

I know this is nothing new to geekdom but synthesized music never seemed so cool until it became recycled, retro....


Star Wars - Imperial March played by floppy drive


I've just watched a bunch of youtube videos of these floppy disk drives converted into a magic retro synthesized orchestra. I love this Imperial March, another good one was Axel F - Beverley Hills Cop Theme. http://youtu.be/qrIvu3w458Q

Enjoy.... or not... Suit yourself.

Scapecard

Escape...Card... 

It was my birthday recently and Sam gave me this fantastic card. I love it and I have to share it!


 

This is by far the best 'thing' I've been given for ages! It's like a fusion of stuff that I really get a kick out of!

• Hand made paper
• Bicycle theme
• Recycled materials
• Fair trade

When I opened my card I was besotted with it! The texture of the paper, the delightful image of a couple of figures riding on a tandem bicycle, copper wire (I don't know why I just like copper... it's a beautiful metal)

Stuff like this just sends me off into some kind of romantic ecstasy! Why? I dunno. I guess I suffer from a kind of phobia of being surrounded by 'Fake plastic trees'! (like in the Radio Head song)

If you've seen the film Soilent Green and you remember the scene where  detective Robert Thorn (Charlton Heston) tastes  a tea spoon of 'real' strawberry jam then you can imagine the experience.

Handmade paper - When I worked at the University Library I often felt like I was wasting away, stuck inside, ordering stock, doing library stuff which I'd half trained for but was never really interested in. It got pretty tedious! But once a quarter, I think, a copy of the Hand Papermaking journal would  arrive. It had fascinating stories from around the world about people who make paper. It's an art! The thing I liked best though was that the journal always came with samples of the paper. They were all unique. All had different qualities, some made from rice husks, some from elephant poo, seriously you can make paper from all kinds of plant fibre and the results can be awesome! I would really like to make my own paper. I've had a few goes at it with mediocre results but one day I will have the time and I will learn.

Bicycles - No need to explain this one! The other gifts I got for my birthday were a copy of the Save the Children book titled The Bicycle and a Bike Side T-Shirt from New Internationalis magazine... Here's a quote from the book:

One of the most important days of my life was when I learned to ride a bicycle   - Michael Palin

 Recycled materials -  This is just one of those things that I've grown up with. I don't know how but it goes beyond not wanting to waste anything. I actually get a kick out of reusing or recycling stuff. I love to see things turned from scrap into something useful and if I can do it myself I feel like the king of the world. Some possible reasons for this obsession might be:

• Watching the 'Wombles' on TV as a kid
• Wearing mostly hand-me-down clothes for most of my youth. Most of my jeans had been patched so many times the legs were too stiff to bend properly.
• Not having a bunch of money to by new things whenever I want them
• Being a little treasure hunter who'd rather find what I need than buy it
• Being too tight to actually buy new stuff even if I had the money

Fair Trade - Because I hate bullies and greedy bastards. And I foolishly grew up believing that as an Ausie it was my duty to demand that everyone should get a fair go... I think that little myth was a bit like Australia's National Anthem... If you look more deeply into it you'll discover that it wasn't meant to apply to everyone.     ;) Check it out!

Anyway back to the card. It was produced by a group called Kick Trading from Kenya and she ordered it from the New Internationalist Magazine HERE.

I have always hated greetings cards. They seem to be a huge waste of money, but according to cultural protocol a necessary purchase if you want to keep your friends and relatives happy, well at least my mum is always happy if I can say "Yes I bought them a card!". These cards cost not much more than your average piece of cliche junk from the newsagent. I might even willingly buy a batch.

Garden State.... a shiny happy post

Last week I defied my ethical position on air travel and somewhat bleak economic position. I boarded a plane and deserted my crumbling husk of a failed and miserable excuse for a life, I defected to Melbourne for a few days to visit family and spend some time with my Dad on his 70th birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD and MUM! (I missed my mum's birthday so I felt much better having seen them both.

