nothing and truth

Having lived many years I can assure you there is nothing like peace and stability. Nothing that is alive, is also stable.Greg Sheridan has reminded me that only the balance of opposing forces, in that amazing moment (not happening often at my place) can be described as stable otherwise, it is organised chaos (my interpretation). He also connected with G.K.Chesterton, a writer I have read, with the description of 'Truth' implying that this characteristic is also a concept which could be seen to be capable of swaying in the wind. Having just been called 'a liar' yet remaining convinced that what I recounted to have been the truth, as I saw it, I am interested in that "new" concept; "new" to me, that is, having lived a life commited to speaking the truth. This thinking brings me to the idea of the "Big Bang" having started from "nothing" and ending in something ie. our universe. A recently published book written by a physicist (whose name escapes me) explains simply that the term "nothing" is just that but has no actual meaning in the sense of creation. There "nothing" is actually a melting pot of many "somethings" of various energies but which cannot be shown or measured. ? Did I say measured? This may be wrong. But, if the melting pot of these somethings is totally emptied then the "vacuum" left behind actually has weight . This cannot be explained by Physicists but they are working on it. Does this make sense? Maybe not, but it is worth thinking about while I'm waiting for my books to be published. Then there is the concept of time...is it all in our minds? Or the idea that all animals (us included) originated from plants ie. look at the stromatalites (available in the north of WA) are these the first animals and plants at the same time? Fascinating, to me that is. I must get out more.

more pain

Hallo Google, how difficult can you make it for your bloggers? Either you want us to write or you don't. Thank God you let me in this time. I have lost count how many times I have tried to get into my account.
Anyway I am here. And, I thought I had nothing to add but...my second book, my memoir/autobiography is coming along as if it were on fire. I have managed to approve the page layout this morning but now the waiting period for the next step won't be till May5th and for my novel, May4th. So rest back Connie and relax. You may actually have two books published by the end of the year...I hope.

The 'NEW' book

I've come to the conclusion that my second book should be published and have given in to the psychological pressure of doing it with a discount...thinking it would be a fair price. What I didn't know was that the price was cheaper because it wouldn't include editing. Then again I thought of the minimal editing the first book had enjoyed so why worry? And before I knew it I was spending Saturday writing my publicity notice, author's info. and a short precis of the story. But what message did I want to pass on to the reader? That question stopped me for a while. I couldn't say that 'family' is all important...I could think it but I couldn't write it...or that the loss of a parent or parents through death would signal the fragmentation of a family for some...certainly for mine or that in the aftermath one would need to face the reality of the kind of people the siblings had become...and then I thought of myself...I had turned into someone not many people appreciated. Living life balancing honesty, truthfulness and fairness is Ok as long as you don't force it on other people. A lesson I have had to accept. But you decide...the book is a MEMOIR/AUTOBIOGRAPHY..."KIN DEEP and the inability to mourn".

Wild thoughts of morning

Thought I would add a picture this morning but it should have been printed in the dashboard section. When I woke up at 5.30am I recalled last night's program on the ABC where Alain de Botton was interviewed. He spoke about how at this hour of the morning one was more likely to release the wilder ideas in our mind... the ones which normally crowd our mind 12hrs before and force us to be conservative do not exist at this hour of the day. I am still waiting for my wild side...where are you wild thoughts? I am waiting. All I can say is that he is right...the silence of the world, my street, my house, is overwhelming. And that has nothing to do with my partial deafness...or my tinnitus. I find this early hour more than pleasureable, delightful and love stealing these hours from the other, any other, beings of this universe. I do do this often...wake up at 4am and creep throughout the house, peer out of windows at the dense blackness enveloping our little box and feeling the freedom silence brings. But then as my eyes return to the internals of my house I can't help but count the number of LEDs blinking at me. They disappoint me. I want to rush around and flick switches...dispel the intruders and let me enjoy the bleak blackness of morning...let the wild thoughts in...but then I recall...I had been in a different time frame this last week. In Queensland where I had been visiting it would be 6am normal rising time. I made a mental note. My mental wild time must be 2am...I am in the wrong place. No wonder I sit on my own with my tinnitus.

ON! ON! 2

I have just written this post on another site where I inadvertently left a gap btweem mac and wordsand pictures. So now I have two Blog addresses. But I don't have time for two....how do I delete the first? Oh well it will come to me as everything else has in good time.
So the latest is that I am up to my MOCK PRINT of my Novel 'Baggage'. I expect it will be on my doorstep very soon awaiting my approval and then...and then....who knows. My second book, a memoir, 'KIN DEEP and the inability to Mourn',  I have arranged to be published also this morning so...all I need is to arrange for a WEBSITE so anyone can access my photobooks, photographs or/and my novels. I plan to have my Blurb book, Street Photography in Peru, to be put up for sale....I love it. 

