Making Friends With The Neighbours

If I could choose one song to explain my life right now, it would be this - the second movement of Beethoven's very famous and recognisable Symphony No. 9 in D Minor , which is played molto vivace (very lively). From about 9:40, shit gets so real and so, so awesome. According to the  Wikipedia site about this piece : Normally, scherzi are written in triple time. Beethoven wrote this piece in triple time, but it is punctuated in a way that, when coupled with the speed of the metre, makes it sound as though it is in quadruple time. Yep. Sounds about right... I highly recommend you play this some time today, and play it loud. And, if you know me at all, laugh.

It's a truth universally acknowledged that I'm easily excited, but nonetheless, finding ocean waves on other planets is still pretty cool. I read this story over at I Fucking Love Science : Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, looks a lot like Earth, except in deepfreeze. It’s got a nitrogen atmosphere, along with lakes and seas, channels sculpted by rivers, and even mudflats and rain clouds. The moon is so much like our planet that it’s a frequent setting for sci-fi... But while Titan appears so earthlike in so many ways, it's still a very alien place. The moon’s lakes and seas are not made of H2O -- at minus 290 degrees Fahrenheit, Titan’s surface is way too cold for liquid water. Researchers believe their water is actually a mixture of hard-to-freeze hydrocarbons like methane. And Titan’s lakes are eerily smooth: where are the waves? After all, "We know there is wind on Titan," says Alex Hayes of Cornell University. "The moon's magnificent sand dunes [...

I just thoroughly enjoyed this: In a time when irrationality seems to rule both politics and culture, has reasoned thinking finally lost its power? Watch as psychologist Steven Pinker is gradually, brilliantly persuaded by philosopher Rebecca Newberger Goldstein that reason is actually the key driver of human moral progress, even if its effect sometimes takes generations to unfold. Although, despite it all, I'm still a massive champion of compassion, empathy and love, especially when coupled with reasoned thinking.

So last Friday night I went and saw  Out in theLineup , which was showing as part of the Byron Bay Film Festival .  Out in the Lineup  is that film about gay and lesbian surfers that you have been hearing about for a while now, and which I have been really looking forward to seeing.  From the film's website :  ‘Out in the Lineup’ uncovers a culture that has strayed from its foundation of freedom of spirit, open-mindedness and connection to nature. David [Wakefield] and Thomas [Castets] learn about the dominance of male rituals in surf culture and the way this has marginalised minorities. They also hear about the pivotal role sponsors and media play in maintaining out-dated stereotypes. On ground level they hear stories of fear, isolation and self-doubt, but they are also inspired by tales of hope, self-empowerment and transformation. Beyond simply exposing this taboo issue, this film seeks to affect change. It aims to confront the surf industry and the ...

My friend, Kim Satchell, showed me this clip the other day. Thanks Satch! ) I love this approach to thinking about life, relationship, experience, culture, and love. In particular, I love the way he is open to the mess of things - the funk - and all the heartbreak and complexity that entails. Don't make the mistake of thinking I'm all 'Bring on the heartbreak! Bring on the pain!', because I'm totally not. I want to avoid that shit as much as I can. But I also recognise that if you are going to live a life then that stuff is going to come at you, so you might as well have some way of making sense of it. Or at least, to find a way though it. And of course that means seeing yourself within all of that - for taking responsibility for your place in the mess of relationships, of culture, of difficulties. Seeing your place in this stuff lets you learn something from it, even if that something is simply 'Well, I won't do that again'. Like Mr West here, I d...

If you're in Byron Bay tonight, Out in the Lineup , is showing as part of the Byron Bay Film Festival . You should come!

I really should change the wax on my boards more often, huh. But then, I look at this kinda gross ball of filthy wax and think of all the fun I had building it up - all the footsteps, sunscreen, sweat, sand and salt - and I can't really be too bummed out. Kinda gross, but kinda awesome too. Thanks summer!