I had intended to take a bike on the plane but didn't want to spend a cent on luggage so settled for a car ride from the airport. It was 3 decrees C when I landed. Chilly but lovely! Back in Melbourne again! The traffic the people the dry barren fields water restrictions etc... I have to admit I haven't kept track of the weather down there. Apparently they've had heaps of rain. The fields were all green and lush!  Actually greener than anything I can remember! 

When we got home to my parents house, I was blown away by all the flowers! The whole yard was in bloom it was beautiful! The old granny flat my brother had lived in was gone there is now a great big space in the yard for growing food. My brother has finally moved out into supported accommodation (and loving it!) One of his house mates, David, loves those old beach huts you see down at Brighton. He creates art out of every kind of material you can imaging, I thought his work was excellent so I was wrapped when he sent this wonderful piece home for me.

Art by David W. All rights reserved!

I wondered down and kicked the dirt around the back yard. It was thick and dark! Unbelievable! Stuff just grows in it! Anything you can think of! Oh I miss soil so much! Deep rich black soil! You can push a shovel into it and it will just sink down deep into the wholesome earth! When they first moved in it was mostly clay but they built it up. Of course we can build our soil up here in Darwin too but it'll be bloody gone by the end of the wet season!

Back when I was a kid we grew everything. Corn, tomatoes, mint. If we didn't pick the zukini quick enough it would grow to massive proportions! Tamarillos (nobody even knew what they were back then!), Feijoas (what the hell are they? Right?) Pumpkins, peas and beans! Oh yeh and the sacred lemon tree! The obligatory piss stop for little boys. I remember the neighbors had one and they used to piss on theirs too... there were four males in that family... they had plenty of good lemons! The old veggie garden gradually disappeared as the years went by. Mum and Dad always had something edible growing in the yard but it became only a token. Although the lemons trees seemed to produce a prolific amount of fruit.

 I am so glad the yard is now changing back into a productive food garden!  Check it out!

They've put in these wicking garden beds and are already growing some rhubarb. I wish I could have stayed longer to help them set it all up. I dug a couple of holes and we planted an Apricot and a Granny Smith apple both just reviving out of their winter torpor. 

It was great to get back down there again.I didn't do too much riding but did make a couple of trips along the plenty river. As I rode to Greensborough via Partingtons Flats I tool the long way past the old Diamond Valley swimming pool. (A deep pool at a bend in the river Not many people have any idea it even existed) There was a Chineese guy down there fishing. He'd actually caught one! I thought the river was dead but apparently they're discovering platypus along the Yarra and its tributaries. That is such great news. Life persists despite the odds!

Peace!

Farewell Vikki!

Yesterday we lost a dear friend and fierce advocate for the rights of vulnerable people. Vikki Riley has made a major contribution to alleviating the terrible anquish faced by so many people currently held in detention in Darwin. The art exhibitions she has facilitated have given voice to so many people who would otherwise have been locked quietly away without any way of communicating their message to the broader public in Australia. Vikki went to places many of us would prefer to forget even exist. She met and supported the people who many Australians would rather be kept out of sight and out of mind. In her own obstinate way she forced people to considder realities they'd prefer to claim ignorance of! She did not take no for an answer and she did not accept weak excuses for not doing what she felt was right.

Vikki died as the result of a colission with a car while she was riding her bike. Despite the tragedy of this event the comments came flying in accusations and attacks against her simply because she was on a bike!

I am currently in Melbourne staying with family. Sadly the mentality down here appears to be even worse than in Darwin. Having fixed my bike up with the intention of using it for transport I was inundated with pleas not to ride! Whenever the subject of cycling comes up in my family it is all to do with some kind of political possition and what side you're on! Cars against Bikes! How ridiculous!

My right to go out and ride my bike appears to be subject to the oppinions of rednecks and dickheads who's 'point of view' is apparrently worthy of printing in newspapers and coverage by all kinds of media outlets. I am advised by caring family members that I shouldn't ride my bike... 'People around here hate cyclists'. Somehow any error committed by a cyclist on the road can be used to justify every degree of neglegence on the part of a driver. 

