December 2007
Monthly Archive
Mon 31 Dec 2007
If you’re thinking of some new year’s resolutions for 2008, add these to the list…
Questions for the New Year
1. In 2008 name one person that you will make the attempt to have a stronger relationship with?
2. In 2008 what is one risk that you promise to take?
3. In 2008 what is one aspect of your personality that you will be willing to change to make yourself
more likeable?
4. In 2008, what is one daily ritual that you can commit to?
5. In 2008, what song could you choose to represent the year you are going to have and will you
download that song after reading these words?
6. In 2008, who is one civil servant that you will say hello to for the entire year?
7. In 2008, what is one body of water that you promise yourself you will swim in?
8. In 2008, name one person that you will truly thank who rarely gets thanked.
9. In 2008, what is an artistic experience that you promise to have?
10. In 2008, what is one argument that you will no longer have?
11. In 2008, what is one thing that you will do to give back to the world or community that you live
in?
12. In 2008, what is one thing that you will learn?
13. In 2008, what is one thing you will let go of knowing you don’t have the power to change it?
14. In 2008, where will your quiet place be?
15. In 2008, name three people you will surprise with a random gift?
16. In 2008, what is one thing that you will teach someone else?
17. In 2008, what is one fear that you will overcome?
18. In 2008, what is one food that you will eat more often?
19. In 2008, what is something wonderful about your personality that you promise to consciously
appreciate?
20. In 2008, what will you do that you have always known you had to do?
(questions courtesy of Stuart Knight)
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Have a WICKED NYE and a fantastic 2008 
Tue 25 Dec 2007
In the Buddhist tradition, one is encouraged to find God in everything — oneself, one’s community, one’s life. Siddhartha Gautama did not try to explain the existence of a God, gods, or goddesses, or document the proper rituals and sacrifices to achieve oneness with God. He instead offered a wealth of specific teachings whose principles encourage a spiritual connection through commitment to self-discipline, meditation, and important moral rules. Found in a sacred text called Tripitaka, these teachings help Buddhists stay on their path toward Enlightenment, a state of being where you do not experience suffering or desire.
Buddhists also have a deep respect for life and believe that their behavior in this life will affect their experiences in the next. In effect, they believe, “What goes around comes around.”
Mon 17 Dec 2007
I actually prefer the cold at times, it gets me going more than a hot Summer day in Sydney would. Of course the extreme here in Toronto (20 cm or more of snow overnight and today plus temperatures of -7 to -10, or -14 to -20 degrees Celsius with wind chill) is not ideal but I view the snow and to a lesser extent the cold with excitement whilst everyone else around me is whinging. It’s a good test for me. I figure, do I really want to be somebody who lets my moods get affected by the weather? Minus the wind chill it’s actually pretty nice!
Here are the rest of my pictures.
Sun 16 Dec 2007
Take the “party bus” concept and shift it onto a streetcar (tram) instead! Three hours of riding around downtown Toronto, booming electro beats, people dressed up in “Arctic” costumes and raver gear (the average age was about 21 I reckon), BYO (hidden because it’s illegal to carry/drink in public) alcohol and (definitely illegal) weed… man it was crazy! I absolutely enjoyed it. The half a bottle of Smirnoff vodka mojito helped get the party started
Arctica Streetcar Party was a Newmindspace event. Newmindspace come up with some really fantastic concepts (like a public pillow fight in New York) and what’s more impressive is it’s a collaboration between two visionaries who are in their early twenties! Check out the documentary.
Click here for the rest of my pictures from Friday night.
Wed 12 Dec 2007
I received an email from a good friend from Sydney today asking me how I was doing. Seeing that it’s been over a month now since I first arrived in Toronto I figured I’d sum up my experience so far in a poem. I have no idea know why but here it is…
‘Tis been a tumbling turbulence of trials and tribulation,
Of ronery nights and wonderful sights.
I’ve met great people along the way,
And some I’ll see again one day.
It’s been challenging to live alone,
To pay rent, buy groceries, and feed myself,
Gosh, if only I’d known!
Just how tough it is just to be out on that ledge,
Pushing that comfort zone,
Right to the edge.
Yet as I sit and ponder,
And gaze out to the distant future.
It’s with wide eyed wonder, excitement and uncertainty.
As I squint and look closer it’s an empty canvas that I see.
And the most important thing that I’ve realised,
Is that the painter is me.
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