Fond memories

I almost gave up and there must be an easier way to Blogg....anyway I am here. And today I want to remember Gallipoli and all the young lives lost....I should say all the lives lost. But when you see the photograph of our young friend in contemplation at Anzac Cove late last year you will understand why I focussed on the youth of the lives lost. He confided to me that should he ever join the forces he would join the artillery. For the time being his ambition is to be a top chef and let us hope that he will be successful.
I thought the last image taken at the Turkey memorial for the fallen was tastefully representative of the entire way in which Turkey paid its respects to the conflict. But nothing beat the ceremony some people were lucky enough to be in on April 25th 2012. Lest We Forget indeed.

Ned Kelly 2012

It won't let me try for a photo of 'Ned' but Ill keep trying. There he is... in one of his friendler moments. Sorry about the other photo I should have moved my feet to avoid the open fire metal pole.

Good News

I have figured out how to compress images so as to be able to send them via e-mail in a size as requested. Wow I am impressed. What will I be doing next? I think I will share with you my photo of 'Ned Kelly of 2012'. This is a photo I took on our West Australian Photographers Federation weekend at Wanneroo last weekend. We had great guest speakers but we also had a marvellous afternoon practising our skills photographing volunteers in all manner of behaviours and disguises. All I have to do is to find the image slot.

Frustration Monday

Why can't I know how to reduce the image to particular pixel sizes so that I can send this photo as a Jpeg via e-mail? I have read the page over and over in Elements but surely I can do the same thing in Picassa? Instead I have sent this to my blog. I am determined to know the answer but meanwhile, enjoy...can you guess? It is a band instrument.

Frustration Monday on a Sunday...that's original...where I live it is Monday the 23rd of April. And thinking of the date...I have forgotten your birthday Barb...many belated wishes.

morning after

Exhausted is the word and, no, it wasn't the alcohol. A long weekend of nights at midnight to bed and active sociability, straining to concentrate on the information shared, is exhausting. The weekend was a fantastic experience and WAPF & NEPC can feel proud...it was the best weekend..organisation top class and interests galore. The promos kept to a minimum it became a joy to visit their stalls at the back of the room. I came away with a new KATA backpack and am astounded at the opportunies, zippered and flapped etc. to be able to store my various lenses and cameras. I have some memorable pictures of the various dance groups, the band members and simulations of mediaeval fighting etc. Oh, and Dale Neall, I loved your presentation on portrait photography...a great eye opener...not to mention Richard I'Anson...a charming Travel Photographer...we'll forgive him for being a Mebournian...in fact we have something in common there I also reached Melbourne in the fifties but I didn't stay...saw the light one might say and ended up in Sydney...as Richard is about to do. And reminiscing along those lines I am not forgetting Gary Sarre and his extensive photography experience anyone can enjoy in Subiaco in his plus surroundings. But not many would be able or be too keen to join Patrick Baker the award winning Marine Archeology Photographer...thanks Patrick your talk was fascinating.
And my Novel? Well I have another week's wait before I can do any more....this is the slowest process this publishing business I could ever have imagined. And, they now want me to introduce friends and foe so that I can earn myself $500.00 dollars or if I let them publish my next book, the one waiting in the stalls, they will let me have $3000.00 of global publishing for free. What amazing positive thinkers there are in that organisation. BUT.....

When and If

So I thought the page layout would have been done for me-wrong-but I must say I liked what I was shown. In fact I have done a great job before I submitted the book for editing. The type setter had suggested a central position on alternate pages for the book's name...'Baggage' but it shocked me to see my name there also on alternate pages. What? Did I write this book? And my name on alternate pages, WOW, I am just not used to seeing my name in print but I must say I am beginning to like it. Why do I contine to insist on using, Connie, when I have a perfectly nice name like, Cornelia? ...meaning crowned or regal or something like that. You know Cornelia was offered the position of Oueen of Egypt many many years ago but she refused because her responsiblities were to remain with her children to teach them the properties and function of democracy and fairness. Amazing...and I have often been told that I am stuck on the concepts of fairness and honesty. I know a particular person in my family who at this moment thinks that I am a liar...so if you happen to read this, family member, I am anything but a liar and will insist on what I told you to be the truth. But it is up to you to accept the information. This sort of thing happened to me once before where I wrote a book of my first 50 years..my shocking years with a popular friend of many and their response was...you must have made it up...close friends could never believe or accept the truth. Sad but true. But is it worth losing a family member over it? I don't think so.