After hearing the terrible news about my friend Vikki, rather than compassion or sympathy for her family I am given an oppinion from one particular family member, who can see 'both sides' and how there really isn't enough room on the road for bikes! I couldn't f--king belive it!

There are no sides in this situation! There were two people. One riding a bicycle, one driving a car. There is a duty of care when using the road under all circumstances to avoid causing injury to any other human being, be they driver, passenger, pedestrian or cyclist! A person driving a car hit a person riding a bike and the cyclist died! That is what happened! This is a tragedy! The driver must now be in a state of shock and be suffering terribly for his mistake. I can feel for him.
If you want to talk to me about sides, points of view... the right of drivers to an open road where they don't have to considder slowing down or avoiding any other trafic then.... (I reserve my comments for later!)

Many people will mourn Vikki. My thoughts are with her Partner Jimmy and son Elijah. I hope there will be something published through our mainstreem media that allows the public to get a glimpse of her world as she saw it and the forces she struggled against for the sake of the vulnerable people in our Detention Centres right now and those who will soon be shipped away... Out of our sight, far enough that they can be forgotten!

I'm not sure what to say about any of this right now. I am a bundle of nerves. Maybe better you read about it in The Northern Myth

Vale Vikki Riley – “a beautiful woman lost” … and still the trolls come out to play

Create!

Pondering the deeper questions....
How do you study creativity at a University that is devoted to producing minions for a desensitized industrialized, extractive resource dependent country that is devoted to diminishing beauty wherever it is found? In her attempt to get the qualification she needs to teach music to kids Sam is currently doing some kind of art unit at Uni. The idea of studying art in this way seems to almost stifle the very spirit required to create in the first place. I remember when my sister first went to Uni and she loved reading so she studied English Literature and was put of reading for years! Being force fed other peoples opinions about how a creation should be interpreted seems to completely contradict or eliminate the very force that creates!

Here are some questions recently posted on Learn Line that Sam submitted her answer to a week late and so will not receive a mark for! I liked her response to the questions and thought the irony of her not receiving a grade for this work qualified it as a free work of creativity in it's own right!

Q: What is creativity? 

Q: Who is creative?

Q: When and where are you creative?
Q: Why are you creative?

Kids impression of their Dad riding home from the volcano

Creativity is a whole brain /body /being process. I say process rather than skill as it happens when skills and a certain way of being are in alignment. The way of being could be thought of as immersion, or, as Cskisenmiyalhi calls it 'flow'. There is a sense of timelessness, of forgetting normal body processes such as hunger, a sense of deep connection with the unconscious and the mystery of life - like being on an exciting new frontier where you aren't really sure what's going to happen but stuffs coming out of you and there is a cathartic expression of deep person hood while at the same time loss of separateness from the space beyond our own bodies. As if we are all time and space and all time and space is us. This is not to be confused with playing video games, as, even though some of these things happen when we play video games, we are essentially riding someone else's creativity - not our own.
All people who have the capacity to lose themselves in their own quest or need to either produce or express themselves in a unique way are creative. Watching Bob Dylan write songs is an example of creative genius. Einstein on his quest for the theory of relativity was creative. Gandhi leading the revolt against English occupation of India was creative. Parents who explore new ways of relating to their children are creative. Mozart was amazingly creative.
I am most likely to be creative in unstructured time - also known as recreation - for a reason I think! I like to have a lot of unstructured time in my life to give myself the space to let any creative energy be released. I actually get pretty narky if my life gets too full of appointments etc. I don't do well in routine! There needs to be space in my head for something unexpected to come up from the unconscious, so getting the balance right between external stimulus and internal quiet is the key for me. I need to be led by my intuition - it's not a controlling thing. In fact, the more I try and exercise control, the more this seems to be counterproductive. I just have to let go and trust. In the meantime, any building of skills is always useful as well. Still need to practice that piano! So discipline does play a part too. I'm mostly creative at home, I think this is because it is my sanctuary and I am free to let go on a deep level. When I lived at home with my parents, it was restricted to my own room.
I'm creative because...I'm not quite sure. Maybe it is just a deep seated need of the subconscious to express itself, maybe it is a need to contribute to community in some personal way and be acknowledged? I'm not quite sure what drives my creativity...it's an interesting question to sit on and ponder.

