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Title image: The driveway at my parents' house in Moama, Victoria. More shots from my break here.
HELLO!
We're already well into 2015. I hope January gave you a break and that this time of year has been relaxing and filled with beautiful memories for you and your family.
If you're like the average person it was probably also filled with reflection and goal setting for the new year. I did my own version of this with a roll call of the people I'm grateful to for catalysing change on a global scale this past year, and the people who made my life better personally in 2014. I also made a list of the things I'm excited for in 2015. Do you do an annual review? I'd love to read it. Send it to me!
I'm pretty excited for the year ahead, with quite a few new opportunities on the horizon and some pretty big changes happening, including the move to Curracloe Farm - I hope you'll come visit us! The things I really want to focus on this year is eliminating the word "perfection" from my vocabulary and practicing being ok with things just as they are. How about you?
Something else I've been thinking about a bit lately is exploring how to use the internet to be more myself, and whether our increasingly digital lives prevent us from being truly authentic. I wrote about it (below), and it will be the topic of our next Salon on Wednesday February 18. If this is something that piques your interest I'd love to hear your thoughts so I hope you can make it.
I hope this year brings exactly what you need, and maybe also presents you with some wonderful things you hadn't even dared to dream of.
Bring it on! xx
INTIMACY V INTERNET
I've been thinking a lot about how much my degrees of transparency and honesty are different in my digital life and in my "real" life. It prompted me to write some words about whether or not our increasinly digital lives allow us to be more authentic, or if they're actually helping us avoid authenticity and intimacy. Read more >
WORDS
I have feel extremely uneasy saying 'no' to things, even if I really don't want to do what I'm being asked, so I found this suggestion from Economist Tim Harford really galvanising. Well, more like reverse galvanising as it is encouraging me to do less really. | Stop trying to save the world - big ideas are destroying international development. | I found this article on why Tony Abbott left the priesthood very creepy and prescient. | The dis-ease of being busy. | I can't tell if it is just where I get my news from, but I'm noticing the predictions of a paradigm shift are reaching fever pitch, like this one from Rebecca Solnit. | Smelling the things she dreamed of. | Gee I love Maria Popova of Brainpickings. And I love this piece (even just the title!) - A sweet celebration of inner softness in a culture that encourages hard individualism and prickly exteriors. | Bertrand Russell on 'fruitful monotony' and boredom. | How aboriginal Australians saw the stars. | I love this reading list from Longreads about our prehistoric past. | Why do Australians hate thinkers? by Alecia Simmonds. | The myth of multitasking - longing to be absorbed wholly.
PICTURES
Sex, plants and Frida Kahlo via Planthunter. | These are such gorgeous photos of summertime in the country. | I feel like an Australian summer has such a distinct look and feel, so I tried my best to capture mine this year. | 31 rolls of undeveloped film shot by a World War 2 soldier were discovered and processed - incredible stuff. | I've been completely blissing out on Kien Lam's amazing Where and Wander - completely made for a travel and photography nut like me! | Unsurprisingly, I also can't get enough of the emails I get from Ewen Bell of Photography for Travellers. | I think former Neighbours starlet Caitlin Stasey is a really interesting woman, and I think she should be really proud of what she's done with Herself. Am I wrong to be incredulous that she's just 24 years old? | I'm in love with this beautiful project by photographer Tara Pearce, and can't wait to meet some of the people she's profiled. Outer-Towners. | Two very talented friends of mine have been honeymooning in South America and documenting everything. | I can't get enough of beautiful Monique's blog - and her instagram.
CONVERSATIONS
I've been watching with interest to see what's happening with the Greek elections. Perhaps the tide is turning... | I'm really glad to see this conversation being had - Tim Winton on Class in Australia. | Do you subscribe to Invisibilia? I loved this episode about synesthesia and how we're impacted by the people around us. | An interesting chat with my sister-in-law over the break prompted her to send me this article about women who don't want kids. | I revisited this TED talk by George Monbiot when I included him in an earlier blog post - and I must say, the idea of Rewilding certainly appeals to me. | I always love This American Life, but I particularly enjoyed the first episode of 2015 - Wake Up Now. | I highly recommend Michael Sandel's podcast The Public Philosopher. His latest episode is a great testament to his formidable intellect and and his ability to engage members of the public in philosophy, morality and matters of public interest. And I'm so glad to see an opportunity for these discussions to be had, especially with him at the helm.
SALON
This month, our Salon will be held in Richmond, and we're talking Intimacy v Internet, with my thoughts on it as a primer. If this is something you'd like to discuss with a group of intelligent people with some interest in the subject, we would love for you to join us. Numbers are limited.
Musings Salon - Wednesday February 18 from 6 - 9 pm - 26 Gipps St, Richmond
$10 a head - covers nibbles and conversation. BYO Beverage if you fancy.
"To make living itself an art, that is the goal." - Henry Miller