Beautiful World by Colin Hay

I heard this song for the first time today and just loved it. I heard it on a remix (Shift Happens) of that great clip : Did You Know/Shift Happens . For anyone who is interested the original presentation can be accessed at this blog The Fischbowl.


Getting back to Colin Hay, I recognised his voice, which pleased me. When my pa died I listened to his song "Waiting For My Real Life to Begin" over and over. I'm not sure why, I just found it quite soothing and comforting. I guess my pa was always a bit of a dreamer and perhaps it embraced that. This song 'Beautiful World' is lovely.

I showed the clip to my year 9 students today in the Careers class to assist them in thinking about the kinds of jobs that may be available in the future. They responded so well to it, I shared it with my year 9 English class as well. They found it interesting and inspiring.

Links to Great Online Posts

I've read some really inspiring and uplifting blog posts this week that I'd like to share. It's a good place for me to store them too I might add, I'm fairly confident I'll want to reread them.


Christine Kane: 9 Irresistible Reasons to Go Complaint-Free Starting Right Now
Christine Kane's blog is usually a great read and one of my favourites. Going complaint free seems like a very positive way to make a major change in your life. It sounds simple but I'll let you know how I go!


Ruth Ostrow: Seek Your Own Fez House
This is just the kind of inspiring story I love. It involves renovating and exotic locations and throwing caution to the wind.


Craig Harper: The Choices We Make When We Choose Nothing
Another great reminder from Craig Harper about being proactive in our lives. He makes me laugh, even when I intensely dislike the truth he is telling.


Duncan's TVAdland: Dove Boy Meets Amy
I love these Dove Self-Esteem fund clips and this latest one is simple, yet beautiful.

Bill McDonough

Bill McDonough features in 'The 11th Hour", the new film by Leonardo DiCaprio that is discussed on TED.com blog. He is an architect who is tackling sustainability with intelligent design. TED is a great place to watch amazing thinkers from all over the globe.

Crackpots Unite

Today I received one of those email stories and I loved it. It went well with Tuesday's excursion. It came with a disclaimer that the person wasn't sure if it was really a Chinese story or a woman for that matter, which also made me smile. I felt a bit like that leaky container today :

An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck.
One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived
only half full.
For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman
bringing home only one and a half pots of water. Of course,
the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made
to do.
After 2 years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to
the woman one day by the stream.
"I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house."
The old woman smiled, "Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side?"
"That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day
while we walk back, you water them."
"For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house."
Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You just have to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them. So, to all of my crackpot friends, have a great day and remember to smell the flowers on your side of the path!

Loveocracy

Kathy Sierra's Creating Passionate Users, Valentine's Day post is spot on. As are most of her posts.

"And why do you read this blog? I always ask myself, "how can I help my readers in some way?" Whether it's a tip or trick, a post you can use to help make your case to your boss, a new way of looking at something, a potential source for an idea, a pointer to something useful...I try to make 90% of the posts here for you. And you in turn respond with the most amazing, insightful, inspirational, and often entertaining comments.

What's good for you is what's good for the blog. And for me."

I love reading this blog because she does provide useful ideas. It works. Thanks Kathy

I predict.....

I want to participate in the ProBlogger Group Writing Project and the topic is 'Reviews and Predictions', so I am very excited about reading what other bloggers offer on this topic. I love predictions! I enjoy reading Darren Rowse's blog, I like his approach to writing and sharing and there are usually a couple of useful things to me each week even though I don't expect to be a 'problogger'.
My grand prediction for 2007 is that TED Talks will be worth tuning into. I just received their program for 2007 and I am delighted to see some of the upcoming talks.
The 9th of March for example boasts of Edward DeBono, Dan Goleman J.J. Abrams, Tracy Chapman and Isabel Allende. This is just one of the days. Icons. Geniuses. Mavericks. That just about covers it. There are some amazing visionary people on this list, too many to mention. I am looking forward to enjoying these talks next year.
On the topic of Isabel Allende, my kids bought me Ines of my Soul for my birthday and I am saving it for my holiday reading. I love her books! I enjoyed 'My Invented Country' this year and absolutely loved it. I enjoyed the whole concept that she had created this place and was able to recognise this. I also loved, as always with her writing, reading about Chile. It is definately on my list of places I want to go.
I predict Amanda Bloom will be in my CD collection in the future. I want more songs to listen to from her and I hope I will be able to add her CD to my Christmas list next year. In the meantime, listen to this podcast. There are some awesome Aussie women who are unsigned and very enjoyable. I have enjoyed this podcast.

Amanda Bloom - WoW

Last night I heard Amanda Bloom's 'Magdeline' on the radio. It is an amazing song. I loved it on first hearing. I remember the first time I heard Tori Amos and it was a similar experience. She is like Kate Bush. I love Kate Bush.
The lyrics of 'Magdeline' are moving and you can read all about them on her myspace blog.

She is a Sydney woman. Her voice is magic and I look forward to hearing more. I would buy a CD of hers today if I could. The Triple J radio announcer said last night she was classically trained. You can hear that discipline and excellence. I can't say enough. If you go to Triple J Unearthed, you can download Magdeline and listen for yourself. I am going to register today and vote.

