Bat out of Hell*

Photos from my walk this afternoon

I was actually running along when I took this shot not that you can tell!

It's a bat colony next to the river

 Like a bat out of hell

I'll be gone when the morning comes
But when the day is done
And the sun goes down
And moonlight's shining through
Then like a sinner before the gates of heaven
I'll come crawling on back to you

*Bat out of Hell - Meatloaf

The Book of Love* - Part IV

I have been joining in with somewhere along a winding path to count the number of books I read in a year. I recently tried to link back to the book list at the above blog via the blog button and then by going straight to the blog. It appears the blog has been closed.

I am enjoying myself however and will continue to record what I am reading each month. I have also put a list on my side bar.

15. The Weight of Silence - Heather Gudenkauf

sourced from google images

16. Golden Buddha - Clive Cussler

sourced from google images

17. Bird by Bird - Anne Lamott

sourced from google images

This was a great little book and very inspiring and quick and easy to read. It made writing a novel seem easy! I know it isn't, but I thought I could do it if I really wanted to. I found heaps of things that I can apply to writing my thesis, and am putting them into practice already. I highly recommend this book to those that are writing no matter what it is. I have had the kernel of an idea for a children's book for a few years, and it also helped to flesh this out a little - even if I should be writing my thesis, not a children's book!

18. The Brain that Changes Itself - Norman Doidge

sourced from google images

I had started this book last year, but I didn't get very far. It is a really interesting book about brain processes, and how we can always build new pathways. I knew that it was possible to build different neural pathways having worked in brain injury rehabilitation as a music therapist, and knowing that  music is a medium that can assist the brain to do this.

19. The Innocent Man - John Grisham

sourced from google images

This is John Grisham's first true crime novel. It is well written and an interesting account of the events that happened in a little town called Ada in Oklahoma, in the 1980's.

20. Today's Best Non Fiction -  Readers Digest

sourced from google images

This is a book of 5 non fiction stories

• The Railway Man - Eric Lomax. This story is about a young man who loved trains and was a POW during the second world war. The story described his torture and life following.
• A Plague of Caterpillars - Nigel Barley. This story describes the circumcision ritual of the Dowayo people in Cameroon.
• Katharine Hepburn - Barbara Leaming. An interesting biography that examines Katharine Hepburn's life from the perspective of her family.
• The Romanovs - Robert K. Massie. Describes the end of the Romanov family
• Raising Lazarus - Robert Pensack, MD & Dwight Williams. This is a first hand experience of a heart attack and the aftermath.

Some of it is just transcendental
Some of it is just really dumb

*The Book of Love - Peter Gabriel

Home Among The Gum Trees*

The Time has come!

It's definitely time to move!

After this and this, then this and this.

We have been back and forth many times about whether to move or whether to stay, we have been told by our landlords (who have sold the house and are waiting to settle) that the new owners want vacant possession. We are not sure if they can legally do that at this point, but what we know is that we will have to move. I might be in 60 days, or it might be in 120 days, but whatever happens the outcome is determined now.

In one way it is good because we have flip flopped about the decision so many times since last august when we found out the house was to be sold. I kept saying the time was not right. 

Well guess what - the time is right now. We are excited and tomorrow will be spent looking at potential rental properties. We want to move as soon as we can, and begin a new phase in our lives. It is exciting. There have been a few changes lately that have been pointing to this and now we can see our way to moving.

Bring it on!

Give me a home among the gumtrees
With lots of plum trees
A sheep or two, a k-kangaroo
A clothesline out the back
Verandah out the front
And an old rocking chair 

*Home among the Gum Trees - John Williamson

Represent*

The question today is PROCESS or REPRESENTATION?

It seems I am trying to do too many things in my PhD. I wanted to try and design evaluation that includes the voices of vulnerable and marginalised communities, as well as define and measure the process that occurs during Community Music Therapy and Community Cultural Development.

I got a bit sidetracked onto process and headed off on the way to try and describe it - at least for the purpose of what I am doing. After supervision on Thursday last week, in which both my supervisors were present, it was suggested to me that I needed to bed down my question and that means deciding what it is I really want to look at for the next few years. 

After some discussion today with my best friend, I have decided to concentrate on what initially led me down this path of study, and that is representation within evaluation. It was suggested to me that maybe examining participation might be the way to go.

AAAH it is proving challenging at this stage to pin down what I am most passionate about!!!

You will represent who you stand for
They won't shame you
They won't change you
There's a consequence for the path you chose
They can't change you
They can't make you who you are not

*Represent - Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

Right Here, Right Now*

Today's activities included...

 Resting...

Reading...

 Coffee...

Computer...

and a little retail therapy thrown in.

A Lovely Lazy Day in the middle of the week. Hope yours is too!!

Right here, right now, there is no other place I want to be

 *Right Here, Right Now - Jesus Jones

Suggested by The Mindful Music Therapist. 

Changes*

Time to make to some changes.

I was getting a little tired of seeing the same blog template, so I have been learning about how to customise my blog with the help of my partner (She's a wiz!)

I wanted to use some of my own photos and now I have learnt to do it. I am very excited because I can now change things as often as I like around here.

There have been a lot of things going on at work and with my study, that make me feel there are some changes in the air.

 I am opening myself up to the possibilities!!

Meanwhile, I am having a little break from work and thoroughly enjoying myself. Last Friday I cleaned out the shed, which was a job that has been hanging around for a while, so it feels great to have that done.

Saturday I hung out with my niece and nephew and we did some baking for Easter.

 Before...

After. YUM!!

and observed the artist at work...

Sunday we had Easter lunch with the fam, and Monday, dinner with friends before a quiet dinner out together tonight at Mezza.

A bit of down time is indicated tomorrow, before this little break continues at speed!
(I hope to continue with my book list reading)

So I turned myself to face me
But I've never caught a glimpse
Of how the others must see the faker
I'm much too fast to take that test
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes

*Changes - David Bowie

Anniversary Waltz*

We just discovered each other
Tonight when the lights were low
One dance led up to another
And now I can't let you go

So tell me I may always dance
The Anniversary Waltz with you
Tell me this is real romance
An anniversary dream come true

*Anniversary Waltz - Vera Lynn

Today is our 11th anniversary.

We are treating ourselves to some luxury.

We had big plans for our 10th anniversary last year, bring number 10, that is pretty significant we thought, let's treat ourselves to a lovely dinner at a restaurant we have always wanted to go to. The booking was made months in advance as was needed, and we got very excited. Unfortunately, weeks before the big event it became obvious that I was not well enough to go and enjoy the experience, so we pulled the plug on the sumptuous dinner experience, and decided to go somewhere local. This turned out to be a good idea as I was ready to head home to bed after entree (that's appetisers for my American friends, not main course)

One year on, things are so different and this is what I looked at while eating a lovely dinner last night before enjoying bathing in the thermal pools among the beautiful surroundings of Peninsula Hot Springs.

Bliss!!!

After a night staying at the holiday house of some very generous friends, we are heading back this morning to sample some more bathing. Can't wait.

Happy Anniversary my love. I Love You. XXX

Let this be the answer
To our future years
Through millions of smiles
And a few little tears
May I always listen to
The Anniversary Waltz
With you... 

*Anniversary Waltz - Vera Lynn