Fresh New Day» harbour

363 – New geometries

Lynsey — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 09:10:14 +0000

Wellington provides some exquisite contrasts between the natural landforms – the hills and harbour, and the man-made architecture and engineering. Add in some art, and the people themselves, and the combinations can be very interesting – at times even beautiful, especially in the early evening with the moon rising.

It can be so lovely.

Manifesto
14. Every day the ordinary can be the extraordinary.
20. Every day say thank you.
25. Every day your light shines for others to see.

359 – Paddle your own canoe

Lynsey — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 10:32:28 +0000

If you’re unable, or unwilling, to paddle your own canoe, you can always go down on the waterfront and there rent a kayak. From there you can paddle out and around the waterfront, the wharves, and the various sights and sounds from the harbour. Rather wonderful on a nice still day – and completely avoidable on a bad day, of course.

A lot of people seem to spend their lives trying to become more dependent. I find that rather frustrating – I spend time trying to become less dependent. This means managing personal stuff, learning how to do things, and generally trying to take as much responsibility for what I do as is possible. It’s not always easy, but it is something to work on, to commit to. The results are worth it – it’s a small step towards independence – to personal freedom.

Manifesto
06. Every day you make choices.
23. Every day retain your personal power. It belongs to you. No one else.
26. Every day take action. Every small step counts.

142 – The bubble

Lynsey — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 23:17:42 +0000

One of the great things about Wellington is the way the harbour is such a part of the landscape. Townscape. Those of us who work in the city either have an enviable view of the harbour (I do) or they envy people with a view of the harbour. I envy those with an even better view. Every day, all day, I get to see the weather rolling up and down – literally the clouds appear to move north to south or vice versa – it’s pretty unusual for the clouds to be going other directions.

Frequently over lunch I’ll take a wander along the waterfront. The water is clean enough to swim in – on a bright clear day in Summer you’ll see people take a quick dip before heading back to work. There’s even a diving board and a fresh water shower to add a tiny touch of luxury to the experience. And as for the boy in the bubble – your guess is as good as mine.

Manifesto
14. Every day the ordinary can be the extraordinary.
19. Every day make time for yourself.
24. Every day is a journey. Not a destination.

083 – Calling in our dreams

Lynsey — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 10:27:53 +0000

We rest here while we can, but we hear the ocean calling in our dreams,
And we know by the morning, the wind will fill our sails to test the seams,
The calm is on the water and part of us would linger by the shore,
For ships are safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for. — John A. Shedd, Salt from My Attic, 1928

Ah, our dreams, our dreams. Our dreams call to us no matter how much we try to repress them, reinvent them, shut them out, or ignore them. Like a ship chafing at the ropes, being dragged about by the waves and the tides, we get called again by our dreams.

The ropes, the ties, the everyday grind – in whatever form(s) they take hold us back, however I don’t believe that needs to be the end of the story. In the same way that a boat nudges away at the wharf or the various bowgraces, fenders, and buffers until it becomes comfortable albeit pinioned, it is possible to get some of the initial work done towards fulfilling the dreams. Can’t get to Paris, but can learn French. Can’t build a house, but could learn to use power tools by making dog kennels, or helping out friends with renovations. This is not being safe in harbour – a compromise – rather these actions are about getting the background learning done so that if and when the opportunity occurs it can be grabbed in both hands because the preparation has been done.

The achievement of a dream is normally the result of learning something and getting very good at doing something. It usually takes 10,000 hours to learn how to do something really well, the sooner you get started the better.

It’s not always possible or even appropriate to get stuck into pursing the dream to the fullest extent we’d like, but it is completely inappropriate, I believe, to abandon dreams. That is not what they’re for.

Manifesto
26. Every day take action. Every small step counts.
34. Every day focus on your dreams.
48. Every day there are things you can’t change. You can change the way you think about them and deal with them.

047 – Dog Day Afternoon

Lynsey — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 10:40:33 +0000

Driving around the bays to Seatoun, it seems it wasn’t just us scooting in front of the weather. In as much as I was lucky to grab this shot as we drove past, I think this energetic person and the happy dog would’ve been lucky to get home before the rain. I don’t know whether it is as a result of New Zealand’s agricultural based economy or whether we seem to have had quite a lot of it recently, but the weather is a common topic for discussion. It seems many people believe this is the worst/warmest/coldest/wettest/whateverist week/month/season/year since the last one/this century/since records began/ever.

I write now listening to the rain on the iron roof. For me it is one of the most soothing sounds. Our last home had a tile roof and I missed not hearing the rain. I’m sure somebody has already come up with pillows that play rain sounds, but they couldn’t ever replace the real thing. Walking the dog in the calm quiet would’ve been a pleasure today. I love the days when the wind holds its breath – when the skies are grey and the harbour is smooth right to the shore – the light is low and it’s like living in a black and white photo. Everything is muted, somehow simpler, yet with a slight edginess brought on by the fear of being caught in the rain. Beautiful, if you just take the time to appreciate the silver tones.

Breathe. Listen. Look. Calm.

Manifesto
05. Every day is now. The present moment.
24. Every day is a journey. Not a destination.
36. Every day be still. Connect to your inner being. Listen and be guided by it.