Day 18 - Whatever tickles your fancy

Something that I tickle my fancy with almost every afternoon is the site http://www.lookbook.nu. I'm the sort of person that can pointlessly stalk through pages and pages of unrelated nonsense, so at least I can justify this in the name of being fashionable. Although that might be up for debate. Anyway, it's an ace website and I can't help but love scrolling through it for sometimes hours at a time, soaking in some 'culture'. Whatever you want to call it.

Day 17 - An art piece

Bill Henson is an amazingly skilled artist. He is an amazingly controversial artist too, and I often find myself stunned to learn people's opinions of him and his work - people who I had considered open-minded and quite liberal, who spit venom at the mention of his name.

I remember when I was about 8, a family friend took me into the city entirely for the purpose of seeing a Bill Henson exhibition. I remember hearing people express their disapproval of this, and suggesting that it was entirely inappropriate for an 8 year old to see such an exhibition.

But I was captivated. I loved the exhibition perhaps more than any other I have seen to this day. It was beautiful and intruiging and like some amazing fantasy world. I sat in front of the massive photographs for what felt for hours and soaked them in, wanting to stay forever. Until recently, I had a small postcard sized print of one of his photographs stuck to my wall.

It saddens me that people can be so close-minded and so quick to judge things like this. They are afraid of unfamiliar things and they are reluctant to accept that the wrold is changing and that the general consensus on many issues has changed and become looser and freer. They are afraid to see the beauty in Henson's photographs and focus on the nakedness and what they see as vulgarness. But I suppose it is to be said that i everyone loved them as much as I do, I probably wouldn't love them as much as I do.

Day 16 - A song that makes you cry (or nearly)

Help, I have done it again
I have been here many times before
I hurt myself again today
And, the worst part is there's no-one else to blame

Be my friend
Hold me, wrap me up
Unfold me
I am small
and needy
Warm me up
And breathe me

Ouch

I have lost myself again
Lost myself and I am nowhere to be found,
Yeah I think that I might break
Lost myself again and I feel unsafe

Be my friend
Hold me, wrap me up
Unfold me
I am small
and needy
Warm me up
And breathe me

Sia - Breathe Me

Day 14 - A non-fictional book

I love dictionaries. I love flicking through the pages and finding words that not only sound beautiful, but have beautiful meanings. I love being able to use them in everyday conversation and astound people. I love the fact that you can gather so much knowledge and put it all in one place, and share that with other people. I love the way that dictionaries look, with their perfect layouts and margins and so, so many amazing words. I love dictionaries. Go buy one, and read it.

Day 13 - A fictional book

Monkey Grip by Helen Garner is one of my favourite books of all time. It's so beautifully written and everytime I read it I learn something new about myself or the world or junkies and every single time without fail I get so wrapped up and emotionally involved with it that I find myself crying and laughing similtaneously. It was the first book I ever read that had that effect on me and it still does, and I still love it, so I highly reccomend reading it.

Day 12 - Whatever tickles your fancy

This is Moni, who tickles more than my fancy. Even though we've only been friends for a few years in comparison to most best friends, we pretty much outdo every other bestfriends. I would do anything for this girl, she means the world to me. I love her with all my heart and will never forget the time, laughter and copious amounts of food we've shared. From sitting on her beanbags playing Tony Hawk to sneaking out to go to a party for her, every day we've shared has been more than awesome. I love you, my darling, I always will.

Day 11 - A photo of you taken recently

This photo was taken when I was in Adelaide last month. It was one of the best weeks I had experienced in a long time, and a welcome break from everything - schoolwork, my mum, being someone's girlfriend. Being in a place where no one knows you is a liberating thing, where you can choose what kind of impression you leave on people. I also got to spend lots of time with my amazing family, Geoff my grandfather and Grace my (18 year old) auntie, which was amazing. They are the only family I consider worth caring about, the only ones who seem to understand. Adelaide is a beautiful city, full of old churches and lush parks, and being there made my heart sing, if only for a short week.

Lost

After having a conversation today with some lovely year twelves about their HSC major works for art, I began to think about how little direction I have in my life. I don't have any long term goals, I don't have any idea what I'm going to do for my 2 (possibly 3) major works, I don't know what I'll be when I leave school, the list goes on.

I'm surrounded everyday by people who know exactly what they want and how to get there, and I stand in the middle of this rush feeling confused and left behind. I'm like the little kid who, when asked what they want to be when they grow up, says "happy". Sweet, but being happy isn't going to get me anywhere.

I often find myself asking other people what I should be when I grow up. The two most common answers are something to do with cooking, or a fashion designer/clothes maker. The problem for me is that I love these two things so much that I don't want that love ruined by having to do them everyday to support myself. I want to do something else, and then come home and make myself a lovely dress and cook risotto.

Why can't I make a living out of being a happy, creative, selfish person?

Day 10 - A photo of you taken over 10 years ago

This is me and my bestest, longest known friend Gus. We have always been and always will be the best kind of friends you could ever wish for. Sometimes I wish that all the boys in the world were like Gus... But then there would be no more virgins left! Anyway, the point is that I love Gus with everything, he's the best brother I could ever not be related to.

Star Gazin'

I love this photograph by Steven Beckly. In fact, I love all of his photographs, but this one is my favourite. His works have something special about them, something in the way of turning everyday life into beautiful, touching and inspiring art. Check it out.

http://www.stevenbeckly.com