Christmas Time :-)

Hello to all!!!

(To the right, my cat 'Charlie' can't wait for Santa to come to his stocking)

I Hope you have all been keeping well...


I thought I'd take this time to step away from everything at the moment and write a quick few words to say Merry Christmas to all...


It is indeed Christmas Eve right here where I am; and the time is 11:34 to be exact.

It's important to say a little something to everyone that you; as many people as you can in this time of the year. Spread the joy and passion you possess to others for them to do the same and eventually create a beautiful network for the festive season :-)

Say or do something that will put a smile on someones face, make them laugh or even give them a big hug. Anything that makes their day that much better...

and for those who still haven't told that special someone...
I'm sure all of your friends have been hassling you to simply 'just tell them..'

It's Christmas, do what you have to do. Don't wait till the few days later and think how you should have just told them how you felt. It's a feeling you're simply trying to express to them. Not an answer to a exam. You won't get into trouble for it.. .. .. Just Do It.


Anyway, I would like to finish this soon as I would like to complete this before midnight 25th Dec.

So, stay safe, stay out of trouble, be sensible, share your love, share your passion, share the time that you have with the people that you have, and most of show and practise 'gratitude'!
Show the world your true capacity of love and compassion.

To everyone of you out there in this world and even perhaps beyond...

I wish you all a very safe and wonderful Christmas, and to some of you I may not see till later. Have a very happy new year; and we'll see you in the new year of 2010!!!!!!!


I wish you a...


...Merry Christmas to you all,

Best Wishes,

love Mr.Y

bp-11


P.S. here is another picture of my cat 'Charlie' getting into the Christmas spirit with me tonight. (A very fresh picture taken only moments ago...) Enjoy!

Appreciation of Timeless Gratitude

I`ve been talking to alot of people these days,about both big and small things. It`s really nice to hear and visualise so many different perspectives on so many different aspects of this world. After listening to so many people about all sorts of different things; I`ve noticed that my own perspective has changed on certain aspects.

I find it really amazing how one person, is capable of influencing another. How even if you already are a fairly deep thinker, you talk to a few people, and what they say can change the way you see something, or perhaps even make you learn something and/or make you think more about things that you overlook in everyday life.

In my experience, recently I spoke to a close friend of mine, who sat down with me and one other friend for lunch, and out of the blue brought up this aspect saying:

"..When you help someone, or do something good. What do you get in return?"

For a moment, I stopped to think about it...
It got me thinking.Made me stop to think back about things I`ve done for people and tried to think about what it was that I got in return, or had I really got anything back. My friend kept explaining his view on this about how even if it's something small, what it actually was that we get in return.
It was interesting to hear the what I had said, about how the things we receive in return for simply showing a small bit of compassion.
The fact that you or anyone can take a small fraction of their day, their lives to stop and help one other/s life to make their day that much better. Depending on the way you can help them, or the quality of your assistance can stay with them for a period of time, either for the day or even longer to create a long term effect for them.
The practice of the virtue "Gratitude" seems to stay with many people for a long time.
As a human being,we all tend to be selfish in our own way. At the end of the day it is amazing how one person`s actions of those such as gratitude and compassion has the power to stick with people and they later associate it with many other events and aspects in their lives. The fact that someone, another human being takes time in their own busy crazy world to stop and to notice them on such a level that it makes them obtain that "special" feeling that makes them feel that they are being noticed in this busy world even for a small fraction of time.
At this time, my other friend had mentioned the concept of appreciation. Once helping someone, and they turn around to thankyou. The simple "words" of `thankyou` can also bring great joy as a form of appreciation as part of getting something back for helping someone in their lives.@
Doing something thats within your own good nature, brings in return a much more bigger quality of an appreciation. You see in many movies, someone always goes on in their day without being noticed by anyone, and then drops all of the files this person is carrying around all over the floor as noone ever bothers to notice what has happened and just keeps moving on in their day. Until one day whilst this person is on the floor scrumidging through the files to collect them back up, they notice an extra pair of hands almost immitating them. They pause to look at who it is, and they get that warm feeling about how for once, they have been noticed in this world. Even if it is for a breif moment, it still is a form of time.
It`s important that we do not take advantage of time, Every second, everyday, every moment; something is happening, to either someone or something and that particular moment of time may be the most important for someone else somewhere in this world.
Refering to this concept and perspective of time, at anyone time whilst you may relaxed sitting on your couch at home complaining your remote isn`t working for the television, across the seas someone is going through a facinating moment of being introduced to a new member of their family chain; or perhaps in a negative way at that exact time someone is fighting for their life not only in the cold corridors of hosptials where so many lives are being fought to breathe the earths air for just that little bit longer, but also in a war. Sitting there doing nothing hitting your remote in a safe environment where nothing else could go wrong and thinking about what you`re going to have for dinner, have way across the globe from you is someone or a group of people fighting for their lives in a heavy war, staying awake almost 24-7 in order to stay alive for just one more day and try to return safely back home to their families who are in a constant state of worrying about whether or not their child will eve return dead or alive. They fight these hideous battles for the freedom and comfort of the rest of the world, everday they are at risk of having their lives taken away from them, their families ripped apart and their lives with one less person to join them at the dinner table. Yet amongst all this, we do not ever hear them, or hear about them complaining about what they are doing. Their perspective on what they are doing and their objective is much broader than ours that do not fight. They know that what they do everyday not on their own soil, can bring them a much greater form of appreciation in return for what they have given.
We live each day as it comes and most days hope that tomorrow will be a perfect day; o in some cases you may want one particular day, or moment in time to last forever. But in the end, it all comes with a price.
Perhaps, you may not receive a giant bouquet of roses for your assistance and help to another, but the enormous quality of appreciation is there. If only we could see how certain people felt at the time when you help them; then we`d all understand this rather overlooked perspective.

