lighting it up with thanksgiving hugs in NYC

I wonder whether we all get to hit a wall at some point in life, where one makes a conscious choice between a selfish childlike 'me' and a selfless mature care and respect for another. And so it seemed really apt that the time I reflected on this, was a unique time when the festivals of Hanukah and Thanksgiving were on the same day for the first time in 125 years and I was celebrating it New York City.

My thanksgiving started the night before when I spent the evening with a couch-surf host named Evan and his family for Hannukah, the Jewish festival of lights. Evan and I immediately hit it off and had that wonderful kinship of 'brother from another mother' that was so heartwarmingly welcoming.

The evening was magical. We shared stories, chants and moments of awe. Candles were lit and traditional Jewish snacks were had. Its not often I get to share the family experience and when those occasions happen, I feel so grateful. My host's mother was beautiful and we just understood one another. She reminded me of my Mum and I gave her the biggest hug of gratitude in true appreciation for the wonderful mothers out there. My Mum, Eggers, being one of them not to mention my second Mum, Julie and my God mother, Aunty Sarah along with Mother Nature of course, the Super-duper Mum.  I feel incredibly lucky and yet on days of family celebrations, while on the road, I can be a little sentimental because unlike a lot of people, I am rocking it solo and despite it being a conscious choice; I obviously miss my family at times.

Thankfully, as they say, love transcends space and time.

So as a tribute to all the Super Mums, and as a little random act of kindness from a wee traveler, I decided to share some love on the streets of NYC. I stood in the chill, smiled from my heart and with my glittery sign said "Happy Thanksgiving" to people who passed me by. I hugged big people, little people, jews, blacks, pinks, whites and oranges. There was a toothless homeless guy and a fur-coated lady. They all got a hugging. I even accidentally said "Happy Birthday" to one guy but we both kind of appreciated that too. It was a joy to see people's faces light up, to give a real fearless hug and to just say thanks.

Two men proposed to me. One asked for my number. Another lady tried to give me money and a guy offered to buy me a coffee. One girl from Singapore joined me for a while. But having a few people say "Thanks, I really needed that" really made me appreciate how important it is for us to support and love one another and also see how powerful being united truly is.

I hope everyday can be lit up with gratitude as opposed to missing what's not there. 

Big love and hugs to the motherhood... there are some naughty children out there... some mistakenly believe that sex or money equates to love; may they learn the power of a good snuggle!

Boo Bear's Dad just sent me this inspiring quote:

"You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to pay you back" - John Wooden.

Happy thanksgiving.

isn't racism amazing?

The divide between skin colour is one of the most challenging conditionings of humankind. A fear of the unknown. An alien tribe or community. Someone who is new, who is different, who's culture has rewarded different behaviours might feel challenged or uncomfortable when stepping in to another world or differing paradigms. And sometimes those stereotypes get reaffirmed by mass media to reinforce an idea and a projection of fear.

Richard Cohen is now famous for reporting in his Washington Post editorial that, “in New York City, blacks make up a quarter of the population, yet they represent 78 percent of all shooting suspects – almost all of them young men.” A couple weeks previous, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s office released a set of statistics to corroborate his claim that the NYPD should stop-and-frisk fewer white people and more black people. They reported that 90% of those identified as murder suspects were blacks or Latino, and only 7% were white.

But here’s the even more important finding. In both of those studies, whites who were pulled over and searched were actually more likely to have illegal drugs or contraband in their vehicles. In New Jersey, whites were twice as likely to be found with illegal drugs or contraband than blacks and five times more likely than Latinos. The same thing held true in Maryland. (via Big Think: Racism, Damn Racism, and Statistics: Using a Truth to Tell a Lie).

I recently learned, from a family who chose to adopt in America, that it was significantly cheaper to adopt a child of 'ethnic minority' than a 'white' child.

Nothing amazing about that besides it being a remarkable fact.

But what is truly amazing. What is something magical and equally cheesey, so cheesey, is this kid who got up on stage and did some mind-blowingly against the grain stuff. Despite it being shown on TV and doing that overly exaggerative US thing of making a sing and dance out of the fierce vulnerability this kid demonstrated, it also is AMAAAAZING. Forgive the stereotype.

Imagine if we lived in a world where all we saw was to the key of awe rather than to the key of fear of something different, of something unknowable or against the status quo? What a beautifully inspiring world we would live in.

I wonder what if our projections, beliefs and ideas could create reality? If we could choose. Why not believe in togetherness? Why not have faith in humanity? Why not challenge what the media may want us to believe?