Another Big Day

The last words I heard were "having another Big day?'  Was he being scarcastic, feeling sorry for me or just jealous because his desk at the office was waiting and he knew it. He couldn't do what he wanted, when he wanted and with whom he wanted. But why did he appear to be sorry for me? I took the bait. Me? Oh yes, I'm having two photo books delivered and then I'm off to the hairdresser, do some shopping and maybe buy something to wear for my Sydney trip next month. I noticed he didn't wait for me to finish. He only managed to throw one word at me as he disappeared into his car, 'two?' I didn't tell him about the third, the 100 pages in an extra large landscape book, my impressions of Turkey, the second of Turkey and volume three will be the end of Turkey. But then, there are the books waiting in the wings and much overdue, the Antarctic trip, Brazil and Argentina, Equador and Galapagos islands. I can't even imagine doing our return visit to Italy last year but Milano and Venice are begging for my attention. And then there is family to recall in Bavaria and Switzerland. That is not to mention my Novel..."Baggage'...soon to be published. Did I say soon? I must be dreaming. It is true I have designed the cover, completed the editing, agreed or not agreed to the page design (done for me) and written the press release and author story so we are just about ready for the "mock" printing and book sending to me for approval. Oh, the type setting won't be done till Monday but then...then... 

Turkey Street Photography

Angry author

So I gave them a day's grace after Easter, the big holiday weekend but guess what it seems once again there is no one at the office not my case rep at least. So a couple of e-mails later and I am still waiting for my todo column to be amended in this tricky journey to publish my book. I did say I wanted it done while I am still alive and kicking...and kicking is becoming my operative word...so tomorrow if there is no progress just wait....
So what did I do to fill in the free moments? Yes I published another book with Blurb...to try them out and to redeem my 'Free' photobook rights as a result of paying to enter in the London Street Photography festival. My photos were unsuccessful...after 2500 entrants...I'm not that surprised. My photobook is called Street Photography in PERU and if it is any good I'll bring it onto my BLOG for your perusal.
As far as the encounter between Richard Dawkins and the Cardinal...I admired RD's composure and was disgusted with the Cardinals aggression and lack of intellectualism. If that is the attitude of the church to the non-believers then no wonder no one is a believer these days. Good Luck to Richard Dawkins and his courage to be counted. By the way Cardinal if God loves everyone why doesn't the church want homosexuals in their congregation? I was amazed at his comment that homosexuality was a learned behaviour...of course for some it is but for others it is a proven genetic trait. Ignorance is not a trait we can blame on our ancestors.
I'll try and post my photographs that I had entered into the London Street Photography Competition.

Packaging for the beginner.

Here I am again having survived Easter. And to celebrate on the Sunday I rescued my splayed Turkey from the freezer. It, lying about in some soya sauce and pineapple mix had been abandoned there since Xmas day...and was it ready for its liberation. It defrosted in the bottom of my fridge as if it had the mind to please, as it should have, and on Easter Sunday, it was free, thanks to my deft handedness using the kitchen scissors. I was rewarded with admiration for my kitchen skills. My guests loved every mouthful. So, three months in a freezer can be recommended for a Turkey, a splayed beast from Mondos. For those who don't know Mondos: the butcher in Perth who sells everything from continental meats to the all Australian barbeque sausage. But my luck had all been used up by Monday when, after a hectic two hours of exercise, I decided my reward should be a CD of Midnight in Paris to sleep by. Oh how I looked forward to a nice dose of writers and philosophers, not so much so, the American family. I read the advertising...I could win two days in Paris for two? Let me at it. I ripped the plastic off and pressed the green part of the plastic (there is a red and a green spot) shell but nothing was going to shift the security lock. No knife proved sharp enough to break into this .....what?....this....wonderful....and I had paid $20.00 at Woolworths. Yes, said the little voice, but that was in Surfers' Paradise, Queensland. There they can't spell Beer so they have to display it with four XXXXs and they vote the Labor party into oblivion because they think the natural disasters (floods, cyclones, incessant rains etc.) had been caused by the government of the day. Forget the politics. I'll take it all back if only....Anyone with any experience in opening these plastic whatnots? I don't want us sandgropers to get the reputation that we can't even open a CD case. Help.