My answer to my friend was that; the fact that you may not receive visble gifts in return for helping one person, but the greater form of gratitude can be given to you as a form of appreciation and saying "Thankyou". Not only that but for some people, they may not see that, as for they get satisfaction from helping others in this world, and not asking for anything in return; just only for their time to allow them to offer the hand of help. The concept of gratitude and compassion are very important aspects of virtues that are considerably overlooke in this everyday world.

So; if you read this and understand even one thing about what I have mentioned, then my part is done for now. If you can understand these words and have made you stop to think even for the slightest moment in your time of life, then I can simply ask no more. I express my gratitude to you all for your time and understanding.
Practice Gratitude!!!


Wake up each day,
and wake up again that very same day,

to truly see the life of today,
and not miss what the world has to say.

Know who you are,
know where you're going,

Stay true to yourself,
and show yourself

to all the people of the world
Don't hide away, show yourself,

don't let time stop you from anything
time will not stop for you to keep up

Do the opposite,
Be Strong,

Do What you think is right,
Make time keep up with you,

Move ahead, move forward,
to achieve what we are supposed to be. . .

All in oneday,because
tomorrow is a whole new day. . .


bp-10

Mosaic World

Hello Planet Earth!!!

You know, two months is quite a fair amount of time. It's also a short amount of time.

You hear people say, "Oh man, don't worry I got two months left to get the money"

but then by changing that a little bit and saying "Oh man, I got two months left to get the money".

Same sentence but taking out two words changes the whole meaning.

Two months is quite a fair amount of time. It's also a short amount of time.

Two words has quite a fair amount of meaning. Two words has also got not so much meaning.

It's been two months since I last wrote anything.

I can tell you now, that it has gone so quick. Until only recently I thought I had only missed the month of August, and that I had the whole of September to make up for it. But for some reason it's already October.

The concept of time seems to play tricks on everyone, maybe on certain people.

Allot has happened in the last two months. I'm sure it has for you all too.

I've seen so many things, I've heard so many things & I've even done so many things.

Even when you think you haven't done much, stop and think again. Even if it just involves you sitting around writing stuff down, playing your guitar, calling a friend on your phone or even falling asleep on your girlfriends couch when her parents needed to sit and kick back to watch the next episode of The Collectors.
I've seen many things, thought many things, heard many things...and the list goes on.
I've seen a dog jump out of a car window onto the road, I've seen a plane release a trail of smoke in the sky, I've seen a bird glide up and hover in the air and stay in that one exact spot, I've heard children shouting and yelling in a playground, I've heard new music come out of my own guitar, I've heard the sound of coins being scattered on a tabletop, I've made a change on at least one child, I've looked back at some decisions made in life and reflected on them in order to distinguish if they were the right ones, I've thought about the world beyond our own sky and who we are thinking about out there, whilst at the same time they look beyond their sky to imagine our world and whether or not our worlds will ever meet.
All in the last two months.

In saying all of that, a glimpse of what I've lived through in the last two months, I can't stop but wonder, what other people have seen over a period of two months. I want to know.
I want to know if someone else saw that bird glide up and hover in the exact same spot in the air, I want to know if someone else also heard children's' voices from across the road, I want to know if anyone else stopped to think and look beyond our own world and about someone else's world out there beyond our blue skies. We all live in the same world, what if one day, all of our minds, thoughts clashed at the same time. What if we all saw the same thing, thought the same though, heard the same music, felt the same emotion, loved the world for what it is. Not what it can be.
What if? Just think about it for a minute...

When one side of the world is dark, the other is light. Some places are ahead of time than another part of the world. When someone has lived through one day, the other side of the world is opening their eyes, and wiping the sleep out of their eyes and starting the same day someone else had just finished. Will they see the same thing as the other, will the same sort of day occur on the other side of the world?


I recently had someone tell me, that they see me as a "nice person". By that they meant a few things, because of certain things. I asked why...
The first thing she told me was that, I'm always bright, always smiling, and most of all...I always greet her and her friends as well as other people she said.
She told me her and a couple of close friends say that I am a nice guy who is always greeting everyone; even if I've never really spoken to them before, even if I've never really met them before until that moment...
I was quite shocked at the fact that they had observed and noticed all of this happening and what I do even if it was not directly associated with them.
I was moved by the fact that I had realised that some people do notice things whether you see it or not.

And not just that,

but it also got me thinking about what other people have seen and noticed...whether that be good or bad...
What does everyone else see in me, what do they think about me?
What do I want them to see? What do I want them to think about me?

Allot of people say, that they do not care about what others think of them?
But I find that hard to believe. . .
People always make assumptions and judgements of everyone each and everyday; and everyone has had people look at them, notice them and 'think' about who they are...