I have the virtue of traveling to different worlds to remind me to go 'oh wow'. The precious moments though, especially those when I feel well and truly out of my comfort zone, are absolutely amazing as are those different rituals, cultures, ideas, skin tones, dance moves and different children too often misunderstood.

My friend Kyle recently described my speciality as 'getting lost' much to my amusement and I suppose I enjoy the challenge of being in the vortex of endless possibilities and often taking the scenic route back home.  And I guess also, we all can relate to that feeling one might experience as a child, when one loses their way in wonder and finds their parents have gone.  It might instil a sense of fear, abandonment, worry but it needn't have to. My favourite time getting lost for me as a child was when I lost my Pops and second Mum on the Eiffel Tower on a holiday in Paris with my little brother.  But perhaps that's what made it so special, because despite being lost, I still had a brother (and we secretly enjoyed it). Love to the family.

I say we embrace the unknown. 

Literally. 

Like go hug a stranger... I did it the other day and it felt so amazing.

home of divine pancakes

After a delightfully inspiring week together in his hometown, I invited Kyle to share his take on his place in Vermont.

For me, there are countless reasons why I love my hometown. The difficulty lies in distinguishing the most important, the ones that best evoke the image of Norwich Vermont that I have created. Through the rustic, small town memories of my childhood; the crisp fall days of playing "ball"; the lazy, swimming summer days; and the waxing and waning of seasons, the memories pile one on top of another like pancakes until you have a stack miles high. Here is my attempt to find my "favorite" pancakes (banana chocolate chip and blueberry are the clear winners).

The blueberry pancake: Upon returning to Norwich for the first time after living for a year in Argentina, I was struck by the quiet and stillness of the place. So few cars on the roads, open expanse of forests, the quiet rustling of fallen leaves on the cold November earth. November is probably the bleakest time of year to visit Vermont, the days are short, the bright-colored leaves have long since faded and fallen, there is bitter cold but little snow. 

I like to think of this time of  year as the "intermission" between Fall and Winter. 

Yet even at this time of year there is a stark beauty that spreads over all feeling like a blanket, warming the soul. Perhaps part of it is the sun, maintaining a purple twilight, beams of light dancing through blue openings in the clouds, moving swiftly through the fresh autumn air. 

One is driven to move "slower" in this environment. The frenetic pace of city life has thankfully not yet been adopted and I find the slower pace allows for a greater stillness of mind, clarity of thought, and sureness of action. When dipping in to a maple soaked bite of blueberry pancake, one can slow down and savor the melding of flavors. The way the syrup blends and complements the blueberry, or how both soak deliciously into the pancake batter. Sometimes it can be such a relief to just disconnect for a while, slow down and enjoy every angle of the present experience, which too often seems forgotten in a world of time management and capitalist efficiency. 

That's the blueberry, now for the banana chocolate chip!

Coming back to Vermont after spending extended periods of time away fills me with all the feelings and sensations characteristic of one reconnecting with the deep pool of childhood memories. Driving along the tree-lined streets, through the picturesque towns with the old congregational churches and 19th century town houses, past the children playing soccer or tag at recess, the fond memories I associate with this wonderful state come bounding back.

I love the fact that I can go to work at the daycare that I once attended when I was just a tiny tot, and how I now work alongside some of the same teachers who once watched me grow up. 

I love how my town still has only one general store, and their motto is "if we don't have it, you don't need it." 

I look forward to returning to the winter hiking in three feet of snow, knowing you're the first and only person on the trail because no other human tracks precede you (sometimes one gets a moose, but not often).

Most of all though is the deep sense of community one feels for the town, the people, friends, family, even people you've never seen before. This strong community connection could be due to an abiding Vermont culture, one that lives on in the "local" demeanor, the architecture, and the traditions, new and old, that continue to build lasting memories year after year. 

I've never found pancakes anywhere else in the world that can quite measure up to a hearty, thick, dinner-plate sized maple soaked buttermilk and blueberry pancake (please excuse the excessive adjectives) that one is greeted with at any local breakfast establishment here in Vermont or New Hampshire. Much of what one finds in this wonderful region is unique, just like the pancakes, and it is in these unique cultural experiences that these lasting memories are created, and it is why I am constantly drawn back to Vermont.

If home is truly one's anchor in the world, then Vermont is my anchor. It is the foundation I return to time and again to find balance, to reconnect with my memories and find peace in the deep pool of experiences that I've built as a "Vermonter." 

You can read more from Kyle on his blog here.

verving in vermont

a lovely lighthouse in Vermont.

Vermont is an incredibly beautiful, beautiful part of the United States. It was established in 1777 and has charmed the life out of me with her colours, perpetual twilight and golden hues. My friend Kyle kindly invited me to join his family there and roam the areas showing me some of the highlights of his hometown.

