Fave Photo of the Week!

So it's Monday so that means it's time for the latest installment of 'Fave Photo Of The Week'. This photo comes to you via Rosie Hardy. Find it here.


Isn't it phenomenal?? On her website she tells how she set it up. I just love it that she looks she's floating in the middle of the forest. It's beautiful, abstract and unusual. Have to say there isn't much about this image that I would change - maybe lighten up some of the green. Rosie Hardy is great at capturing an image and altering it slightly to make it really sing. I hope I can be as skilled at wheedling my photoshop wand one day.

On the topic of photos it isn't long now til I set off on my wonderful European adventure (dream fulfillment right there folks!) I am so super excited about all the different photos I will be taking in different parts of the world. I so hope that I can manage to take photos to do the beautiful places justice.

What pictures are you loving this week?

Music That Moves Me

Sometimes I find writing my music post quite difficult. I have noticed I tend to listen to what I call 'schizophrenic playlists' with no real theme on genre. And sometimes I have necessary periods of silence where I barely listen to any music during the whole week.

But I digress... This week's music that is making my heart skip a beat in the stunning sounds of one St. Vincent. I'm just going to put a few videos up... I struggle to know what to write about music sometimes. Sometimes you can just like music for being music without real reason or purpose behind it or at least that's what I find...

Anyway,

Here the official video for 'Marrow'



And another official clip for 'Actor Out of Work'



I really like her official clips. They are simple and cute proving that sometimes you don't need flash and bang.

The video for 'Just The Same But Band New' is made by a fan for the simple fact - by their own confession - that they L-O-V-E the song. In fact said video maker insist that everybody must by the album.



There is something beautifully soothing about her voice. I can just put on her music on a simply drift and let my imagination wander. There is beauty, light and love in her words and tenor.

Is there a particular song ringing in your spirit this week?

When Life Gives You Lemons...

...

...Sometimes you're just stuck with lemons for a while.

Undoubtedly you will find sweetness and pure water soon enough. Lemonade will eventuate in it's own sweet time. But for the moment - just for a little while all you've got is lemons.

It is okay to feel the burn and the sting. It's okay to yearn for some sugar to compensate for the bitter tang. For some clear, clean water to dilute the overwhelming taste.

But there are lemons sure and true. Don't underestimate the power of the lemon though. A lemon can cleanse and refresh the palate so you can be ready for something new. The tangy, bitter bite can spur you on to make the big decisions and take decisive action.

Hold on to the gossamer hope that there will be sweetness in the end.

But right here, right now, at this very moment, there are lemons and you despise them.

Image found here.

Untitled
~ by Tafline

Sleep comes not easy to my weary soul tonight
My heart is screaming its lament
Just begging to be heard

In the deepest, darkest places doubt begins to grow
That nagging, sinister feeling that I won't make it
That I don't belong
The near silent whisper in my ear rasping
'You're not good enough
Not smart enough
Not pretty enough
Not even worth a cent'

Then in the stillness I gently hear
'Stand strong little soldier
There are battles yet to fight
But there is joy in the quiet place
And peace to find your rest'

I roll my shoulders back
Ready to fight and hold my ground
But in the battlefield of the mind
Is akin to guerrilla warfare
Sometimes taking me unawares

Best be on constant guard then
Always at the ready
To take on whatever may come my way

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'd love any feedback on my poetry as I'm always trying to perfect the art
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I hope that your day is filled with light and hope, wisdom and truth... and with as little lemon juice as possible. Take care of yourselves, my dear readers, whoever you may be.

Quote of the Week

The weekly quote post is here. This week's quote is an attempt to pick myself out of my current funk - where words are hard to come by and introspection is kicking me in the guts. Having said that this quote has encouraged me to get going, keep going and to be a person of action.

“Don't wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.” ~ Mark Victor Hansen

I find this quote rings so true. Things will never be perfect and it is fool-hardy to put off anything in an attempt to wait for a 'better' time because it is never going to happen. All that I need to do is to put on foot in front of the other and just keep moving.

Don't know who Mark Victor Hansen is? Click here to view his bio. (Yes it is a link to a Wikipedia page and yes my scholastic integrity just died).

