dO yOU sEE whAt i sEE?

1 yEAr AgO tOdAy bEn UndErwOOd lOst his lifE tO thE sAmE cAncEr thAt clAimEd bOth Of his EyEs And lEft him blind whEn hE wAs 2 yEArs Old.

in his lifEtimE bEn dEvElOpEd An AmAzing skill - EchO lOcAtiOn - tO OvErcOmE his disAbility. by clicking his tOngUE And gAUging thE frEqUEncy Of thE sOUnds bOUncing Off Of nEArby ObjEcts, bEn cOUld dEtEct ObstAclEs in his pAth with incrEdiblE AccUrAcy.

thErE is A grEAt dOcO AbOUt him On yOUtUbE cAllEd 'ExtrAOrdinAry pEOplE' - chEck it OUt - vEry inspiring. yOU'll bE mOvEd nOt Only by bEn's cOUrAgE And tAlEnt bUt by thE strEngth, pOsitivity And rEsOlvE Of his bEAUtifUl mOthEr AqUAnEttA gOrdOn.

bEn's lifE wAs cUt shOrt A wEEk bEfOrE his 17th birthdAy. stEviE wOndEr AttEndEd thE fUnErAl in Elk grOvE, cAlifOrniA And pAid tribUtE tO bEn's AchiEvEmEnts And UnsEEing visiOn. stEviE rOUsEd thE EmOtiOns Of thE thOUsAnd Odd gUEsts thAt wErE in AttEndAncE with A spiritEd rEnditiOn Of "hAppy birthdAy" - his AnthEmic OdE tO mArtin lUthEr king jr.

At thE mEmOriAl sErvicE bEn's mUm prOUdly dEclArEd thAt "bEn hAd thE rEAl visiOn. hE hAd thE visiOn Of thE hOpE Of trUE lifE And lifE mOrE AbUndAntly."

my hEArt hUrts fOr AqUAnEttA whO i'm sUrE hAs hAd A difficUlt yEAr withOUt hEr sOn. bEn wOUld hAvE tUrnEd 18 nExt tUEsdAy, jAnUAry 26th. thAt dAy AlsO hAppEns tO bE AUstrAliA dAy - A dAy thAt i rEfEr tO As cOlOniAl invAsiOn dAy. whilE thE rEst Of AUstrAliA rEvEls in Empty bEEr-fUEllEd pAtriOtism, this yEAr i'm dEdicAting my thOUghts, rEspEct And AdmirAtiOn tO bEn And AqUAnEttA.

hAppy birthdAy bEn!

xC

thE pOwErs thAt bE

yEs... jAmEs cAmErOn’s Epic $300 milliOn cOmpUtEr gEnErAtEd visiOn Of thE fictiOnAl plAnEt pAndOrA is AstOUnding. i think whAt mAkEs cAmErOn’s AvAtAr prOjEct EspEciAlly prOfOUnd And incisivE is it’s UnsEttling AUthEnticity.

OK, sO thE film’s 10-fOOt blUE nA’vi indigEnEs, its flOAting hAllElUjAh mOUntAins And whAt sOmE hAvE cAllEd its nEw AgE EcO-spiritUAlity mAy sEEm A littlE OvEr thE tOp,  bUt thE mEtAphOrs hErE rEsOnAtE likE An intErplAnEtAry AlArm clOck... with nO snOOzE. hUmAns bEttEr wAkE Up.
nAtUrE… Or mOthEr nAtUrE As shE is mOrE rEspEctfUlly knOwn... is nO jOkE.
hUmAns, nUmbskUllEd prOfitEErs, - try As thEy mAy tO rOb nAtUrE Of hEr tAngiblE rEsOUrcEs, dEvOUr hEr frUit, hArnEss hEr strEngths, pOisOn hEr ArtEriEs, mElt hEr icy rEsErvE And tAmE hEr cErtAin chAOs – rEAlly dOn’t stAnd A chAncE.
hUmAns... wE think wE sO fly with OUr fAncy sciEncE & civilizAtiOn... bUt nExt tO nAtUrE wE ArE ExActly thAt... nExt tO nAtUrE.
lOvE, rEspEct And listEn tO OUr mOthEr.