This week my gastronomic behaviours weren't the healthiest but they certainly were a wonderful insight in to some of the local cuisine. 

Dear waistline... please forgive me.

The Fort
Naughty naughty blueberry pancakes and pumpkin muffins with real locally made maple syrup at this lorry stop cafe. Coffee refills. Do not try this at home.

VINS Bird Sanctuary
We wandered through a lovely sanctuary where birds of prey had been rescued. I made friends with a snow owl and we had a glorious trek around the lake and through the surrounding woodlands.

Visiting Woodstock & Kyle rocking out with the kids.

Need I say more? Besides enjoying some meditative moments in the local church, I found inspiration at a beautiful antiques store full of birdsong and nests that inspired a little photo project to the name of 'home'.

Being serenaded in Strafford's incredible Town House by an amazing gentleman, Jackson Beecham.

West Peak Trek
Incredibly stunning golden brown leaves coated in snow. We sat on a waterfall and I ate my very first peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Wow.

Chocolate Heaven, Hot chocolate
Apparently a must after a hefty trek through the breeze and over snowy rocks. I drank it with a teaspoon. Enough said.

Ben & Jerry's Ice-cream Factory
My inner child was in heaven and said her farewells to the ice-creams that didn't quite cut it at the Ben & Jerry's Ice-cream graveyard. I'm not going to lie. I was incredibly excited and may or may not have had not one but two ice cream samples...

Burlington Dobra Tea House
We had such a delicious time taking inspirations for a pot of the 'iron goddess of compassion' oolong tea. This lovely teahouse boasts teas from remote areas of the world and Kyle, being the tea connoisseur, was delighted to teach me a thing or two about the tea brewing process while mulling over some of the profundities of life.

Badmington at the local school gym

Being in an America gym kinda reminded me of being in an american movie involving vampires and Buffy. Apparently my game of badminton is 'tenacious'. Clearly inspired by my grandmother who gave me my first shuttlecock. Go inner granny.

Watching the game
I admittedly had very little understanding of what was going on but shouted and screamed good things at appropriate moments while Kyle gave me the insights in to American football strategy, which was a bit like getting dating advice, I decided I'd leave the thinking to the players and enjoy the atmosphere, snow and banter.

SNOW. My last day was a white out. The first snow of Vermont and a glorious send off.

Aiden, the naughtiest wild child in Vermont. But the best!

More photos on the photoblog.

Old article on food consciousness.

my new boyfriend. boo bear.

I was fortunate enough to visit a friend of mine who I met in Buenos Aires at TEFL teacher training. He lives in Vermont and his family kindly invited me to stay for a week while embracing some of the beautiful wonders of the area.

What made my stay more remarkable was that one member of the family, never knew that I was actually staying under the same roof. His name is Aiden, he’s 7 years old (due to be 8 on Christmas day), affectionately known as Boo Bear, and I evidently am his new girlfriend.

Boo Bear is such an interesting character. Hyperactive doesn't even cut it. In the mornings, as I stealthy lock myself in Kyle’s sister’s bedroom, I awaken to the sounds of a very loud child slamming doors and stomping through the hall. Hence, he is what in the modern world would be termed as “a special needs kid”. I seemingly have great taste in men.

Besides having great admiration for Boo Bears mother Nancy and his family who have resisted school teacher’s insinuations that he is a child that should be put on drugs or kicked out, I can’t help but feel that this is a story that many parent’s in this day and age are having to face.

He just doesn’t fit in the box.

Some say that trauma in early life, as in Boo Bear's time pre-adoption, can create challenges in development. This may be the case, however it can also be argued that there’s a box that hasn't evolved with the consciousness of the world around it.

This box being an educational paradigm saying that a child with special needs should be put on drugs, on therapy or socially excluded.

Don’t get me wrong, Boo Bear is certainly special. He craves a lot of attention and by being incredibly disruptive, creates stormy moments in the household and at school that require the family to delicately handle his need for control. Equally at school he has a ‘safe room’ and several teachers. Discipline is challenging for him because he wants to control every situation he’s in and when he feels he doesn't have that, things ‘get big’ which escalate and escalate to a point of self-destruction.

I am not a psychotherapist. A mere traveler am I seeing the world and all its shifts and madness, however, I hope that besides getting over me quickly enough once I go, I also hope Boo Bear finds his place in a world yet to evolve beyond medicating him and trying to force him in to a box.

The time we spent together among his toys (the 'softy party') renaming one “Booger Bear” and collaborating on a very eclectic salad will forever be treasured in my memory. Despite sometimes high-fiving my hand waaaay too hard, I mastered a trick to ensure the next girlfriend that comes along gets treated gracefully; "Darling, remember, I'm a flower".

