A New Beginning….

Kim3 Comments

It’s time for me to get back to my blogging.  5 months have gone by since my last post.  Hard to believe it has been that long, but then again, so many things have happened in my life in that time.  At the time I posted, my personal life was going through some challenges — family issues to be exact.  They calmed down somewhat, but occasionally flare back up.

The toughest thing right now is the loss of my relationship.  Early days and I am struggling to keep it all together.  I thought this was the one…I really did.  I know life must go on, but I’m going to take some time to get through this.  It’s no easier in your 50’s let me tell you.

I have no idea if anyone still checks my blog out…but that’s ok, because for now I am going to just post here from time to time…a way for me to record my feelings as I go through the sad times ahead.  😦

Blogger’s block or just life?

Kim3 Comments

Here it is February and once again I have blogger’s block. I was just reading Sirdar’s recent offering, aptly titled “A Post About Nothing, Really….“. It’s what this posting should be titled. I’ve started, stopped, and deleted numerous bits and pieces — now, this seems to be a regular occurrence for me the past year. Could it be a sign that I am getting old? I do blow out 52 candles in April after all. Actually, I don’t think it is age-related. It is more that my life has been in a flux — trying to shore up my working situation (I work in a “somewhat” dysfunctional place); settling into a new living arrangement; and also dealing with some issues in my personal/family life.

I’ve got a couple of great friends who have been what seemed brutal with their comments and suggestions at times — when I heard what they suggested, I thought they were so wrong. BUT — this week a lot of what they said came to pass, and I decided to start the week off by finishing this post and moving forward.

So…let’s call this the end, and also call it the start.  🙂

Beauty in all kinds of places

Kim3 Comments

This is a Poinciana tree — this one grows outside of the office where I sometimes work. I snapped it with my phone – wished I had my camera, because the phone just doesn’t give it justice. I googled it and came up with some interesting information:

Other common names for the Poinciana (described as the most colourful tree in the world) include Flamboyant Tree, Peacock Flower, Flame of the Forest, and Red Flame. In addition to its ornamental value, it is also a useful shade tree in tropical conditions, because it grows to a modest height (usually 5m) but spreads widely.

The flowers are large, with four spreading scarlet or orange-red petals up to 8 cm long, and a fifth upright petal called the standard, which is slightly larger and spotted with yellow and white. The compound leaves have a feathery appearance and are a characteristic light, bright green.

For a few months during the height of winter (especially in dry winter climates) it is deciduous, but the rest of the year provides a large amount of beautiful shifting shade. The drier the climate, the more flowers appear in spring/summer.

The seed pods of the Royal Poincianas are used in the Caribbean as a percussion instrument known as the maraca. Flowers are reputed to produce bee forage and the large pods as well as the wood are used for fuel.

Posted by ShoZu

New Year…new goals

Kim3 Comments

Happy New Year to anyone who happens across this post.  New Year’s Day here and I’ve been sitting around most of it trying to stay cool — Brisbane (and much of my State of Queensland) has been enduring above average temperatures this summer, with more of the same forecast for tomorrow.  UGH!

I’m planning on writing some more on this blog — it’s had a rocky life, and it’s time I brought it back online — I do enjoy expressing my thoughts after all.  So maybe posting on the first day of a new year is symbolic to me — a blogging friend of mine, Sirdar, who recently came back to his blogging after a self-imposed absence, said that instead of making resolutions, he’s setting goals.  I like that — so I’m going along the same path.

Sigh of relief…

Kim1 Comment

Well, the great news has filtered through that the American election has been decided — with Senator Obama coming out the victor — perhaps though, it is not only Obama as the victor, but the country and for a lot of reasons, the world.

I for one, having lived in America during the last 2 years of the Clinton administration and then 2 terms of Bush, am breathing a sigh of relief right now.  I understand that Obama cannot make a huge impact on existing conditions internally in the short term — however I believe that he can set the nation on the right path to pulling itself out of the quagmire that the Bush administration pulled it down into.

Obama’s charisma played a large part in attracting the masses to him — as was his vision, his honesty and above all, his empathy for all around him.  Bush never (in my opinion) had that — well, perhaps a little, but mainly for his rich corporate buddies.

So to America I say — ‘onya!

Spring time

Kim6 Comments

When I lived in the USA one of the things I missed the most was Australia’s native plants – one in particular was the Jacaranda tree. They are in full bloom right now, and it seems that wherever one looks there are the familiar purple flowers. I took some photos and will upload one if I can work out how to do that using the WordPress app for the iPhone.

Ways to get around

Kim1 Comment

Beautiful day here in Brisbane. Going into the city to do some shopping with a friend – I need some female input into what I buy. Sometimes we guys just have to admit that we have not so well developed skills when it comes to dress sense 🙂

So, given we are going into the city I have been planning the best way to get there – which from my apartment in West End is not too difficult to do – if I was feeling energetic (which on a Saturday morning I am not) I could suggest we walk in.

