Woah.

I don't think I have been this BUSY before. It's a "good" busy though. Apart from being constantly tired, there's a positive energy to everything that I'm doing. It's fun!
The downside is that I don't have much time to take photos. I'm thinking of taking my camera everywhere to capture the everyday things around me.

Also thinking of going overseas at the end of this year. Figuring out dates and finances at the moment but hopefully I can book that ticket before November!

The Alchemist

I just finished 'The Alchemist' by Paulo Coelho and there could not have been a better time to have read it. The simple yet profound message on following one's heart, on tackling the fear of failure when pursuing one's dream and to live and appreciate life in the present was so enchanting in the allegorical narrative of Santiago's adventures. Wow, the memories of my heart filling up with possibilities and inspiration as I immersed myself in the book to and fro from work on the train will leave a great impression on me for a some time.

Here are some of my favourite quotes from the book:

- "My heart is a traitor," the boy said to the alchemist, when they had paused to rest the horses. "It doesn't want me to go on."

"That makes sense," the alchemist answered. "Naturally it's afraid that, in pursuing your dream, you might lose everything you've won." 

"Well, then, why should I listen to my heart?"

"Because you will never again be able to keep it quiet. Even if you pretend not to have heard what it tells you, it will always be there inside you, repeating to you what you're thinking about life and about the world."

"You mean I should listen, even if it's treasonous?

"Treason is a blow that comes unexpectedly. If you know your heart well, it will never be able to do that to you. Because you'll know its dreams and wishes, and will know how to deal with them. You will never be able to escape from your heart. So it's better to listen to what it has to say. That way, you'll never have to fear an unanticipated blow." 

- "My heart is afraid that it will have to suffer," the boy told the alchemist one night as they looked up at the moonless sky.

"Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second's encounter with God and with eternity"  

- "When I have been truly searching for my treasure, every day has been luminous, because I've known that every hour was a part of the dream I would find it. When I have been truly searching for my treasure, I've discovered things along the way that I never would have seen had I not had the courage to try things that seemed impossible for a shepherd to achieve."
  

- "Because I don't live in either my past or my future. I'm interested only in the present. If you can concentrate always on the present, you'll be a happy man. You'll see that there is life in the desert, that there are stars in the heavens, and that tribesmen fight because they are part of the human race. Life will be a party for you, a grand festival, because life is the moment we're living right now."  

- "There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure"

Rozelle Markets & Harry Potter

I bought a sewing machine for $50 at Rozelle Markets. Score! It works great too! Made a book cover with some scraps lying around the house and then bought some more fabric from Lindcraft. What to make next...

I watched the final instalment of Harry Potter today. It was brilliant! By far the best HP movie IMO.
Must say it is quite bittersweet to think that there will be no more new HP book or movie releases.

I haven't touched my DSLR in ages because film is so much more fun! I always have loved film (with my Olympus Trip, Gakkenflex TLR, Holga etc) but my Yashica SLR camera has made it all the more enjoyable. I was going to write a lengthy post to elaborate but Hei Astrid's wonderful series on 'Why do you shoot film' and the 60+ responses from film photography enthusiasts articulates the many reasons why I personally enjoy shooting with film, each explanation touching a chord, that I don't feel the need to write a separate post.
Click here.
Enjoy :)

Simplicity - Books - Bookshelf - Yashica SLR film camera

On a rainy day all I want to do is stay indoors with a warm cup of tea, snuggled inside my heated electric blanket on my comfy bed with a good book.

Why Men Cheat

I came across an interesting article written by author Peadar de Burca (male) who interviewed 250 unfaithful men to find out why they, and other men, cheat. Here are a few excerpts from the article:

Why did I interview these men? I wanted to find out why men cheat so that I wouldn't make any mistakes when I met the woman I loved.
The media glorifies seemingly potent, powerful men - Clinton, Rooney, Jagger - no matter how they misbehave. But let me show you what real cheats are like. They're not vital or confident, not deep down. They are the most miserable men on earth. A man who cheats is not a man who is secured by the ballast of maturity and empathy. Many women don't spot these defects. And many women are surprised to know that cheating has little to do with sex. The men I talked to spoke more of 'new experiences'...

