Sometimes a picture removes the need for words and all that is required is to observe and listen.
Watching sunrises has become one of my favourite things to do this year. It's an interest which was ignited when I pursued #87 - Wake Up Every Morning at 5am for a Month. Each sunrise unique although similar. The most simplest form of entertainment is getting up early and plonking yourself in a chair for half an hour or so to watch one of Mother Nature's sunbeam shows!
This photo was taken along the Esplanade at Manly, one of Brisbane's eastern suburbs on the bay. I woke up at 3:30am, left home at 4am with a thermos of chai and a couple of camping chairs to meet my friend Dario at 4:30am. We then drove to Manly, reaching there when the dark night sky was just starting to show infantile signs of day break.
I love this time of
morning, listening to it slowly starting to wake up and come to
life. The birds get a bit noisier, the traffic gets a bit heavier and
people come out of their homes and say good morning to each other.
Through my learnings of Buddhism and meditation this year, fundamentally the consistent message is the need for a peaceful, still mind existing in and focusing on the present moment. A mind without thought or distraction. All too often an untamed mind is running away with memories and sometimes regrets from the past or predictions and hopes for the future. If you're doing this, as I often find I am then, maybe you're doing it wrong. Perhaps what you need is a good dose of sunrise spotting. Set the alarm, get up early and go and marvel at the world! Peace...xo
Sooner or later it had to happen. I didn't complete some of the activities on The List. The Bridge to Brisbane (B2B) was held on Sunday September 11. I had been ill a few days prior and now a few days after with all the usual symptoms and so I scratched myself from the race. As for Ramadan, on the other hand I knew it was in the latter half of the year but it was near on the last week of August when I found out that August was the month of Ramadan. But first, about the Bridge...
Each year the B2B has a major charity partner which receives the funds raised in the time leading up to the race. As a participant you are not obliged to raise funds although it is nice, gives you a sense of satisfaction and community involvement and makes other people smile. This year's appreciative recipients of the B2B's donations was Legacy. Legacy is dedicated to supporting the families of war veterans, assisting 100,000 widows and 1,900 children. Legacy aims to do whatever it can to ensure families thrive in spite of loss and sacrifice.
The B2B is a 5 or 10km event and you can choose to either walk or run... or shuffle or stagger as an individual or as a team. Guaranteed there will be one team called 'The Dream Team' and at least one group of guys in irradescent green sweat bands and pink tutus and someone dressed as a gorilla. It's B2B tradition. It's a great family and fun day with the finish line at the Royal Exhibition Grounds with post-race food, stalls, entertainment, oranges and fruit and if you like you can pre-order and purchase a breakfast of champions. If you stick around long enough you can even win a car in the lucky draw.
This year 42,571 participants entered. That's a total of around 85,142 smelly socks and sneakers over the finish line! I've participated in the B2B for the last 3 years and I'm a little disappointed I didn't get a chance to improve on last year's 10km run result and continue the praxis of a free t-shirt. Sigh. On the plus side though the entry fee I paid contributed to the funds raised for Legacy and there will be next year to break the 60 minute mark.
Ramadan, an Islamic tradition occurs for 29-30 days of the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. The actual dates change every year depending on the moon's cycle. It is a month of fasting, in which participants refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and having sex during daylight hours. It's for the purpose of teaching patience, spirituality, humility, self-discipline, self-control and to develop an empathy for others less fortunate.
I've done my research about Islam and in its purest form teaches kindness, compassion, love and respect. It promotes a community spirit and inclusivity. Nowhere in the Qur'an does it insist that Muslims must kill and die for what they believe in, no matter what the cost. Nowhere does it say that women must be oppressed. In fact Muslim women are encouraged to receive a university education and have many rights, according to Islamic law, including:
- Women can not be denied the right to an education
- Forced marriage is prohibited
- Women can file legal suits in court and initiate divorce
- Women can enter into contracts without interference or permision from a man
- Spousal abuse is a punishable offense
- Women must receive equal pay for equal work.
The list goes on. Oh and about the hijab. Dress codes which apply to women also apply to men. For example Muslim men must:
- Not wear tight clothes
- Grow a beard if they are able to do so
- Wear a hat called a kufi
- Cover the area from the knees up to the navel when in public at all times
- Wear long pants or a loose gown and a shirt.
As for other misrepresentations of Islamic culture and beliefs, the word Jihad does not mean a holy war, nor does it give permission to anyone to kill innocent people for not believing or following Islamic law. In fact, it is against Islamic law to force another person to convert to Islam. But back to Jihad. Jihad literally means 'to strive or struggle or to work for something with determination'. Studying a degree, doing volunteer work or even training for a triathlon or sport could all come under the heading jihad, according to the real definition!
