easter postcards

Cheryl, who's been working with prison inmates in Victoria, has prepared some postcards to be handed out on Easter Saturday.

They are absolutely brilliant.

Go here to see them and read the story.

black is the colour

thank you Matt

one of the songs that changed my life

Vote David Out

via Jimmy

waiting

"The greatest proof of Christianity for others is not how far a man can logically analyze his reasons for believing, but how far in practice he will stake his life on his belief"

- T.S. Eliot

reflections from the pool

photos, war and story telling

Thanks to Kent for pointing out this SMH article on the role of photography, storytelling and truth. The shot won the World Press Photo of the year and is set in Beirut. There's been quite a controversy over questioning which story the photo is telling - tourists amidst the wreckage of war; or people returning home? Do they fit they fit our stereotype of what war victims should look like?

It raises so many questions about journalism, war and our consumption of images (which the SMH article points to). For me though the question raised is about the nature of photography and storytelling. Photography at its best is evocative and suggestive. It is never definitive - even when it first appears to be. Unlike a lot of mainstream media, photography should raise the possibility of story, allowing the viewer to recreate it within their own minds - with multiple possibilities extending out from the emotions and reactions brought forth.

See Mark's blog for some further thoughts.

Restoring the Primacy of Reason in an Age of Fundamentalism

Barry Jones is a fascinating figure - quiz show champ, Federal Minister for Science in the Hawke government, and Australian national treasure. Recently he gave the eighth annual Manning Clark lecture, entitled "Restoring the Primacy of Reason in an Age of Fundamentalism". Now maybe a lecture doesn't sound like your thing. But let me encourage you to listen - this is one of the most inspiring and intelligent reflections upon our times that I have heard.

You can download it from ABC Radio National site here or it is available as a podcast on iTunes, also listed under ABC Radio National.

Hot Fuzz

From the makers of Shaun of the Dead comes this absolute gem of a movie - Hot Fuzz. For all the times you've sat through one of the ten squillion Lethal Weapons, bounced off the walls during Bad Boys or yippee-kay-ed for Die Hard - this one is for you!

But don't mistake this simply for a spoof of all things police. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are a formidable comic team in their own right. Supporting performances from Jim Broadbent, Timothy Dalton, Edward Woodward and Bill Bailey also shine through.

Haven't laughed this much in a long time. Rossy, it is criminal that you haven't seen this yet!

"Big Cops. Small Town. Moderate Violence."

4 stars

Stations of the Cross 2007

St Ives Uniting Church is working in collaboration with fifteen of Australia's top visual artists to host an exhibition/conversation around the Stations of the Cross.

‘The traditional stations are an existential prayer with a much wider frame. It is a pattern of life shaped by the human journey; from the time we become aware of our mortality or finitude through our sufferings’.


The exhibition will open with a ‘BREAD AND WINE’ RECEPTION from 6-8pm Thursday April 5. Please come and bring your friends. The exhibition will be in St Ives Uniting Church Cnr Douglas Street and Mona Vale Rd., St Ives. (phone 91445795)

new blogs

well, one new blog anyway - the long lost travel diaries of our very own pint sized fashion queen (otherwise known as the Indian dramas of Sammy C ) have begun! Sam Charlesworth has landed safely in Chennai, suffered the shock of what's innocently called "traffic" on the streets and even managed to find time for shopping! Which, while humourous, in not surprising at all. You can follow her adventures and send messages of support to her at her much more stylishly named Saffron Threads blog.

And another blog has moved house - Rah has set up shop in the very fashionable wordpress district - and so can now be found here.

Portrait #1: smoke

Late last year I was asked to join in a photographic portrait competition with some friends from flickr. The idea being that we would each provide 6 portraits; each of a different subject; each that tells something of the subject's story. So there is no pursuit of glamour for its own sake - but simply, how do you intentionally capture something of the person?

The first set of shots is tentatively entitled "smoke". Geoff Smith is the subject (although Suz pops up in the photos as well) - and the desire was to capture Smithy mid-conversation, late into the evening, with that slightly dishevelled look that he manicures so well!

This photo ("turn away") is from the first batch that I've begun to process. Click on the photo to see the other "smoke" shots that I've done so far. Any comments, criticisms or questions are very welcome!

the missed opportunity

a fascinating article here by the former US Senator Lincoln D Chafee (Rep) on the alternative choices to the Iraq invasion. How swiftly we rush to wage war on the misguided leadership of a handful of men.

2007 Budgewoi Open

another year and another Budgewoi Open has come and gone. Despite the rain not affecting the game, it's fair to say that tennis was the loser this year, while the local chicken shop may have been the winner. Hmmmm, not a good sign boys. And as has become custom, Ronaldo Joyce took out the annual body surfing competition, with Dave running in a credible second.

