Words aren’t Enough To Convey How Much I Miss You.

Posted on May 3, 2019 by Rod's World

I have begun an amazing journey with one of the best Spoken Word artists in Australia if not the world Fleassy Malay, it’s about public speaking and is called Rise: Access to the journey. Fleassy has a spoken word performance Witches, Fleassy’s inspiring poem on women’s empowerment, reached 1,000,000 views in 3 days. It currently sits at over 2,600,000 views in less than one year: Witches.

Truth is Fleassy’s power used to scare the shit out of me, as when she performed she stood in her power, something I had sought for over 60 years and until this year, failed to achieve. Each week of the course I am falling more deeply in love with what gifts she has to offer the world. Each week we have a group Zoom call, this week it was on giving and receiving gifts. I belong to the tribe of the Givers and am incredibly naff at the latter. Each person shared their own version of how they perform them, each one was unique.

So I went in search of my quotes on the subject, not surprisingly there are thousands more on giving than there are on receiving. I think the ones I have chosen display this quite well, let’s begin the journey:

1. It doesn’t say you have to create a cycle of giving and receiving that never ends.

2. The red words are the important ones: The law of Giving and Receiving.

3. Self Care is always an essential part of the recipe though.

4. Dame Freya Madeline Stark DBE was an Anglo-Italian explorer and travel writer. She wrote more than two dozen books on her travels in the Middle East and Afghanistan as well as several autobiographical works and essays. She was one of the first non-Arabs to travel through the southern Arabian Desert. I imagine that she would have had to be a maven at receiving given the cultural conversations of the time in that part of the world: Sweet Child of Mine.

5. Love the name, Peace Pilgrim, and her ethos.

6. And yes, they rhyme: Treasure.

7. The names a little bit clouded, but what a beautiful quote.

8. This is exactly what we discussed today: Superwoman.

9. How good are you at actually asking for receiving help, let alone a gift?

10. From Little Things, big things grow: That magnificent song.

11. Yes, it can fulfil your dreams.

12. Bit obscure, but I love the colours: Singing In The Rain.

13. One of my top ten on the net, I have 5,000 groups, so that says something. if you don’t know him, Google time.

14. Loretta Young was an American actress. Starting as a child actress, she had a long and varied career in film from 1917 to 1953. She won the 1948 Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in the 1947 film The Farmer’s Daughter and received an Oscar nomination for her role in Come to the Stable in 1949. Young moved to the relatively new medium of television, where she had a dramatic anthology series, The Loretta Young Show, from 1953 to 1961. The series earned three Emmy Awards, and was re-run successfully on daytime TV and later in syndication. In the 1980s, Young returned to the small screen and won a Golden Globe for her role in Christmas Eve in 1986: Nobody’s Perfect.

15. The final lesson, there’s that asking word again. Go on, you can do it.

I’m sure as I go through the excellent material provided by Fleassy to transform my listening and ability in the arena of Public Speaking I will fall more deeply in love with what this course has to offer, by the way, it is online so any of you can sign up, we have a few Americans already.

How could I not start the playlist with Spoken Word, so Deepak Chopra leads off followed by The Gunners. Some pop from Bruno Mars and Alicia Keys fill the next two slots. My most ever chosen Playlist song is next, an Aussie classic by Paul Kelly and Missy Higgins. We finish with two uniquely diverse artists, Hollywoods Gene Kelly, and the pop world artificially created Hannah Montana: Words aren’t Enough to Convey How Much I Miss You

So to our beloved group of humans on the Rise journey, I wish you Love and Respect for All, Everyone Included. Until we meet again, my dear friends.

If you Haven’t grown up by 50, You Don’t Have To!!

Posted on April 30, 2019 by Rod's World

Birthdays, we have one every year, I have had 64 of them, something I did not expect to happen in my earlier wild, lost years. We are sort of given a list we are meant to fulfil by our parents: The partner, the kids, the house etc. etc. – I have failed dismally in adding a tick next to these particular things. Instead, I have my conscious community of friends, wild adventures like attending Confest, dancing regularly every week and making chai for two of the dances.