Is there a particular quote that has pulled you out of your doldrums and spurred you on to action? I'd love to hear it.

Fave Photo of the Week!

You read right. I have decided, as discussed on my last Flickr Fave post, to change it to a favorite photo of the week. These can be found anywhere on the wonderful world wide web. I am no longer a slave to the tyrannical constraints of Flickr.

Anyway on to the photo of the week:


Image found here.

I love the concept behind this photo - it is so well thought-out and extremely well executed. A perfect representation of text messages and the ability for your words to seemingly fly away at a moments notice. I am completely crackers for paper cranes. I think they are absolutely charming. One thing I would change is to photoshop out the strings holding the paper cranes - I feel they make the photo a little too busy. But the absence of colour, the depth and the focal point really make this image pop.

What do you think of this photo? Does it capture you?

What are your thoughts on my slightly altered regular photo post? Would you like it to go back to being Flickr Fave? Was your heart filled with a foreboding dread at the thought of an alteration to the regular post? Let me know your thoughts.

The Suckyness of Feeling Stuck

Following on from my 'But What?' post. Sometimes I feel stuck - like life is rushing by me and I'm dawdling, wasting time and completely lost.

Rationally I know that I am not stuck. I know that I shouldn't measure my life against anyone else. I know that my life runs at a different speed and often leads in different directions. Rationally I realize that life isn't some super-secret formula that I didn't get.

Sometimes rationality goes out the window.

Because sometimes I get struck by an awful melancholy. Where I imagine my life in ten years time living in the same place, still single, still studying, surrounded by a multitude of cats having completed exactly none of my personal goals, having done nothing. Sometimes I feel like I'm not doing life right, like I'm not following the set formula. I constantly feel like I am completely out of step, marching to the beat of my own drum and what's worse marching in the wrong direction.

Then I remind myself that just because it feels like everyone else has a career, a partner, a house and a clear direction and I don't it doesn't mean I'm doing something wrong. I remember it's okay to break the mold. It just means I'm on a very interesting, sometimes winding, sometimes rocky, road that should be treated like the adventure it is. Life is an adventure!! It's not just about making it to the next stage - life is about the journey along the way.

I want to live a verse by Jay Malinowski (soon to be featured in my regular Music That Moves Me post)
A few lines from 'How It Comes Is How It Goes' really resonates with my spirit:

'Girls, some girls are talkin' mad
About things and lives and love they never had
You, you should run free
And be the one you were always gonna be'

I don't want to live my life constantly thinking about the 'what if's' and the 'why didn't life turn out right'. I really just want to run free into my own special place in life. The place where I am supposed to be - where I am comfortable, where I am free and most importantly where I am just me. I don't want to be a shoulda/coulda/woulda kinda girl who is always thinking about things that didn't eventuate. I want to be fully in the moment - enjoying my life for what it is right now, right this second.

I'm not saying I don't have goals. I do. Goals are important. But I'm not going to hold so tightly to my goals that it becomes a strangle-hold that pulls me under. Work towards your goals - yes. Try for the very best - yes. But don't become so focused on your goals that you miss what is happening right here, right now.

I will embrace the freedom of just being me. Not constantly comparing my life to others, not constantly wishing life were a different way but instead enjoying MY journey - not their journey but my journey. I will run the race that is set before me. Because life would be incredibly boring if we were all doing the same thing.

This will be a constant battle for me as I have a tendency towards the melancholy state of mind. But I am determine to enjoy life and not just sit by the sidelines for fear of doing something wrong. Life is too short to wait for it all to come together so I'd better get on it.

I hope that you have the strength to enjoy your life exactly where it is. What's happening in your world?

Image found here.

Music That Moves Me

I know I mentioned something about posting again this past Wednesday but instead I hit a wall. Boy did I hit the wall big time. A wave of tiredness overcame me making it nearly impossible to do anything and I'm still feeling the effects. I think my hectic lifestyle over the last couple of months finally caught up with me and knocked me flat.

As I've been trying to recuperate and not to stress out that my words seem to be failing me I have been listening to Joseph Arthur non-stop.