(By Samantha F)

Friends

Feeling lonely?

Make some friends!

My kids whipped these little beauties out the other morning, they're sitting on the wall right beside the computer desk...
Not sure where this is going... Gratitude I guess.
Few things are as precious as happy kids!

They're all precious!

Thinking outside the Square

What would I be doing if I had just a little more time? Well I'd like to think that if I had more time on my hands I'd be out the back tinkering and fiddling with my bikes or learning how to build an outrigger canoe... You know, stuff like that! Catching up on all the hours I wasted in my youth.

I am inspired by the creative people I have come to know both personally and via the internet. One fella who's work I really enjoy is Peter Wagner from Davis (Bicycle capital of the USA). Peter's creations all perform some kind of function, usually locomotion, over land or even water. They are fashioned from old bicycle parts but with the added ingredient of eccentric physics and uncommon dimensions! He calls his creations Whimcycles and they bring a lot of joy to the people in his community.

Check out this great video of my 'Buddy' Peter and some of his friends.
Film maker Nicolette Daskalakis really captured some of the magic in this short documentary.


Whymcycles: A Boy and His Bikes from Nicolette Daskalakis on Vimeo.

 This is Flestering at it's best!

A glove full of peanuts...

Give me an inch and I'll take a Glove full of peanuts!

I know that obsessive self indulgence is not a healthy path to tread. I know that I'm prone to fits of fantastical illusory dreams of divine expression and art and that the high I seek will always dump me like a king tide surf on an empty shore.... but... There's no law against it yet and if it don't interfere with my ability to operate a motorcar then what's the harm right?

Tonight I dragged the family out to the Darwin Visual Arts Association (DVAA) at Frogs Hollow to see an exhibition of paintings titled 'Peanuts fill the glove...' by the Artist Nat Uhing. Nat is a multi skilled and practical artist who has produced some awesome textile creations in embroidery and bookbinding... sometimes, I think combining the two! If you thought embroidery was just for old ladies (Hey I didn't think that! I'm just saying if you did...), you'd be tragically wrong! This exhibition isn't about textile art though I did see one mixed media piece... the exhibition is essentially paint on canvas! Paintings...! 

The title for her exhibition may seem a bit cryptic so if you're wondering maybe a snippit from the Artist's blurb will explain...

"...every one of these paintings went out on a journey by itself, to grapple with whatever the fixation of the week was, and without a care for where the others had gone…peanuts, gathered to fill an ineluctable glove."

Nat's art erupts with colour and exudes imaginative introspection, self exploration, energy and humor! It's fun, sexy, elevating and... well I reckon pretty bloody good! 

'Reading Monsoon Dervish' is Melancholy... Lady Kitsune (foxy) is crazy! 

I've followed these paintings via Nat's Blog so I'm already kind of connected to these paintings in a way but Sam, who hadn't seen them before was just as impressed (as I am obsessed!)... The kids were more interested in the free corn chips and lollies outside! (Well we hadn't fed them dinner and hey if their busy stuffing their faces and letting me check out the art, I'm not going to complain!)
Just as Nat let us in on the creative process vial her blog 'The Smallest Forest' she also shared some of the music that inspired her paintings. I'm listening to it now and am transported into that ethereal world of imagination.. possibly gleaning some of the power that enabled the artist. But to be honest, feeling more like the voyeuristic dreamer. No paper, no brush or hand. I can't watch the bubbles bursting above my head all day (or night). It was a nice interlude though. Thank you very much! 

Oh yeh there was a collaborative exhibition next door called Sirens which was also great, full of mermaids, octopuses and seascapes, the female form with fins in shades of blue. We were surprised to see some familiar names in the list of artists and rather impressed with their work too!

I'm not sure how long the exhibition goes for... maybe all of November. Check it out.

 

A concept takes flight

More about the aircraft salvage operation.