I am at that time in my life that I hear and read about aging gracefully, Fuck That – Its time to party and experience and provide all the things that our community offers and needs us to share our gifts with them. I was having such a conversation with two amazing women at a friends birthday who had broken the mould as well. On our journeys, we tend to find each other over time, firstly we must make some mistakes on the way but our passion and purpose finally get us there.

What does society say about aging with passion, here are a few of my favourite things:

1. Taken to the extreme in one of my all-time favourite movies, Scarface.

2. Especially if you suffered the same fate as the author of this quote, they shot him: My Baby Shot Me Down.

3. This looks like a good read, great title.

4. Fever means something different to those with passion in their bones: Fever.

5. Takes something to get here, but Fuck, Yes.

6. Marie Dressler was a Canadian-American stage and screen actress, comedian, and early silent film and Depression-era film star. Successful on stage in vaudeville and comic operas, she was also successful in film. In 1914, she was in the first full-length film comedy. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1931. A career that rose and fell only to rise again because she did not buy the I am too old bullshit: Fly Me To The Moon.

7. Who wants to keep making those stupid societal errors anyway.

8. And they all came to celebrate my friend Jules at Naked for Satan on Sunday: That’s What Friends are For.

9. Hail the enthusiastic ones.

10. In 1970, after stepping down as NOW’s first president, Friedan organized the nationwide Women’s Strike for Equality on August 26, the 50th anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution granting women the right to vote. The national strike was successful beyond expectations in broadening the feminist movement; the march led by Friedan in New York City alone attracted over 50,000 people. Betty was 49 at the time: I Feel Shitty

11. Birthday today, time to break the rules.

12. Not just a presidents wife, one rocking mama: Hello.

13. Pick your favourite.

14. If you do this properly, dementia will never be a thing: In My Life.

15. For the final lesson, the first words are cut off, they are not really needed.

There are many ways to live ones live, your soul knows what is best for you.

Jules, the playlist is for you, Seven amazing female divas. Nancy Sinatra begins the journey followed by Peggy Lee. Dianne Krall and Dionne Warwick produce two absolute classics followed by the quirky Jane Friedman who you will not have heard of. The letter A features in the last two tracks with Adele and Allison Crowe. Jules, I expect to hear some of these at your next gig with Austin: If you Haven’t grown up by 50, You Don’t Have To!!

My life is dedicated to Love and Respect For All, Everybody Included no matter what your age, Until next time, my dear friends.

She slept next to the Fires!!

Posted on April 25, 2019 by Rod's World

It took just on a week to get back from the magical land that is known as Confest. The title comes from the glorious minimalist I meet on the last day who had decided to come the day before Confest began, she hopped in her car with a backpack and slept on the earth the entire time, could also do the most amazing earth sounds, I fell in love with her from the moment she shared her vision for the planet.

How do I feel after experiencing my first Confest in 30 years, a mixture of joy and sadness actually. The joy that I have come home again and sadness that I waited 30 years to return. There were hundreds of things to do, workshops, mudtribes, Temple rooms, Silent discos, I chose to hang around our firepit in Tranquility during the day: the drug, alcohol and smoke-free camping area and receive the connections that would come my way and must admit to a silent disco addiction garnered from attending similar events in the Edinburgh Gardens in Fitzroy. They were not the same, the evil energy of drugs and alcohol permeated the tent, still, I danced.

How did the connecting go, fucking magnificently: Saturday night this is the countries represented around our little fire: Finland, Chile, Argentina, Japan, China, The United States, and me as the token Aussie.

The United States started it all with Woodstock, Confest is Australia’s answer. Woodstock’s motto was Peace and Love, how did Confest fulfil that in my heart and how do we as human beings do that on an ongoing basis, let’s have a look:

1, Jimi performed at Woodstock, he would have loved Confest. Died too young at 27.

