On Randomness - Seth Godin (Sun 26 May 2013)

Untitled Random Photo -Tokyo (Fri 22 Sep 2012)
Seth Godin (*) writes On Randomness (*):

there's a lot more randomness (*) in the world than we'd care to admit.

He elaborates:

There are two things to be done with that fact.

1. The first is to identify the few things that do happen for a reason and learn (*) from them, as opposed to ignoring the available lesson. When cause and effect is at work, figuring out the cause is the single best way to manage the effect.


2. And the second is to take the (essentially) random (*) events and choose to respond (as opposed to an overreaction). The big opportunity is to figure out how to take advantage of the change (*) that was just handed to us, even if it wasn't for us, about us, or what we were hope (*) for.

via Does it happen for a reason? (*) by Seth Godin (*).

On Expectation and Hope - Baz Luhrmann - Good Weekend / SMH (Sat 11 May 2013))

Jenny - National Library of Australia / Canberra (Nov 2003)
Baz Luhrmann (*) on Expectation (*) and Hope (*):

I have no expectations (*).Only hopes (*).

It was a titanic effort from fearless Baz, says DiCaprio (*) by Gary Maddox (*).

Random recollection. Baz's Mother, Barbara and her Husband, Ross, were our dancing instructors around the time following Strictly Ballroom (*). We did it for a few years and we seemed to stop shortly after Jenny was diagnosed with breast cancer in March 1996.

Jenny and I decided that we should give the Bridal Waltz, at our Wedding (*), our best effort and we engaged Barbara and Ross to choreography our waltz, and to give us a few lessons to learn and master our steps. It all went marvelously well on the big day and we surprised ourselves, along with all our Family and Friends.

On Strategy - J.J. Abrams - Spectrum / SMH (Sat May 2013)

Untitled - NLA / Canberra (May 2003)
J.J. Abrams (*) reveals his approach On Strategy (*):

i have to say there is no strategy (*), other than responding to what feels right.

The other side of the Trek (*) by Paul Byrnes (*).

On Letting Go - Wade Wallace / cyclingtips (Tue 14 May 2013)

Anticipation - Water (*) - AusDBF State vs State Day / SIRC / Penrith (Thu 18 Apr 2013)
Wade Wallace (*) writes On Letting Go (*):

releasing expectations will often reward you with unconditional enjoyment and sometimes surprise.

The Big 4-0 (*) by cyclingtips (*).

A remarkably succinct and insightful observation on how to approach life. The older I get, the more I know this to be true. Happy 40th Wade.

Happy 13th Anniversary

Tim, Jo, Geoff, Jenny, Jenny, David - Cronulla Uniting Church (Sun 30 Apr 2000)

Five One Hundredths of a Second - 500m Premier Opens Final - AusDBF Nats / Penrith (Fri 19 Apr 2013)

Five One Hundredths of a Second - 500m Premier Opens Final - AusDBF Nats / Penrith (Fri 19 Apr 2013)
Once, twice or, maybe three times (if you are fortunate enough and willing to take the risks) in a paddling career you do something unbelievable. Something you just can’ t explain, though sometimes it worth giving it a try. Here goes ..