Everyone gets dressed each morning and almost never chooses something to wear which they want people to think negative about...Mostly everyone chooses a shirt or a dress and stops to think if it will go with everything else they are wearing. but subconsciously thinking about so if someone else saw what they were wearing, they wouldn't be embarrassed or feel uncomfortable in it.
We all do care about what other people see us as, how they see us, what they think about us, sometimes how they feel about us, and even what they are going to say to us.
So I suppose with this theory in mind; do we need to ask ourselves the same questions each morning as we get up to start the day?
Do we really need to think deeply about the things we say and do in order have others see you positively?
Should we really be wrapped up in all these questions that we may ask ourselves for a small aspect of our lives? Is it a small aspect of our lives?
Perhaps there are many other things that we should be asking ourselves each morning instead of trying to think of ways to have people see you in a certain way.

Things like greeting people and being bright, should come naturally...
Perhaps it is because of the nature of being human and to greet people that makes us all pure and full of life.
Perhaps that it is only a matter of simple pleasures in life that make everything appear so wonderful.

Perhaps. . .



It may be the life one
that helps to bring what has begun,

in order to find our way
through this life to make us stay,

for that little bit longer
to make us stronger

and have ourselves realise
the hopes and dreams that will idealize

us to make sure our life is full
and our memories that will pull

us through the hard times ahead
and the good times that's been said

and create our world with one love
and support those that have gone above,

so we can show our own beautiful attitude
to practice and share our gratitude

with the world we live in

and the people's hearts which we'll be filling.

bp-9

World's Library

I enjoy my sleep,

Some of you may really love your sleep, that you want to stay in bed til the very last second before you have to force yourself, to do a small stretch, yawn with your mouths open as ever and ever so slowly lift the blanket off your body and gently swing your legs over the side of the bed and hope that your feet are to touch the floor of some sort.
After you finally get up from your warm comforting bed you may call a second home; and go to work, catch up with friends for a movie, go for a walk with the dog, cook breakfast for the kids and pack their lunches. Whatever it is you may find yourself doing, you will always see something interesting, something big or small, there is always something or some things you may witness, overhear, commit. You get up in the morning and do your regular thing, you walk the dog and on your walk you see a bird fly past your early morning head and gently land on the branch of a tree, doing what it does, your dog sees another dog across the road and begins to bark at it trying to get it's attention; doing what it usually does. And of course sometimes you see the big things like a car accident, or hear a couple screaming at one another throwing unusual objects at one another, and for a moment you never knew how their expensive marble lamp got stuck in a rose bush lining the fence. And you never knew this sort of story was going on between those two, in the house right next to your own, after living there for many years.
My point is that everyday, everywhere you go there is something happening, sometimes even something so small that you never realize it. However, if you go somewhere after thinking about all of this, you'll see that you slowly begin to notice things, things that you would never have noticed, but that has always been there. Eventually you will begin to see the most smallest fragments of details in things and you discover a whole new story inside things. Such as late at night you walk the streets of your town and you notice all of the lights reaping out of the windows of the many different homes in the area. You take a look inside and you'll notice how in each window you look, everyone is doing something. Something different. One house may be a nice small family on the couch watching a movie on a Friday night, or in another window you may see an old man sitting alone on his old rugged couch with a small table of food in front of him, and along beside him is what looks to be an old photograph with the figure of a woman staring right at him. I am not trying to just say that every house has a different person in it, we know that. What I am truly trying to say is that inside every window is a story. A story only those people or that person truly knows about. The things each person has seen, heard experienced in their lives up until now, everyone has a background that we do not know about. The old man eating on his own with a photograph of a woman next to him; could tell a fabulous story about how they were once together and happy, but then for some unfortunate reason, their bond was broken. Whether she passed or not is beyond my understanding, but there is a story there.
This is what I mean when I say you begin to see things in detail, and you begin to see the smallest of things and notice many others that take place right around you.
Lately, I've been taking small pictures of objects that may or may not have a story to them. For example; an old guitar in an antique shop. It sits there on the window sill, facing out into the rest of the world, but lies with it is the story that may be behind it. How many owners did it have, what kind of music was played on it, and what went on around the people's lives that owned this beautiful object.
A simple mug of tea, it's been used over and over again by one or more people, the mug they use every morning and evening when they return from a long day at work perhaps, may have been a gift from a special person.
There is so much to see each day in our lives, everywhere we look. It's just that if you look hard enough, you can see some of the most beautifulest things this world has to offer. I don't like to miss it, which is why I do enjoy sleeping in but not all of the time. Every minute that I sleep, somewhere in this world, there is so much going on around me I can't begin to list them.
The smallest things such as my morning cup of coffee, my guitar, my car, my notes, I treasure them and try to fill them with many stories and interesting things as I can. To one day look back on them and find myself, deep in thought.
When I started to think about all of these things, I was confused about it. I saw one thing one way and a day later saw the same thing from another view. It amazed me as to how quickly a view could change in our minds. But, with all of these new thoughts, I've learnt to appreciate all of the small things that take place, exist around us. I've learnt to see them, actually.
In referring to the photo's I take of many things, I like to relate it all in my head to the title of my previous blog "Images Behind Photographs". It somehow seems to work.

