Day266 - T minus C

And zero day.

This amazing image holds me captive, lost; more than a spectator, not in it, but of it.

Turn off the lights, hold this in mind, close your eyes, breathe, relax, listen, and see where it takes you:

Pink Floyd - Echoes (part 1)
Pink Floyd - Echoes (part 2)
Pink Floyd - Echoes (part 3)

(Image originally found here).

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Day265 - Insomniac Salad

There's nothing quite like making a salad at 2AM - the local slice of the world is approaching it's quietest, the relaxation therapy that food preparation provides is intensified by the calm surrounds, and the absence of the usual additional stimulus brings into acute focus senses of touch, taste and smell.

Curiously awakened by a dream that had me clenching my teeth - protagonist in a nightmarish Orwellian future, desperately attempting to escape the omnipresent representatives of "the system", it was all very Matrix-meets-Total Recall: exciting but not particularly relaxing - I was happy to discover waiting email from the most enjoyable of ping-pong conversations, sent only minutes before, followed by the cricket-chirp of my phone as it rang from the great beyond.

Coincidence?

Perhaps.

But I have suspicions that my friends may be psychic.

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I wanted to link the song currently swirling around in my head: The Lemonheads I'll Do It Anyway, but apparently if it's not on youtube it doesn't exist on the internet, so instead here's a song from a toddler's point of view:

The Lemonheads - Rockin Stroll

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Day264 - Subjective Objective

Last night - or rather early this morning - I was browsing pictures that included myself, when I chanced upon the strangest sensation: that of a disassociated state. I could see me for me, without the cloud of personality and inherent associations that come with an image that is viewed daily, and one that continues to change so subtly and slowly before one's own eyes.

Most significantly, I saw myself as others see me - at least, through my own reality tunnel.

Some may have the ability to do this already but it's one I had never experienced before.

It is difficult to recapture today, but as with a steriogram, once the method has been unlocked, it can be accessed again with decreasing effort upon each iteration.

Maybe it was the headspace I was in that brought about the epiphany: a milieu of tidal waters dipped in beauty that drew back in to replace those which had been sucked out in the earlier rip.

Either way, I am glad to accept this as part of the enlightenment I've enjoyed over the last few years. I feel my strength only growing, physically, emotionally, spiritually. Commencement of my journey to becoming an elder, perhaps.

But I do know this: I am glad beyond words to not have lost that which I was prepared - and devastatingly unhappy - to lose.

Blessed once with knowing.

Blessed twice with insight.

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A song I haven't listened to in far too long. Pure inspiration.

The Black Crowes - Thorn in my Pride

Wake me when the day breaks
Show me how the sun shines
Tell me about your heartaches
Who could be so unkind?
Do you dream to touch me?
And smile down deep inside
Or could you just kill me?
It's hard to make up your mind, sometimes.

My angels, my devils, my thorn in my pride.

Are you wanting inspiration
You spill your secrets on me
Then you tell me with a whisper
Of things that will never be.
Do you hear me breathing?
Does it make you want to scream?
Did you ever like a bad dream?
Sometimes life is obscene.

My angels, my devils, my thorn in my pride.

Lover cover me with your sleep
Let your love light shine
Lover cover me with a good dream
Let your love light shine

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Day263 - Q&A

Q: What is the worst feeling one can imagine?

A: Inadvertently invoking said feeling in a loved one.

Today was no imagining.

It is the feeling one gets when the stomach's bottom drops out, breath becomes shorter, chest restricted, legs buckle & rubberize, headache ensues, thinking becomes jumbled, disoriented, tears threaten, all aforementioned as with anxiety or panic.

Then what?

You either make amends or let go.

I did both.

It sucked.

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Day262 - Flight

My 2 week love affair with Flight of the Conchords came to an end today.

For whatever reason I had never watched the show during it's production run, though I'd been privy to live sketches and music clips recommended by friends. It was long overdue.

I love that coincidence played a part in that the very day following my spur-of-the-moment download of the series, I was told I may be defriended if my FotC ignorance continued.

Coincidence always tickles.

I have a feeling Flight has excellent re-watch value, and look forward to a few months from now when I feel the need to hear those beautifully thuck New Zulund eccents again.

Expertly deadpan delivery - check.
Well-crafted, hilarious and catchy songs - check.
Urine extraction of self - check.
Awesomely disgraceful hairstyles - check.

With a matching checklist, I'm now in the mood to watch The Mighty Boosh, followed by the equally fantastiche Spaced.

Of 22 episodes, this generated the biggest giggle (which I have no doubt my neighbours heard):

Bret: "Did she sound Australian? Australian accent?"
Jemaine: "Yes"
Bret: "Yeah"
Jemaine: "Yes"
Bret: "What'd it sound like?"
Jemaine: "Kind of like an evil version of our accent."

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It's difficult to choose a favourite song, but this will do nicely:

Flight of the Conchords - Sugalumps

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Day261 - Sharing The Love #2

It's been a while since I shared the love. Although I've never seen a squirrel in person they are amongst my favourite animals. One of my favourite blogs, run by the very talented SquirrelQueen, comprises mostly of photos taken ...from a squirrel's perspective!

Pure genius.

Through Squirrel Eyes

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Day260 - The Mermaid

For the gift of you you gave
after moving of the flood
Humbling and honoring
for a slice of time, for you
And this is how the days should lay,
wished and written to be spent
In creation, consideration
to show oneself one's Self
Refracted, reflected in diamonds or in eyes
or crystalline tears, intent on betraying one's disguise
For when you are one of us who sees
know now that I will smile
To recognize in you, that which,
no, but only a fellow Knower knows

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Day256 - Dusty

Just because it's awesome:

Dusty Springfield - Son of a Preacher Man [live]

Day252 - If Only...