How we were

All these photos and comments should have been on the same post but then...it is good finger exercise isn't it? All you will get today perhaps besides breaking into those chocolate eggs. Which...brings me to the wrapping these days. Did you know that it is a degree course at the University in Paris. Everyone write and ask for a course that will teach us how to break open these incredibly impossible designs. And I don't even suffer with arthritis. I should rename my blog in the style of Howard Jacobson..."Whatever it is I don't like it."

How we were

This is beautiful Cradle Mountain with the weather lifting. I can recommend it at any time.

How we were

Trying to post some photos of Cradle Mountain and our wet experience but...no go it seems. Then again I am only a beginner blogger. Google has notified me that they have made a mistake ...so patience is needed.

Cradle Mt. Tasmania waking up to the day.

Alright, if you like rocks one might say but in actual fact the eerieness of the mist and the reflections in the water make it an 'A' class shot. A totally objective comment.

Easter 2011

Easter morn

Does this give you some idea what it was like? Not like our civilized 29 degrees this year.

Easter morn

This worked quite well but perhaps a more up market cap would have been better. Click on the photo to enlarge...the scene is quite beautiful.

Easter morn 1

Happy Easter to you all! The Easter Bunny came my way and left a big bag hanging on my front door handle. No searching in the bushes for me. But, I do miss those egg hunts when the children were here. Even our dog is no longer with us to sniff around with his truffle nose. Instead I have some very considerate neighbours who insist on celebrating every event and remembering us in the process. Their bag of chocolate eggs arrived at a time when in this house we had determined to pass straight through the Easter event without stopping as there was no by-pass option, not like this time last year. We were in Tasmania on a photographic tour then and Tom Putt with his associate (forgotten his name as he failed to answer my Christmas card) showered us in Easter eggs on the Sunday morning. But it was clicking time as usual in the inclement weather. We were rugged up and with our cameras covered in shower caps, nothing stopped us from getting that all amazing photograph.

On the bus in Turkey

This picture was the result of my early morning trial waiting for the best hot ideas...I mean the ones that occur to you at 4am or 5am...the wild ones, not the conservative ones which happen every day at normal hours. Alain de Boton spoke of them during his one on one interview yesterday on ABC24. I can only agree with him and I think every writer knows of this phenomena...that is why a notebook and pen is compulsory equipment beside the bed. Unfortunately I pressed the wrong buttons and this image appeared here rather than in my personal image box. But you will have to agree it is not bad for an "old" lady bussing around Turkey...one of my friendlier moments my companions would say. I do keep to myself these days but then why wouldn't I? I have just reached the "invisible" stage of my life and the years where experience counts for nothing...or, so I find when I try to join in on any conversation. Sometimes I feel like putting up my hand, like the good old school days. After all I may be growing old but I am not rude...not intentionally. Well we are all slipping back into our second childhood as we age so perhaps my ideas are not that unbelieveable.

As far as waiting for wild ideas, they came to me at 5.30am and I wrote endlessly on a draft thinking they would be published but, they were so good that what I wrote was gobbled up by Google never to be seen again.

Then again perhaps I had written a whole lot of dribble as I figured out the time differences in my life: I had been in Queensland the week before and my system was used to waken me at 6am. So, Alain I will try again tomorrow morning at 4am, or maybe 5am, or maybe...Easter Sunday? No way. I'll be up to catch the Easter Bunny, perhaps.

Speaking of Alain de Boton I have been reading his latest book "Religion for Atheists" and I must say he has enlightened me considerably; I now see the value of various religious practices. As a confirmed Atheist before this I am still without a God and an unbeliever but can see the value in religion now. Youv'e done a great job Alain. This praise is coming from a person who has lived in several religious connections ie. Lutheran, Methodist, Jewish and Catholic, not to mention having a sister involved in various breakaway Catholic groups, Psychologically driven Sects and even having supported the "Little Pebble" of N.S.W. .This man was bent on saving the world through the power of prayer. Unfortunately for him, the police thought he could be the most useful in Jail. There he had to give up sexually training the underage young princesses for God.

It always puzzled me how perfectly intelligent people could be religious... not thinking of the Little Pebble when I say this but well educated people. I now understand. And I will test this change in me on Sunday night when the ABC will present a discussion between the Catholic Archbishop and the most well known Atheist, Richard Dawkins. Wrong, on reflection, it will be the QandA program. In fact I did spend Easter Friday watching Jesus Christ Superstar etc. and listening to Sacred Music ...how honest is that?

On reflection childhood habits are hard to shake at any time...my mother never allowed us to listen to music on Good Friday...it was a day of mourning...for me it really was, as another friend's name appeared in the death notices on the Thursday morn. Not a time of celebration for some families but perhaps a questioning opportunity. Lucille is out of pain at least I tell myself.