gOnE nA'vi

sO i linEd Up with thE mAssEs, rOckEd thE 3D glAssEs, sUspEndEd my disbEliEf & hElpEd jAmEs cAmErOn rEcUpE sOmE Of his $300milliOn... And i hAvE tO sAy it wAs prEtty AwEsOmE.
cAll it whAt yOU will - crEAtivE EpiphAny Or Epic visiOn - thE nEw blOckbUstEr dEfinitEly trAnspOrtEd mE tO AnOthEr plAcE... nAmEly pAndOrA... And lEft mE fEEling AshAmEd Of my spEciEs. i AlmOst chOkEd On my hEArt As i wAtchEd thE sOUl-lEss hUmAns mAssAcrE thE lithE & nOblE nA'vi pEOplEs Of pAndOrA. thE hypEr-impEriAl grEEd, ignOrAncE And mAchismO Of thE hUmAns in thEir qUEst tO rOb pAndOrA Of it's nAtUrAl rEsOUrcEs - thE prEciOUs 'UnObtAniUm' - wAs distUrbingly symbOlic. As An hOmmAgE tO bOth thE vAriOUs indigEnOUs pEOplEs Of OUr plAnEt whO hAvE sUffErEd (And cOntinUE tO sUffEr) gEnOcidAl viOlEncE & dEgrAdAtiOn And tO OUr plAnEt thAt hAs likEwisE bEEn rOyAlly scrEwEd OvEr by mAnkind, AvAtAr is sOmE pOwErfUl shit.
thE nA'vi pEOplEs' spiritUAl intErcOnnEctEdnEss with thEir (visUAlly stUnning) nAtUrAl EnvirOnmEnt is jUxtApOsEd AgAinst thE high-tEch hUmAn sEEk & dEstrOy EthOs... it's All hAnd-cArvEd ArrOws vErsUs wEApOns Of mAss dEstrUctiOn.

thErE ArE sEvErAl prOfOUnd spiritUAl rEsOnAncEs thrOUghOUt thE film bUt thE OnE thAt hit mE thE hArdEst wAs whEn nEytiri - thE hOt nA'vi hErOinE - tElls jAkE - thE sElf-pOssEssEd nA'vi-in-trAining - thAt "All EnErgy is Only bOrrOwEd And EvEntUAlly yOU hAvE tO givE it bAck." nOw thAt is whAt i'm tAlkin bOUt! sO pOignAnt. it wAs likE thE mOmEnt in lOrd Of thE rings whEn gAndAlf tElls frOdO thAt, in lifE, "All thAt wE mUst dO is dEcidE whAt tO dO with thE timE thAt wE ArE givEn". dOnchA jUst lOvE A mOviE with A mEssAgE!?

frEsh lil princE

"pErfEctiOn is AchiEvEd, nOt whEn thErE is nOthing mOrE tO Add, bUt whEn thErE is nOthing lEft tO tAkE AwAy" - AntOinE dE sAint-ExUpEry

high & dry

pUtting tOgEthEr prOmO mAtEriAls fOr thE 2009 high & dry fEstivAl i hAvE discOvErEd A fEAst Of nEw AUstrAliAn mUsic & Art. thE fEstivAl is An indEpEndEnt, pArticipAnt fUndEd EvEnt shOwcAsing OvEr 100 lOcAl bAnds And Artists. thE fEstivAl sEts Up cAmp frOm 27-29 nOvEmbEr 2009 On AbOriginAl lAnd At cAmp wOllOmi And fEstivAl fUnds ArE invEstEd in thE sitE’s cOnsErvAtiOn. A lOt Of lOvE hAs gOnE intO prOdUcing thE EvEnt... it’s gOnnA bE A sEnsOry EpiphAny!
thEsE ArE A fEw Of my fAvEs frOm thE linEUp:
cOmbAt wOmbAt

shinE

it’s bEEn A bit Of A hiAtUs... i gUEss yOU cOUld sAy i’vE hAd writEr’s blOg – bAdOOmbOOm. i’vE bEEn OwnEd by ExAms, prEsEntAtiOns And EssAys thEsE pAst cOUplE mOnths. stUdEnt lifE is jUst nOt sExy. bUt yEstErdAy, likE pOpEyE On A spinAch bEndEr, i jUst hAd tO brEAk Out. i EscApEd thE rUbblE Of bOOks, pOst-it nOtEs And jOUrnAls yEstErdAy tO indUlgE in A lil pOp cUltUrE... MJ in ‘this is it’.