I like the smallest things in life;
the smile on people's faces, the laughter of the children, the two birds in the tree singing, the man and woman hand in hand at sundown at the beach, the smell opening a new can of coffee, the smell of rain in the morning, the sight of sky continuing forever, the sound of bubble wrap, the feeling of being around friends, the image of Polaroids sliding out of the camera, the smell of fresh air in the mountains, the sounds of the checkout counters at the local super market, the feeling of falling asleep, the concept of staring at artwork in exhibitions, the sound of the bus doors opening, the sound of opening a can of coke, the feeling of stretching in the morning, the fish swimming in the pond peacefully, the cat jumping on you to wake you up, the lights dimming in a movie theatre, the taste of chocolate, the sight of an old couple walking down the street holding hands, the smile on a father's face when he See's his first born child for the first time, the frowning look on a child's face when he can't get what he wants, the way I sit out on my porch with a cup of tea and my notes to write lyrics, under the sun, under the shady umbrella over my head listening to the wind rustle the trees surrounding me with my cat sitting next to me.

...and of course, many more...

However, I will leave the rest for you to think and realize what small things in everyday life you notice and enjoy.



We sing, we learn,
We work, we earn,

We hope, we pray,
We cope, we play,

We sleep, we think,
but not enough to blink,
So that we do not miss,
the many wonders of a single kiss,

We tire, we cry
We wonder, we die,

The many thoughts of many,
flow through the skies of any,
of those that seek,
but do not meet,
to accomplish the impossible,
and to acknowledge the possible,

Eventually we say,
many words to pray,
for the love and the glory,
of anything to tell a story. . .

-Mr.Y



bp-8

Images behind Photographs

I was recently told by a friend; that when they see me, they see 'such a happy and confident guy..'. In saying so, this person made a point. In a previous blog entry, I had written about a time in Europe (Bavarian Alps) where I attempted to take as many photos as I could to try to show everyone else how beautiful this place was, and I wanted to share what I had there with them. But no matter how hard I tried, it wouldn't be able to be done. It is hard to describe the beauty of what I saw there, and impossible to describe exactly how I felt...Especially all in a sequence of 6x4 photographs.
This friend of mine, said to me after reading my blog, it got them thinking...
About in relating to that particular blog entry, how we all have our own photographs, our own photographs that others see and the photograph that you own and you see.
To another person's unique eye, a particular photograph will appear completely different to that of your own perspective. They may see it from one angle and you from another.
This person's point was simple, and meaningful:
Everybody has their own photograph of themselves, and people have their own photographs about you. They see you as you appear in that picture they have of you; however, you have ownership of your own picture and only you know what goes on behind it all, of your story, your life. You may see them a particular way, where as in fact in reality for them they are entirely different.
We all seem to see the brushed surface of one another and try to make out the entire person from that alone. Where as if we all took the time to let that surface grow, and begin to see the real picture they possess, then maybe things will be different.

"Such a happy, confident guy..."

Most would say that is a good thing to be. But is it enough?
Is it enough to just be happy and confident to make it through this world?
It makes me wonder, what my photograph looks like if I am happy and confident.
If you think about it, we're all pretty much like a Picasso in our own world, we create a whole new meaning and perspective out of things to make sense to for ourselves.
We tend to paint the photo's of others on our own almost not ever to attempt finding out the true identity of whoever we are painting, to make sense to for our own.

But sometimes, you have to wish how if only it was that simple in getting to know someone, just by taking one quick glance. To know their past, past experiences, their background, what happened where and when...all with one quick look at them.
However, do we really want everyone to know all that we've been through.
Do I really want everyone to see the sufferings that I've bared?
The pain I had gone through,
The scars that have remained,
The confusion that I broke through.
Should they really have to know, in all concepts of privacy aside. Should they?
But then explaining these things would be harder, as we would have to think about it again. Despite how much you have been affected by it, or how much you are over something.
When it comes to finding a new outlook and sticking to it, and then eventually thinking about previous events, it makes things a bit complicated as you are constantly reminded of a particular time. Especially if you were left with nothing. . .
When you were left with nothing but to collect the shattered pieces of you and forced to put them back together on your own.
When things are broken with another or by another, putting it all back together on your own is more than twice as hard than breaking it.
You're left to make a new start, and not from where you left off, but to begin a new chapter and create the rest of your story. . .

Although tough times do exist and at the time it's a whole new war.
When I stop to think about it, I wouldn't have had it any other way...
Knowing you've come this far, and developed the knowledge that you possess now.
There really was nothing to be afraid of, nothing to be running away from.
Moving forward was a key, was the key and thats exactly what I did.

These photographs that we all have of ourselves, changes constantly.
They change to what other 'artists' make of it, whether or not they take the time to uncover the real photo behind it is entirely up to them.
But I beleive in anybody's photo, that there is no regrets at all in taking the time to discover what truly lies beyond it all.
As I have said in previous blog entries; you learn from everyone you meet, you meet people, see people, do certain things, all to simply learn something from them. All here to teach you something new. And of course in return you are there to teach someone something, teach them something new, something they never thought about until you came along. For some you are there to simply remind them of something they have forgotten, or even help them think about all the little things that matters.
Leaving something with them, for them to go away and have a think about what you have taught them is as successful as anything. For some they don't learn until later on, but the point with this is to leave even the smallest amount of an affect on someone.

Don't be scared of anything,
Live to what you think is best
and see what people have to offer
cos they'll see yours and you do the rest...



bp-7

Realizations of the Previous Past

I've been thinking lately...

About all the things in this world, in this life...

