A happy song and happier pictures

This is a slide show of photos by one of my favourite Brisbane photographers. Hannah hails from Alice Springs, is the coolest chick, has just launched her business Poppics and takes the most spectacular photos. You can see more of her stuff here.

Enjoy the beautiful ride through the lens of Hannah. Oh I wish I could capture such beautiful moments. Sigh!

45 Life Lessons we should all learn now

This was sent to me by my beautiful friend Emma. 


It is something we should all take note of and revisit once in a while. 

Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old, of the Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio . "To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I've ever written.

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26.  Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come...
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

  

Christmas Crinkle

It's that time of year again. Where did the year go?

Once more we are doing our family Secret Santa, which had to be redrawn twice because we kept forgetting who had who.

So here's the depository for all those Christmas wishes.

The budget is $150. Wrapping in newsprint. Colour theme - aubergine!

Vintage Brisbane

This is something that I have thought about more than once over the past few years. With increased pollution, traffic jams, strain on our public transport system, plus new roads, tunnels and overpasses being built everywhere, I wonder why they ever pulled out the Brisbane Tram System?

There may have been very good reasons at the time, but I digress. This post isn't really about me standing up on a soapbox about our local traffic woes. It's more to do with the fact that I received some fabulous photographs of the old Brisbane tram system.

These pictures open a little window into the nostalgia of years gone by. Where cars were the colour of gelati and you wore your Sunday best when you came to town. Enjoy!

Wickham St Valley (Aug1965)

508 Stones Corner (Feb 1969)

441 Inbound Melbourne St (Feb1969)

549 Breakfast Creek

Brunswick St (Oct 1968)

Nearly one!

Our beloved, not so little pup, is fast approaching his Big number 1! 20 August to be exact. While the year has had a few ups and downs, the downs of which he can all be forgiven due to his extreme good looks, I am so grateful to have the privilege of his unconditional love.

As we approach his milestone event, I will feed through some of our most favourite pics of the little tacker. Enjoy!

Went's first Christmas! He is always appropriately dressed.

He loves kisses too...smooth dude x

Warm and cuddly in bed!

Walking in the shadow of Ghosts

It was a very sad day today. I received an email entitled "Big Tuskers PLEASE SUPPORT THIS CAUSE". The petition is from a Zimbabwean pilot who flies tours over Bumi - an area near Lake Kariba, renowned for its teaming wildlife, and the mighty Musango Bull elephant (pictured).

Sadly, the petition comes as a result of the great elephant being shot, LEGALLY, by a professional hunting organisation, despite it being a collared beast.

This hunter did nothing illegal. According to existing law within Zimbabwe, it is not illegal to shoot a collared animal (unless specially protected by the Minister).

Accordingly the aim of this petition is twofold;

1. To request the authorities, once the Minister has given special protection status to any animal, to take immediate and proactive steps to inform all hunters and hunting institutions of such protected status. The Musango Bull was regarded by many as part of Zimbabwe’s national heritage, and is now gone. 
2. To get the Zimbabwe Professional Hunters Association (ZPHA) to define their own ethical and moral standards in relation to collared animals, and specifically this elephant, and to fully investigate, with independent observers, in situ the killing of the Musango Bull.

In a country like Zimbabwe, where there is so much focus on its humanitary and political situation, it is the wildlife with no voice that is often forgotten.

How to support? E-mail a letter to musangobull@yahoo.com

For more info go here

A cosy niche for a new journey

I'll admit, I am not the world's most prolific blogger and when talking to a friend who has mastered the fine art, she said you have a fantastic opportunity to blog about the new venture you have just started. It's true I have gone and finally done it and started my own business. A small, party of one (for now) public relations consultancy that hopefully has the knack...well at least that's what I'm calling it anyway.

So after several years of toying with the idea, I went ahead and just did it! I must admit, the idea was casual at first, but then I had to pick a name, and then register a business (which is a minefield in itself, and not all that cheap I must tell you), then of course the all important branding exercise (more money, but the fun part) which the fabulous team at lumino did such a beautiful job of, and then before I knew it, there I was - bonafide small business owner taking on the world one corporate client at a time.

OK - so it's only the second month, but so far the world has not ended, we're not out on the street and I think I can actually do this thing. A few things I have learnt along the way.

1. No matter what type of corporate job you hold, it is important to put yourself out there, make connections, and maintain them. It is amazing how easy it is to get stuck in a rut and shut out all the exciting things people are doing and creating.
2. Always be gracious in life as you never know what comes around and who you may need to give you a helping hand along the way. Be willing to give and karma will repay you.
3. Lastly and most importantly, stick to your instincts and back yourself 100% - if you don't, who will?

I will leave you with a quote that I got out of a $2 Woolies cracker about two Christmases ago, which I have kept and now framed to remind me of the importance of really living the life you want to live...oh and of course the catalyst for this blog post - the new Knack Public Relations HQ - a cozy little corner of  our home which I love to go to work.

"No one has ever looked back sadly on a life full of experiences, but many look back wishing they had had the courage to do more."

Tennis anyone?

Today was a great day.

After many years, I think I count 13+ or so, my sister and I headed courtside for a hit of tennis. It was fabulous! After both growing up living and breathing the game, and benefiting immensely from the extensive travel and friendships made with people across the world, it was so lovely to get back into the swing (pun intended) of things.

I'll admit, we were a bit rusty to say the least, but it was the memories of all those fabulous times we spent together (and from time to time against each other - sibling rivalry was alive and well back in those days) for the shared love of the game.

Our roots in the great sport span from an early age when we used to watch out mother coach on our home court. I remember vividly desperately wanting my turn at a lesson.

We travelled the width and breadth of Africa to play competitively as juniors and have cemented life long friendships through tennis. It was wonderful exposure to all sorts of different cultures and places. I feel sad sometimes to think about how the old gang who used to train in squads and compete during school holiday tournaments are now spread far and wide.

But as I learned today, memories are always there and while the muscle memory has faded, and the speed at which we used to recover is somewhat reduced, we will always be able to recount them clearly through a friendly game of tennis.

We've decided to make it a weekly event - that is if we recover OK from round one.

Till next time...game, set and match!