However, the alternative is fine as well – I’ll pop over to pick my friend up ( she lives about 15km away), come back to my place and then catch the 199 bus into the city. It originates from the West End ferry terminal, and eventually winds it’s way through Highgate Hill and West End – and we can get on it just across the road from my place. From there it Is a 5 minute ride into George Street and hundreds of shops await us.

Brisbane has a pretty good transport system, compared to other cities both here and in others I have lived in or visited overseas. I sometimes hear the locals complain about some buses being late, but I think one has to realistic enough to understand that buses have to share the road with everyone else, and we all know what that means – traffic snarls.

I like bus travel – for an extrovert like me, it is like a room full of potential conversations. I have had some great chats to perfect strangers over the years, and also made a couple of friends as well.

So – time to think about getting ready and go get my friend (let’s refer to her as R).

Update to come sometime.

Technology continues to amaze

Kim1 Comment

Those who know me would not be surprised to hear that I now have in my possession a shiny iPhone – in fact I am creating this post using the WordPress app that I got free from the Apps store in iTunes.

It’s been some time since I posted – maybe having this thing will provide me with the impetus needed to get going again. Time will tell I suppose.

Well, I am doing this at work while I wait for some updating to occur on my computer. It just finished, so I will send this off and head off home. More soon.

The passing of time

Kim2 Comments

May 31 was the last time I posted.  Unbelieveable how fast the time passes.  Then again I have been rather busy — work has been a constant challenge to stay up to date, as the organisation I work with undergoes significant ongoing change. 

With a colleague, I went to the mining town of Mt Isa, out in the wilds of Queensland — to deliver training at a local educational facility.  It’s a city of about 25000 people and really is in the middle of nowhere.  I know how many of those not from Australia have this whole fascination with the notion of this wild uncharted territory affectionately called the outback.  Here are some pics for those interested. 

Probably the highlight was when we went looking for the now disused open cut uranium mine called Mary Kathleen.  It was a town of about 1500 people in its heyday, however it was closed down in 1984 — probably as a result of the then Federal Government’s shutting down of uranium mining and export.  The town was sold off lock, stock and barrel and the only sign that there was something there are the overgrown concrete slabs where the houses once stood.

We had to go off-road to find the actual mine, but just on sun down came across it — as the photos will show you.  We had a great time there, including BIG steaks and a few beers to wash away the dust.  Well, that was our excuse and we are sticking to it.

More later….

Early morning blog

Kim1 Comment

Well, June 1 — and for some reason I can’t sleep. Normally at 4am I’d be sound asleep, but can’t this morning. So I thought what better opportunity but to blog. But what subject?? I loaded up my RSS reader (NewsFire — a nice little Mac reader I found a while back) and was reminded that it has been some time since I looked at the feeds from the sites I have subscribed to. One that came to mind is the blog of a local organisation called The Map Village Street Editors — which describes itself in this way:

“…a fast-growing independent web news community, dedicated to delivering you comprehensive coverage of the latest offerings in Brisbane and around the globe. From the latest news to the emerging trends, the map village street editors are constantly out and about uncovering all that is relevant from sunrise to sunrise.

The site always has some interesting posts — the latest post highlights an opportunity for those of us out there (I’m not one unfortunately) that have 6 weeks spare to indulge in a volunteer situation which would seem to be too good to be true — but no, if you have some spare time, and happen to think that “working” at a health retreat is up your alley, then head on over to the Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat site and apply to join the work experience program. The place looks fantastic, and what a setting!

I’v got iTunes playing in the background — always nice to do that as I type away. I’ve got a core set of songs that I seem to play, so this time I decided to check out ones that I have at some point rated as high in terms of the enjoyment they give me. So I have them playing randomly and I was reminded that I have a multitude of genres available. Got a funky sound happening right now with an artist called Bebel Gilberto, with a number called Simplesmente, from a cd she has released called “Ziriguiboom: The Now Sound of Brazil 2”. I just love music — there’s really not much I won’t listen to — even some Country I’m prepared to sample.

Ahhh…a favourite from some time ago has just made its way to the top of the list — Speak Low, produced by Verve Records on one of many Verve Remixed cds — classic Verve tracks, remixed by contemporary electronic producers and DJs. The series has proven to be very popular, both with fans of the original recordings and with younger generations of music listeners, many of whom are exposed to the classic jazz and blues artists for the first time. Speak Low is a re-mix of the original Billie Holiday track, with Bent, an electronica act from Nottingham in England.

Next — a favourite performer — Beth Orton. I saw her in Pittsburgh in July of 2006, very close to when I left to come home to Australia.

Well, I could natter on about my music for some time — there are after all >3000 songs on the Mac, not to mention close on 100 podcasts to be listened to.

Time for some sleep…..