I want to participate in the ProBlogger Group Writing Project and the topic is ‘Reviews and Predictions’, so I am very excited about reading what other bloggers offer on this topic. I love predictions! I enjoy reading Darren Rowse’s blog, I like his approach to writing and sharing and there are usually a couple of useful things to me each week even though I don’t expect to be a ‘problogger’.
My grand prediction for 2007 is that TED Talks will be worth tuning into. I just received their program for 2007 and I am delighted to see some of the upcoming talks.
The 9th of March for example boasts of Edward DeBono, Dan Goleman J.J. Abrams, Tracy Chapman and Isabel Allende. This is just one of the days. Icons. Geniuses. Mavericks. That just about covers it. There are some amazing visionary people on this list, too many to mention. I am looking forward to enjoying these talks next year.
On the topic of Isabel Allende, my kids bought me Ines of my Soul for my birthday and I am saving it for my holiday reading. I love her books! I enjoyed ‘My Invented Country’ this year and absolutely loved it. I enjoyed the whole concept that she had created this place and was able to recognise this. I also loved, as always with her writing, reading about Chile. It is definately on my list of places I want to go.
I predict Amanda Bloom will be in my CD collection in the future. I want more songs to listen to from her and I hope I will be able to add her CD to my Christmas list next year. In the meantime, listen to this podcast. There are some awesome Aussie women who are unsigned and very enjoyable. I have enjoyed this podcast.
Cloudbursting by Kate Bush
I wish Kate would bring her machine here and make some rain. Our town is drying up. All the people who cut their lawns really short, now have dead lawns. Ours still has a little green because we keep it long and leave the clippings on it, which I think helps to keep the grass alive.
It’s less smoky here today though than yesterday. I got a clip of the smoke coming from the nearby hills, but am having some issues with Revver right now so I can’t put it up. I will probably put it on Blip TV later tonight if I haven’t sorted it out and post it here tomorrow or later.
This blog post Cloudbursting on the blog “Cool Looking Stuff” is a great compilation of clips associated with Kate Bush’s great song from the ‘Hounds of Love’ album, Cloudbusting. There is an interview on the post that explains where she got her inspiration. I just love to learn about the inspiration behind the art. Whatever the art! It truly helps me to learn to draw from my own different sources when I am creating.
All roads lead to David Bowie
In the days before the final bell went at school, I gave each class an overview of what they would be learning next year and the topics that would be covered. Many of my students really weren’t interested as they could smell the holidays by that stage and the thought of next years learning wasn’t a priority. So I explained to them about the RAS antenae and how it could help them to do better next year.
I did a course once that was about learning and I only vaguely remember the facilitator talking about your Reticular Activating System or RAS being like antenae and once you decided to learn something you would begin to notice it everywhere. The example that was given was when you buy a new car that you feel is rare and distinctive and then you start to see it everywhere. I have had that experience! I have also found that often when I was studying at uni, information and knowledge that I needed would seem to come to me from all different sources that I wouldn’t have expected. If you are interesting in learning more about this there is an interesting discussion here.
Getting back to the topic, lately I have been seeing David Bowie everywhere. Well not in person, unfortunately, yet I rather fear that if I did he would make a song about me and it would hurt my feelings like the YouTube clip my brother sent me where he sang about a ‘Chubby Little Fat Guy’. I would put it on here, except I thought it was a little sad and cruel. I have no sense of humour sometimes.
I have been reading him on blogs everywhere. Just little snippets or photos. So I think my RAS on David Bowie is in action. The wonder of it is, that I don’t know why other than having been a fan for so many years. I have never been to a concert sadly. I was very close to going to one in 1983, yet it was the night before my HSC (now VCE)English exam. Why didn’t I just go anyway? It would have improved my performance. I know that now!
Instead I will put this interview from Rove that was filmed about 8 months ago and shows all the things I love about him. He is healthy, interested and creative with a dry sense of humour that I love. Rove is great also. ‘I’m a bit of a Sunday futurist’ Enjoy!