Let's talk about friends and friendship

I'm thinking back to 1976. We were camping with a school group. It must have been near Alice Springs. Here are, us four friends, brought together by our geography and demography. We were merely the same age, growing up in the same area and ended up in the same public school. That was all that friendship was made of in those years.

Is that a bad thing?

From left to right:

Luke was one of the nicest of people I have met. He went to NIDA I heard. Something to do with stage direction or lighting.  I never heard from him again after this year.

Gavin was a good bloke. Supplied us with some good whiskey at times. I managed to stay out of trouble but still managed to spent some great schooldays down at the beach with a bottle of Johnny Walker or two. Remember in particular 'borrowing' David Lockyear's little Corola (I think) and going for a spin to the beach. I had no license and hadn't ever even driven a car but we still made it to the beach, put down a bottle and made it back to school alive! I think Gavin took an apprenticeship somewhere. I never heard from him again.

David was a good mate. He lived up the road from me and we spent some time together. We even camped out in my backyard one night - do you remember that night David? I bumped into David at the beach one day. Our kids were taking swimming classes at the same time. This was soon after I ran for parliament on a 'Save Our Schools' platform. He said he voted for me. He was the only person I have ever met that had said that to me. I have not seen him since.

That's me on the right. That's 36 years ago. I sometimes feel no older than that and yet at the same time feel that that was another world away.

So, where do our friends go?

They go and live their own lives and, I suppose, we go and live our own.

My mother has a friend that she met when she was a teenager. They would often spend their holidays together. they speak to each other at least every year but they don't travel to see each other anymore. It has probably been 20 years or so since they've seen each other. But they are friends. How many people can we count as friends in or life? Should we be counting?

What is it with words and music?

Great songwriters can bring forth from a series of notes and letters some of the deepest emotions of our lives. If our lives a just a series of waking, eating, working, sleeping and repeating then so be it but just stop and listen to a piece, any piece, of Les Miserable and try not to moisten in the eyes - go on - i dare you. But let me break that down a bit.
Good song writing seems to be made from the juxtaposition of the personal with the global. let me expand. A favourite song of mine is 'A Great Day for Freedom' from 'The Division Bell' album. In this song the writer pulls together the idea that great divisions in nations (walls?) can be broken down and new days dawn wherein people can see new light and freedom. the writer in this piece also directly compares that great nationwide breaking down of barriers with his own personal insights into intimate emotional re connections.

The story of Les Miserables follows the journey of one Jean Valjean a poor retched creature who seeks redemption from his poverty and crime in revolutionary France. The songs in the musical adaptation speak of despair, revenge, revolution, friendship, forgiveness and finally, redemption. but all of these emotions are set against both a personal journey as well as a national upheaval. You see - we can all measure our own journeys through and within the journeys of our our societies.

so, when a great song brings tears to ones eyes is that just a rhythm creating a biological reaction or are we as humans attuned to feel deep and heartfelt meaning to words and music?

A new whiteboard can solve everything, part 2

Well, the whiteboard is up.

All I've managed to put on it at the moment is some post-it notes from my desk.
That is a start and actually a good start because those notes were attached to various parts of my desk which is now becoming clearer by the minute and once again allowing me to see the various adornments that have been added to my desk over the years. Presents from my wife and daughters that remind me of them and how blessed I have been.

 The Turkish style magnifying glass that seems to allude to my failing eyesight.

The wooden 3D jigsaw wine glass (which I cannot seem to rotate in the program) which combines three things I like in one object.

1. Wine, naturally,

2. wooden objects and

3. a desire to solve problems and return things to some sense of order. 

The hand made elephant themed recycled notepaper box which now houses some of my secret and useful cards. 

And the pin clock which is simply amusing.

The new whiteboard however is not amusing, nor elephant themed, nor will it require magnifying but it will create some order to things - in business - in life - and in my mind so that I can indeed celebrate all that is good - home - family and life.

A new whiteboard can solve everything

I drove near 80 km today to pick up my new whiteboard. I should say at this point that I did the usual farmer in the big smoke thing and combined my trip with quite a number of other errands.  even though i am neither the farmer nor is Adelaide the big smoke. i first called into the chemist and sorted out some new more healthier versions of spring nasal relief - yes, spring is upon us again. number 2 - a nice long black from the McLaren Vale bakery. Next, pick up a light fitting for one of my winery customers then to order some fans for another winery customer. did you know that apart from the problem of a bit too much heat, one of  problems that wineries face during vintage, is too many wine flies. Hence I intend, before next vintage with one of my customers, to install a series of post mounted industrial fans to help keep out the wine flies! And then on to Mile End Office Supplies to pick up my whiteboard. I had to take my new ute for this errand - it is the only vehicle that would fit the 900x1500 board. It fitted well on the flat of the tray. So it was of home  with a couple of diversions. Lunch was required and new riding gloves. Here is something to ponder: did you know that i take size XL in riding gloves and size S in working gloves - can you figure that?
I should mention at this point that I have just spent the most fantastic time with my daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter over in west Australia. the girl is just so gorgeous and mum and dad just so easy going.I am just so happy for them all. Back to my trip of today - I managed to make it to Gran's place before too long. She has been splitting wood without my help. I hope my next eldest sister doesn't find out. I have managed to get this whiteboard home and I am hoping to mount it (read what you will) by the end of the weekend. After then I will be able to solve everything by writing it on the whiteboard.