A few weeks ago a mate of mine told me about a plan that another fella I know had to salvage some aircraft parts. Well the operation didn't quite work out and they were beginning to wonder if they'd be able to find what they were looking for.
Remarkably, coincidentally... whatever you want to call it, I happened to have something pretty close to what they wanted so the project was able to continue.

So without giving too much away I thought I'd post some more photos of the progress that has been made over the past couple of weeks. Conversion from trash into functional artistic creations of  beauty!


(Building an undercarriage of individually curved wooden frame for wings)



(Cleaning and painting tail)



(Fitting hand crafted woodwork to aluminium flight gear)

There is a deadline for this project so I imagine I'll be posting about it's completion soon. It's looking fantastic so far.

Flestering for a saner world!

Have you ever heard of 'Flestering'?
I don't think I had until my wife thought to point it out to me recently. She knows I like doing stuff with junk and when she discovered the word and art of Flestering she had to tell me all about it!

I couldn't find the word in the dictionary so looked it up online and discovered only a few references to it but what I found, I liked!

Here is a definition of flestering according to this site: (Go and read some of their theory, I think it's pretty cool)
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09004/939328-109.stm

"Flester (fles-ter), n.,flesta, -am; v.,flesto, -are, avi, -um.

Attributed to Uncle Flester, presumed timeless and ubiquitous.

1. n. Defunct, discarded, things; immediately redeemable. In the post-industrial age, fragments of formerly functional contrivances.

2. n. Any "thing" in so far as one ascribes a presumptive integrity to it, often the result of a visual prejudice.

3. v. The act of flestering, i.e. making proliferative and promiscuous use of what is at hand, closely related to the practice of Bricolage (See French anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss: "The Savage Mind.")"

If you've ever seen the film 'The Gleaners and I' you might remember seeing some of the fascinating people in the film who collected junk from the street and turned it into something... artfully transforming trash into objects of curiosity and sometimes beauty. The creators of the River Cube project call this kind of transformation of discarded material Artful Trash Management (ATM) and also use the term Flestering to describe the process. I like it.

There's a satisfying feeling you can get when salvaging stuff, junk, and turning it into something useful. Whether it is intended as art or not, many things transformed in this way appear to take on a magical new quality and an odd beauty! I remember the farm gates on properties back home were often made from recycled beds or other iron, which had been welded and cut to fit. The latches too were crafted from recycled iron.

Darwin has it's own examples of Flestering, some of it I have found to be absolutely inspiring! I can't help being drawn to anything created in this way, it just sucks me in!

Here's a couple of local examples of Flestering that I reckon are pretty cool.

Creative Image Gallery Tin Shed Gallery
I don't think they're showing anything at the moment but you can check out Pedro's handy work at Casuarina Square, you sit on it! (Erratum - the link is to Tin Shed Gallery but the place I'm referring to is actually the Creative Image Gallery... Oooops!)


Darwin Fridge Festival

The event came into being last year. It is produced by Darwin Community Arts. Last year it was a basic exhibition of art done on, in and with discarded fridges (from the tip I expect), In one year it has grown enormously and now includes poetry and performance art! I believe there's still time to get your entries in.

The opening of the 2011 Fridge Festival was held last night at the Darwin Aviation Institute. An awesome open air venue, that absolutely reeks of Old Darwin Town! If you weren't there you have seriously missed out on something special! No dress code, free mangoes and plenty of room for the kids to run around!

If you're into a seat of your pants Adventure Flester check out Monsoon Dervish! If you scroll down you can see the awesome recumbent bike that local adventurer (not sure he'd like to be called that) Kris Larsen has created and ridden where most people fear to drive! If you're curious about his yacht or bike and would like to know how they came into being, with a capital 'B' I recommend reading his books.

As for me I've only tinkered with small stuff, re-using things that have been discarded, and mostly things I find on the side of the road while riding to work. (you'd be surprised how much treasure falls through the cracks in a wealthy society!) There is one project I am following with keen interest though. I managed to rescue some old aircraft bits before they were tossed out for scrap metal and they are now being transformed by a wizard of recycling and his conspirator. I'll try to post a progress report soon.