What animated their stories was being born again in another's eyes. A new woman meant a new them: briefly they could stop being their old hated self.
What doesn't fade is the thrill of having a secret life, a parallel universe where they are the stars in a movie that is dramatic, full of hidden moments and original scents. The life domestic becomes the life fantastic. Most cheats are escaping the mundane. But the worst ones need to escape themselves.
The persistent cheats want to flee themselves because they hate themselves. They aren't happy. One word to describe a cheat? Insecure. Regardless of looks or income, these men are lacking.

To date, I've spoken to almost 100 women who've been cheated on. Their stories are passionate and honest. Some women were inspring: they moved on from the cheats and blossomed. But many didn't value themselves enough to do anything but put up with it.
While I appreciate the reasons women gave for giving a second chance, I'm not buying them. Money, children, the length of time spent with their husband...these have all been mentioned, but what it really comes down to is belief - many women find it impossible to believe they can go it alone. Here's the news from the front line: most forgiven cheats don't stop. I only met one who did and that was because he became too ill to philander. Cheats are cowards and they exploit weakness. But they fear strength...

I talked to all nationalities. One was a 28-year-old Frenchman called Guy. Not a witty, urban charmer but an uncouth lump, whose face reminded me of a sofa one too many people have sat on. He had one useful feature: self-awareness. 'A man like me, a man who cheats, is a man who tells them everything, but gives them nothing,' he said. A man's actions define him, not his words. It's not what he says to you, it's what he does for you. ' But many women, they like the man who is selfish, they like the man who has problems,' said Guy, who looked like he had many...

You want to know how a man will behave in a relationship? Watch how he behaves around the people who raised him, don't just listen to what he says. How does he interact with his sisters, his mother? How does he value them? The men I talked to showed a startling lack of respect when reflecting on theirs.  

Don't focus on his job or income, focus on his energy. Does he make time for those that are close to him? Watch. Maybe you'll find that you do indeed have someone who is interested in being the sort of man that thinks of others rather than his own selfish pleasure.  

My research has been turned into a play and soon a book. I hope both will help women believe they can demand a certain standard and behaviour from their men.

 

Icecream truck photos - Yashica SLR film camera

Every time I see a pink ice-cream van it reminds me of my childhood.

Sydney CBD and Queen Victoria Building (QVB) - Yashica SLR film camera

On the weekend, R and I went to Newtown and it pleasantly reminded me of Jiyugaoka with the interesting arts and book shops, vintage stores and cute little cafes! This is what I was looking for!
One of the things I really enjoy doing in my spare time is going for a walk, going to art and book shops, indulging myself with photography books, scavenging through flea markets and taking photos of interesting things I see. It makes my heart happy when I go into a beautifully fitted shop, stocked with pretty stationery, unique design items, an array of art and photography books on display and other one-of-a-kind vintage stock. It's strange how I'm hesitant on  spending $80 on a pair of shoes but happily swipe my debit card away on a $60 photo book (which I did on Sunday, 'tis splendid!). My mum used to tell me that as a kid, I'd always whinge asking her to buy me another picture book at the supermarket instead of going to the toy section like other normal kids. Perhaps things never change ;)

Now that I only have ten more days left until I start my new job and uni again, I think I will check out several inner-city suburbs like Newtown, Glebe and Surry Hills! Life is sweet!

On a random note, had dinner with D and T today and he asked, "When did you start taking photos all of a sudden?" and I replied, "Um...well, according to the blog it says I started since 2008 but I never told anyone about it at first." haha wow..2008 seems so long ago. I was 21 then. Now I'm heading towards my mid twenties. Sob.

Eerie - Yashica SLR film camera

Ten more days of freedom.
This time it's different.

Sydney trains - Yashica SLR film camera

By the way, this is one of the old train carriages. Click here (a post from early last year) to see a slight glimpse of the new "millenium" trains we have in Sydney :)