Here's Joseph playing 'A Smile That Explodes' live. Sounds a bit different to my 'in the studio' copy but still quality all the same.




This is another live recording of 'Echo Park':



I tend to be more drawn to his mellower music but I really enjoy his slightly more up beat stuff as well. There is is depth of feeling in this music - at least to me - which I find lacking in a lot of other music. His music manages to take me away from my time, place and space and allows me to just float freely on the beautiful melody. Joseph Arthur's music both relaxes and inspires me in the very same breath.

Joseph also enjoys penning poetry which I think you can tell from his quality lyrics. Here is one of my favorite poems by him.

She Ran Into The Store
~ by Joseph Arthur

She ran into the store
I waited in the car
The song we just recorded was playing
I began to weep
Nothing could contain my gratitude for this moment
This life
I felt absolved
Saved even
I asked without asking for forgiveness
I was granted without being granted absolution
I was free
A glimpse
An eternal glimpse
Of life outside the human window
The pathways of my sickness
Revealed and relieved
Childish ignorance
Nothing more menacing than that
Just unconsciousness moving to it’s own will unchecked
Feeding from and being fed to those around
But then the beauty of the song
The love of the people contained there in
The gratitude for a life that has led to this moment and opportunity
A life that has been very painful
But only as a frame for the godhead center
Like an infinite rose made of consciousness and light breaking open in slow motion with atom bomb insight into the hearts and souls of man planted and contained and cared for and embraced in his heart
And yes I felt or saw or felt/saw his heart
And so I wept
And she ran out of the store
Full of love and generosity
And then she started driving but then noticed my tears
And pulled over
And with her hand
Gently reached over
And wiped them away.

His poetry can be found here.

Are you a Joseph Arthur fan? What music are you listening to you this week? I hope this post finds you well, happy and in the constant pursuit of your dreams.

Quote of the Week

It's that time again... It's QUOTE TIME!!! (Doesn't have quite the same ring to it as Hammer Time, does it?).

Anyway, what do you guys think of last week's quote? A big thank you to Bobbyd for an fantastic quote I've never heard of. It's defiantly going into the quote collection.

Today's quote is a favorite of mine. Whenever I'm feeling self-conscious or unsure of myself I remind myself of this quote and it gives me a defiant boost. It was said by an awesome author - a defiant plus.

Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. ~ Dr. Suess

How fantastic is Dr. Suess? I can't remember if I was read Dr. Suess when I was little. But I'm pretty sure I would have heard his word somewhere. His ability to rhyme is phenomenal - a true talent to be sure.

As I said last time I am a great fan of quotes so please share!! I'll probably be back later today for another post - today is going to be fantastic!

In the meantime I hope you have a fantastic day filled with fun, friends and frivolity. But I'm wondering - Is there a quote encourages you to remain true to yourself? If so, please share!

That What Is...

You and I
~ by Tafline

You sing me incomplete lullabies
You don't look at me in the morning

You tell me I can do anything
You question my every move

You are with me wherever I go
You forever wonder about my future

You berate me for my mistakes
You never leave me alone

You live only in my head
You will never consume my heart

You are the ever opinionated voice of self

Stop Motion Love...

I am currently slightly obsessed with stop motion videos. My DSLR has the capability to make them and I'm keen to experiment...

Here's a sample of an amazing stop motion movie.



It's it simply fantastic? I don't think I will ever be able to make something that beautiful and complex but I'd like to give it a go.

Is there anything you've been wanting to try for a while?

Flickr Fave!

I'm starting to think that I'd like this regular post to be a 'Fave Photo of the Week' instead of 'Flickr Fave'. I find Flickr somewhat limiting - I mean I find such beautiful photos all over the net not just on Flickr. For example I love trolling on deviantART for some stunning pictures. I'll have a think about it. But for this week at least...

This week's Flickr Fave is Brooke Shaden.


Some of her pictures are completely freaky - elongated necks, bodies sinking into cement and heads that are blurring. But they are so interesting and so well composed.


There is amazing mood, depth and feeling in these pictures. They contain a stunning visual quality and are dreamy and lovely.


Take a look at her blog as well.
Note: No copywrite infringement intended

But What?