it wAs An EEriE ExpEriEncE wAtching thE film in A mAssivE Empty cinEmA... thE intEnsifiEd immEdiAcy mAdE it fEEl mOrE pErsOnAl. it’s A gOOd thing i brOUght thE klEEnEx (ActUAlly my slEEvE) bEcAUsE i hAd A littlE griEving tO dO. sEEing MJ bEhind thE scEnEs On thE big scrEEn wAs A bittErswEEt rEmindEr Of whAt An AmAzing tAlEnt And mUsicAl piOnEEr thE wOrld hAs lOst. thErE hAs nEvEr bEEn AnyOnE likE michAEl jAcksOn And tO AnyOnE trying tO imitAtE him... pfft fOrgEt it! his visiOn wAs inspirAtiOnAl, his crEAtivity wAs tEnAciOUs. I think it’s his mUsicAl dirEctOr, michAEl bEArdEn, whO prAisEs MJ As thE UltimAtE mUsicAl prOfEssiOnAl – hE knEw All Of his sOngs insidE OUt. bUt wAtching MJ pUt tOgEthEr thE prOdUctiOn, i fElt likE his immErsiOn in thE rEsOnAncE, lAngUAgE And mEAning Of his mUsic mOvEd bEyOnd “bEing prOfEssiOnAl” intO thE rEAlm Of bEing spiritUAl. EvEry nOtE wAs fElt.

it’s sO sAd thAt this is it.

bUt it’s nOt ‘this is it’ likE thAt’s All fOlks. it’s ‘this is it’ likE this is An UnqUAntifiAblE ExpAnsE Of pOssibility. As lifE hAs tAUght mE, Oh sO mAny timEs, nO lOss nOr gAin is AbsOlUtE. wE hAvE lOst MJ frOm Our mOrtAl rAnks bUt his mUsic And his mEssAgE livE On thrOUgh Us. thOUgh thErE will nEvEr bE AnOthEr king Of pOp, thErE will bE mOrE mUsic, sOUl And lOvE. likE MJ tOld his 24 yEAr Old AUssiE gUitArist, OriAnthi, dUring rEhEArsAls “jUst shinE”... wOw... imAginE bEing in hEr shOEs... if yOU sAy sO michAEl :) MJ’s bAckUp singEr, jUdith hill, wAs shining bright in thE film... hEr smOOthE vOicE And nAtUrAl vibE killEd mE. shE’s my nEw mUsic crUsh. chEck hEr Out. AppArEntly shE grEw Up in A mUsicAl hOmE... EvEry hOmE shOUld bE A mUsicAl hOmE!

thEy dOn't mAkE Em likE thEy UsEd tO

it’s bEEn A hEAvy wEEk.
At 8.02Am On fridAy mOrning i cOppEd thE nEws Of michAEl jAcksOn’s dEAth.
it sEEmEd kind Of EArly fOr A tExt mEssAgE - Michael Jackson! Can’t believe it! – fOllOwEd shOrtly thErEAftEr by AnOthEr – Michael Jackson is dead – And AnOthEr, And sO On.
As i scOUrEd thE intErnEt fOr cOnfirmAtiOn i cAmE AcrOss cOUntlEss tribUtEs And ExprEssiOns Of lOvE & grAtitUdE.