It is not the destination but the journey that matters

Could whoever said this be regarded as a Sage? Sometimes I don't think so. But seeing I am rapidly running out of years on this good planet I decided to try and self-publish. You might think , oh the poor thing, she's doing it on her own. No. no. no. She has thrown good money at a publishing company to do it for her.
But why, you may ask? Because I am an impatient author...I want to see action...and now not later! I don't have the time to play the publisher lottery which takes months if not years to find some literary publisher to like my book. So what the Hell. I'll do it. And I have, so far...three sections...each of which challenged me considerably. I left messages by telephone asking for help...three days later...yes, I'll just do this and that, that program is out of date I'll just do this and that and finally I have progressed from writing a novel, spending a huge amount to have it edited by I know not who, a machine perhaps or was it a human being? Anyway IT required to amend the editorial copy by at least 10 points. This meant I have to wait another ten days before it will be OK to go on. At least I have been able to give the cover requirements and the PR information to the system...after causing the organisation to update their out of date programs and 8 hours later Iwas able to commence the Easter break with fingers worn to the bone and swollen legs the size equal to a flight to and from America. I am not happy!! But I refuse to stop trying. Will it all have a happy ending? Keep reading this Blog.

What a trial!!

Congratulations Connie, you have finally made it!!! I give myself a pat on the back. The system has finally allowed me to write to the world. It kindly put me in touch with the Turkey Blog belonging to Dale Neill and I was happy to read his humorous (I did spell it with an 'e' to begin with for our farming community) attempts to entertain us. But I read that I had offended him on our squeeze session in the basket of the balloon ride. So, to make it up to him I will write what I consider a complimentary expression of the fun time we had with him a couple of years ago in Egypt. And, I didn't insult him then. Or I don't think I did! You decide!
In and Out of Step in Egypt
The tour inscription said Wild Heart! Was this a prerequisite? Had they heard about me? I was different: I'd never been interested in photography. I'd spent 43 years imaging the human body and had driven every Radiologist mad with my coning down (cropping in Dale's language). My exposure choices made the most of contrast and resolution.I was one of the originals: we had to use the dark room with hand development of our films. Out of that darkness we had to surface with positive results. People's health and survival depended on our work. But photography? NO!
The favourite part of my Canon G10 was the exposure button now that we had gone digital: no one needed to know that. Could I survive this tour with only a G10?
The moment I stepped on to the bus an array of cameras and accessories, enough to fill any shop window sent me into shock.
I fumbled to find a seat so that I could stretch my legs (the longest part of me) without kicking the person in front or, tripping our Master (photographer) Dale. He scampered up and down the aisle pointing to sites, sharing camera requirements or options and interspersing his enthusiasm with category one to three, jokes.I found it challenging to encourage him to share with us his category three but, it never came to pass. he knew the real controller was seated at the back of the bus and it would be hell when we eventually returned to our hotel. Was I trying to distract him from the serious stuff? Perhaps.
We had been warned. Egyptians are friendly, open hearted and like to joke (so did our Master). A el hamdulilah (with the hand of God) he introduced us to Egyptian History of religion. Not only the 12th century Citadel, Mohammed Ali Mosque and the Al Azhar Mosque, the Hanging Church, the nave on top of the southern gate of an old Babylonian fortress but our Master had been to heaven. Ask him about his time as an alter boy at his local Catholic Church.
We knew our Master had followed his own advice on learning some words of the language when we saw him flitter like a butterfly from one stall to another at Khan El Khalili (one of the biggest bazaars in the Middle East): materials, carpets, hats, smoking pipes, T-shirts, spices the colours of a rainbow. This was home to him. We tried to keep up with our light master; his shadow disappearing amongst magnificent contrasts of colour, texture, beaming faces and bargaining in cobble stoned laneways: the mystique enlarged by imposing archways exposing their ancient origins and low light. Our experience with him in Turkey, I have to admit, was similar but bus travel and being cooped up in a balloon basket may have cooled his enthusiasm somewhat. And then some woman, greying, fat and and 1.79metres tall (with bad breath dare I say) had the audacity to call him "SMALL!"
There is much more to this Egyptian story as I had written it and combine with photos had entered it into the competition run by the Tour organisers. When they read about my description of Dale they called the competition off! No, not true. Only two people had bothered to enter so it was a no-go! But even if the Egyptian Tour no longer exists I know for a fact that the Tour to Turkey with Dale is on next year, I think. And I can recommend it!