Making Friends With The Neighbours

Yesterday afternoon provided tiny waves, a whale encounter, time with friends, a dinged up board and this sunset. (I thought the sky looked like a map reflecting the swells and currents below.)

One of my favourite surfers to watch is Byron longboarder, Isabelle Braly. The chick rips! I remember arriving at Wategos one day, and looking for her in the water. I couldn't see her in the crowd. Suddenly I saw this girl take of on a wave, jump up straight into a drop-knee turn down and back up the face, and then run directly to the nose and hang five. Oh, there she is! Her style is strong, graceful, confident and always as though no-one is watching. Like I said, the chick rips! I feel lucky that I get to surf with her so much - I always learn a LOT! Thanks Izzy xx

from The Bulletin , June 1884, Isn't it brilliant!! I find it immensely encouraging as I can think of nothing more wonderful than being called a "Venus on the loose". (thanks to Matilda and Tom)

Tonight the Northern Brisbane Rollers are hosting a Double Bout - Diner Might Dolls take on Brisbane City Rollers, while the Love Rockettes challenge Gold Coast Roller Derby. Doors open at 6pm. I'm psyched! To watch that is - not to play!! I fear for my bones too much. But I will still be dressed appropriately, with eyeliner to boot!

If you live in Brisbane and you like the ocean, you might be interested in coming along to 'Last Hope ' at the Powerhouse . Last Hope is 16 short films made by Jon Frank, Albert Falzon , Andrew Kidman , Michele Lockwood, Patrick Trefz , Monty Webber and Richard Kenvin . Set to the music of Sufjan Stevens, Holly Throsby , Dirty Three, Machine Translations, Bonnie Prince Billy, Smog, Explosions In The Sky, Vetiver , Mogwai and The Brown Birds From Windy Hill. For more info on these artists see www.spunk.com.au 16 short films, live music, and (if you're anything like me) the potential for pre -drinks while staring into the river. Lovely! Maybe I'll see you there*! Last Hope - Andrew Kidman from X- Treme Video on Vimeo . *I'll be the one standing awkwardly on her own, grasping a large glass of red wine and staring into the river...

GetUp ! recently made this ad , which highlights what a dinosaur Tony Abbott is. Oh yeah, the guy who said this stuff is currently running to become Australia's new leader. To become our Prime Minister. To represent us on a world stage. All of us. We vote in about 10 days. I won't be voting for Tony Abbott, or the Liberal Party. The thing is that in Australia, we don't actually vote for our leader - not like Americans vote for their President. We vote for regional representatives and whichever party gets the most representatives (or holds the balance of power in conjunction with another party) gets to choose the leader. Despite this, political campaigns in Australia are still run based on leaders. Parties seem to think that focusing on personalities (or lack of them) saves them from having to develop or discuss actual policies. But it leaves them open to heavy and specific attacks on their party leaders, which can damage their party's chance of winning anyway....

The last day of the winter sun (from August 6th 2009) "I'm sorry" These are the words I don't ever want to hear again. They are words that are used to express regret, apology, forgiveness, but it seems to me that they are actually connected to sadness, pain, hurt, exhaustion and anger. That they're just the words we say when there are no other words left. They're words that I've heard both too much and not at all. They're the words that sometimes I ache to hear but that often just clang through my head like church bells, ringing through my thoughts and heart whether I want to hear them or not. "It's my fault, I'm sorry" "I'm sorry but that's not possible" "I'm sorry, I lied" "I'm so sorry to tell you this, but..." They're words that bring you to your knees and push you down into a chair just so you can cope with hearing them. They're words that sting and punch. They'r...