it wAs OvErwhElming.
sO mAny pEOplE fEEling sUch An AcUtE sEnsE Of lOss.
thE sAdnEss Of lOsing A lOvEd OnE - OrdinArily A vEry privAtE And pErsOnAl ExpEriEncE – On blAst. thE whOlE wOrld hEld its brEAth fOr A mOmEnt As thE mEdiA cOnfirmEd thAt michAEl hAd tAkEn his lAst. And thEn thE cOllEctivE rEspOnsE tO his UntimEly dEAth... wOw... nOthing shOrt Of ExtrAOrdinAry.
i wOn’t gEt intO All Of my pErsOnAl michAEl jAcksOn AnEcdOtEs bUt lEt’s jUst sAy thAt thrillEr wAs my first AlbUm EvEr And yEs i did rOck An MJ vinyl discO bAg in thE 80s. thE wOrld OvEr pEOplE hAvE stOriEs likE minE. yOU cOUld bE blAzing jUnglE trAils thrOUgh thE AmAzOn, didgEridOO jAmmin in thE AUstrAliAn OUtbAck Or sAving pOlAr bEArs in thE Arctic... whErEvEr yOU gO thE nAmE michAEl jAcksOn mEAns sOmEthing. it’s hArd gEtting my hEAd ArOUnd hOw OnE pErsOn cAn mAkE sUch A dEEp cUltUrAl impAct. sUch A rich mUsicAl lEgAcy... trUly phEnOmEnAl. trAcing thE timElinE Of michAEl’s lifE - frOm thE hUmblE bEginnings Of thE jAcksOn 5 tO his dynAmic risE tO stArdOm And thE mEdiA circUs thAt his lifE bEcAmE - lEAvEs mE fEEling inspirEd by his gEniUs bUt At thE sAmE timE dEspOndEnt On AccOUnt Of thE tOll thAt cElEbrity tOOk On him. in mAny wAys hE is A prOdUct Of OUr timEs – pOstEr bOy fOr thE mUlti-billiOn dOllAr ExcEssEs Of A mUsic indUstry All tOO rEAdy tO rEpAckAgE rAw tAlEnt intO whAtEvEr fOrmAt is mOst pAlAtAblE fOr mAss cOnsUmptiOn. if thE trUth bE knOwn, thEsE dAys rAw tAlEnt isn’t EvEn A nEcEssAry pOint Of dEpArtUrE. sOUl? nO... sOld.

nOw... my lAmEnt fOr thE king Of pOp brings mE tO thE crUx Of thE dilEmmA thAt’s bEEn bUgging mE lAtEly. At thE risk Of sOUnding A whOlE lOt mOrE prEhistOric thAn i Am... thEy jUst dOn’t mAkE Em likE thEy UsEd tO.
Or if i might rEvisE this AdAgE... thE prOblEm is in thE mAking. bAck in thE dAy EvErything wAs lEss mAnUfActUrEd And cOntrivEd. if sOmEOnE cOUld sing & dAncE, yOU wOUld stick thEm On A stAgE And wAtch thEm sing & dAncE. nOw it’s 2009 – thE AgE Of mAdE in chinA, drivE thrOUgh mEAls And digitAl sOlUtiOns. thE Air is tEEming with invisiblE infOrmAtiOn, nAtUrE stAvEd Off with bOtOx & silicOnE, pEOplE sOciAlisEd in cybEr spAcE And mOrAl cOdEs ArticUlAtEd in dOllAr vAlUEs. nOthing is As it wAs.

i cAmE AcrOss A cOUplE Of fAmily hEirlOOms rEcEntly. twO hAnd pAintEd plAqUEs thAt my grAndfAthEr hAd mAdE bAck in thE fiftiEs; hE mAdE his living As A sign writEr. i AlwAys thOUght his jOb sOUndEd likE sO mUch fUn. i nEvEr hAd A chAncE tO mEEt my mOthEr’s fAthEr. hE diEd frOm A hEArt AttAck whEn shE wAs qUitE yOUng. thE pAir Of plAqUEs wErE mAdE with A crAftsmAnship, A stEAdy hAnd And A pAtiEncE thAt in 2009 sEEms rEdUndAnt. sAd tO wAtch simplE plEAsUrEs mAkE wAy fOr prOfit-drivEn, high-tEch EfficiEncy. rEflEcting On thE AntiqUity, thE impErfEctiOn And thE chArm Of thEsE kEEpsAkEs lEAvEs mE wOndEring whAt cOmpArAblE trEAsUrEs my dEscEndAnts might hOpE tO stUmblE UpOn whEn i Am nO lOngEr Of this EArth. i hAvE tO sAy it’s nOt lOOking sO crAsh hOt right nOw. Of cOUrsE i’ll kEEp thAt thrillEr LP AsidE fOr thEm... And thErE is EvidEncE thAt i knOw my wAy ArOUnd A sEwing mAchinE... i dO in fAct hAvE A cAchE Of fAmily phOtOs (nOt jUst digitAl filEs... prints!) And my vintAgE Art cOllEctiOn will pUt A smilE On sOmEOnE’s fAcE fOr sUrE tOO. bUt rEAlly i gUEss thE mOrAl tO this stOry is thAt wE might dO OUrsElvEs A fAvOUr by slOwing things dOwn A littlE. bE sElf-mAdE with lOvE And EvEr wAry Of cOmprOmisEs pAssEd in thE nAmE Of prOgrEss.