Some things that Muslims do oppose are:
- The selling of alcohol, pornography and drugs
- Littering and pollution
- Gossip or slander
- Corruption in government
- Pedophilia and spousal abuse
- Cruelty to animals.
If there is one thing I am passionate about it's false assumptions, misinterpretations and misrepresentations. I have spent a good part of twelve years with one of my closest and best friends who happens to be a Muslim man and I am so thankful of the beautiful wisdom he has taught me. I encourage anyone who is interested in dispelling myths and getting actual facts about Islamic beliefs to pick up a book and start reading. Heck there's even an Idiot's Guide to Understanding Islam which is written in an easy-to-read plain English format.
I was looking forward to experiencing Ramadan and a deeper feeling of fulfillment and commitment. But I guess, like the B2B there is always next year...
As I've worked my way through my List of 100 Things To Do In One Year I've developed an interest in working with and for my local and global community, through volunteering opportunities, raising money for assorted charities. It's quite thrilling to do a small thing collectively with a group of others, thus resulting in a bigger impact. There are quite a few community focused groups who do great work and one that has come to my attention recently is The Butterfly Foundation. TBF is dedicated to the support and treatment of Australians affected by eating disorders.
My mate Dario brought a fundraiser to my attention - a group photo shoot to be printed and sold with the proceeds donated to TBF. But there's a twist. It was to be a naked group photo shoot.
The concept, similar to photographer Spencer Tunick, was to get as many people to lie down stark raving naked in the shape of a love heart and take some happy snaps. Tunick takes some great shots using models of all shapes, sizes and race in a completely non-creepy artsy way, depicting the beauty in genetic diversity across the human race. Fat ones, skinny ones, brown ones, white ones.. they're all there represented equally.
Now before you go making all sorts of assumptions about what kind of a person would agree to a naked photo shoot I will plea with you to hold off on any judgments. Participating in a photo shoot wearing one's birthday suit is by no means necessarily amalgamated with anything unbecoming of a lady. This was for a good cause remember and frankly it's worth experiencing at least once in a person's life.
My first thought upon arrival at the venue for this photo shoot was 'there are wangs everywhere'. It's true, there was an awful lot of cock. More than you could poke a stick at. I was decidedly over dressed. I was only one of a couple who remained fully clothed right up until the photo shoot. It was only then that I dis-robed in favour of a sarong and then, right at the last possible moment it was my moment of truth.
Similar to Spencer Tunick's subjects there was a variety of people at our photo shoot. All perfectly normal, imperfect yet beautiful-in-their-own-right, young and old men and women. Personally - and surprisingly - I felt entirely at ease. Sure, I caught a few people having a look, but then they would have caught me looking at them too. Certainly not in a perverse way but in a way that you run your eyes over a person's outfit or hair or physique when you meet fully clothed. It was no different.
It was the most resplendent, bright and glorious day to be outdoors. The sun was warming our skin in the way that only Brisbane's September sun can and birds were tweeting chipper little melodies. An hour or so later we'd formed about half a dozen varieties of our love heart shape. Some lying face down on the outline of the heart, some face up. One standing up, holding hands, another we were all lying in foetal position forming the heart shape on plush green grass.
There'll be no photographic evidence of this one at least not on my blog. There was only about 30 people who participated in the photo shoot, me the only redhead and I'm afraid it'd be all too easy to spot me in the crowd.
Reexamining yesterday's experience I can't really believe I did it. But then again I also can't pretend that it was a big deal in the end. Just another thing I've done for the sake of doing and another charity I have supported whose work I truly admire. If I had the opportunity to nude up again for another cause I'd consider it, depending on the circumstances of course. But for now I think I'll put my birthday suit to the back of the wardrobe... at least for another year.
Volunteer work is addictive. It's the perfect cyclical nature of giving for the sake of giving and receiving in return. You give up some of your time for a worthy cause and usually, they give you a free tshirt. See #58 - Do Some Volunteering and #59 - Get A Free Tshirt. There is the warm and fuzzy feeling, sure but really it's just a heap of fun!
The Ride to Conquer Cancer is a 2-day 230km bike ride starting from the University of Queensland, St Lucia Campus, through the gorgeous Brisbane Valley ending on day one (19 August 2011) at Somerset Dam. Along the way there are pit stops, medical staff, cheer squads every 20-25 kms (manned by volunteers). Upon arrival riders are greeted enthusiastically by volunteers who will congratulate you on a ride well done and park your bike. Your comfy accommodation - a tent - will already be set up (by volunteers) and riders can relax with a beer (served by volunteers), a well earned massage (volunteers) and a meal (volunteers). Are you getting the theme here much??
When I was offered the opportunity to volunteer for this event, for the entire weekend I jumped at the chance. Given that my recent experience with volunteering had such a lasting, positive effect I had resolved to do more community focused volunteer work and I was not disappointed.