All the things we do, all the things we see, all the things we say, people we meet, people we hurt, things that we discover, people that discover you; the list goes on.

But I've been thinking; to a certain extend I believe that all these things happen for a reason, I'm confident in saying that.

We may seem and feel like it doesn't and we take things for granted as they phase through our lives, day in and day out as we live each and everyday...

But what's hidden, is all the things we actually learn from all these things.

There and then, or later on down the track, we seem to finally realize all the new things we had actually learnt from that event, that person, that movie, that particular moment.

Often we don't realize what we've really learnt, but sometime down the track you do.

But, what's been bothering me, is that; when we learn these things--and we mostly learn the big and important lessons way later down the track- we seem to have lost contact with the source of where you learnt this from.

You learn something from a particular event, and by the time you realize what you've learnt, you can't seem to go back and re-live it all, to see what else you can learn and take from it.

Much the same with a person.. .. ..

At the time you meet someone, or spend some time with a person, and you live those days as you do normally. However months, maybe years down the line, you soon come to think about allot of things, and you realize how that person back then, had taught you this...but you didn't realize til just now...

and depending on what you learnt and all, you want to either go back in time or see them again now to either thank them, or just simply tell them what you've learnt and how it's moved you or how it made you feel in certain ways.

But sometimes you can't meet them again, because of things that have come between both of you in the time up til now, or they are somewhere else in this world. and it kills you that you can't let them know that they have had some affect on you, to your life that you lead, a part of your everyday philosophy is thanks to them.

But, that's only half of whats been on my mind:

In saying all this, I've also come to think about "HOW" exactly can we know that we can learn something from this particular event, person, place and moment?How?- if we knew, it would make things so much easier to appreciate things and possibly learn a greater deal than you would later on. If we could tell who we could learn from, although you can learn from anyone, if we could know of those that has the ability to change the mind that you carry and update with you at all times; we'd want to hear more about them or from them, what they have to say, what they have to show and offer.

Ever wish that you could go back to do or re-live something with all the knowledge you have now?

You get that feeling when you realize all the things you've learnt and collected here and there, you just wish you could do it all again with what you've recently learnt to appreciate whatever or whoever it was and possibly learn a greater deal than you already have.

I've learnt a lot from many people, so many that I cannot begin to start listing their names, but its everyday that I think about something which takes me back to when I first learnt it from that person or that place, that time. and not a day goes by that don't ever wish I could speak to those people again, visit that place again. So I can expand on what I already know at this point in time. Only to tell them that they have had some impact on me in one way or another.

In saying so, it gets me thinking...not to sound selfish but...

Have I made an impact on anyone? Am I one of those people to anyone who wishes they could see me again? Have I changed any one's mind or perspective on anything at all? Have I done something at all that has made people stop and think for a minute?

I can't begin to imagine all those out there who are constantly teaching something new to everyone everyday. That's what I've been doing recently, people I meet anywhere, I try to leave something with them, for them to think about now or later. I want to leave something behind to people, I want to let them know that someone like me exists here in this world. That I think way outside the box and see a picture from a million angles, make a picture worth 10, 000 words not 1000. To leave a message behind, for people to realize all sorts of things. I try to teach them something that anyone can relate to, and relate and apply to their very own lives in anyway, any circumstances. A universal lesson that can be applied to anyone by all. That is what I am trying to do...

But for now let me just say, it's hard to go on knowing somethings that you try to send across will be unheard, especially to those that may really need to see the deeper thoughts and points I am trying get across to them.

I think we need to see the everyday life, for what it really is... if you understand what I mean by that...

I think we need to make a change within ourselves for others to do the same also, and for all to come to a mutual level, where everything connects! Everything makes sense, everything is anything and what we really make of it.

the weight of the world is only what we make of it,

the empty hearts won't be filled by the beat of it,

the time will tick on no matter what,

and if we could simply connect the final dot,

to see the real picture

and naturally see the fixture

of all that is actually true

and not what we assume of the clues

but we all get there in the end,

to finally see the time spent

on the ones we love, the things we share

even for those that will never really care,

We will still see the awful truth,

maybe not now, but soon we'll come through...

-Mr.Y

bp-6

Inspirational Luck & Guilt

Today, I had a really guilty feeling build up inside me.
For one of our units at University, for Health and Physical Education; we were required to write up a personal health goal, and then actually perform this health goal and write a progress report about it.
There was a diversity of different health goals, from losing weight, to exercising daily. It's not a seriously big assignment, but I took my personal health goal quite lightly.
I have this somewhat addiction to fast food such as McDonald's or Hungry Jacks (AKA Burger King), and it's been a bad habit to have. My personal health goal report consisted of me writing about how I was going to start to eat right and eat healthier; more salads etc etc.
As I said, I took this report lightly, and almost had no serious work or effort or thought for that matter put into it. As I was writing it, I did not see it this way at all. But what made me get this guilty feeling inside, happened this morning, at a lecture...

At the end of today's lecture, our lecturer had invited a special guest, who is a student at the University. Who got up to have a talk to us all, as most of us had our bags in hand ready to go, and having no idea as to what this guest was about to say, we waited.

She started off by saying how important these personal health goals are; at that moment, she almost lost me, but I kept my ear open. Then she explained about some recent events that had happened to her, from almost a year ago. Explained to us how she was feeling sick one day and planning out a lesson to carry out in a class, and then once that was done, she went for a check up with a doctor. After several tests, she got the results back. She explained, it did not have anything to do with anything she ate, or did in the past-she was a clean person. She explained

"It was just pure darn dumb luck..."