A person - whose opinion I respect more than basically anyone - recently suggested it's time for me to take the next step.

I whole-heatedly agree...

But now I am left with that awful question:

What exactly is the next step?

In general society terms everyone lives according to milestones - baby is born, baby is crawling/talking/walking, child begins school, child finishes school, young adult decides what to be in life, adult meets someone, marriage maybe, pregnancy, baby is born.

I have no problem with this cycle - this is what keeps life going. To be clear I'm just talking in general terms. I realize that life is far more complex.

But there can be a problem when you fall outside the 'normal' sphere. When you want something different from life and just can't seem to fit. I am completely happy to be unique - it's an integral part of my identity.

This, however, can create a problem. I'm finding it hard to figure out the next step. What I do know is - at this point in my life - it doesn't really fit into the above cycle.

Does taking the next step mean pursuing the idea of trying to get my written work published? Does it mean focusing on my photography and possibly setting up my own business? Does it mean looking for a full-time job? I feel adrift in a sea of indecision. I'm excited to take the next step but I am at a loss to know what that step is.

What would the next step be?

I believe that life has to move forward - becoming stagnant is a dangerous thing. But sometimes it is necessary to carve out some time from the busyness of life to figure out where you need to go and what you need to do.

So I'm carving out some time to try and figure out what the next step would be and grasp what I need to do. But in amongst all this turmoil I know that it will all work out in the end... There will be bumps and stumbles and a heap of mistakes and many, many hurts but it will be okay.

Life may not take me where I expect it to but I am determined to enjoy the ride.


Image found here.

Music That Moves Me

I'm loving a Australian band for this week's Music That Moves Me. Funnily enough this isn't a surge of national pride - I didn't even know they were Australian's til about 5 min ago. What's more they're from Queensland (my home state) so they must be good!

It is my pleasure to introduce The Middle East. Side note: I have no earthly idea why they chose that as a band name - seems slightly odd to say the least (maybe familial connection to the region? Maybe because it sounded cool? I just don't know) . If you happen to know please fill me in. I'm dying to find out!!

Now they don't have that much music out there - just an EP listed on iTunes at the moment. But I'm hoping they release a full length CD soon because I simply love their sound.

Here's the official clip for their song entitled 'Blood'



Simply beautiful music. There is something completely enthralling about their sounds

Someone on YouTube used The Middle East song called 'Lonely' for a school project - it's actually okay plus it's has the best sound quality for the song. Take a look.



Aren't they just wonderful? I find it the perfect musical accompaniment to laying back a letting your mind wander. If you like The Middle East make sure to take a look at their MySpace as well.

What music are you listening to this week?

Quote of the Week

I love quotes, don't you? I find that sometimes what you want to say is best said by someone else. So I've decided to start up a 'Quote of the Week' post. This week comes via a fantastic friend of mine who knows my obsession with quotes

"There is no nobler profession, nor no greater calling, than to be among those unheraled many who gave and give their lives to the preservation of human knowledge, passed with commitment and care from one generation to the next" ~ Laurence Overmire

Don't know who Laurence Overmire is? Take a look at his biography here. He is a poet, author, actor and director.

I particularly like quotes about knowledge, art, creativity and individuality. But I am always on the look out for quotes that just resonate with my spirit and sum up my feelings on any particular subject.

Are there any particular quotes that make you go "That's it. That's what I want to say"? Care to share?

What Is Life?

~ by Tafline

Life is

Never simple

Never easy

Life is

Forever brilliant

Forever beautiful

Life is

Increasingly hard

Increasingly painful

Life is

Worth the pain

Worth the hardship

Life is

Full of choices

Full of mistakes

Life is

Yours to use

Yours to enjoy

Life is

Sometimes disappointing

Sometimes tragic

Life is

Incredibly short

Incredibly wonderful

Life is

What you do

What you speak

Life is

Purpose less

Purpose full

Life is

Surrounded by friends

Surrounded by family

Life is

Bursting with joy

Bursting with experience

Life is

Devastatingly tainted

Devastatingly pure

Life is

Covered in meaning

Covered in importance

Life is

A journey

A destination

Life was

Heartbreakingly stunning

Heartbreakingly bright…

Perspective will do that to you I guess

Image found here.