Bless his heart... What a naughty little child he is. 

I want to share this alternative medication for certain special children as something to consider. I am not joking neither recommending beyond just something to think about.

For wild child reference (and laughs).

becoming a conscientious objector

“Few are willing to brave the disapproval of their fellows, the censure of their colleagues, the wrath of their society. Moral courage is a rarer commodity than bravery in battle or great intelligence. Yet it is the one essential, vital quality for those who seek to change a world that yields most painfully to change. And I believe that in this generation those with the courage to enter the moral conflict will find themselves with companions in every corner of the globe.” - Eulogy of Bobby Kennedy

Sometimes, on the road, I have the honour of encountering those wonderful humble souls who've truly lived it. Those who are rooted and sane and beautifully true. These people remind me to keep going sometimes when I slip in to doubt and appreciate that we can all make a difference and needn't fear standing up for what we believe to feel right for humanity even when it requires the courage to face the scathing judgement of others or even, in Jackson's case, leaving his home country.

Besides touching my soul in the most remarkable way, introducing me to some wonderful rhythms of Jazz, Rag-time and Blues, showing me his home town of Strafford (Vermont) and giving me a souvenir of 'real deal' Pure Maple Syrup, Jackson did something greater; he reminded me to have faith in humanity and to have courage. I want to share the story of a real game changer who made a huge decision during the Vietnam war among other noble movements toward equality when he sought to challenge Vermont's abortion law.

I know personally life keeps repeating lessons for me until I learn them; I wish mankind could do the same when reflecting upon some of the devastating actions against peace and equality in the world we live in; our backyard not just a place we see on TV.

Here is his story on becoming a conscientious objector.

"Dean Rusk spoke at our graduation, defending the commitment to South Vietnam. That fall back home in Philadelphia I took science classes hoping to qualify for medical school. At semester’s end though, I was shocked to receive my draft board notice. In person I proffered my potentially greater military value later as a physician, but it fell on deaf ears. “Report for your physical in two weeks with your bags packed.” Miraculously, I received my medical school acceptance a week later.

In junior year we kept hearing rumors that nationally all new graduating M.D.’s were being drafted. One could, however, complete post-graduate training in the inactive reserves then serve as a specialist. I enlisted in the Air Force, but upon leaving the Federal building afterwards, I felt this inner angst that I just may have made a big mistake.

My wife, one year old son and I moved to the University of Vermont in1969 for five years of postgraduate training. My hair and mustache grew, as did my rage over the war. Nightly news showed soldiers setting fire to thatched roof peasant shacks and burning out entire villages, women and children screaming and crying.

I had intense discussions with friends about the war’s immorality. How could I honorably serve and help soldiers heal if they then might be returned to war? Literature from The American Friends Service Committee was especially helpful to me. I agonized for three years - I had to be absolutely certain I was not merely acting expediently. Then Nixon’s Cambodian Christmas bombings pushed me over the edge.

After submitting my essays and application to the Pentagon, I drove around a frozen Lake Champlain to the air force base in Plattsburg, NY for interviews with a psychiatrist, Catholic chaplain and commanding officer. They deemed that I was “sane, morally committed and respectful.”

Soon after two letters arrived. One offered me a fellowship at Norway’s cancer center in Oslo, the other was a brief ruling by the Secretary of the Air Force: “You have not demonstrated the sincerity of your moral and religious beliefs. Report for active duty July 1.”

I was crushed.

I located the only selective service lawyer in the state, and the AFSC contacted the Senate Armed Services committee to retrieve my ‘pentagon papers’, which revealed a progressive series of rubber stamped rejections all the way up to the top.

My lawsuit went to Federal court and I finished my residency under a legal cloud with a wife, two young sons, no job, no income and no judicial response. The docket said five more months. Desperate, I wrote the judge asking only for timeliness in his judgment so that I might plan my medical future.

He ruled in my favor four days later. The Air Force gave me an Honorable Discharge, Nixon resigned and we moved to Norway." - Jack Beecham

Matt Damon recently stood for what he believes... in this powerful speech he speaks of a movement towards a global interdependent disobedience.

In the words of Gandhi:

“You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.”  

“The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world’s problem.”  

“If I had no sense of humour, I would long ago have committed suicide.”

a good friend. indeed.

I feel pretty blessed that I have some great friends in my life, despite missing them to pieces sometimes as they plot themselves around the globe while I go on gallivants (to see them too if I am lucky). They are my lighthouses as I travel yond seas to the music of the wind.

