PHOTO EXHIBITION: Hello Beach

Friday night was a new but interesting experience. I was part of a photography charity exhibition for my parents Rotary Club. They were raising money for street kids in the Philippines for an organisation called Bahay Tuluyan, you can view their website here. If anyone is interested in buying any of them, it can be arranged! haha
Excitingly, I sold one photo! Quite a thrill - was very happy about it :-) Below are the photos I had for sale:

DIVINE VIDEO CLIPS: Angus & Julia Stone

I am a bit of an information junkie, if someone is the flavour of the month, I'll look them up on Wikipedia to find out more about them. So with all the ARIA hype while on Wikipedia, I was looking up Angus and Julia Stone. I came across news of an acoustic cover they had done of "Your're the One That I Want." from the movie Grease. I am not a massive fan of the film, however, I think the Stone's cover is lovely and flows well.
According to Wiki it has, "proved to be a cult hit with fans."



Also how absolutely gorgeous is this videoclip by them - the scenery in it is spectacular. It is always good when an artists wins heaps of awards and you rediscover their music. Angus and Julia Stone will be great car music today.

MY MELBOURNE CUP PHOTOS

Yes, I'll admit it - I wore the same dress to the Melbourne Cup as I did to Cox Plate - naughty, naughty! But I am going to 4 of the big days this year so thought I had to economise somewhere along the way and I quite like the brightness of the red dress in photos. The day was terrific, about a week and a half before I brought reserved seat tickets that were the last ones left on the Ticketmaster website. And to my absolute surprise we were seated right opposite the finish line. In my opinion, we could not have had better views of the action, especially as it was the 150th anniversary of the cup. Luckily, I had placed a bet on all three winners from doing my research the night before finding out who the big punters, people who put the likes of $800,000 on a horse, were betting on. 

Shivering in the rain

It bucketed down before the big race, so Caitltn and I had to snuggle up under the umbrella

The sea of umbrellas came up when it rained before the main race

Some young boys prefer to be drenched and are too cool to bring umbrellas

Just a photo taken in the ladies toilets

There goes Americain

View from the our seats of the finishing line

RACES PHOTOS: Cox Plate Race Day

Here are a few snaps from the races last Saturday. I had a fabulous day with friends at the Cox Plate races at Moonee Valley and even bet on the trifecta, my favourite horse Whobegotyou was in it too!

DAILY LOVE SNIPPETS

I am a big fan of receiving my Daily Love email in my inbox every evening. For those of you who don't know about it, it is just like an e-multivitamin - basically a nice message with a quote or two and affirmation sent in your email. The creator of it, Mastin Kipp, also writes a nice little message on it every day. I find the email really refreshing and mind balancing at times. Below is Mastin's message for today, I really liked it and thought it would be good to share on there as we often do forget how much control we have over our thoughts. Enjoy!

Many times we do not give ourselves enough credit for how much power we have over the course of our lives.


We outsource the cause of our suffering, grief, anger and resentment to other people, big companies, the government or a Higher Power.


But the truth is this. The way you see the world isn't how the world is - the way you see the world is how YOU are.


Since any reality can be created through the power of intention, the life you are currently living and the world you are experiencing today is totally a by product of your thoughts about life.


Choose to believe and act on the thoughts that feel the best (even if, and especially if, they seem unrealistic or impossible). Successful people don't hope or wish themselves into success. NO - they ALL persistently THINK and ACT their way to success.


Get in touch with your inspiration. Think thoughts in alignment with what inspires you. Take action from the thoughts that are in alignment with what inspires you.


Do this daily without giving up and eventually a whole new WORLD will be yours to experience.

BEST MOST INSPIRING COMMERCIAL EVER

This commercial I have forgotten about for years! Have no idea why but it popped back into my head before. So thank-you modern technology and youtube, I found it again. It is by far, the most inspiring, best commercial I have ever seen. I used to be obsessed with it when it first came out. If you need something to give you a boost for the day, I hope this is it. The ad is superb and it even features the now old golden boy of swimming, Ian Thorpe. As well as David Beckham and Muhammed Ali. Don't really like Ali's pretend camera punching though at the end. But the rest is great.