The scent of rancid coconut

There is a foot on my head and laughter at my back,
Nothing I do will release me from this trap.
Run around, jump, spin, stagger and fall!
Trapped in a spastic dimension,
Like a clown in a glass box.
Jump, spin, stagger, run around again
You can struggle and strive if you like.
To all ends, No difference made!
You will be greeted by more of the same.
Try to make it work but some things never change!
No talent, No chance, nor music or art,
Just these spastic jitters and a crumpled heart.


I lit a fire to calm my aching soul
Smoke billowed through the yard and the street
A few coconuts for fuel, and their rancid fumes filled the air
Peace torn apart in the smoke and choking stench
Dark birds gathered to pick over burned offerings
My wretchedness exposed
Ready to be devoured like flesh from scorched bones
No time to ponder or chance to grieve
Back to bread labor put away your dreams!

Sometimes every effort is met with calamity, shame and ridicule...
I take comfort, to laugh heartier, louder than the din that surrounds me!
Not hollow or empty but maniacally in Zen.
All is ridiculous, Lets not be serious!
The Gods of Olympia might scoff and scorn but to this life I was born. And so will proceed, whither my headstone does read, Here lies a joke, mock him while he sleeps!

Beautiful Bike Art

Back in November last year I thought I'd search the internet for articles about cycling in Darwin. That was when I first read an article by Mike Rubbo on his blog Situp-cycle.com. I think he actually came all the way to Darwin just to find out about our bicycle culture and what it was like to ride a bike in the only state in Australia where cyclists haven't been hit over the head with draconian Helmet laws. I was surprised to find that he had actually done a bit of research, provided some statistics and even created a short documentary film to share his experience of cycling in Darwin. See Darwin Shows the Way.

Mike is a Sydney based cyclist/blogger who happens to be an advocate for the mode of cycling he calls Sit-up cycling. It's a kind of attitude toward riding or a philosophy of normalizing the bicycle as a legitimate urban transport option. You can read his blog if you want a detailed definition of this.

(Riding with a guitar by Mike Rubbo)

Mike also happens to be quite a good artist and he specializes in, You guessed it... BICYCLE ART!

Now there's a whole heap of great propaganda Art around the bicycle activist scene, a lot of what I've seen is related to event posters, either hand drawn and reproduced or art produced using fancy graphic art computer programs. Mike's art is quite different to everything else I've seen. He uses three main mediums, Rubbings, Lino-Cuts and Solar-prints. The effects are absolutely beautiful! I love the swirling scratchy lines he produces particularly in the rubbings. They have such a soft and mystical feel. People and bicycles communing with the elements of wind, light and movement. All aspects are linked with flowing lines that barely separate the subjects from the their backgrounds. It's as though the person, the bike and the environment are somehow all united. I really love this stuff. If you're into Bicycle Art (does such a genre even exist) Check out his Bicycle Art Blog. It's well worth taking a tour through his amazing images.

These images allow me to dwell, if only for a short time, in a kind of transportation Utopia. A place where cars are scarce and people have more time to enjoy the pleasures of the outdoors as they cycle contentedly about their daily business, to work, shops, school or just having fun.
I am reminded of H.G Wells quote:

"Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the future of the human race."

 Peace!

A big weekend at home in Darwin

This weekend has been chock-o-block with activities! It's been an awesome cathartic experience of Music, dance, sailing and film. There are many ways to "Suck the Marrow..." and this week it's been with the aid of the Darwin Festival.

Friday - Attended Fun Run with Humphrey: My wife intended to take the kids while she waited for me to finish work... I called her to find out where she wanted to be picked up from and she demanded insisted I come in to Fun Run. There was laughing singing and loud music in the background... It sounded like fun so I headed in. 

(Grey Panthers performing at Fun Run)

FUN RUN was awesome! There was so much positive energy at Raintree Park on Friday night you might have thought everyone was High! I stayed from 5:30 until 8:00 my wife and kids got there at 4! 

