“In music, one doesn’t make the end of the composition the point of the composition. If that were so, the best conductors would be those who played fastest; and there would be composers who only wrote finales… …We thought of life by analogy, it was a journey, with a pilgrimage, which had a serious purpose at the end. And the thing was to get to that end – success, or whatever it is, or maybe heaven after you’re dead. But we missed the point the whole way along….” Alan Watts
Finding Hope – Part Two
Walking down Wellington's Willis street during lunch hour you could easily be forgiven for thinking that New Zealand has almost no ethnic diversity. It is indeed a sea of white faces. One of my American friends even went so far as to remark that it was no wonder New Zealand [...]
Finding Hope Following New Zealand’s Darkest Day
"The more important a call to action is to our soul's evolution, the more resistance we will feel about answering to it." Steven Pressfield. This is a post I do not want to write, but I know I need to. And I sincerely hope it brings comfort to anyone who [...]
Resilience in the Face of Rejection
Although it is fairly common for people to build emotional forts and elaborate paths in order to avoid even the slightest rejection or criticism, it's pretty hard to be alive without facing at least the occasional jab to the heart (aka ego).
Is New Zealand Really Utopia?
Disclaimer - If you're Kiwi, this will all be nothing new. And another one - In order to write about a country and its culture, it's impossible not to make generalisations. So let me preface all of this by saying, generalisations, while all true, are equally as untrue for many. [...]
Texas Heat
Below you will find a story I wrote a few years ago. A story that resulted in one of my favourite songs. Beware... it's a story with a twist... TRAINS AND BRIDGES, BRIDGES AND TRAINS In literature, bridges are often used as symbols. They represent a connection, resolution of differences, [...]
In Sickness and in Health
The true cost of not taking sick days Nope, I'm not talking about marriage. Though sometimes it certainly does feel like we're married to our jobs, right?! Like we're so deeply committed to getting up at the same time everyday, in order to go through the same motions, no matter [...]
Dating for Dummies (And People from Cultures that Suck at Dating)
I mean that title in the most endearing way, I swear... I've been wanting to drop this truth bomb on my beloved country for sometime, but as a super polite Kiwi I simply haven't been able to spit it out. So let me put it this way... To paraphrase Australian [...]
Why I Lie about My Age on Tinder
We've all got different ways of coping with ageing. Some brave lassies face it head on and own that shit. I fall into the category of denial. I do everything I can to remain ageless. If not only for the pure amusement of my own personal social experimentation... But I [...]
The Mysteries of Artistic Motivation
Are you constantly inspired? I know I'm not. That doesn't mean the well of creativity is all dried up though...
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As many of you know, being an artist is no way to make a living, nor has it ever really been. The greatest musicians and composers throughout history have always required the support (patronage) of those who appreciated their work. And thank goodness for them! Without patrons we’d have no Mona Lisa, no Mozart…! And without the world’s wonderful creative people and those who support them, this sure would be dull and dreary life.