I'm really going

Only 12 days till I jet away to New york via Seoul - but I'm taking one day at a time and ticking off all the things I have to do. Bills to pay, car to register, A week's work to be left for my replacement teacher, bag to pack, things to buy, haircut, parent interviews most of next week, lessons to plan for kids who think they are already on holiday, an excursion to plan - at this rate, the long plane trip will be a welcome rest!

My friend Ruby gave me her Lonely Planet for NYC and lots of things not to miss, which has helped me to believe I'm really going there - soon.

My movie review for Unfinished Sky? Good but not great - slipped into melodrama in the middle, but great acting and good characterisation. Worth seeing - and William McInnes is a hunk, in my opinion!

Saturday Morning

Saturday morning - and I can meander through the next two days like these ducks. The river was beautiful this morning, although our mild weather does carry fears of global warming.

On the agenda: brunch, some "studio" time, meeting with my niece to take her to the airport for her end of semester 1 trip home to Hong Kong, idle shopping, poring over the papers, and meeting an old friend (the friendship is old, not the friend!) sorry, Ruby, to see a new Australian film, Unfinished Sky. Ahhhhhhhhh, the weekend!

Follow your Bliss..

Sorrow11 tagged me for a favourite quote. I've already blogged my fave. Shakespeare line : "This above all, to thine own self be true", so I though I'd share my next favourite. Joseph Campbell was the world's foremost scholar of mythology and comparative religion.
Beware - this quote can change your life:

"Follow your Bliss"

- here is the full quote plus some others.

When you follow your bliss... doors will open where you would not have thought there would be doors, and where there wouldn't be a door for anyone else. Joseph Campbell

The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are. Joseph Campbell

We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us. Joseph Campbell

Life is without meaning. You bring the meaning to it. The meaning of life is whatever you ascribe it to be. Being alive is the meaning. Joseph Campbell

Love is a friendship set to music. Joseph Campbell

Myths are public dreams, dreams are private myths. Joseph Campbell

God is a metaphor for that which transcends all levels of intellectual thought. It's as simple as that. Joseph Campbell

After a long time of denial, I now actually believe that I am travelling to New York then San Francisco in less than a month.......I do love travelling, but still get anxious because of all the preparation and rushing around before you go. I'm really looking forward to spending time with my son, Paull, who lives in NYC - then we are going together to the Blogher conference in San Fran . I'll fly home from there. Anticipation is half the enjoyment - so I need to get anticipating FAST!

Happy Birthday to the Queen......

I'm a staunch republican (that means the opposite to a monarchist in Australia) but thanks to the Queen, we have a holiday Monday in Australia every June. Hip Hip Hooray, Happy Birthday Queen Elizabeth! I'm celebrating her birthday (which is actually in April, but we get the holiday in June) and also celebrating the end of the huge report workload. So far I have:

• slept in (till eight !!)
• had brunch twice
• had lunch with my beautiful daughter
• meandered through Glebe markets
• seen two (2!) movies - so far: Maid of Honour and The Painted Veil;
• cooked a romantic dinner for two
• snuggled up in front of the heater with the papers

and there is a whole new day tomorrow for Yum Cha with old friends and maybe another movie.....maybe being a monarchy is not so bad.......

Teaching for the Soul...

The blog title came from a text message from a colleague. I'd just explained why I wasn't home doing reports - because I was running an art workshop for gifted kids - and that was his reply. I set up outside because it was a beautiful sunny autumn Saturday. The kids spread out across several tables and experimented with drawing faces from the shadows outwards to the features. We began with willow charcoal, then added detail with chalk and oil pastels and watercolour pencils. Several kids opted to stay on for a double workshop and made their own creations. They were a lovely bunch, aged from 4 to 11 - the concentration and level of conversation was intense. Listening to a 7 year old discussing Deltora Quest with a very articulate 11 year old reminded me of the main reason we run such workshops; it's not about the activity, it's about socialising with like-minded peers. The little guy in the picture didn't want to attend, then didn't want to leave!