“Strive not to be a success, but, rather, to be of value.”
Albert Einstein
Roll Up, Greetings, Welcome, Introduction!
This is a blog for the intellectually and spiritually curious, for lovers and dreamers, and anyone who just enjoys a little whimsy and eccentricity in their day.
Updated April 2022
Over the past year, I have been focused on living through the experience of cancer, specifically breast cancer.
During this time, I kept my Beloveds (friends, family, colleagues) updated with what I called my Cancer Journals.
These Journals were not accessible publically – at the time, that was a conscious choice, as I felt very vulnerable and very fragile.
A number of Beloveds have encouraged me to make the writing that I shared with them more accessible, so with that in mind, and motivated as well by my desire to mark my anniversaries of that experience, I decided to reinvigorate this blog.
My blog had been languishing somewhat since I gave up marriage celebrancy and dealt with a significant episode of depression.
So this blog, at least for the year 2022, is going to primarily be focused on my cancer experience, with other topics thrown in as inspiration strikes.
This may not be topics or material that interests you, in which case I invite you to consider that you are not the intended audience. My approach may make some people uncomfortable, again, it may not be the appropriate reading for those people. There will be rawness, vulnerability, and a degree of frankness.
So.. If this sounds like it appeals to you, c’mon in, the water is just fine!
My initial motivation for creating all of this was presenting at the Parliament of the World Religions in my home city of Melbourne, Victoria. That experience was amazing, and since then, various people have been encouraging me to blog. Finally, I have now bitten the bullet, and started this adventure, although, admittedly, it has taken me time to be convinced to do so.
Click HERE if you want to watch the ‘Australian Pagans Speak’ panel at the 2009 Parliament of the World Religions in Melbourne, Australia (approx 1-hour duration, be warned!).
Professional Background
I’ve previously worked in live theatre and entertainment for twenty years. I currently work in the emergency services sector, although I probably won’t blog about that much.
I currently have three degrees (across Creative Arts, Psychology, Leadership and Management) and a Certificate in Training. Confession time, I do *like* a nice certificate!
As a writer, I have been published in a few Devotional Anthologies (links below), and a number of magazines, including a number of articles in the Small Tapestry (which is the quarterly publication for members of the Pagan Awareness Network).
About me as a person
In terms of who I am as a human; I am an introverted, sometimes curmudgeonly woman who largely lives alone with my cats in Melbourne. For those interested, I fairly consistently align with the INFJ personality type.
People are usually surprised to find out that I am an introvert if they meet me in a professional or social capacity because I am also passionately curious about .. well, everything, pretty much.
Life would not be complete without chocolate, cheese, and both tea and coffee; and I also harbour a strange, irrational fondness for pink lemonade. Clothing tends to feature blacks, greys, reds, and greens. I am not that keen on handbags, although I love Dr Marten boots and Hot Chocolate Mary Janes. Other factoids about me; I am a lazy gardener, and my housekeeping style really could best be described as ‘there appears to have been a struggle..’ or perhaps ‘sprinkle liberally with books’. I am not keen on cooking, love travel (and don’t feel like I do enough of it). The loving travel directly contradicts my love of ‘staycations’. I adore my friends, even if sometimes I am a better hermit, and I will probably never be that person who turns up regularly or remembers the birthdays of the kids. Mountains, wet sclerophyll forests, beaches and scented flowers soothe my soul. As does poetry, the sound of thunder and lightning, and the sound of rain on the roof. Books.. I love books.. and I would like to spend more time reading, wandering around art galleries, seeing theatre, and going on hikes to see waterfalls.
Feel free to message me, respond to blogs posts, and subscribe for updates.
If you have questions (erm.. within reason), I am happy to answer them or to even write a blog post about them.
I will be seeking to profile some of the wonderful artists and practitioners I know. I will share about the art exhibitions and performances I see, and the labyrinths I walk. If you would like to do a joint blog, hit me up!
I love to help people shine, and it gives me absolute delight to share the love around. I am very collaborative in nature, and I genuinely enjoy learning about people and their passions.
… jump right in!
Links to Publications:
MISSION STATEMENT:
I wish to facilitate and empower others to enrich their lives.
I consciously create through modelling kindness, compassion, transparency, collaboration and critical thinking.