2. MLK Jnr. knew what was a need, they shot him: Love Your Enemies.

3. Just keeping it real.

4. Heartspace, way to go: Listen to Your Heart.

5. From the greatest of philosophers, Ms Unknown comes this pearl of wisdom.

6. Working together to make the change, Fuck Yes: Let’s Stick Together.

7. Self-love first, the rest will follow, there were 10,000 souls to share yours with.

8. His Holiness recognizes Love and Peace as the new religion that will make the difference, will you: Love is My Religion.

9. If you don’t know who Ram Dass is, check him out, pure gold.

10. Only one song: Stairway to Heaven.

11. Of course, we cannot forget the powerful morning potion after the few hours of sleep got each night.

12. I met dozens of these beautiful angels over the time I was there: Give Peace a Chance.

13. If you truly want to integrate the Confest spirit in your life, do this.

14. And, especially this: We are family.

15. And the final lesson comes from the divine one, Maya Angelou.

What was the most profound moment of Confest for me? When the indigenous elder ran up to me and said, it is good to see you again this lifetime, then performed a ceremony on my face for 15 minutes in the indigenous language, then told me to listen to the forest. Want to know what it said? It said why do these people come here and play the musical instruments of Africa and sing the songs of India, don’t they know we are the oldest surviving culture on the planet and we have our own sounds. We will heal when they leave. it feels like I can hear the Earthsong. By the way, I had never met him in my life.

The playlist of Love and Peace contains some spoken word and all-time classic anthems. We begin with Martin Luther King Jr, then the unusual combination of Roxette and Eminem. Back in time to Bryan Ferry, then Bob’s son Ziggy Marley. Two more old Love and Peace classics follow from Led Zeppelin and John Lennon. We finish all in the family with Chic and Sister Sledge, Lots of live versions because music is just better live: She Slept next to the Fire!!

Confest was a great example of how I want the world to relate: Love and Respect for All, Everyone Included. Until next time, my dear friends.

Freedom is a State of Mind!!

Posted on April 18, 2019 by Rod's World

Going off the grid for 5 days from 6AM tomorrow morning, off to Confest for the first time in 30 years with two of my friends who are Confest virgins. A little about the festival: ConFest (Conference/Festival) is a gathering of people wishing to share talents, skills, ideas, concerns and philosophies in a caring fun loving and tolerant atmosphere. The presentation of workshops, demonstrations, entertainments and the maintenance of site facilities are all performed by volunteers, monetary payment is neither accepted nor made.

At ConFest, people often set up villages with differing themes. ConFest is a clothing optional space, this means ConFesters can wear, or not wear anything they chose. Everywhere at ConFest is clothes optional. Don’t be surprised to have a naked ticket collector when you arrive at the ConFest gate. Clothing can range from nothing to body paint, a coat of mud, a sheet, a fairy costume, even a ball gown or dinner suit. At ConFest, clothing is not gendered specific. There is just one simple rule, respect other ConFester’s choices. A long-running and very popular ConFest tradition is the communal artist’s studio. Activities include body and sign painting, life drawing, clay work, organic art, photography etc. Artists, models and workshop facilitators are always welcome.

I am looking forward to returning, last time I went it was around 1,000 people, it is now over 6,000. How do 6,000 people express their own individual shades of freedom? Then, how does society comment on personal freedom, let’s have a look:

1. I love that saying, there is only climbing.

2. Its all in the air: The Air that I Breathe.

3. Thucydides has been called the father of the school of political realism, which views the political behaviour of individuals and the subsequent outcomes of relations between states as ultimately mediated by and constructed upon the emotions of fear and self-interest.

4. You got to fight for the right to…: You’ve got to Fight…

5. Mail, Key, Bike, etc. etc. etc.

6. There are rules that you are not meant to follow in your life, they are your bullshit rules: Nkosi Sikilel iAfrika.

7. The next step after freedom.

8. I . have met many of these fine people in the past six years of my healing journey, far too many to mention, you know who you are, Thank you: Love Street.