Today in a fit of introspection, I pondered my singing voice after receiving what I consider to be the highest compliment ever: that I sound similar to one of my favourite artists. I've heard this before and I'm sure there's much emulation there, mixed in with a natural affinity, but as part of my current introspective jaunt I've been seriously pondering the potential of my voice, both speaking and singing, and this had me thinking further - all part of knowing one's own limitations & degrees of personal power.

In the comparison I can hear similarities, but objectively comparing one's own voice to another is one of the most difficult skills to master, so in this I really do rely on the opinion of others.

Still, I wonder if anyone's ever heard their own voice and thought, "wow, I sound fantastic!"... while indeed actually sounding fantastic.

If only...

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The man in reference, performing one of my favourite Dando tunes:

Evan Dando - All My Life [live, Sydney 2001]

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Day247 - The Beginning of...

Tonight Another Day performed our live set to strangers for the first time.

After months of preparation, rehearsals, studio time, it feels nought short of fantastic to take this next important jump onto & into the dream; being a believer in achievable dreams.

The audience was perfectly-sized for our inaugural outing: no more than a dozen patrons - close enough to hear chatter between songs and to see the whites of their eyes.

The largest crowds I've played to have been in the hundreds, yet it's the smaller sized audiences that can be the most intimidating, for being that much more personal. Fortunately it's that anxiety/excitement that I get off on - the 2 being interchangeable in my eyes.

I feel extremely comfortable on stage. There was some initial & understandable reticence from one of our number who had never performed live before - although having a history as a club DJ in Europe, playing an instrument and singing is a similar beast yet dressed in unfamiliar garb. With encouragement that I only reserve for the talented, he rose to the occasion. Fortunately, the 3 of us have a strong knowledge of our own personal power & combined potential, which only serves to provide an attitude of success without doubt or arrogance.

Taking performance to the next level, playing to a single person is by far my favourite setting. I love the intimacy, the focus, the shared moments of beauty, unobstructed by peripheral distractions. And when the tears come - on both sides - I am at my most fulfilled, musically.

Digression aside, it is early days yet, and creative success is at it's essence dependent on that most subjective of all things: taste. However from this single performance we were offered a slot at another venue the very next night and have already been invited to play other gigs - most assuredly a positive outcome, leaving us energized as a band, united as a partnership, pumped as a cohesive unit.

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Our first set of demos has been uploaded to youtube:

Another Day - [Demo EP] playlist

And now on Facebook:

Another Day - Facebook Fan Page

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Day246 - Deluge

Amidst the downpour and uprising - a watery vice squeezing from all sides, evincing tears from those in the middle - I indulged in chat with lovely company: strange, yet familiar, but always comfortable and essentially inspiring, a fast track to friendship, of knowledge and knowing, dually trusted and safe.

Glad to be invited. Glad the rains came. Glad to do it again.

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My earliest recollection of this song was on a Lemonheads B-side, with the voice of the ever-beautiful Evan Dando shining through, in all his husky brilliance. Little did I know then it's origins; written by Mike Nesmith of the Monkees, popularized by Linda Ronstadt (with the Stone Poneys), somehow known to me before I'd ever heard it:

Evan Dando - Different Drum [live]

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Day242 - Epiphany in Epoch

Since November I have been waiting, pondering, intensifying thoughts with every breath as they rolled around in my head, in synch with the rise & fall of my chest. The ingredients were there: enthusiasm, skill, creativity, motivation, but the core idea was still waiting to birth.

Gestation ended today, as the theme cut a swath through my being, arriving amidst joyous tears, as should be greeted each and every newborn.

The arrival ascended in a sacred place, where many of the greatest thoughts are spawned outside of somnolent states - that of the morning shower. Welled tears were joined by a smile stretching to infinity, breaching my visage uncontrollably.

I have it in my hands, my heart, my head. Golden as the new day's Sun.

Let the light flood in, the shades raised. Let life sustain, the floodgates open. Let love flow, the heart aware.

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Continuing Placebofest 2010-2011...

Placebo - Because I Want You [live - FTV]

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Day239 - Son of Toemail

Me and my toes,
on the high seas,
lookin for plunder & pedicure.

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I love the concept of Toemail. Check it out here =)

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Day238 - Favicon

Such a fulfilling day:

-the first full yoga session of the new year

-discovery and shock that I'd actually lost weight over the xmas/debauchery period

-an intense resistance session at the gym - the first real exercise in close to 3 weeks and with no loss of strength

-preparation of the perfect dinner - a protein and vitamin-rich salad, served with high-carb-day bruschettina and balsamic dressing

-but this minor achievement made me bounce the highest.

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Absolutely in love with this song:

Placebo - Blind

"
I know you’re broken

If I could tear you from the ceiling
I’d freeze us both in time
And find a brand new way of seeing
Your eyes forever glued to mine.

Don’t go and leave me
And please don’t drive me blind
"

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Day236 - Post-Pirates! and the Brilliant Star

My eyes hidden behind a pirate's bandana, lids in shield.

The sun encased my body before I could see it, slowly warming my still length as I lay on the spot of beach I had chosen for bed, the light becoming evermore intense, removing any trace of morning moisture, clearing away the cobwebs of the mind. The island: my home, where for now my feet lay at a right angle to the earth.

This is how I entered 2011 - bathed in New Sun.

Sailing to the mainland, driving past farms and Marai's then into the gradual build-up through towns and suburbs and on into city before flying back to base across sea, taking my home with me as I jumped the train, before being chauffeured for the last leg.

Boat, car, plane and train, all different, yet all the same.

I spent the entire time with sunglasses attached, hiding exhausted eyes, leaving only a smile for distraction.

Now I reflect.

Now I rest.

Now I dream.

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Fantastic video:

Placebo - Follow The Cops Back Home

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