What would my 20-year-old self think of my almost 40-year-old self? She’d probably think, “Oh fuck, you still haven’t done any of that stuff? Now it’s way too late. You’re old. You missed the boat.” And I’d say, “Yeah, I know, I know, I’ve been thinking that too.”
The shearing shed is a flurry of activity. The three sets of mechanical shears powered by the loud petrol engine buzz and clitter-clatter in competition with each other. As do the shearers who hold the shears, bent over their sheep – deep in the meditation of their craft.
When I heard those words I dropped the bed sheet I was busy folding into a hospital corner, and stood up with a big stupid grin of enlightenment.
The relationship between writer and writing is like a passionate love affair. We love, we hate; we cry, we laugh; we’re on, we’re off. We ignore each other, obsess over each other; throw roses, throw plates. All in the silence and stillness of a solitary place.
Do you ever wonder if you’ve changed much over the last 20 years? And by change I don’t mean more wrinkles. I mean wisdom, lessons learned, improvement - existential progress. How can you tell? How do you make a quantitative assessment of a qualitative phenomenon? This is how...
As I boarded and walked up the aisle, trying not to thump anyone in the head with my bag, I scanned the seat numbers until I found mine. There was a man sitting in the middle seat.
Identity is a funny thing. We do things, say things, gather possessions, acquire skills, have opinions… So we can be somebody. Then, if we’re on ye olde spiritual journey, we set about trying to lose them, then pick up more in the process.
A few mornings past I woke up feeling like I was still caught in that land that hovers between sleep and waking... But the dude behind me brought this important information to my immediate attention with a loud honk on his horn... Road rage, how do you react?
Well, it seems that just maybe I did do some growing up in the last year, because this birthday I chilled the F out, and noticed that I knew some stuff that I didn’t know last year. I’ll spare you a list of 40, but here’s four: 1. Stop being so fucking hard on yourself...
Is there really any profound difference between 11.59 on the 31st December and one past midnight on 1st January? Is there such a thing as time and space? And just because everyone's doing it, does that mean we all have to be lemmings? ...Notes on new year resolutions, growing up and fun. :)
What is this thing we call creativity; that angel of light and invisible demon that at times seduces but remains just outside our reach?
Falling into surrender can be the most bold and brave thing you’ll ever do.
This story was difficult. It came to me on the back of butterfly wings, through tears, like a jigsaw puzzle. A few pieces at a time. I didn't even realise it was a story until it began to assemble itself.
It was 1983 and I was turning seven. For my birthday my parents gave me a little brown plastic Fisher-Price cassette player, and two two tapes – Elton John and Carly Simon. I didn’t really dig Carly but I played Elton over and over...
You’re wondering how scars can be sweet and sentimental right? Well let me tell you a story…
One warm November day in 1926 a baby girl was born. The doctor held her up high and declared with a broad smile, “This is the most wanted child in the Wimmera!”
These school holidays I found wisdom in four surprising locations, when I least expected it...
Here are some great little street smart quotes for those days when affirmations and inspirations just rub you the wrong way...