9. It travels hand in hand with integrity.

10. Nothing, Nada, No way, Fuck Off: No Way, Get Fucked, Fuck Off.

11. One word – Rumi!!

12. It may be known as Nirvana: Come as You Are.

13. Ask, expect. depend: Cry Freedom.

14. The curly haired eccentric one knows how to say it: Believe.

15. And our final lesson, two words: Fuck Yes.

What workshops will I do, they go all day supposedly. I will do ones that touch my heart.

Today’s playlist is great. A classic from The Hollies, The Beastie Boys next imploring you to …, A stirring National Anthem is thrown in next. Three of my faves from different eras, The Doors, The Angels from OZ, finishing with Nirvana. Mumford and Sons close it out with a plea to our senses: Freedom is a State of Mind.

Freedom to me would be the world living from Love and Respect for All, Everyone Included. Until we meet again on the other side, my dear friends.

Humans are still the most extraordinary Computer of All!!

Posted on April 15, 2019 by Rod's World

How am I feeling after our Warriors of Love training day on Identity and Essence offered by Arion Light and his Essence School? Link to a New Future.

My Essence is Trust in Intimacy and sees me on a journey as to what it would take to have life be intimate moment by moment in my daily interactions with my family, friends, workmates, and potential lovers as that is an area I am working on after a ten year drought and a 12 month amazing journey.

We did an exercise on giving feedback in regards to our identities and our Essence. All went well as the first two people got it right in giving me feedback to my identity that was areas they thought I could improve in coming from I love you, Rod. Bring on the third person, who started by praising my identity which brought up the following thought, Wait, you are doing it wrong and then an aha moment that I related that my identity was all that was wrong about me and that if people really knew that about me they would never speak to me let alone interact with me in a relationship.

So, how has the human race spoke about Identity and Essence, let’s have a wee look:

1. Busyness vs. Passion, The choice is up to you.

2. Mahatma, we are called the Warriors of Love, 33 and expanding: Faith.

3. We leave no one behind.

4. I work at a place called the Darebin Intercultural Centre. The word Intercultural was specifically chosen to empower what the above quote is pointing at: Common Cultures.

5. John Abbot (1751-c.1840) was an American naturalist and artist. He was the first artist in the New World to create an extensive series of insect drawings and to show insects in all stages of development. In addition to more than 3000 insect illustrations, he also produced drawings of birds and plants. He obviously believed all creatures were part of the earth’s culture.

6. Another Warrior’s essence is clarity, this quote reminds me of his stand for it: Set Your Controls for the Heart of the Sun.

7. Do you know what you really want?

8. How fucking beautiful is this from Albert, rocks my world: Real Love.

9. Not up to them, It’s up to you and the actions you are willing to take it to make it happen.

10. I love the way Brene Brown says it: Dare to Lead: Dare To Lead.

11. A missing from current society is the power of the storytelling circle.

12. Boom: It’s My Life.

13. Made me think of the saying: Opposites Attract, well done Stephen.

14. When I am with the Warriors of Love I feel this so strongly: Illuminating the Soul.

15. And for our final lesson for the day, have some ridiculous fun.

Moving onto the Essence conversations, I have big boots to fill, I am up for it.

Today’s playlist is a little eccentric. George Michael funks out the first track, then some intercultural kids from Western Sydney, Bysa. A classic Pink Floyd song takes you to …, followed by a very gospelly number by Blanca. Brene Brown then lays some truth on us then some good old rock and roll from Bon Jovi. We finish with a contemplative piece about the soul: Humans Are.

My ethos to fill those boots is, Love and Respect for All, Everyone Included. Till next time we meet again, dear friends.

We Make A Life By What We Give!!

Posted on April 1, 2019 by Rod's World

What am I feeling? I am feeling pride in the 200 men I spent a day with at the Island of Men who had gathered to take a stand for we were in it together to become better men for each other, our families and friends, lovers and children. The day consisted of ceremonies and about twenty workshops on a wide range of subjects that could achieve the stated intention. The following poem was written by my mentor Arion about the day, it sums up what happened pretty damn well. Here is a link to his work: Living As Essence.