The Theory of Swing Sets

When I was little I used to L-O-V-E playing on swings. The wind in your hair as you watch your little place in the world sail by. It is basically bliss and freedom.

As I got older I stopped playing on swings as much - I thought I needed to assert my 'adulthood' (at the very gown up age of 13). This was my way of putting away childish things. But I missed it - I felt the loss of the playground.

I recently played on a swing and realized exactly how wonderful it is. My swing on the swing set cleared my mind, decreased my stress and by the end I had the biggest smile on my face. It changed my perspective on certain things and allowed me to take some me time - when I wasn't concerned about what was next on my schedule, the uni work I have yet to complete, the slight financial pressure I feel at times or the constant distraction of various electronic devices.

Now to my theory of swing sets: I have decided that world would be a much better place if we all took the time to just play. To enjoy life, take a moment in time and just play. For my mental health I think a swing on a swing set will become a necessary part of my life. Playing on swings will carve me out a bit space and freedom for myself away from all the distractions that can tend to take over my life.

So from now on I pledge to play on swing sets...

Are you a fan of swing sets?



Image found here.

Flickr Fave!

Well it's Monday so that means it's Flickr Fave Day. I swear I think I spend half my day looking at pretty pictures to add to My Heart.

So today's Flickr Fave winner is... as I draw it out for as long as possible because I know you're all waiting with baited breath... Rachielllll.

Below is one of my favorite images of hers. Something about it just feels so free.


Swing by her photostream and take a look at her other pictures.

Note: No copy-write infringement intended

What photos are you loving this week?

Wow!! That Went Quick...

I was just having a troll through my past blog posts and I came across an amazing fact...

My blog turned 1 today!!

I'm so proud! So this is me wishing my blog and my readers a BIG Happy Birthday.



Thank you to my blog for giving me the freedom to express my views and opinions. For allowing me to share my life's experiences, blog, I will be forever thankful. Thank you blog for listening to my issues and hearing my poetry.

Going into this blogging thing I wasn't sure I'd like it or have much use for it. Now I can't imagine life with my little blog to listen to me. I love you blog!

A huge thank you to whoever reads my little blog. I appreciate anyone who stops by for a little look, wanders a while in the musings of my mind and reads my poetry. You are fantastic!!

Got Me Thinking...

I started a new unit at uni last Wednesday - Written Communication - and one of the first tasks has really got me thinking and suffering from sleepless nights.

The lecturer asked the class to write their own obituaries with unusual or creative causes of death. Slightly macabre maybe but the result was some interesting manners of death.

But that's not what's causing my sleeplessness. I'm not terrified that I'm going to be burnt at the stake under accusation of witchcraft (my cause of death). Rather the exercise caused a chain reaction of thoughts making me wonder what if I really was to die how would my obituary read. What would be written in my eulogy?

There is some book or movie or speech - I can't remember which - that makes reference to living the first line of your eulogy. If I were to die today, right this second, what would be said about my life? To clarify this isn't my way of announcing that I have a deadly disease and am not expected to make it to Christmas. This is more of a reflective exercise.

My life has had some interesting parts to be sure. But when push comes to shove have I lived a life that could fill a page? I wonder how my life would be remembered.

These are things that could be said:
- She was undertaking a Bachelor of Arts majoring in English Literature (not completed)
- She was a wanna be photographer
- She fancied herself to be a bit of a poet (unpublished)
- She wanted to be an author but never really got around to it
- She lived in PNG for a while there and a few places in Australia
- She blogged
- She struggled with chronic pain and lived with a disability
- She traveled a bit but not as much as she would have liked

Now, don't get me wrong, I am by no means unhappy with my life. I am more just wondering about the measure of my life. Also how can you go about summing up a life? What can be considered as a 'well lived' life?

I would like, whenever my time ends, to be able to be talked about as a poet, photographer and author. I would like to be considered as someone who follows their art and doesn't compromise on their values. As someone who maintains integrity and truth.


