The warrior of light knows the value of persistence and of courage

The warrior of light knows the value of persistence and of courage.

Often, during combat, he receives blows that he was not expecting. And he realises that, during the war, his enemy is bound to win some of the battles. When this happens, he weeps bitter tears and rests in order to recover his energies a little. But he immediately resumes his battle for his dreams.

The longer he remains away, the more likely he is to feel weak, fearful and intimidated. When a horseman falls off his horse, if he does not remount immediately, he will never have the courage to do so again.

From the Manual of Warrior of the Light by Paulo Coelho.

Geoff - Lake Albina / Main Range (Wed 29 Dec 2010)

Portrait #1 - May Street / St Peters (Sun 23 Jan 2011)

Portrait #1 (of 6) - May Street / St Peters (Sun 23 Jan 2011)

Fake Empire - The National - Letterman (youtube)

"Fake Empire" - The National - Letterman (youtube)
Dave really likes these Guys, as this and a future video (coming soon) shows.

Hoping to see a Letterman Show in August 2011. Just missed tickets by two people in April 1994. Mum and I were 49th and 50th and they gave tickets out to the 47th person in the Line.

London Bridge - You must be somewhere in London - London (Sun 28 Aug 2005)

London Bridge - "Take 2" - You must be somewhere in London - London (Sun 28 Aug 2005)
Recently wrote about the above photo here (8 Dec 2010) and here (21 Dec 2010). I have always had some regrets about the full size version of the above photo. Henri Cartier-Bresson talked about these kind of post event regrets in his book The Minds Eye, specifically here (27 Sep 2010). Decided to crop the original photo (don't tell anyone though) and the above is the result - certainly a much stronger street photo. Certainly regret not capturing this on the day. In doing this, I am reminded a recent post on Shadow Photos (02 Jul 2010), specifically the photos of the Ingeborg Tyssen.

Finally, decided to look at all the photos that I took that day and found the photo below, which I had forgotten about. Seems an obvious photo to take and the above photo clearly shows the "Bull's Eye" effect - it is almost as if the horizontal and vertical lines of the wall slabs form a "crosshair" aim right through the heart of our little dragon - and btw the photo is uncropped.

London Bridge - "Bulls Eye" - You must be somewhere in London - London (Sun 28 Aug 2005)

What matters most is what we believe about ourselves - Alain Briot (Dec 2010)

What matters most is not where we are right now.

It is not the skills we have today [..].

What matters most is what we believe about ourselves.

Why? Because it is this belief that will determine what we can become, what we can achieve in the future.

It is this belief that will shape the road ahead, it is this belief that will influence which path you are going to take.

Alain Briot from Rethinking Talent at Luminous Landscape (Dec 2010)

Jenny - She always believed no matter the circumstances - she has shown us the way forward so that we can live meaningful and fulfilling lives - she still guides and inspires us - always will - Broadway / Sydney (Sat 20 Jul 2002)
Geoff - Sydney - 2:57pm Tue 01 Feb 2010

Belief - when things begin to happen - Muhammad Ali (Quote)

It’s the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief. And once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen.
Muhammad Ali

Belief - something I have been thinking a lot about lately. From Paulo Coelho's Character of the week: Muhammad Ali (30 Jan 2011)

Almost there - once [..] belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen. - Tue 19 Jan 2010 (picasa)

You don't need to hear all the lyrics - Matt Berninger

Bloodbuzz Ohio (Live Directors Cut) - The National
You don't need to hear all the lyrics. In fact, the things you mishear are automatically like you are putting yourself into it. If you do that, you know, you think it says one thing. I think it is more engaging when you don't know. So that is how it is with me and music. Michael Stipe and his lyrics for so long were impressionistic and you could not hear what many of the words were and I think that was part of their power. Because they sucked you into it.

Matt Berninger (from The National - Bloodbuzz Ohio (Live Directors Cut))

Lyrics

Stand up straight at the foot of your love
I lift my shirt up
Stand up straight at the foot of your love
I lift my shirt up

I was carried to Ohio in a swarm of bees
I never married, but Ohio don't remember me

Lay my head on the hood of your car
I take it too far
Lay my head on the hood of your car
I take it too far

I still owe money to the money to the money I owe
I never thought about love when I thought about home
I still owe money to the money to the money I owe
The floors are falling out from everybody I know

I'm on a blood buzz
Yes, I am
I'm on a blood...buzz
I'm on a blood buzz
God, I am
I'm on a blood...buzz

I was carried to Ohio in a swarm of bees
I never married, but Ohio don't remember me

I still owe money to the money to the money I owe
I never thought about love when I thought about home
I still owe money to the money to the money I owe
The floors are falling out from everybody I know

I'm on a blood buzz
Yes, I am
I'm on a blood...buzz
I'm on a blood buzz
God, I am
I'm on a blood buzz.

So many great lines in this one:

• I was carried to Ohio in a swarm of bees


• I still owe money to the money to the money I owe


• The floors are falling out from everybody I know


• I never thought about love when I thought about home