The show was laced with all kinds of local acts from the Grey Panthers to the D City Rockers - Break Dancing crew. Humphrey gave us an aural history of the Greek Legend of Pheidippides while running the distance of a marathon on a treadmill! The dance crew who were accompanying Humphrey were incredible! They spread the love and smiles around and it was infectious! Darwin City was pumping! People were literally dancing in the street. Everyone was happy and smiling! It's hard to describe the sense of elation our whole family felt during and after this great show! (OK we don't get out much but Wow what an experience!)

I also took the opportunity to take child 2 for a Pedicab Ride! It was so cool! The Pedicab riders (It seems they are all female after dark.) were really friendly and happy to talk about their work, so I had a good chat with my rider about what it's like to be a Pedicab rider, I had been worried about the safety of riders at night and she did mention there is occasionally aggro from drivers but overall they are received well by people around town, and it's a great way to meet people. The riders I met were also enjoying the atmosphere generated by Fun Run!

Saturday Morning - Sailing lessons: It was a bit gusty and my head wasn't properly screwed on... I capsized twice! My poor crew must have been wondering what the hell I thought I was doing. We live and learn. 

Important things for me to remember about sailing: 

1. If you're going to let go of something in the middle of a tack, let it be the main sheet rather than the tiller! (If you let go of the main sheet you're not likely to capsize. If however you choose to let go of the tiller and pull tight on the main sheet..... well, Sailors just don't do that.)

2. DON'T let go of the Tiller!

Sailing Tally 

3 capsize (once turtled), 2 grazed ankles, Several bumps on the head (hit by the boom! More than once!)

Capsized once during attempted Man overboard drill!

I went home with tail between legs but it was fun anyway. ;)

(Pretty sure this is a Cotton plant - Lee Point Reserve)

Saturday Afternoon - Walk with the family from Lee Point to Casuarina Nudist beach. It was a lovely walk and the kids found cotton. Feeling pretty good.

(Projector Bike)

Saturday Evening - Projector Bike! A bunch of happy cyclists met at the old Palmerston Town Hall in Darwin to join a small film festival on wheels! Projector bike consists of a 3 wheeled Danish Style Cargo Bike which holds a databeam projector and, I presume, a computer full of films and music. The audience all ride their bikes and follow the 'Projector Bike' around town to various locations suitable for projecting images onto a blank wall. This was such great fun and the crew of 3 organizers facilitated the ride beautifully. The films were all Australian Short films and all quite tame and heartwarming themes. As we rode from venue to venue the MC played some pretty cool music through his sound system and the two assistants controlled traffic so the rest of us could ride in a group and not be intimidated by other traffic.

Thanks guys I think everyone had a really great time! There was even a couple who'd chartered a Pedicab especially for the ride.

Saturday Night - Neil Murray at the Railway Club. I only found out about Neil Murray being in Darwin by mistake! I have not sought out events to go to during the Darwin Festival. Mostly I've found out about them via my wife and figured if she's encouraging me to go to something, I won't be looking any gift horses in the mouth. On Friday night before I went to pick them up I thought I'd check out the Railway Club in Parap. I hadn't been in there since, pre-marriage dancing lessons, er... about 12 years ago... long before the old place burned down. Anyway the doors were open so I thought I'd check it out on Friday afternoon and there in the foyer is a poster announcing Neil Murray will be playing Saturday Night! I really like listening to Neil Murray! He was due to start while I was at Projector Bike but I was determined to find a way to do both things.
On Saturday Night after Projector Bike I peddled my heart out as the show was over and headed for Parap pronto! I got there while he was performing the first set and met up with a couple of friends too! This is officially the biggest night out I've had since my first child was born! I have tried to see Neil Murray on several occasions but circumstances had not been generous... until now. I sat blissfully contented, my friends must have thought I was being anti social because I didn't want to talk at all! I just wanted to absorb the atmosphere... listen to Neil sing and enjoy the moment.  Another awesome night! I loved the story Neil told about his Dad and the song was great too but what topped it off was the little jig he danced at the end. "Go Out Dancing!" 

