Brave Creatures

The last few years have had more than their fair share of self doubt - somehow I kept everything moving forward but there were times I want not entirely sure how or why I was managing.

My life pretty much always has a sound track to it, usually its up beat and eclectic but the Songbook for 2005's is particularly and uncharacteristically sad - or possibly just self pitying, the difference is usually perspective and/or time. A big contributor to that song book was Australia's newest singing wonder - Missy Higgins with her debut album, The Sound of White.

There are songs on it that gave voice to the bad things I was feeling and crow bared in a little hope

Now its getting to the middle of 2007, and this years song book is well underway. Its much happier, with only the occasional touch of melancholy. Rob Thomas's - LIttle Wonders is a shoe in to make my end of year mix but now Missy has released her new album and I may have found the anthem track for the year - Steer.

So hold this feeling like a newborn
Oh with freedom surging through your veins
You have opened up a new door
So bring on the wind, fire and the rain

But the search ends here
Where the night is totally clear
And your heart is fierce
So now you finally know
That you control where you go
You can steer

My life is regaining the direction and drive that characterised the first 35 years, and again Miss Higgins is going to help provide me the sound track as I start on the next adventures I have planned for life - and life has planned for me.

Have a listen to the remix at You Tube .  

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Here is something kind of important you need to know about me - I love animation.

 And I particularly love well made kids animations. I know they are cliched, corney and obvious, but there is a reason that cliches mean something to us.

So imagine my sadness at the last decade of lack lustre work from the Disney Studios. Once a shining light, they fell into a sad decine over the last few years, lost in a quagmire of technical geekery, desperate avoidance of digital, trite plots and uninspiring cameo voices.  None of which is what I go to see an animation for.

I go to have my heart warmed.

At one time Disney ruled the animation roost and looked set to reinvent musical theatre on screen. And then in 1995, with the overly chesty Pocahontas, it all seemed to die leaving Pixar to struggle on to create beautiful stories. Stories that warmed the heart and lifted the spirit of the young at heart.

That seemed to be the thing that Disney forget - Its not about the technology, or the actors, or the effects or the marketing or the franchise - it is about the story. Nothing else REALLY matters.   

Last night for me things changed.

My mate P and I went to see "Meet the Robinsons". My heart was warmed, my faith restored.

At last Disney seems to have recovered their way. I am not going to go into plot details here, they are pretty obvious to be honest, but it was thoroughly enjoyable - even the added geekery of the 3D glasses didnt dampen the films glowing smile. Disney even managed to recover some of their music cred with a great tracksoundtrack from Danny Elfman (of course) including a corker from Rob Thomas (see below).

There is even an interesting lesson in the films villain; look to the reasons WHY someone does the things they do and seek to help the cause, not punish the symptoms. A lesson that comes straight from Americas growing awareness that they need to share the planet with the rest of us.

All of this in a kids film. 

If you are a child at heart, go see it. Trust me, speaking as the worlds largest 9 year old, you will love it. It wont expand your horizons, it wont challenge you, it wont provoke thought - but it will lift your spirits. Sometimes thats what we need.

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Apparently there is a striking similarity - don't see it myself 

yes yes - laugh all you want Avi. 

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 If you havent read the fake "Steve Jobs" blog, then you should. Look into his eyes and you will believein shiny white products that are fun, entertaining and restore your child like faith in hope and beauty. And cost way more than anything else - but somehow seem worth it.

 But where oh whee is my Leopard? Where is my iLife '07? I can't bring myself to cash out for an Apple TV just yet and I need my next fix of shiny new toys. October seems SOOOOOOOOO far away.

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Another in my series of webcams that I love.

This one is on my Google homepage so I get to see it updating all the time and it is the most amazing series of images.

Everyday the Eiffel Tower goes through the most amazing series of vistas, and there is something about the position of this cam that it seems to get all of them.  With this sort of view, who couldn't fall in love with Paris. 

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Not a usual occurrence for me, but I went out this weekend just past, and much to my surprise had an EXCELLENT time. That Bill does know how to throw quite the party.

One of the biggest reasons I went was I have been promising my (straight) training partner a boogie for quite some time and have not come through. If I had not turned up this time I would have gotten my arse substantially kicked. And boy is he fun to disco with. My oh my.

Now its been a long, long time since I had a good time here in Melbourne. Lots of reasons; some of them mine, some of them to do with the place; but its not been a conducive environment.

Not surprisingly, now that I have made the decision to leave this place, things are starting to come good. I am not likely to change my mind on staying here, but it will be good to leave on good terms with Melbourne.

And where ever I go, David is going to be one of my favourite party pal, not to mention a good friend. 

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Have you ever noticed that Vladamir Putin looks remarkably like Dobby the House Elf?

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I am currently COMPLETELY addicted to the BBC Quiz Show - "QI " with Stephen Fry as the quiz master.

Mr Fry is currently rocketing to the top of my Englishmen-I -must -meet- when -I-get- to -London list; close to Mr Izzard (although I am not revealing in which direction) and WAAAAY out in front of Sir Elton and Mr Michaels (bless em both). 

David Tennent is also on the list, but not in advance of Izzard and Fry.

If you have not see QI, your life is a truly sad and sorry place. Best you check yourself into YouTube for an afternoon and catch up - meanwhile, here is a snippet for you.

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This is a new thing I am going to try for a few weeks to see if I like it - namely my favourite web cam views and other vistas (not the operating system).

Currently I am very interested in the UK, not at least because I am planning a holiday there in June/July.

In 2001 I lived in London for a few months and absolutely loved it, so I am really looking forward to heading back. 

And you never know what opportunities Cool Britannia might hold for a likely lad. 

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I was in Sydney on the weekend and ran into P, who I had been dating for a while. He is a wonderful man, and its a little sad that things ended.

But they did end and for what are, more or less, positive reasons for both of us.

He is no more perfect for me that I am for him - but people are not perfect and while we may not have been a match he is a good man, a good friend and someone I care about. I hope he has some part in the rest of my life.

When I look at the things in him that I value, its his honesty and his humor and his honor. People don't need to be perfect to be worthy of love, they just need to be themselves. None of the men I have been with seriously have been centerfolds, or fashion plates - but they have all had a certain quality of heart that makes them radiant as people†.

I heard a quote the other day that says something of this:

My lovers eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red, than his lips red:
If snow be white, why then his chest is dun;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on his head.
I have seen roses damasked, red and white,
But no such roses see I in his cheeks;
And in some perfumes is there more delight
Than in the breath that from my lover reeks.
I love to hear him speak, yet well I know
That music hath a far more pleasing sound:
I grant I never saw a god go,
My lover, when he walks, treads on the ground:
And yet by heaven, I think my love as rare,
As any he belied with false compare.

I am paraphrasing here, but I think you get my meaning.

P is a beautiful man and its true that I miss him. For all of his imprefections, for all that he walks on the ground, he is a rare and wonderful man. As much as I would like to, I don't think I will say this to him, he might get the wrong ideas about my intentions. I miss him, its true, but I want what is ahead of me, what is right and true for me, not simply what is good in my past.

I hope he knows how much I value him, how much I think he is worth.

† barring one poisonous exception

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