There is not one big cosmic meaning for all,
there is only the meaning we each give to our life,
an individual meaning, an individual plot,
like an individual novel, a book for each person. - Anais Nin
It's interesting that in young adulthood we adopt our own - individual - role models. If we are lucky, those luminarie's keep guiding us and reassuring, long after their deaths and long after the initial infatuation. Nin keeps speaking sense to me, 30 years later.
ANDREW DENTON: You are a Kokoberra woman.
TANIA MAJOR: Yes.
ANDREW DENTON: Grew up in Kowanyama. What does being a Kokoberra woman mean?
TANIA MAJOR: A Kokoberra woman means I’m from Kowanyama in a right Aboriginal community, in Cape York.
ANDREW DENTON: Aha.
TANIA MAJOR: I’m from a particular tribal group. It means I’m six foot two, I’m intellectual, I’m bullet proof.
ANDREW DENTON: Mhm.
TANIA MAJOR: And it means, don’t mess with me Andrew Denton.
LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE
TANIA MAJOR: Cos I can see on your head.
ANDREW DENTON: I’m not messing with you Tania.
LAUGHTER
- From Enough Rope 26 May 2008
This 26 year-old Young Australian of the Year 2007 is a complete inspiration. In respect to discussions of indigenous people in this country, I can (with relief) say I have never heard so much commonsense, honesty and intelligence come from anyone's mouth as it does from Tania's.
And shit she's funny. Watch the video, it's grand.
An interesting 'by the way' occurred when Rob McAlpine was giving his presentation last week at the pilot training program for treatment of anxiety disorders in children and young people.
In stressing the need for a "multi-modal" approach to treating this condition, he referred to the large body of work that was conducted by Anna Freud and her colleagues concerning anxiety in kiddies. Anna is known as the founder of child psychoanalysis.
It seems the recent research has given credence to the psychodynamic model, originated by Anna's papa Sigmund. Much of the kudos and consequent ideas comes from her meticulous note keeping. (Interestingly, Sigmund wasn't big on notes). There are numerous documented successes - kids just stopped being anxious after her interventions.
A stooped and fragile old woman slowly made her way to the head of the table and announced, "I'd like to dedicate this next verse to all the mothers whose children turned into toads on mothers day this year".
She started to sing in a sweet and lilting voice:
"May all you children, ungrateful and fat,
May all of thee come to me,
wearing hard hats..." The whole restaurant fell silent.
"For this is the one day for you to be nice,
But since you're a reptile...
your head I must slice..."
Then she produced a large butchers knife from behind her back, lifted it above her head and with a great AAAARGH! she landed it right through the Italian tabletop.
A little darling of the olde worlde from Vintage Photo.
I imagine the person who thought up this marvelous photo idea in 1932 was an extremely interesting person, indeedy do. Someone prone to day dreams...
Another delight for the eyes from Vintage Photographs.
Although I haven’t seen good research to substantiate this theory that mothers’ happiness directly influences the happiness of their children, a fairly extensive body of research has established a substantial link between mothers who feel depressed and “negative outcomes” in their children, like acting out and other behavior problems. As you might imagine, when we mothers feel depressed it is not good for our children’s happiness. -Christine Carter, Ph.D.,
Yet another reason to look after yourself. I repeat, to nourish and nuture oneself as a woman, a mother is NOT a luxury, it's an essential.
The above snippet comes from a blog that looks closely at the "Science of Raising Happy Children".
Can't remember how I stumbled on it, but I'm really enjoying reading from it. Over to the sidebar for you, Half Full Blogversations!
Painting by Kim Richardson
I'm a very visual person and I actively seek out images of beauty, interest and delight. Such things captivate my imagination and can literally turn an ordinary day into something with a lovely twist.
Since losing my favourite blogger, Theresa Duncan, to her suicide last July, I've been scouring the net for blogs to help satisfy that need for visual romancing. (Theresa was a genius at this art, as well as an intellectual giant).
In my hunting process, I've come across a blog called dear ada, the author of which always features beautiful pieces of art that fill in my day very happily thank you.
Today, still being on holidays, I found myself with time to languish around the dear ada site and find that the author "birdie"has been struggling with diabetes for 20 years. She speaks about this disease with eloquence and indeed grace in her other site.
She has published her own book Aiming For Grace: 20 Things I Know About Diabetes. (Gorgeous cover).
I really loved reading birdie's posts about her life with diabetes. Having had gestational diabetes when pregnant with Ben, I know something of it, but certainly not what it's like for 20 years on end. The theme of these posts can be summed up in one word - inspiration.
This is the beauty of blogging I think, a person's world can become known, even accessible and in birdie's case, the beauty and struggle of that world is intertwined in a fabulous way.
What a marvelous and interesting woman.
"Are we are losing the war for girls' self-esteem? We are fighting the media, popular culture, teenage stresses and peer pressure for the minds, values and habits of our girls. Girls' self-esteem plummets around age nine:
The good news is that despite these pressures, parents have more influence on their kids than they think." - article from 
NYU Child Study Centre.
I always love to read that last sentence. Let's be positive and firm with our girls. Let's show them how it is to live as a strong and self-determined person. They need that from their parents now more than ever. This article has some good reminders about creating confidence within our daughters.
The strongest messages come from us, their parents. This is good to remember!
I have been lounging on the lounge and eating well. I've taken solitary walks on my deserted local beach. I've not talked to a great deal of people. The cats have been good company.
The sky when viewed for long pauses, speaks very quietly I noticed.
My kids are back from their father's home today. My mother and sister arrived as well. It's been a great day. Full of showers and blue skies, warm moments then chills through cracks in the garage. Home cooked soup and hearty appetites.
This is my holiday so far.