Voice over -


Some people listen to themselves
Rather than listen to what others say
These people don't come along very often
But when they do, they remind us
That once you set out on a path
Even though critics may doubt you
It's ok to believe there is no can't, won't or impossible
They remind us that it's ok to belive
Impossible is nothing

GREAT NEW SONG: Katy Perry, Firework

Heard Katy Perry's new song in the car tonight...must say it is pretty good! Perry seems to be quite a goal hitter at the moment with lots of catchy and good songs. Pity she could not be on Seasame Street, I thought the parents who got upset about her clothes must have be very thick and boring people! I've got a feeling some DJ will make a good remix to this song and no doubt it will be played on a television telecast of New Years.

Love this part of the lyrics:

You don’t have to feel like a waste of space
You’re original, cannot be replaced
If you only knew what the future holds
After a hurricane comes a rainbow

Maybe you’re reason why all the doors are closed
So you can open one that leads you to the perfect road
Like a lightning bolt, your heart will blow
And when it’s time, you’ll know

MY FRONT PAGE ARTICLE

On Saturday at midday, my old boss, rung me up as he needed an article written on an old, well known local identity who has died during last week - he also wanted an article that would give a better insight into the gregarious character of the well loved man than the competing newspaper did. I got to work on Sunday with the article and interviewed a few people as well as taking some photos of old photos of him. And to my great surprise got a lovely text message today from my friend who is the production manager saying it turned out to be a front page article! I was thrilled!

Have a read if you like, the article is on an old man called Rex 'China' Gilbert - he was big personality and cheeky character. Makes for quite an interesting article that anyone can understand.

Incredibly, a very spooky moment happened when I was at the Surf Club in their office doing an interview, an old friend of his 'Ming; rung up to see when his memorial service was on and shared some memories of China with me over the phone. This was one of those articles where I am sure there were some extra forces in the universe causing it to happen for a reason. I just have a feeling about it.

It was not printed in the article but I was told the cheeky and friendly man loved the ladies, especially air hostesses in his younger days and he would tell his grandson not too drink too much at the pub but was always the last person to leave the pub himself a little worse for wear hehe! But he was a friend to all and is expected to have thousands at his memorial service - now isn't that a beautiful reflection of living a full life, having so many people feel that you have been a friend to them? He sounded like an amazing man.

p.s. Surf Coast Times is also a highly interesting community newspaper - worth having a look at :-)

THE JASMINE FILES: Part 2

More photos of the lovely Jasmine - she is a natural born model!

Just a funny one of the cheeky girl!

FAVOURITE SPOT: Bondi Icebergs

One of my favourite spots has to be Bondi Icebergs. The view is gorgeous and the place has an amazing energy. The restaurant is divine and superb but reflecting the location, pricey. So if you ever go there and don't want to spend up big but still enjoy the view, go for a coffee and order their polenta chips of the snacks menu - they are scrumptious! You can sit and appreciate the stunning views, watch the surfers and there is even a little balcony you can sit on (if you are out with smokers this is good too!)

Where is your favourite spot?

Here are some snaps:

The view from the balcony

The view over Bondi

STEVIE WONDER: Cheesy birthday songs

If you want to humour your friends with a cheesy song for their birthday, send them this... (or just post it on their YouTube page)
I have memories of dancing around rooms hysterically to this song, it's just so amausing!




The lyircs are quite funny too, you can find there here. 

EVERY CLOUD HAS A SILVER LINING: You better believe it

This is a real photo that I took last year driving past Jan Juc one day. It was something that I saw that it was too iresistable not to get out of the car to take it.

Thought I would complement the photo with a gorgeous poem...

The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

QUOTE APPRECIATION AND INSPIRATION: Richard Branson

He is the man with the cheeky chops smile but as most of you would be aware, Sir Richard Branson is a highly successful and flamboyant British entrepeneur who has built his Virgin empire to include over 360 different companies. 