As my lovely fellow traveler friend Riikka (now training huskies in Greenland) reminded me "It is definitely good to have some lighthouses, but how you weave your way from one to another will be easier to see when you get closer, so do not worry about it too much. Your skills, mind and attitude can take you anywhere!"

I read that happy people wisely surround themselves with happy, positive people who share values and goals. Friends that have the same ethics who encourage you to achieve your dreams. They help you to feel good about yourself and are there to lend a helping hand when needed.

This video hits the nail on the head filmed at The Gutter Bowling (Brooklyn, NYC) and gives me warm tingles (except avenging death - my inner yogini doesn't feel so well aligned with this).

Is time really, REALLY money?!

I'm currently in the consumerist capital of the world. The United States of America. Wooooow. Not only that, but I've been staying in one of the most powerful cities in the world; New York City. This is where its at. O...M...G.

As I meandered the wide streets, laden with yellow cabs and lit up signage, one sign really caught my eye; a painful American paradigm that read TIME IS MONEY.

I have seriously wondered on this idea and I am sure I've got stuck on it given my travels will extend as long as the money in my bank account has funds. I hope like many of the travelers out there I provide a strong insight that one might live abundantly without needing to spend frivolously or be imprisoned by ones own fears. Or at least that even in those moments of nothingness, somethingness will always appear... many of these somethingness moments having lit up my travels in memories that will forever be treasured.

So how, I wonder, is time equated to money? What on Earth is time, or money for that matter, beyond a bench stick for an idea we attach energy to? The advertisement didn't answer that question not even in the small prints for one to grasp. So I got to some points in my limited mind of understanding which has had tendencies to delve to proverbial deep and dark parts of the ocean where the vampire squids live (awesome David Attenborough footage here):

Time scientifically is the movement of objects through space. So time only exists in relation to something else. So does it even exist? Meh.

In Hindu philosophy, "Time is Death" Gasp! So every moment we die a little. I still don't find the connection to money. Money cannot reverse that. Perhaps the 'signs' of it by virtue of cosmetic skin cream... but inevitable decay is the nature of life. Yes morbid and dark but true unless you are Walt Disney.

Then in profound Ms Reynard (aka Lyra Ray) wisdom "The soul doesn't know time". A perfect excuse for someone living perpetually in the present and subsequently struggling at times with her 'time keeping'. I love you Ms Reynard. So perhaps; the soul doesn't know death. Tick. Immortality. An elixir. Alchemy. Absolutely nothing to lose if one wishes to speculate.

Now Freudian goes in to the dualistic forces of Death and Love. I'm going to sit pretty on that point and leave anyone reading this to work out which might be the most powerful or what duality even is and perhaps jump in to a rabbit hole of ah-haaas and oh nooos. Good luck with that. My advice would be to take a wind up flashlight or good SCUBA gear with an extra oxygen tank.

I took these points on board as I pondered on said giant black and white brainwashing sign telling me that 'TIME IS MONEY' with a New York accent in my head.

Which is one more afraid of not having? Here's a big question written in giant marker pen on a piece of scrap cardboard. And how about bringing this paradigm home. Home to a place of family. Of unconditional love. Of true connection, responsibility and understanding.

Keeping it simple.

I am a perfect example of a child brought up with way too many hours of television, Mario Brothers and Tetris, I had nannies and didn't see much of my father busy working to 'earn a living' that despite affording me a really wonderful foundation of education, meant that I also didn't get to spend much time growing up with him. We've made up for this in adult life, thankfully, but when I look at this on a grander scale, when I look at some of the biggest issues that plague the 'developed' world; I see countless children who've grown up dreaming of making lots of money to buy lots of toys and destroy lots of land and exploit lots of people in the process. 

There are way too many powerful naughty boys out there not playing fair with the other children... I won't be surprised if mother nature came and spanked their bottoms.

SPEND TIME NOT MONEY ON YOUR KIDS sings true to my heart. That's what I wish the sign really said. That's the message that perhaps the most powerful city on this planet could be sending to its people.

Money will never, ever, replace the experience of being in the presence and sharing time with a loved one. Sure it might buy an awesome toy to distract one from missing them and even stop them from nagging (brilliant article here), but no amount of money can replace that lovely warm feeling of sharing those treasured moments and memories with the ones you love.

Kahlil Gibran writes it beautifully in The Prophet when he says much more poetically;

And is not time even as love is, undivided and placeless? But if in your thought you must measure time into seasons, let each season encircle all the other seasons, And let today embrace the past with remembrance and the future with longing.

Embrace every moment with or without money. 

That rainy day may never come. 

cool things to do in sydney

Today is the official 2 year anniversary of my departure from Sydney. Needless to say its been the fastest and most intense two years of my life hence, belatedly, here is the promised hit list of 'cool things to do in Sydney'.