Men. When you take off your mask.
You break my heart, in every way.
You share wisdom beyond your years
And unbearable trauma under that smile

Men, when you take off the mask
You show me bone-deep loneliness
No longer covered by the effort of living
And you break my heart, again

Men, when your mask falls away
I see tender beauty
And breathtaking kindness
That shatters all I knew, as you

Men, without masks
I love you, I see you
I see the depth of your feeling
And the burden of keeping it down

Men free from masks
I see your tears and tenderness
And your ache to love and be loved
I see your true power stirring

Let celebrate all that is behind that mask
In you, me and all of us
Let’s start a rebellion
Where we wear the masks no more

Let us cry in each other’s arms
Then build a new world, together
A world that bows to tenderness
In every living thing

Let us break our hearts together
In our beauty and our pain
I love you, I love me
Let’s take this love, to the world.

So what has the world said about the power of community, here are a few of my favourites:

1. We attended a magnificent event and are setting up structures so that we can fulfil the third stanza.

2. There will be Shadow and Light moments on our journeys, but as it says when it’s hard, We’re In This Together: Let’s Stick Together.

3. But due to all of us, the vulnerability of men and the power that can create will not be a secret much longer.

4. And Yes, some of this happened: Bette Davis Eyes.

5. And heaps of Bro Love, which I define as being truly seen by another man, of whatever age.

6. I’m guessing this is not the Paul Ryan from the Tea Party in the States, great ethos though: I’m an Individual.

7. Mark Hyman, MD, believes that we all deserve a life of vitality and that we have the potential to create it for ourselves. That’s why he is dedicated to tackling the root causes of chronic disease by harnessing the power of Functional Medicine to transform healthcare. Dr Hyman and his team work every day to empower people, organizations, and communities to heal their bodies and minds, and improve our social and economic resilience.

8. Those African dudes know how to keep our intention simple: How Far I’ll Go.

9. Gentleman, make some noise!!

10. We Wee’d in nature on the island. it really gets you in contact with the power of the wellness offered by communing with the land: Oh, Well.

11. And didn’t they share this so beautifully in the Heartspace process?

12. A philosophical doctrine or approach to life that emphasizes social unity and generosity of spirit: Ubuntu.

13. Even Rumi’s on our side.

14. Here is my favourite movement creator, here are some of his words: I Have A Dream.

15. And for our final lesson, Men of the Island remember the power of the snowflake.

There is so much great stuff happening across the communities of the world to have its heart space be transformed. It was an honour to attend one of them on Sunday.

There is a playlist, it has one of Australia’s greatest silly songs amongst other classics. We begin with Bryan Ferry them move to Kim Carnes. Who remembers Jacko then a musical tune from Moana. One of the great early Fleetwood Mac numbers follows then a world music number from World Edition. We finish with the wisdom of Martin Luther King: We Make A Life By What We Give.

If you really knew me, you would know in my heart there lives the statement: Love and Respect For All, Everybody Included. Until we meet again, my dear friends.

I Decide My Vibe!!

Posted on March 28, 2019 by Rod's World

What am I feeling today, a little bit of fear as to what it will take me to break through my always knowing about how to perform in a relationship and ask my new friend if it can be more than a friendship, we can all relate to the just friends scenario, it has devastated me at different times in my life.

I feel something in my heart that has not been there for a long time, yet I feel almost frozen to do anything about it. It’s a, we work together situation and is it politically correct in these days of #metoo to pursue it further. Fuck, it hurts my heart.

So, what have we, as a community said about moving to the next level in relationships, let’s open our hearts up and find out:

1. So true, being numb and frozen clearly does not work.

2. Which floor do you require? My lift operator in my heart to self: Level Up.

3. The exact advice my friend Phoenix gave me in an Expand The Box exercise we were in last night when I tried to find the answer in my head, not my heart.

