Britain from above

This is England, from google earth yesterday. So, so cold. Oh to be in the snow right now (perhaps not stuck in it, but in it nonetheless).

Loving this print

via ffffound

don't know the artist

Where the Wild Things Are

Have you seen it?

I loved it - for its pensive introspection, mult-layered psychology, wild monster fantasy land (filmed largely in Victoria, as it happens), cute kid, nice photography, crazy original soundtrack (by Karen O), and awesome font.

However I don't think it's a kids movie.

I also think it raises some important issues about our universal yearning for harmony in community, for eternal happiness, for pleasure and escapism. I'd love to see it again.

Kris' Colour Stripes

This is a fun idea - pulling out the colours in photos to create a unique colour pallette. From Kris' Colour Stripes (via Dear Fii).

I'm on the train on the way to watch Australia vs. Pakistan in the second test at the SCG and it's grey skies.

Dad and I are hoping it doesn't rain and cause too many delays. Im not sure what to expect in terms of the game- we were bowled out yesterday for something criminally small, like127. So we probably will only see pak bat.

Anyway it'll hopefully be a good contest. This blog will be back to normal non-sport coverage soon. This is my second ever post from the I phone... Hopefully the formatting comes out alright.

Hope if you're heading back to work today it's not too painful- at there's not blue skies taunting you outside!

2009: A retrospective

2009 felt like an in-between year for me. A year of working out where my heart is wandering, and how to follow it. A year of growing in love for God and others. A year for learning patience and perserverance. A year for trust and dependence, for joy and sorrow.

In terms of definining moments, it's hard to not think first of hearing my Dad's weak, croaky voice over the phone while I was in Broken Hill on holiday and he was sick in hospital in July. I wasn't sure if he'd still be around by the end of that week, let alone this year. And I'm so thankful he is.

It really was the year for bodily dysfunction when I think about it. There was Dad's illness, then Mum had back surgery, and Dad broke his shoulder only weeks ago. But through it all there was hope and love and growing closer together as a family.

A special time for me was going on a daytrip to the Illawarra/Southern Highlands with Dad earlier in the year - picnicking on the beach, visiting gardens and chatting away as we wound around hills and bends, watching the light cut shadows across the road, flickering silently by.

It was also the year of writing. I began writing poetry again, and submitted to Voiceworks and the John Marsden prize and was accepted for both. I also received a few rejections, but I'm excited about the future and doing a masters of creative writing this year.

Around me, it was the year of babies. Everyone at church is having them, which is lovely. Lots of cuddles and watching balls of flesh turn into little people.

At uni, it was much the same metamorphosis, just a few years ahead. How cool it was to get to know so many beautiful people during my time with Christians in the Media, being so closely knit into the everyday lives of the students and to see them change and grow over the two years.

All in all, it was a hard, but good year.

I hope you too have found time to reflect on the year that was. Wishing you all the best for 2010.

Happy New Year etc

Happy new year all! I've done three shifts over new years, but with a little bit of time for partying in between (and lots of sleep). I think in 2010 I'm hoping to grow in conviction, about a lot of things. And also to be a lover not a hater.

It's quite warm in sydney at the moment, although today's been a bit schizophrenic - giant raindrops were falling from cobalt skies this afternoon, followed by brilliant sunshine and agapantha skies at about 6:30pm. I'm about to go out for a walk to wake up before my last shift this week.

But in the meantime, who'd like to come with me to this place...? Photo by the amazing Sandra Juto, whose blog and photographs I adore.