Awesome stuff to do:

• Coffee @The Falconer / Single Origin
• Cocktail @The Elvis Bar // The Winery
• Sing @Ding Dong Dang Karaoke
• Eat @Sydney Fish Markets
• Art @M2 Gallery
• Nighttime Ice cream @Messina
• Hot shapes @BikramYoga

• Picnic @Centennial Park
• Surf @Bronte beach
• Ballet / Opera @The Opera House
• Theatre @Sydney Theatre Company
• Epic rotating city views @The O Bar
• Run @Bondi to Coogee
• Climb @The Blue Mountains
• Wine & hire bikes @The Hunter Valley
• Connect @GreenUps
• Swim @Camp Cove/Watsons Bay
• Jazz @Venue55
• Poetry @Brett Whitely Studio
• Baking delights @Bourke Street Bakery
• Conscious food @Billy Kwongs

• Lawn Bowls @Bondi Bowling Club
• Sushi & BYO @DonDon
• Traditional tea & dumplings @Zensation
• Indian cinema @Govindas
• Vegetarian delights @Yullis
• Meditation retreat @Vipassana, Blackheath
• Pancakes @Pancakes On The Rocks
• Live music @The Metro

I spent 4 very happy years living in Sydney. Its a wonderful place to explore on a bicycle with a bikini and sarong in your bag, a smile on your face and a camera to hand.

It took me a good amount of time to really feel present and at home in Sydney after moving there from London and leaving a lot of close friends behind. An old work friend/musician kindly reminded me 'you can't love a place until it loves you back' as in one must create the memories that impress upon the heart before being able to fully feel more rooted with a new place.

Sydney did just that to me. Enjoy.

images from jectaphotography

a walking ad

I am a BIG fan of walking. 

Its harder in the urban chaos of the concrete jungles but seriously responsible for keeping me sane and with a sense of perspective sometimes. 

That and a decent soundtrack.

You can take the girl out of adland...

getting holy in NYC

New York is inspiring my soul right now. She's a big, bossy city that has an attitude that can sweep one in to disillusion and confusion or inspire one to play in her cool blistery Autumnal winds. Christmas is on its way and I feel like re-enacting Home Alone visiting toy stores and hitting an ice rink while enduring my first winter in two years.

I spent my first week in New York with family and it was wonderfully joyous. We hired a place through airbnb in Brooklyn and spent 5 special memorable days exploring the city together.

The highlights include:

• Phantom of the Opera at Broadway (tip: buy on the day tickets for half the price)
• Central Park live jazz
• The New York Public Library
• Midnight city views from the Empire State Building
• A visit to The Museum of Modern Art
• A ferry trip including a visit to the Statue of Liberty
• Brews and sweet potato chips at The Grey Dog, Chelsea
• Outdoor Ice-Skating
• Getting to the "Top of the Rock" and mounting the Rockefeller Building
• Unanimously vowing to not go to Starbucks cafes despite them being on every side of every street in the city.

More snaps on the photoblog.

A low light:

There's one thing that does really bother me about this city and that's seeing the homeless people in the streets freezing in bundles. It doesn't feel fair at all especially in a city that has so much power.

Last night I was on a very late night subway (they run 24hours here!) and ran the risk of falling asleep and missing my stop. I turned to a guy next to me, he was black, with a beanie hat and had the lines of a man who's lived through some painful tales. I don't know if he lives on the streets but he certainly wasn't so fresh and clean and I realised there were quite a few homeless people crashing out on trains or on benches at the stations as is common here.

"Excuse me. Would you mind making sure I don't miss my stop?" I asked him half laughing to myself at hearing how British I sounded in the mostly empty 3am carriage. He smiled at me, remarked on my accent and we started chatting. We talked about the world, about freedom and about holiness and faith... there wasn't any conclusion besides a hug of gratitude as I reached my stop and that little sense of 'holy sh*t I just had an angel undercover moment' as the guy kept me alert enough to not pass out and spend the small hours sleeping on a train.

Of course one must be aware when traveling in the small hours, especially if sleepy, and I don't know if I'll ever hear the end of those 'words of warnings' to the female solo traveler (some tips), but its amazing how true kindness can be inspired by a little gesture or a word or two between strangers, worlds apart and yet equally human. 

I don't think my superhero powers will have me taking the homeless off the streets of New York, but I might make some huge hints to people who can... 

OH... HI... THERE... ;)

Shocking stats here.

Volunteer opportunities here, here and here.

real is the new sexy

In Januray 2011 I spent a divine time fasting, meditating and doing some yogically inspired and shamanic shapes at The Sanctuary, Thailand.