This is not a complaint... It is more a reality check. Reminding me that life is short and you can't afford to waste one single moment of it. I need to enjoy all of my life, not just waiting for it all to come together. Is life a sum total of all the small parts or is it the bigger things that matter?

The question of the day is: What would your eulogy say about you?

Music That Moves Me

I realize that, if only for alliteration purposes, it would be far better for my two regular blog posts to switch days i.e. Flickr Fave on a Friday and Music The Moves Me on a Monday. But everyone does their music posts on Mondays so I prefer to be different...

But now on to the post. The music that's making my life a better place at the moment is... drum roll please... Loquat (and no I'm not referring to the fruit tree)

There is something dreamy, beautiful and wonderful about their lyrics and their sound. I stumbled across them on the internet somewhere or another and have immediately been taken with them. Part bubbly part indie but all fantastic. It sounds to me like sweetness and light and beauty.

Here is one of Loquat's songs called 'Need Air'
.

And because I am so in love with this band I'll share another one. This is the official video for the song 'Big Key, Little Door'.



I like to try and find different and/or slightly unusual bands to talk about it. Let me know what you think. But in the meantime what music are you loving at the moment?

Find Me

You'll Find Me

~ Words by Tafline

In an unbeknown time

In an unbeknown place

That’s where you’ll find me

Standing at the edge

Standing on the shore

That’s where you’ll find me

Lost in a fairytale

Lost in a nightmare

That’s where you’ll find me

Dancing in the rain

Dancing in the streets

That’s where you’ll find me

Under the trees

Under the water

That’s where you’ll find me

In the deepest of sleeps

In the deepest of dreams

That’s where you’ll find me…

Image found here.

Lens Lust...

As you no doubt know by now I am a major photography lover. I love looking at pretty pictures, composing and taking shots and being rewarded in the end with more pretty pictures. To me, in short, it is pure bliss. Now, I'm not that good yet but I'm loving learning how to get better.

Anyhow I have decided on the next 'MUST HAVE' item...

I am in major lens love with the Nikkor AF-S DX 35mm f/1.8
Isn't it pretty? I want one. I want one right now!

This is quite a shift for me because I always thought the next lens I'd like to buy would be a super macro lens of some sort. That isn't to say that I don't want a macro lens - I very much do. But I want this lens more.

What brought me to this decision? Well, like any good university student I have been doing some major research into photography. Looking for tips and tricks of the trade and stuff. What I discovered is most of the pros out there suggest this as a great all round lens.

I stumbled upon a fairly unique (which is always favorable in my book) kind of guy who is a real pro and gives real advice. He gives this lens a thumbs up and that's good enough for me. His name is Jared Polin and apparently he is highly sort after as a music/concert photographer shooting (that just sounds macabre!) some pretty famous faces including President Obama. Check out his website FroKnowsPhoto. As I said he's a pretty unique, kinf-of-out-there sort of guy but he's willing to share some awesome tips... Plus I'm a bit of a sucker for a Fro!

But back to the matter at hand... I must have this lens! Here's hoping I can get saving and buy this little beauty.

Now a question for any photography buffs out there... Do you have this lens (or something like it)? What do you think of it?

In the meantime I will sleep and dream of cameras, lenses, fros and trees with money for leaves...

Flickr Fave!

It's that time of the week again... Do I hear a chorus of 'Yay'? Of course I do. Everyone loves Flickr Fave day.

Now as I look over the last two Flickr Fave entries I realize that they have both been females so today I've decided to have a boy Flickr Fave today.

My Flickr pick of the week is Christopher Goette.

He is a super talented photographer. He somehow manages to to capture movement really well. Here are a few of my favorites.
He has a ballerina project that are a beautiful series of photographs. Here are some samples.


Take a look at his website as well. It's beautiful
No copyright infringement intended

Dream Boat
~ Words and photo by Tafline

Boat of dreams
Take me away
Let me sail the seas
Of imagination

Boat of dreams
Let me run free
Into the forgotten places
Of my mind

Boat of dreams
Draw me deeper
To the sweet expanse
Of creativity

Boat of dreams
Carry me forward
Into the inky depths
Of the subconscious

Words and photo by Tafline Hoey all rights reserved