She was told that she had a serious heart illness...
One that was quite hard to a solution for, then the explanation of the hospital stories she told us, as she lay in a hospital bed with other patients in their 80's and 90's. She could not do anything without having to struggle through it, do nothing without having to power through it all thinking positively every step, every second of the way to see tomorrow, that WILL come.
Her confidence and brave spirit inspired me, but also held a power to completely drain mine, completely fill me with guilt.
For those who know me fairly well, you would know that I do not care for myself very much, or think highly of myself. This is where it got me thinking; after hearing the trembling words from her mouth and through my ears and into my mind and touching that spot enough to move me, to make me feel the things I did, it made me feel so guilty about the actions and attitude I took towards my personal health goal. My health is great, but I'm almost throwing it all away for nothing, and taking great advantage over it all, and completely disregarding those that would give anything to have what I have. I always said I wouldn't want to be that, but look where I am.
As she entered through those lecture theatre doors today, and as I did not know who she was, before she took a seat, she stopped for a minute and looked around the room for a split second, there was something about the way she scanned the room that was not the same as a normal scan anyone does in a lecture to see where their friends are sitting. There was more to it than that, by the end of her talk, I could see how there was so much she wanted to say, and so many hidden messages behind the words she spoke today. She even said, she was trying to squeeze all sorts of things in because we were running out of time in that room. Why should there be a time limit when someone in need is right there in front of you, trying to bring across a huge message. Why? Why should she be standing there explaining to us what she has and is going through, it must mean something.
I felt guilty at the fact that I was sitting there 110% healthy, and taking something that should not be taken lightly, lightly....and I bad at the fact that I was there, when my health could be with her, why am I ok, when there are thousands like this person in need. If only I could do something. Why do I deserve the luck of being well, and not her? What did she do to deserve this? She has no bad thoughts, or bad intentions. She just wants to be able to be there with her partner and live a life. Although in saying so, her way of living, is much more wiser, much more stronger and more strong hearted than many of us put together. She taught us something. Her true inspirational spirit at heart, has no doubt made a big change in some people's minds today.
Of Course what I have said here is only brief, a glimpse of what she had said today.
After her talk was over and as the students got up to leave, I walked over to to a close friend to quickly explain my thoughts to him, I told him exactly what I have said here, he understood vaguely. After I explained it to him, a few people approached me saying to me how I need to watch my health etc etc. Right after I explained it all to a friend. They were just that little bit too late to knowing my thoughts. But then again, some people will go on without knowing what others really think. They will go on thinking they knew it all themselves, and how that person never knew, never realized where as in fact they may have. That is something that kind of hurts, to know your thoughts are vital to be heard, to be known, to be out there.
But, it just won't be...
I am just going to have to try and try,
fight for what is right...

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Wars and Tours

Dont you think it's time. . .

Time to change,
Time to move on,
Time to see what lies ahead and not beyond?

Why do we always cause such tragic and disaster upon ourselves, our own people to prove to one another what new 'toys' they've made.
I was sitting out on my porch the other day, with the radio next to me, the sun rays reflecting off my aviators and a cold drink at hand looking up at the cloudless sky, when on the radio the lady was reporting about more deaths in Iraq. It then got me thinking, as I looked up at the sky; we all live on this same planet, we all breathe the same air, we all live our own lives under the same blue sky...yet, just by crossing the seas you are taken to a whole new world almost, where a completley different culture is embraced, a whole new city of people who think differently to you, but function the same way. You get there and you see them, living their own lives, and even in places such as Iraq, where this hellish war is taking place, you will still see the children smile, you will still hear the people laugh, you will still see the people communicating in their own language to one another and breathing the same as you, and understanding the concept of waving instead of attempting to speak another language. With a little bit of effort on both sides, communication is easily achieved; but why do we of all things on this planet cause so much greif between ourselves to have this taken away from us. We learn from them, as they do from us. We live on this planet, and we need to know about it, why do we take that away from ourselves. We destroy and we never seem to repair, only to repair those that will redo the costly damage once again.
As I sat there on my porch listening to the horrific tales of what had happened, I looked up to see a two birds in the tree in my driveway almost as a couple singing to each other, and realised as we begin to destroy this place slowly, we not only cause trouble and disaster for ourselves, but for the natural world too...We take their homes away, and create destruction for our own, what good is their in that? Will we stop and remember the homes we've burnt down, the families we have torn apart, the cherishable memories we have ripped away, the blood we have shed, the nature we have destroyed. How will they all be remembered, will they be remembered at all?
But, that is just another story that will eventually come to an end, and the remembrance in itself, is a whole new story...