The day started at UQ at 4:30am. I was allocated the bike parking team and at 6am it was time for the cyclists to head towards the start line. We checked bikes out and wished the riders well. With 1900-odd riders out of the starting blocks, it was a slow departure but by 7am they were on their way. May I please mention that at 7am the temperature was 6 degrees celcius? Thank you. Six degrees of frozen fingers and toes.
After a few odd jobs and errands we were on our way to Somerset Dam (in a car) with work to do! Upon arrival, we helped the Tent Team to pitch and number almost 1000 tents. I was on mallet duty, hammering pegs my speciality.
The first rider cruised into camp around 10:30 and by about midday there was a steady flow of cyclists arriving at camp, so we were off to bike parking duties. By the end of the day, 6:30pm we were skillfully parking bikes with precision. Some bikes were obviously expensive and owned by enthusiasts. Others, were just your usual commuter bikes but the bike that stood out was a purple rusted ladies bike at least 30 or more years old with a shabby ripped vinyl seat (padding poking our) and a rattly rear mud guard that was haphazardly strapped on with an old bike tube. When I asked about the bike, the woman said she deliberately rode this bike because she wanted to demonstrate that it was not about being a cyclist with the most modern and ostentatious gear. The point was participation, passion and philanthropy.
At 6:30pm the volunteers were rallied together for a meeting. We were given our 2nd free tshirt of the weekend (I'm quickly building a collection of free tshirts) and an itinerary for the next day. Then we were asked to line up and walk toward the dining hall, a massive marquee where the riders were dining and some speeches were being made. Our team leaders told us to get excited and clap and cheer when we were asked to. I grew suspicious, but "just trust us" was the response I received when pop-quizzed them on what was going on. By this time we had arrived at the entrance to the dining hall, I was at the very start of the line with my gal pal when I tweeked to what was going on. I heard the tail end of the speech and it was something like ".... they feed us, they cheer us on, they were there at each and every pit stop encouraging us to keep going, they put up your tent, they parked your bikes... would you please welcome and give a big hand to THE VOLUNTEERS!!!!" And right on cue, as instructed We. Got. Excited.
The lot of us ran and skipped through the dining hall, waving and smiling at the riders who gave us rambunctious clapping, cheering and whistling to the soundtrack of Survivor's 'Eye Of The Tiger'. There was a media crew there filming it and most of the riders gave us a standing ovation.
A standing ovation! Oh my Buddha. It was a moment.
By the time we did our lap of honour I had completed a 14 hour day. It was time for dinner and a sit down. I needed to be fed and watered.
We sat through a few speeches, mostly announcing the biggest fundraisers. One woman raised $50,000. On her own. The total amount raised was the largest sum ever raised in Queensland for a charity. The final figure? $4.7 million. Let me say that again. $4.7 million for cancer research at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR). The CEO of QIMR, Irish-born Frank, a more distinguished grey-haired gentleman made a wonderful speech. Frank participated in the ride that day however he decided beforehand not to do any training or preparation for the ride, quite deliberately because, as he said, no one is prepared for cancer they just have to face that challenge with true grit. That is how he wanted to face this ride.
The speeches ended and the band started up. In my head I was on the dance floor but after a 3:30am rise and a 14 hour day I was off to the showers and in my tent by about 8pm falling asleep to the distant sound of the cover band, who was playing very similar music as the cover band from last week's Coke party (see #76 - Go On A Date). In fact I'm convinced it was the exact same set list!
Up early next morning 5am, a quick breakfast and back on bike parking team duties, checking wristband matched name and rider number on bike. A handful of people were not riding on day 2. Their bikes were transported back to UQ via Thrifty hire truck. We volunteers loaded them onto the truck (bikes, not riders) and riders were ferried in air conditioned comfy seat comfort via coach. I don't blame them really. There's no way I'd ride that far. I mean, the bike seat is enough to put me off. If the bike seat was a bit wider and a bit more comfortable, kind of like an armchair and you didn't have to pedal - say if it was a motorised bike and you could just recline, have a nap and the bicycle rides itself then yeah, sure, I'd ride 236kms in two days.
A few hours later the last rider had left, we did a quick scenic tour of the dam - it was gorgeous and a good place to camp - and were back at UQ, taking bikes off the Thrifty truck and parking them. The first few riders had already arrived, at 10:30am. There wasn't much else for us to do and so the weekend's work finished at around midday.
As I reflected on the weekend, I realised there were many times when I caught myself way out of my comfort zone and loving every minute of it. I used to look at people who did volunteer work and think to myself "why would you do that?" both with curiousity and admiration. I used to think it took a special person. I'm not sure about that but I can say the reasons why I volunteer and why I'm interested in doing more volunteering is that as I get older, values, ethics, karma, compassion, teamwork and altruism become more important and I am now more interested in giving than taking.