I really admire the way he does business, he doesn't believe in doing things into the traditional business sense that they teach at universities, he believes a lot of that is rubbish, he believes in people having fun and enjoying themselves in their work - when he first started out people used to get offered almost double their pay to work for other companies but they refused because they just felt so good and fulfilled working for Richard Branson.

Now I won't go into his extensive background and biography, if you want to take a further interest you can view that here and view his own blog or this article is fabulous too. But I would like to inspire you with a few fabulous quotes by him:

• Right now I'm just delighted to be alive and to have had a nice long bath.

• I wanted to be an editor or a journalist, I wasn't really interested in being an entrepreneur, but I soon found I had to become an entrepreneur in order to keep my magazine going.

• A business has to be involving, it has to be fun, and it has to exercise your creative instincts.

• I have always lived my life by thriving on opportunity and adventure. Some of the best ideas come out of the blue, and you have to keep an open mind to see their virtue.

• Fantasizing about the future is one of my favourite pastimes.

• Well, I'm somebody who is just living...living life, and if I get frustrated by something, then I like to try to put it right

• Business opportunities are like buses, there`s always another one coming.

• Ridiculous yachts and private planes and big limousines won't make people enjoy life more, and it sends out terrible messages to the people who work for them. It would be so much better if that money was spent in Africa - and it's about getting a balance.

CUTE MOMENT: Vietnamese Children

In April this year, I went to Vietnam for a year. It is always fun to take photos of little kids and show them it with my camera - they love it and get all excited about it. Thought I would share some of these photos of the extremely cute little kids that I took some photos of. Most are in Hoi An.

IF ONLY THIS MAGIC WOULD HAPPEN!: McDonalds Commerical

I remember at uni a lecturer saying that all adds are just selling magic. Well I wish the magic of this advertisement would happen for real - it is fabulous! Take out 1 minute to watch it. They actually put the real playground in Sydney and let people run loose on it! Now only if they would do this in Melbourne or Geelong! McDonalds have decribed the ad as “biggest brand TV commercial in Australia to date”. Tell me what you think?

TWINS: Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Mr. G

It has come to my attention a bit of a similarity going on between Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Chris Lily's character of Mr. G. Now I am  not trying to have a political jab at anyone, I quite like Julia Gillard but after re watching the Mr. G clip on the blog here, it was suggested to me that I should do a post comparing Mr. G to Julia Gillard. 

Here are the top 5 similarites between them (feel free to suggest your own):

1. Both have spiffy hairdo's

2. Their surnames both start with G

3. Both love a bit of drama

4. They are both, as Mr. G likes to describe himself, "bi-talented" - Mr. G is a performer and teacher whereas Julia Gillard is a politican and full qualified lawyer

5. They both have a lovely, similar tone to their Australian accents

LOVE IT: The Daily Love

If you are looking for a phenomenally beautiful e newsletter, look to The Daily Love. 
It's one of those daily e-mails that yes, can sometimes seem like they are clugging up your inbox, however, this one is like a little life line if you ever need a little pep up or as the website describes it, an 'e-multivitamin'. 
The email is basically filled with beautiful, nice and calm quotes so remind you of the fragile reality of life and to not worry so much - if you are in the right mood, it can be quite enjoyable. 
You are able to sign up for it here.
The publisher of the website also leaves a little daily message, the one below is from the other day, I just thought it would be a nice piece of calm for whoever is reading this. 

Whenever the Uni-verse asks you to move on there is a sense of sadness that accompanies letting go. Do not deny the sadness of moving on. Instead sit in it with a whole lot of love for yourself and the situation. No matter how much you may wish that life could be different accept that this is what's true for today. There is a jewel within the melancholy of letting go. The jewel is the beginning of a new awareness within yourself and a new life. Each relationship, business venture, job and phase of our lives serve as platforms for us to grow. Joy comes to those who are able to sit in the in between, the space between what was and what will be. Joy comes to those who do not run from their feelings but courageously embrace them in search of the new jewel of awareness. Remember, for a new day to begin the darkness of night must fall. Each is a natural part of the cycle of life. Embrace the dark moments and remember that just before dawn is the darkest of night. Just be with it - the dawn will break