There I crossed paths with some wonderful souls, one of which is the lovely Adam Taffler. Adam ran an incredibly invigorating and unforgettable laughing yoga workshop and its been such a pleasure to connect with him and learn of his latest shapes in London establishing Shhh Dating.

This new style of dating might leave one speechless and putting a link to Ronan Keating on ones blog. Oh yes, forgive me Adam, I went there...

I asked Adam some questions on Shhh Dating to understand a bit better what's made this movement so prolific in the London dating scene.

Firstly, what is 'Shhh Dating' about? 

Its about dropping the mask and giving people a chance to meet fully and honestly. We use games and structures to bring people into a comfortable state to be without words so they can find a meaningful connection with another.

What inspired you to start it?

All the work I do is around cultivating richer human contact. Over the past year I have been working with Dr Brown - a clown who won the biggest comedy awards in the world without talking. He really inspired me to see how open and pleasurable it can be to communicate and commune without speaking. Then last November I had a deep realisation that my most profound experiences of connection had been without words. I put 2 and 2 together with some friends and we decided to see if it would work in a dating context. It worked so well that on our first event every single person had at least one match. 

What have you learned about the dating scene in London?

There is a growing hunger that is not being fed by skin deep connections. Shhh Dating is appealing to people because they want to meet others who are switched on to possibility of deeper contact and the more subtle aspects of human interaction. People want partners who can meet them emotionally and spiritually too. It's a trend that I see growing in London and beyond. Another interesting aspect is the energy people bring with them to an event. The people who are more relaxed and come with a willingness to enjoy themselves always have more matches than those who come with the idea of meeting 'the one'. So it's something I mention at the beginning of each session, I tell them to drop all expectation and have a good time.

What is unique about silent dating?

At the end of one of our nights, even if you don't have a date, you will still hopefully be feeling warm and squishy. We cultivate an atmosphere where people can see one another and be seen for who they really are. That is unique in the dating world.

Why is real the new sexy?

People wear masks all the time. There is something powerful, enigmatic and beautiful about someone who is comfortable with theirs off. It can turn the dials up to maximum, blow away the padding and quickly take us to the heart of the matter. That's a lot sexier than a load of tepid dates!

Shhh Dating have a number of events lined up later this month in London, please check out their website for more details and tickets.

You can like their Facebook page here too.

a hearty breakfast

a bowl full of goodness

Whilst in London, I got to hang out Westside with a lovely friend, Zoe Scaman who I worked with whilst at The Population. Besides taking me to her local yoga school and having a muchly appreciated dose of Power Yoga (phew!) we treated ourselves to a seriously healthy breakfast. It is the most important meal of the day and after suffering from acid reflux in the past, I found quinoa to be such a yummy and delectable way of starting the day healthily.

Ingredients.
Half a cup of quinoa,
a cup of water,
a teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of salt.
banana
blueberries

How to.
Bring to a simmer and stir for 10-15 minutes until almost all of the water has disappeared. Add half a cup of milk and simmer for another 10 minutes. Stir in 1-2 tablespoons of manuka honey and chopped banana and blueberries.

Enjoy this one. It warms the heart and feeds the soul.

As they say in India 'health is wealth'.

is it time to shake up australian politics?

Recently, an old pal of mine, Jessica Miller, an inspiring lady I know from my days in Sydney, put herself forward to grill some of the political big wigs in Australian politics through MTV Movement. I asked her to send me some thoughts on Australian policy and on what needs shaking up.

It’s very bloody easy to be angry, sad and bored by mainstream Australian politics. For the most part it trivialises people, favours the powerful and is snide and bitchy.

So maybe it’s time to shake it up a little?

According to the Australian Electoral Commission 65% of the people who voted in the last Australian Federal election were aged 40+, upon posting this stat to my Facebook wall recently, a good friend with a great track record in environmental activism replied “Well, I guess that was a big ‘fuck you’ to future generations wasn’t it’”.

I guess, kind of. The last election also had lowest voter turnout in Australian political history unsurprisingly (even though voting is compulsory in Australia) those choosing not to vote were young.

So are the kids over it?

I’m not Antony Green, but in it’s current format, I would say yes. And if the cage-rattlin’ Russel Brand v Jeremy Paxon seen by more than 8 million people on YouTube, is anything to go by – there seems to be some pretty good reasons for this.

Here are some that I’ve been thinking about:

WTF is actually going on?