It's been 3years since my time on Music Tour through my old High School. On it, I learnt a great deal, and came back seeing the world from another view.
This year, another group gets to do the same thing. If you were to ask me about the most memorable moment or time whilst on tour, I could give you an answer, and it is not the whole tour itself. Exploring the Bavarian Alps on a particular day, and climbing and carefully working our way through nothing but rock, we finally reached new corners of the Alps. Big patches of snow was discovered, and for those who had never seen snow before in their lives; well, lets just say that was enough for them. Not long after the discovery, a massive war was waged upon each other with clumps of snow being the only form of ammunition. And as time went on, there was a distinct separation between two teams, one side against another.
However; this was not my special moment. Mine was to be discovered much more ahead--further up the alps. I continued on past the snow alone where noone there had been to yet. I walked for about another 7-10mins forward finding some more snow. Then as some had followed my footsteps, they stopped at this spot, as I continued onwards yet again.
Eventually came to a certain point where I could go no further. The loud yelling and screaming from the others in their snow fight, could not be heard at all, nor seen. I was higher up than them and further up too, but nothing. I sat there on the alps- on the border of Germany and Austria, and gazed out into the open. Saw myself surrounded by mountains and cliffs, and below far far down small towns and villages. All I could hear was the sound of the wind whistling in my ear gentle and crisp. I was higher than the clouds, for the first time I saw clouds from above them, and not in a plane. I could hold a pen out and the small towns could be covered with the tip of my pen, thats how far/high I was. For a moment, I just sat there and just enjoyed what was there, right in front of me. I had found this form of calmness, and peace. Among all that is going on in this world at that exact moment, all the terror, sadness and the terrible noises and air people had to breathe throughout the world, I was there enjoying and feeling the pureness of what Nature has to offer. I could taste and smell the pureness of the air up there. I could tell the difference between the air we normally breathe and what I had taken up there. This moment I had up there, was a wake up call to me. Noone else was to know what I experience up there, even you who is reading this may or may not understand the feeling I got. Coming back down the alps, that is all I could think about. I was up there, with the 'real' nature of this mother-earth; and I realized-the Earth was breathing with me...

I could not get my mind off the thoughts I was thinking up there, it stayed with me the whole day, and I knew I would not forget that feeling. As I was up there, I was hysterically taking pictures from every angle and taking 360 degree shots and videos of the place just to try and bring back as much as I could of that place. But in doing so I realized as to now matter how hard I try, this place will appear different to others that I show these pictures and videos to. They of course will not get the same feeling as I did. They will not see the beauty and the heaven-like sights as I saw it. But all I could do was try...

I came back from tour couple of weeks later; and tried to describe to people back home what it was like. But I suppose its quite hard to do.
This year, the students on tour have the opportunity to explore the same thing. Whether or not they will see or think the things I did, but the opportunity is there, and whether or not they take it is entirely up to them. They may return without any kind of proper thought put into anything, or it may hit them later on down the track way after the tour has finished.
But will they? Will they really see the things we saw, despite the fact that they are going to places entirely across the globe from where we went, will they still think the way we did? Or perhaps come back with totally different views to what we had when we got back. Whilst on tour its always the thrill and the excitement of it thats constantly kicking in. But its only after the trip and later on or you get an email from someone on that trip or something until it starts to kick in.
The cool thing about tour is that, you discover this whole new world, just by jumping on a plane and going somewhere...Whats also great about tours and trips, is not only the thrill of going away; but all about the, the people you meet, the places you go to, the things you see, the things you eat for the first time, and the activities you do...

to be continued. . .






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The European Outlook

Interesting things seem to happen in this world...
Things occur naturally, and mostly seem to happen when you least expect it to.
You don't hear from someone in a while, and it's on your mind for a while, then one day you forget about them, and once you have; you hear from them, right away...
In some ways it is a good thing, but I never see as a bad thing. I see it as either a good way, or a good thing that has come at a wrong time to interrupt another good thing. If you know what I mean.

We'll get back to that later...

Tonight I went to see the band 'the Fray' perform at Metro City. It indeed was a great performance and I found myself singing every word to every song. Met a few people from university which made the night funner. As I watched them perform, and entertain the thousands of fans crowded into a small nightclub, I started to think as to how other fans around the globe react to them, surely each concert is different in their own way...With this in thought, that was not the main thing on my mind. What I was really thinking was about all the things they've must have seen over the time they have travelled around the world, just to perform, just to sing the same songs over and over. Started thinking about all the things they've seen, things they have discovered, tried, eaten the people they've met along the way that help them travel more and more and keep them going. As this flows through my mind, the feeling of jealousy soon follows. I want to see the world. I want to meet people in the far far corners of this globe and make friends there, and come back home and know that I've been to here and there and I know people who live here and there.

My chance to travel and explore should be taking place next year (2010) June-July.
Original plans were to visit a friend in a small area called Falmouth, in the county of Cornwall, in the UK. From my friends house, our plans were to travel around the UK as a camping trip. With a tent and bags and everything! All seemed very exciting. However, it got me thinking, considering I would be overseas for about 4, maybe 5 weeks. That the places I want to cover in the UK could be done within a week. Which meant we would have plenty of time to kick back back at my friends house in Falmouth; or. . .Explore not only the UK, but more of Europe.
Then all these places kept popping up in my head as I frantically tell all my friends about this new cunning idea, they tell me even more places to visit, more things to do.
Now with all the planning taking place and things are slowly falling into place in my planning of the trip and discussing it with my friend in the UK--My backpacking partner!
I've decided I'll be visiting places such as Bern in Switzerland, to the Greek Islands, such as Santorini, places I've wanted to go...and also pay another visit back to Salzburg in Austria, where I thoroughly remember as the most memorable moment of our Music Tour in 2006.
(Climbing the Bavarian alps and sitting on the edge/border of Austria and Germany)
Going to some of these places, I will be breaking promises that I had made with certain people, telling them that I would go with them, despite the fact that I feel extremely guilty about leaving them behind and going on without them. I have written out a list of people that wanted to go to particular places with me of where I am going, and this list will be going along with me to tell me what I need to be considering while I am over there.