Neils songs are a great social commentary in Ballad and I really like his style but the Crowd really went off when he played the old Warumpi favorite "Black Fella -White Fella". The raw rock of that song really gets people motivated.

RIGHT ON!

When it was time to go my 2 friends had missed the last bus home so we picked up a spare bike I had stashed at a place near by and cruised home by bicycle. Putting the Xtracycle to good use one got a free ride home and kacked herself laughing all the way. Apparently sitting as a passenger on the back of a bicycle is a peculiar and hilarious mode of transport! It may be unusual and a little odd but she didn't offer to ride and I think when we got home she was well impressed with the ride.

Sunday - Teddybear picnic... Nuff Said!

Lost in Funk and loving it!

I've just spent 3 hours searching the web for information about Sailing Canoes and submerging myself in Chili Pepper Funk!


I don't know if I want to cry or scream!
My eyes are stinging and the lids are sagging but I'm trapped in a frustrating fact!
All Talk and No Action!
I've gotta sweat out this caffeine so I can sleep and dream.


(Ready to take flight, what's holding me back?)



I'm full of inspiration and powerful compulsions but No talent! There is nothing forthcoming! My heart races with the tunes the beat and I've got nothing to make, no words no art. I am Slumping!


(Maybe some space to think?)

Chill..... Listen to the FUNK... (I was never really into Funk... but it's having a strange effect on me... I am beginning to realize it's therapeutic powers...!) RELAX...
If there's nothing there, so be it! I am.



(Today I enjoyed what is and left the rest!)

Maybe I'll listen to more Funk and see what happens?

Art vs Border Worship

Remember when the last census was held and a bunch of people listed Jedi as their religion?

It was kind of funny but also kind of a mockery of our political system not to mention legitimate religions (on account of I assume many of those who registered as Jedi Knits don't actually adhere to any of the principals that such an order might require... if it actually existed).

Anyway with the very real Humanitarian crises our country appears committed to contributing to I happened to be reading an article the other day that referred to current attitudes toward immigration and providing asylum to those in need. The article written by Elenie Poulos referred to a social condition that the author has labeled 'Border Worship'. It is a scary situation which has already caused our leaders to condemn many people to a fate we should all be ashamed of. Maybe in this years Census, in the interests of producing a more accurate national profile, I wonder how many of us would qualify to register our religion as Xenophobe, Border Worshipers of the, media hyped justification, paranoid variety?

I was just wondering... that's all.

If you're into participating in the propaganda machine there's no end to the Government Spin, media manipulation, Scape Goat Politics and Downright Bastardry.... in the media.The truth, as I see it, is that as a Nation we are supporting policies that contribute to the unnecessary perpetuation of misery anguish and suffering of our fellow human beings and what is worse we are committing children to a future that is dominated by fear and uncertainty. God help them.

If you'd prefer to get to know just who it is that we're Locking up or having 'detained' in prison camps across Northern Australia, and now Malaysia, soon PNG, then head down to the Supreme Court in Darwin over the next week and check out the Exhibition 'Footprints of my heart' which features works of art created by Asylum Seekers who have been detained in the Darwin Detention Center. However if you attend please be on guard. You may be exposed to Works of Art that express Humanity, Love and true feeling. These are not qualities that those who would like to repel asylum seekers from our borders want you to know about!

School holidays - a craft program

Today was officially the first day of School Holidays at our house.

With two very active kids home life during school holidays can be somewhat stressful! If things get out of hand the whole atmosphere can become totally unbearable. If you happen to visit at the wrong time you might find yourself making excuses for why you have to suddenly leave or desperately scratching at the wire security door pleading for the neighbors to let you out!

Yes it may be true that on some unfortunate occasions one or both of the responsible adults of the household have been known to stand in a corner banging their head against the wall and pleading to be taken to the Tower of Mordor for respite! But today was not one of those days...

Today the mother of the house decided to get crafty and turned her hand to model making. The results were quite impressive.

(City village - of cereal boxes)
I think the kids really enjoyed this, I certainly did. I also brought home a rather large box which kept them busy for the rest of the night! Who know's what amazing architecture I will return home to tomorrow.