Leaving Albany

Hi everyone

And I kind of do mean (every) one. In a few moments I will walk out of my place of employment for the last five years for the very last time. Kind of spooky. This means that very soon I will be leaving the town of Albany.

I'll blog some pics later if I get a chance.

Gregji

Reflections For The Day

Poor human reason, when it trusts in itself, substitutes the strangest absurdities for the highest divine concepts.
-- St. John Chrysostom
Be firm in your resolutions; stay in the ship in which I placed you and let the storm come. Long live Jesus. You will not perish. Walk the way of the Lord in simplicity; do not torment your spirit. Say the truth, always the truth.
- Saint Pio of Pietrelcina (ie Padre Pio)

One of my sources

The picture you see now is the one from which I got the idea for the top left painting of my last blog. It had a presence about it, the central figure was to me a living creature, a provider of some sort but one that could switch from benevalent to malevalent. So I kind of split it, not necessarily to create two creatures but I think that's how it's turned out, one mature, the other still growing.

To achieve symmetry, I played with 20 and 5 cent pieces on the blank canvas until it looked or "felt" right and off I went. You can see how I buggered up the colour though but once I'm finished I think it'll have it's own unique theme to it, but yes, copied.

Works in progress

Basically due to losing the original colour scheme which inspired me to do this one (I buggered it up and the end result is heading down a different road than originally intended. There's been a lot of going over. I think I know where to go with it now but I'm going to leave it for now. So..

The one below is my latest piece, shamelessly a direct copy of something I found on the net. A ways to go with it yet but it's got a good feel about it already. Keep watching

Trimming up...well down hopefully !

My mate Russell (go to www.christananda.blogspot.com) and I decided a few weeks ago to get healthier ie cut down on booze, carbs and processed foods in general. Cutting down on the booze has been pretty easy really but ooh gee those carbs, you know coming in the form of sweet stuff has been a battle.

Anyhow above is my weekly progress.

Community Radio Announcer

These pictures were taken last night at the beginning of my regular 6pm Thursday drive time spot. I'm reading the local weather report and getting ready to play my first track for the evening; Crosby Stills Nash & Young: Deja Vu.The station is run totally by volunteers, funded by the government and local sponsors who use our advertising space. There's some very talented people helping on and off the air.Through our mixing deskwe can access three CD players, two turn tables, a tape deck, computer and satellite feed. Amongst a variety of shows we broadcast local football, talking newspapers, a christian program and Bahai. Recommended listening?:
the above
The Rapid Gang - Friday afternoons around 4pm
Blues And A Bit More - Gary: Tuesdays 7pm
Sunday Brunch - John FM Sundays fortnightly 9am to 12 noon (a fellow Van fan!)
oh yes & me!

Bit of an artist?

Some people insist that so long as you're putting paint to canvas, chalk to board, pencil to sketchbook then you're making art. That's debatable for me but we can be at least attempting art. Well here's my shot. They are the same "painting" the one on the left was stage 1, it looked finished in some ways to me so I took a picture. The one on the right is the finished product, kind of what I had in mind originally.

Tell you what, it was fun doing it and totally absorbing. Might try it again one day.

Apologies to the Aboriginal community for any insults deriving from this. But as I said, I had fun.

Below is a sketch I did from the front cover of the book "The Angel's Blackboard" by Bishop Fulton Sheen.

Travels - My Last Trip

On 9 December 2005 I was working in Albany at my school and by midnight of the 10th I was in a hotel room in Chennai sharing a coldie (I use that term generously: I was to discover that reaching enlightenment in India was going to be far easier that finding a cold beer) with my good mate Russell. What a transformation. I slotted in immediately, the Indian people were just great and the food!!

The attached photos are of scenes in Kolkata (Calcutta) taken in January 2006.

Many people expected that I went/ was there for missionary work, Mother Theresa house but no I was a simple tourist. Maybe next time.

Face of Joy in the City of Joy

The girl pictured lives in the slums, very, very poor. What a smile & how they welcomed me.