4. Focus on what’s in your heart, not your head: Listen to Your Heart.

5. Are you an Id flyer?

6. Oops, this gets in: Same Old Shit.

7. This will help break through the numbness.

8. Shag pile carpet or facing reality, choose: Uncomfortable

9. Is that a goddess picture, maybe?

10. How do you get from point A to point B: More Than Friends.

11. Another way of saying what Phoenix pointed out that I needed to do for it to have any chance.

12. I believe in the starseed theory, that the universe is listening to our spoken and unspoken requests and tries to answer them: Across The Universe.

13. I’m sure my millennial nephews would understand what he is saying, I’m not so sure.

14. Language, it can make you quite sad at times: Computer Games.

15. And for our final lesson, Rod, fucking remember this and get out of your head.

When you are not researching possibility as your source but entering the world of feelings I notice that my blogs have become much shorter. How many words do I have blocked in the frozen parts of my body, we shall see over time.

The Playlist has a classic death metal fuck you track amongst it today. We begin with Ciara, travel back to Roxette. Cross the political correct boundary with Macz, then rock out with Halestorm. Jason Mraz and Meghan Trainor ask each other a relationship question. Rufus Wainwright redefines a Beatles song and we finish with an Oz classic from Mi-Sex: I Decide My Vibe.

Relationships must come from Love and Respect for All, Everyone Included, Peace out to next time, my dear friends.

I’m a Good Enough Person to Forgive You, But?

Posted on March 25, 2019 by Rod's World

Two weeks ago I did a course called Awakening Women for Men led by three of my friends, Alley, Shaney and Jared, for some reason I like befriending the leaders more than the participants. An exciting occurrence after having done this course my other women friends are very interested in what were we taught, something like, did they give our secrets away.

I shared in a non-revealing way one of the processes called opening the veil and that women like men being in control in certain situations that invoke the mature masculine in men. One of my friends who asked is my acupuncturist and as I lay there with my needles on board this came to me:

Say I had walked in the door and our eyes crossed, and I said beautiful one, I want to go out with you, by the way, I recently broke up with Julie a month ago. I would know when I am projecting Julie onto you when I am actually with you, It would give us a chance to create something new and magical, my friend shuddered.

Move on ten days, The woman who I did my first ever retreat with was in town, Tanishka Tantrika. It was back in December 2013 and called Rainbow Bridge 13:13:13. It’s another story how I got there but I gave up my what is this woo woo and trusted my friend who recommended I go. Tanishka was running a Sacred Union ritual with her new partner to heal the break between the divine masculine and divine feminine. The closing circle where 19 men and 19 women stated how they had betrayed the union between the two and the ceremony of forgiveness by washing them away while chanting I’m Sorry, Please Forgive Me, Thank You, I love You, an ancient Hawaiin chant will remain in my heart for the rest of my life.

So, how do we restore trust and what have we written about it over the centuries: let’s party.

1. It’s the actions that buy back the trust. Having sold 10 million books on the subject, Dr Clouds actions lie in homelessness in the inner city, as well as missions in the developing world.

2. I think my friends name for working with Anger: Reclaiming Anger speaks volumes as to who the person suffering is: Hold On I’m Coming.

3. From the worlds greatest quote writer, Ms Unknown, this one bites home.

4. How many times have you broken this trust in your life, you may even do it to yourself: Trust.

5. Heartbreak Hotel came to my mind, not a song track though.

6. You will be able to fire your Fortune Teller: Fortune Teller.

7. A vital part of the recipe.

8. Trust trumps Love: does it in your life: Nothing Else Matters.

9. Shadow and Light, they travel together.

10. Hate is the most dangerous form of Anger, it belittles our soul so much, but at times the last line speaks volumes: Part of Me.

11. One for the inner work.

12. What you serve up in life, that’s how much you are capable of receiving back: When You’re Gone.

13. I have a friend who did not speak to her parents for 13 years when she forgave them and reconnected they did not even remember the incident, please do not do this to yourself.

14. Three letters. MLK: New Attitude.

15. And the reason I chose this for our final lesson, I so love the image.

According to Nietzsche, to wish away our past is to wish ourselves out of existence. It’s nearly impossible to steer our lives in a particular direction until we come to terms with our past. Each significant event in our lives changes how we view the world and ourselves. The thought of reviewing our entire past is often overwhelming. But it an essential part of the process. Our past is a blessing that guides and teaches, and it carries as many positives as negatives. Will I be able to not project as much, we shall see, but it feels fucking magnificent.