Not only am I just going on a backpacking trip around Europe, because I want to or because I can. there is also a purpose behind it all.
As I'm sure you have heard at least once in your life, that when you travel...you change, and you learn different things and you come back with a whole new mindset, or new outlook on things, and learn to find yourself....
That is exactly what I intend to do...and hopefully even more...
As I go on this remarkable trip, I will be filming allot of things, places I visit, things I do, things I see, record personal videos of my progress on the trip etc etc. and when I return I will be creating a film/documentary about it all and see how it all unfolds...

Whats more great about this all is that, my friend who lives in Falmouth, has more than kindly agreed to travel along with me every step of the way...Without almost no hesitation what so ever, she openly accepted my proposal on this backpacking euro trip. Which is great! I met her in January this year (2009) on Rottnest Island, she was travelling and had just been passing by and visiting the island for the day, and I was fortunate enough to bump into her and show her around. Since then we have been in contact as she is still travelling around the world and soon to be returning back home to where she belongs. Her bright and bubbly personality would be great to have along with me on my trip to keep each other going throughout the trip.

It's still hard for me to realize that I am actually going to go on a backpacking trip through Europe. I'll be leaving Perth with nothing more than just a couple of pairs of clothes in my big backpacking bag and some extras and then buying everything I need along the way, as I go...
It'll be a new experience for me and I really can't wait for it to happen!

I am also looking forward to me, hopefully changing as I go, and as I document this trip that I'll also see a slight change of outlooks on things as I progress through it all, it will be very interesting to see when I get back how people will look at me, or how I will look at them, and how I see this world, and how different my blog posts will be once I return...

I suppose we'll just have to wait and see for now I guess...


(to be continued---)







bp-3

Barricades & Frustrations

Hey there once again...

I find it funny, how with all this recession business going on at the moment, that there is more things we need/want. They just came out of nowhere...It was bad enough spending money on things that we didn't need or need for that matter before the recession, but when it hits, the amount increases; bills get higher, fuel prices seems to just keep rising, cutting down to one bottle of milk not two each time we go down to do the groceries, the local coffee shop begins to sell more grande sizes instead of a venti, people now start to download music instead of buying the actual albums; but you see my point...
There is so much I want to do...so much we all want to do in this world, and with so much on the list, and life being too short not all of it can be done. And with this whole issue with the global money problems, its not making it any easier for us all. We want to visit that part of the world, buy that car with that number plate, we want to see that person perform again live, want to buy that house in that area, or get that business up and running to pay off that mortgage quicker. But it's not as easy anymore.
I would love to visit Europe again, but this time just to visit, explore, wander, get lost, clear my mind, discover, meet new people, and simply search for new things that I've never knew existed. Taste new food and wine, swim in famous lakes, climb the alps again, write my lyrics in a quiet mountain side of Europe. Do all that and eventually stumble back home and a week or two later pick up the developed photos and think "WOW"...and re-live each moment in that photo, and remember what that trip was like...and when you think about it, you think "did I really just do all those things?". . .
That is what I want...

It's really frustrating how things we really really want to do and achieve, we cannot not do because of money or jobs or religion or there is something that will get in the way of you doing something great. But the point of it all, is to not really let it get in your way.
Some things you will be able to do, some things you wont. But the closer you try, the less further you are away from it, which means your more happier, that you almost got there. Although the more closer you are, the more frustrated you may get; "Oh no I was so close!!!" but the thing is, you actually tried, which makes you one step ahead of the rest of them who didn't.

There are many ups and downs as part of life...We have break ups and break downs...
and we have people in our lives that make us feel like complete s*#t but then with time and all, we meet new people friends and more than friends, that make you feel worthwhile again...
and we move on, to see and feel and learn different things from different people, places, money etc etc...

Make it yours, and make it sure
for life is only a simple tour,
see the light, leave the dark
its so unhealthy
to not see the mark
of all the possibilities
and the insecurities
of what we must see
and not what we want to be
to achieve the great success
of life in its own access. . .

-Mr.Y




bp-2

Start of a New Ending

Hello all,

Once a little time ago, I started a blog page and all, but then I decided to put all that 'was', behind me...Close my eyes for a bit and wake up and do something about myself. Do what I need to do...
And so...in saying so I've decided that writing a blog/journal like thing is one way of starting out my new outlook on things. I've lost many things but gained twice as much. All for the good.
Thanks to the help of those that have been there pretty much every step of the way, ive somewhat changed to a certain level which I never knew I could reach again-after dropping into such a steep hole I thought I'd never be able to get myself out.

So,

this is my first blog, about me making a new start...
I suppose my point of it all is, nothings never too late for anything...
although time will not wait for you and you having to keep up, making a change, or starting something new or getting back up onto your feet from any disaster with the right mindset and persistance, it'll get you there...
I know.. I am still on the verge of things but Im closer than you or I both think...

The Start of a new Ending for me...nice title I thought...
from now i am going to keep posting things not only to show people but also for my own benefit of proving to myself what im actually thinking....

Let me know what you think, if you read this...
Feedback would be much welcomed! :-)

Thanks



bp-1