You are happy you have made the major final. You know you are up against strong teams. The favourite, the team directly on your left, you have not beaten in three years. In fact you have not been within a boat length, over 500m, for the last two years. Against the odds, and your failing self-confidence, you still somehow believe that we can still get across the line first. To be part of of something great. There is always hope at the start. It is a chance to create who you want to be. You don't get your hopes up too high, as you have been disappointed in the past. You don't think about all of this too much at this point. The focus is putting your best race on the water and seeing how it compares to the others when you have all crossed the line. You are not overly nervous, but you are excited and proud to be there. A supportive and encouraging tap on the knee for those around you. Remember it is a 30 stroke start. Just focus on the first 3 strokes and take it one by one from there. Clean water. Hand out of the water. Blade buried. Make sure you feel and stay connected with the water with every stroke. The starter aligns us and we ready. "Paddlers, are you ready, attention please" .... the gun does not fire for some reason. This has happened a few time before over the years. Keep your focus, no distractions. We will be away soon. Refocus, lets do it again - 30 Start, first 3, deep and clean - feel the water. "Paddlers, are you ready, attention please" ... "GO". You Go on the "G". 1-2-3, up, up, .. 10, up, up, .. 20, up, up, ..7,..30, reach, reach, hinge, hinge. The boat is up and running and there is something there. We are hingeing and driving through the stroke. The boat is more than running, it is been driven through the stroke like it has felt in training over last few weeks, except this time it is race intensity, not level 4, Remember this Geoff, Remember this moment. We are there next to them, where usually they pull away here, but we talked about staying connected. Give it everything to the 250m and refocus. Somehow, we are sttil there at the 250m. Refocus and reinvent yourself, I think. Drive, Drive is the call, We are still there, connected. You have a 6th sense (and good hearing) and you know without looking that our drummers are side by side. Passing the 200m start hut and the little red lane marker buoy. There is something uplifting in our Sweep's voice - "you are doing it". The lane buoys turn to red - we are 100m out. We have done everything our training has given our bodies - it's amazing to find that something extra that the sport scientists say should not be there. Mentally, prepare for the lift home. This is the most crucial part of the race - they are probably a nose ahead. We are going to have to do something amazing - something the other teams have pulled on us often over the years. "do it for the gold (or was it girls?)" is the call. We lift. We lift. The rate comes up a touch and the boat becomes light as we surge forward with every stroke - narrowing the margin. It is all clear as day, those last few strokes. You give it everything you've got when there is nothing to give. You cross the line, you hear the finish horn blast away in succussion. You look across and you know you have done it. The look in your competitors faces tell you that they know you have also done it and you take a few quiet moments to take it all in, while some of the others around you show their elation more jubilantly. Gasping for air, you touch the same knees as you did before the start. This time the "ritual" tap is to acknowledge your team mates efforts and the fact that you have done something that does not happen that often in a paddling career. "Three cheers for the other crews" is the call from our Drummer - three "hip hip". and a breathless "hooray". We bring the boats in and we all get off. Back slaps and hugs all around. Not even a second thought who won that one as you make your way through the other 180 or so paddlers you have just competed against. You smile and for some reason laugh. This kind of win does not happen that often - "take it in", "take it in" you say to yourself. You see many familiar faces as you walk through the line. They are happy for you. Many you have experienced some amazing experiences around the world in Australian Campaigns past and you hope that the journey with them will continue. Somewhere along the way you hear that we did it by five one hundredths of a second. You know the course well and you smile that you can pick such a small amount of time moments after crossing the line. What a race. You think to yourself, "it's not that we won it, it is how we won it" – it's just not what was expected by many (including yourself) and that is the beauty of dragon boat racing - the randomness and uncertainty to some extent. The boat has never felt like that out of the start and into the transition. You think to yourself, you have never paddled like that before. You feel fortunate that you took the risk to be there, you did the training, the testing, you've put yourself on the line time and time again. You have been crushed by the ramifications of defeat and oddly enough, those one or two other once in a life time victories . At the end of the day you know that it is worth the sacrifices you make to do what you have done, do and hope to do. Maybe this is not the end, but a new beginning ..

I will leave this unedited. It’s just a stream of thought that came out of my subconscious in the last 20 mins. Hope it makes sense and it will be fun to read, many year’s into the future.

Five One Hundredths of a Second - 500m Premier Opens Final - AusDBF Nats / Penrith (Fri 19 Apr 2013)

On Photography - Rebecca Norris Webb and Alex Webb (Tue 16 Apr 2013)

Untitled - George Street / Sydney (Apr 2013)
Rebecca Norris Webb advises:

Learn to listen to your photographs. They are often wiser than you are.

While Alex Webb (*) advises:

Follow your passion (*). You should pursue photography (*) because it is something you love - that you absolutely need to do. The rewards from photography - recognition, occasional remuneration - are so fleeting that it makes no sense to pursue photography (*) except as a labor of love.

5 frågor till: Alex Webb & Rebecca Norris Webb (*) by fotografiska (*).