The playlist goes nearly as far back as my year of birth, 1954. We begin with Sam and Dave, move forward to Christina Perri. Bounce back with early Rolling Stones, then rock it out with Metallica. Three superb women finish it off, all from different eras, Kate Perry, Avril Lavigne and to finish Patti Labelle: I’m a Good Enough Person to Forgive You, But.

So we will finish with the ho’oponopono mantra to presence Love and Respect For All, Everybody Included. Until next time, my dear friends.

Not on my watch, Anymore!!

Posted on March 18, 2019 by Rod's World

I wrote the following in my Facebook news feed two days after New Zealand:

I am sitting in Preston Town Hall at the Multicultural fair, cultural diversity Festival 2019. There are hijab’s and henna painted hands everywhere, so many different cultures. Firstly I went to the Preston Mosque, ironically the day after NZ they had already invited their neighbours so they could meet and enjoy a meal together. I was privileged to hear the Imaan give his welcome speech and his communities comment on NZ. I firstly had spent an hour having my hand shaken by both Muslim men and women thanking me for being there, I did not know if it is cool to walk around a mosque with tears flowing from your eyes so I sort of controlled it. The Imaan spoke of common humanity, then of a noble death, where you are looked after in the afterlife. He quoted the Koran where it says if you kill an innocent human being you kill the spirit of the human race. I made a promise to myself at that moment I will do everything in my power that this will never happen again on my watch.

I picked up my friend and extraordinary poet Ari Amal’s beautiful tome: The Details and the Infinite when I got home and opened it to the following poem, it spoke to my heart, here is her webpage link: Find out about Ari.

May All The Blossoms Within You Unfurl

It only takes one brave bud

To start a revolution

So to the buds in you that are yearning to burst open

These words are for you:

Darling ones

Spring has come

It is time to become

All that you are

So lift your face to the sun

& laugh with the sky

For even your fragrance is a Gift

To those who happen by

It only takes one brave bud

To start a revolution

So tell me,

Who amongst you will inspire

the Fiesta?

I don’t think the human being who committed the heinous act in Christchurch had read it, who amongst us will do what it takes to transform the world into the majestic place it could be. What have we written about it, let’s take a look:

1. One of the bravest acts a human being , can commit in their lifetime, be themselves in the face of the crap society throws at them not to be.

2. Can’t read their name, but I have enjoyed the revolution, my artistic friends have created for the past 45 years: Art for Art’s Sake.

3. “Nisker’s book (Essential Crazy Wisdom) is twenty-three times more liberating than the Bible, the Torah, and the Koran combined. It may be crazy to say such a thing but it is also wise.” — Tom Robbins, author.

4. From the Black Panthers, if you don’t know who they are, google it. It’s not about the people, it’s about their stand: The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.

5. Begin one today.

6. No Isaac Newton here, grow some: Formation.

7. Donald Trump, Scott Morrison and other far-right world leaders, Jacinda and us mob, we are coming for you.

8. Dorothy got this answer to a question, I don’t accept it: Que Sera Sera.

9. A revolution of desire has given us today’s world, pick again.

10. Will it be yours, what area in your life will it be: Stir It Up.

11. He, Joseph Stalin may have got carried away with his zeal but I get his point, just don’t go over the top like Uncle Joe did.

12. When I read George’s books, I decided Tyrion Lannister was one of the great characters in literature. Not just fantasy literature – literature! A brilliant, caustic, horny, drunken, self-flagellating mess of a man. And there was only one choice to play him.”: Never Forget You.

13. And, Go!!

14. If you are decluttering your house to do this, stop it: Smooth Operator.

15. And finally to my Mojo crew, Awakening Women for Men brothers, Warrior of Love travellers, Dancing Eros sisters in male bodies, Expand the Box and Possibility Lab cronies, my ISTA family and my siblings Hugo, Ruthie and Jann, two words, Fuck Yes!!