Ghost Rider, Match Point and Underworld all got a viewing, but in a slight variation this year, not only were movies watched but the finishing touches were put on the latest "Love Your Work" production (photo of Director Joyce hard at work above) - rumoured to be tentatively entitled "The Grave Secret of Prairie Dog Hill".

Wayne surprised everyone by only being 6 hours late this year, while the character of the whole Open was diminished by the absence of Greyham "I-think-I'm-going-to-die" Stoney.

The organisers were happy to declare 2007 -
"the most relaxed Budgewoi Open ever"

(other than the part where Charger managed to get all the way to Budgewoi before remembering to check for the keys)

Meditatio

In the back’s low hollow sometimes
a weightless hand guides me, gentle pressure
so I tack soft as a sailboat. (Go there)

Soften the space between your eyes (smudge
of eucalyptus), the third eye
opens. There’s the wide vermilion sky

by Mary Karr

procrastination tool #277

to commemorate the ending of another cricket season, and the joyous return of footy (Swans v Pies tonight in a practice game at North Sydney Oval) - procrastination tool #277 is test catch cricket.

What's for dinner?

Tagged by Rah to answer one of those perennial questions - "If I could have four people to dinner (past or present people) who would they be? And why?"

Hmmm, now I could simply pick from my usual A-team list of friends and family - but I suspect that that's not the point of trying to weasel out some fascinating angle of my personality that I haven't written about endlessly (though clearly Nicole thinks that's already happened way too much ; )

So,

Walter Brueggemann - because he's a mean story teller; he holds a heap of wisdom; and I've used his work and quoted him so much that I probably owe him a few shouts here or there.

Billy Connolly - another great story teller; makes me laugh till I break; and I love that accent.

Myf Warhurst - Presenter of Spicks and Specks and the Triple J breakfast show. Loves her music, good interviewer and slightly funky. Would be a good foil to the other personalities, let alone a fascinating person in her own right with a thousand stories from the Australian music scene. Keeps it grounded a little more.

Sean Penn - a fascinating mix of progressive political stances, a history of really powerful acting roles, an inside into the cult of celebrity and a seemingly prickly personality. Love to know what makes him tick.

So there you are - sounds like quite a dinner, and for once I haven't named Jesus, Bono or Mick Malthouse? And in the grand tradition of tagging I nominate Jeff, Ray and Linz.

(Photo courtesy of LynnInSingapore - check out her other cool photos!)

Cover of the new album for French rock band, One Chair Left
(notice the photoshopped version of this urbanstone photo)
Not really sure what they're like, but I'm waiting for a copy when the album is released.

movies, movies movies

1. One of the SMH blogs raised the topic of wisdom from movies to live your life by. All the usual suspects are named - American Beauty, Ferris Bueller, Shawshank Redemption and Fight Club. Raises a few thoughts though - which movies, what wisdom? (As I have admitted many times before, much of my theology is drawn from Lord of the Rings). However it was this discussion of Star Wars that was most disturbing - "A movie that taught us to believe in ourselves. Like Luke Skywalker, you too can succeed, even if you cause the deaths of your uncle and aunt, tongue kiss your sister and murder your father." rrrright...


2. By contrast, Jimmy has finally seen Donnie Darko and is trying to work out if it actually made any sense, or just looked really cool. Anyone game to give us a summary of what it's trying to say?

3. As for me, well, like Darren I saw "Pan's Labyrinth" recently. Now that is an incredible film. It doesn't really fit into the usual categories - as it has elements of a violent drama set in the Spanish Civil War, a very powerful statement on the role of mythology and story, a fantasy adventure and a commentary on the current western political situation . That's quite a mix. Which is the beauty of the film. It tells a strong narrative that allows you to be drawn into the story, which you know is an important story to hear, but it is one that allows you to draw your own meanings and conclusion from it.

Which is sort of the point to this rambling post. There's no doubt that there are times for a story that is fast, colourful and fun - think Indiana Jones, Miami Vice, The Holiday or Sahara. A 1-2 hour jaunt where you are pleasantly distracted, your adrenaline is running and the dilemma's are generally overcome neatly by the end of the film (except where a sequel is subtly pointed towards).

But for me, the stories that linger and play out in my mind are the ones that don't fit all the categories. The stories that are intentionally ambiguous enough to make me wonder. What was Donnie Darko about? I'm not really too sure - but it makes me feel that sense of adolescent dislocation and disturbance. Pan's Labyrinth? Questions of family, loyalty and the power of myths. But only in the hints and questions behind the story.

Stories that create mystery and unsettle me are the ones that actually ask me a question and change me. This divine dissatisfaction is why I believe story, myth, narrative - even movies are some of the most powerful tools that exist. Which are the stories that most drive us and shape us?