Ted Talks

Considering what it costs to see Anthony Robbins live, this is good value. It's free! He tells a very touching story. I've listened to a few Anthony Robbins tapes over the years, but not until today did I hear him say the F word. So that was interesting! I kinda liked it. Made him seem more human to me. I know, I have issues.
Actually you can watch a video of Tony Robbins. He looks good too.
I have been checking out TED Talks again today. I watched a video there the other day, I don't know if I mentioned it here but it was about Happiness by Dan Gilbert and I really enjoyed it. This is a valuable resource. There are quite a few great speakers on this site and I think you could treat yourself to the time it takes to listen to a half hour or so, or download a podcast.
Oh and since U2 is in Australia, you might like to celebrate that by watching Bono here.

Internet Matchmaker

I am enjoying watching one of my closest friends have her first experience of using online dating websites. It is an exciting time and full of promise. I recommended this to her because I have found it to be the best and most enjoyable way to find a partner. It has a bit of cringe factor for some people still. I guess if you have not wanted to meet a partner in the last 10+ years, you would have no need, therefore see fit to criticise it or find it 'wierd'. The other people who are not into it are people who will never read this blog because they haven't yet learnt to use a computer. Needless to say, they are never gonna do it.
I found it a great way to meet my partner. I loved the time when we were getting to know each other via email. It was sweet and gentle and romantic. The first telephone conversation, our first meeting and so on, was all gradual and made the process delightful and lasting.
Perhaps I was very lucky. I only met one other person I communicated with online, and at that first meeting, knew instantly there was no real attraction. It was challenging to have to say that, but no worse than saying no to someone you have met anywhere.
This leads me to a point I want to make, meeting and relating to someone online is the same as any other way. If you find it difficult to trust, it will be the same in real life as it is online. If you are desperate, gullible, if you fantasize, if you are afraid of commitment, intimacy, success, whatever, the internet will not magically transform or hide that. If you are going to have problems in relationships, they will still be there. It is just a convenient way to meet, minus the scene you don't want to be in(insert club,pub,mother's/friends blind date whatever applies) but for wanting to find a partner.
This weekend another friend I recommended online dating to, is getting married. She is 60ish and hadn't had someone special in her life for the 5+ years I had known her. She is very happy. This is why I recommend it and enjoy sharing my positive experience with others. It's great to see people happy and in love.

Rednose - A treat

This morning I have found the website REDNOSE. The puppets and images are touching and I encourage you to take a look. A very special artist.

Free Hugs by Patti Digh

37 Days, one of my favourite blogs, has an article on 'Free Hugs', it is a must read. Unless of course you saw it already on '60 Minutes' on Sunday night in Australia. It is a beautiful clip and it is easier to direct you to Patti's site than to search for it myself.
I'm tired tonight. Maybe I need a hug.

Awesome Youth

Camp was great. The students were enthusiastic and a joy to be around. Wilson's Prom was as breathtakingly beautiful as it always is. The weather provided a pleasant enough stage to abseil, surf and walk, but canoeing proved too difficult with the wind on Thursday morning. I loved watching the kids develop friendships and independence and to my delight all students were collected within half an hour of our return, which is the best record yet.
There were some amazing young people on camp that really pushed themselves through their fears and limitations. The behavior was great and they responded very well to all that was asked of them. It was a really positive experience and I am looking forward to spending the year with this group. I know I say that every year, but only because it is true.
Any parents reading this please note that your children really miss you when they are away. They also appreciate your homes and food and many of them can't wait to get home to their own showers and beds and cooking. They also mention brothers and sisters wistfully in ways you'd never probably believe as well as pets. Know you are loved and missed!
When I got home I collected my son from his friend's house. The mother there said to me what a marvelous boy he was and how he is always welcome in their home. I felt proud as I always do. I often hear this about my son and feel such joy for him that he is so well loved. I know how great he is but it is wonderful to hear it from others.

Jane - My Inspiration

I have known Jane since I was 6 years old. We have shared plenty together. I love her like a sister. She now lives 5 hours away from me in another state and I see her once a year. We talk often on the phone.

Three years ago her son was in a motorbike accident. I went over and saw this beautiful alive and vibrant young person lying lifeless in a hospital bed. He was 9 years old. Time passed and most things healed but he is currently in a wheelchair and has many physical issues to deal with. Jane has been a constant carer. She has received support from a team of professionals to deal with things like physiotherapy and other medical problems, but for the day to day caring of Sam, she has retained sole responsibility and has cared lovingly for Sam. He has a great sense of humour and is fully aware of the situation he is in.

There are so many heartaching stories to tell and triumphant ones too. Through Jane's experiences I have seen another facet of the world. I would have preferred not to have known most of it.

Last night when I spoke to Jane she told me of her latest trial. Sam has been attending school as often as possible. Last term he had to have surgery and missed most of the term and suffered a lot of pain afterward. This term he returned to school. He is in year 7 and it is his final year of the primary school he has been attending. His teacher excluded him from a graduation breakfast held at a local restaurant and then tried to justify her behaviour and refused to apologise to cut the story to the barest details.

So Jane has had to go through the processes of getting justice yet again. I am inspired that she continues to go after these limited people and teach them what appropriate behaviour is when she has so much burden to carry in her life.

This woman has her life totally altered. The school is the same school he was attending when the accident occured. I don't understand. I am outraged at the treatment Sam has received and the lack of compassion for both parent and student. As a teacher I am totally puzzled about how this other teacher can be so inhumane. What is wrong with these people?