I think writing this has helped the sadness I feel in my gut for what happened in New Zealand, time to grow some and go.

I like today’s playlist, it has some of music’s icons and one of my favourite spoken word jazz tracks: 10cc with a classic head it off, Gill Scott-Heron then some diva pop from Beyonce. Then we go way back to Dorothy Day. The certified legend Bob Marley follows, next is new to me but not ten million people, The Noisettes, and we finish with the always sensual Sade: Not on my Watch, Anymore.

Do I really have to say it, We need Love and Respect for All, Everybody Included or we all may not wake up one day because we thought everything was OK and someone will prove that wasn’t true in an ultimate way.

fine

Drop the last year into the limbo of the Past!!

Posted on March 8, 2019 by Rod's World

Fast forward to December 2019. You’re sitting at home pondering the year that’s been…What’s next? My friend Emeli and her crew wrote this as a sub-heading under 2019, ideal vision in Lifebook 2019 On Purpose: Get in Contact.

Em asks 8 questions, they are as follows:

Who are You? What have you achieved? Where do you want to be?
List the top three reasons you want this vision.
Who do you want to be in 2019? List three small actions you can take to make a big change.
What advice would you give to yourself in a year’s time?
What books do you want to have read?
What places do you want to have travelled to?
What hobbies will you have started?
Who would you have kissed more? Hugged more? Made, deep, deep love to?

So, if you are deeply ensconced in your humanity, you will have up and down periods over the year, so what are some of the favourite quotes about the year that was, let’s take a stroll down that lane:

1. Andriy Shevchenko is a soccer player and politician who made Champions League history; on 23 November 2005, he scored all four goals in Milan’s 4–0 group stage drubbing of Fenerbahçe, becoming only the fifth player to accomplish this feat; his company includes Marco van Basten, Simone Inzaghi, Dado Pršo and Ruud van Nistelrooy (while Lionel Messi joined that group in the 2009–10 season and Robert Lewandowski in 2012–13), and the only one to have done it in an away game.

2. By the worlds most prolific quote writer, Ms Unknown, the world gets you: Golden Years.

3. Don’t forget to include the fun factor as well as the hard work during 2019.

4. Two words: Simon & Garfunkel: Frank Lloyd Wright

5. Each of us reaches this revelation at different stages in our lives, will you do it in 2019?

6. And some of it you dread and other bits you say Fuck, Yes too: After All These Years.

7. For the sisters.

8. René Karl Wilhelm Johann Josef Maria Rilke, better known as Rainer Maria Rilke, was a Bohemian-Austrian poet and novelist. He is “widely recognized as one of the most lyrically intense German-language poets. Obviously, Maria must have been a strong family name to be chosen to keep: Best thing I never Had.

9. One of the shortest professional tennis players ever, Michael’s Chinese name (simplified Chinese: 张德培; traditional Chinese: 張德培; pinyin: Zhāng Dépéi) was chosen by Joe, his father and his English name by Betty, his mother (who named him after her father).

10 Hurts so bad but living so good, great line: Hurt So Bad.

11. Can you genuinely say this?

12. Thirty, the new …..?: The Prime Time of Your Life.

13, Just, because I can.

14. Will it fill up your 1,000-litre cup: A Thousand Years.

15. And the final message is for my beloved Warriors of Love.

Emeli also stated: that we can spend all day making lists of the external ‘stuff’ we want like clothes, cars etc. But what really drives us. I will leave you with that question to ponder over the months of 2019.

Last century songs outnumber the 2000’s in tonight’s playlist. We begin with David Bowie, then further back to Simon and Garfunkel. Some rock from Journey follows, then we move forward to Beyonce. Another oldie from Linda Rondstat, then we finish with two tunes written after the 2YK crisis by Daft Punk and Christina Perri: Drop the Last Year into the limbo of the Past.

So I have a request, in 2019 spread the ethos of Love and Respect for All, Everybody Included amongst your communities, workplaces, families and love relationships.