I have a political science degree and a lot of the time I have no idea what is actually going on. Maybe I wasn’t paying enough attention in University (was hung over or exhausted from working till 2am at a bar to pay for the privilege of being there), but when I try to follow what is going on in Australian politics, it sometimes seems like the only options I have to learn about it are in sound bites, whose bum is big, really long columns, ‘polly raunch’ Daily Tele headlines or press gallery ‘in-club’ tweets.

There doesn’t really seem to be anyone who can do a good job of explaining what ‘the game’ is. Like where in the rule book does it allow the Palmer United party to get those Senate Seats? What are the preferential voting ‘deals’ about – are they even democratic? How come lobbyists with lots of money can access politicians and I can’t? And how much do they actually get paid as a ‘pension’? Why is it ok for them to then go and lobby for special interests, when ten minutes ago they were supposed to be lobbying for and representing ‘the people’?

It just seems that ‘the game’ of politics is something that can only be played by people who have law degrees, ‘hook-ups’ the right family or a tonne of money. And that seems a bit rough.

It doesn’t really feel like it’s for me.

Russell Brand was right. You know when you walk into a political room, because you feel like you don’t belong there. I am less intimidated by sparring a 100kg man, five rounds, full-contact Muay Thai with no headgear than trying to talk to a politician or physically being a place like Parliament House.

I doubt very much whether this is done on purpose, but if I as an educated, anglo, English-speaking white woman feels incredibly uncomfortable in a political institution, imagine what it must feel like for someone whose first language isn’t English, who hasn’t had the luxury of education, has troubles speaking, or who can’t afford shiny clothes and nice teeth?

The legacy hundreds of years of  ‘democracy’ is that it remains the domain of a very select and elite few. Given that the very vast majority can now participate remotely and directly with political decision-making, maybe its time for a radical rethink of what political culture, education and direct participation can be?

Are you lot actually even qualified to do this?

I was speaking to this very clever, important, (rich, handsome) responsible guy the other day and he said that when he interviews someone for a job he asks them to ‘So you say you’re good at [say cleaning], so tell me about a time you actually did that?’ – good move eh?

Because it’s all well and good for people to talk about how great they are but really, if your fridge is broken and you need it fixed, you're not going to get someone who writes about fridges, or who just so happens to have pulled a chicken out of the freezer a few times to fix it are you?

No, because that would be stupid.

So why then are the people who are responsible for making very big decisions and try to ‘fix’ big-arsed problems that really do impact upon peoples general happiness and well-being in an infinite way, are not the people who actually have real experience and genuine expertise in fixing a certain problem being the ones responsible to fix it?

For fear of write-waffle, my point is that for leadership and governance to be truly effective, representative and good at solving complex problems, you need a whole range of people involved and contributing – not just lawyers (of which 52% of Cabinet are versus 1% of the population), people who were privileged enough to go to private school (of whom 78% of Cabinet did versus only 35% of the population), and men (which make up 95% of the cabinet versus 49.4 of the broader population).

For creative problems solvers who are good at fixing things to do this at a national level means re-imagining the whole culture and seemingly pedigree-bred lines of getting into these positions.

So it is  really easy to be cynical, sceptical and pessimistic about the fact that young people or even just interesting and diverse people think that politics is a waste of time.

Or, we can all just get on with it.

The sad thing about big old antiquated institutions is that they seem to sometimes intimidate people into thinking that there is only one type of power, and if you don’t have it then you can’t change anything. Or you think its up to someone else to fix.

I think this is incredibly untrue, especially among young people.

Disillusioned by the whole shemozzle, everywhere you look people, and particularly young people, are really just getting on with it. They’re doing it in business, the arts, via social enterprises, in communications and marketing – they are shaking the shit out of it! The miserable thing about this is that many of them have to leave Australia to do it, instead they go to New York, London, Europe, Africa, Japan – places where there isn’t this stifling sense of ‘no!’. It sucks that all of my smart friends all now live in New York.

Moreover, last year Gen Y contributed 16 million hours of time volunteering each month, 192 million hours to charity – this is worth $3.1 billion dollars per year. So shove that down your ‘Gen Ys are so self-centred and lazy’ stereotype-pipe and choke on it.

So given that the real fixers of problems, creators of solutions and givers of time are actually not part of the formal political club, maybe we should just ignore the club and instead focus on doing things ourselves, joining others who inspire us, and support what they’re doing?

I’ll leave you with this idea:

Imagine for a minute that we all collectively decided not to pay our tax to the government but instead throw it behind someone we know personally who is doing great things in our community?

The idea is fraught obviously, but give it a little space to breath and I think you’ll find the imaginings quite delicious.

If you like the idea of shaking up Australian politics a little, Vote for Jess Miller in the MTV Movement here (now do it!) share and tweet about it using the #shakeitmiller & #mtvmovement hashtags @jem1ller